Trains and the Rugby World Cup

[jimm]

The National Rail website has a summary, though it is pretty sketchy in places and lacks detail on arrangements for Exmouth branch trains to name but one example, which the FGW site mentions, though the FGW site says nothing about some extra trains at Gloucester mentioned on National Rail.... attitude just seems to be that people will use journey planners or just roll up to stations expecting there to be a train.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/104470.aspx

https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/rugby-travel

 

[CallySleeper]

What bothers me is that FGW has blocked advances and reservations on all services to Cardiff Central before matches and from there afterwards.

Not a problem, I was able to get two returns from London to Cardiff for a total of under £60 for one game.

 

[infobleep]

Well of course. The fact that it is a World Cup where large swathes of the teams who are near the top of the tree in Rugby happen to be on the other side of the world why wouldn't they want to show them at a time when they can actually watch them?

They could watch them if it was hosted on a Saturday evening too or is there a reason why people couldn't watch the opening where it hosted on a Saturday evening when no commuters are travelling?

Of course it's not the Ruby World Cups fault we can't supply additional trains during such events but equally it's not cost effective to have stand by trains when they do host their events, which are so infrequent.

One year the band Status Quo were due to play near Silverstone when the British Grand Prix was on. The police asked that the event be cancelled or postponed.

The outcome was that Quo transferred to play at the British Grand Prix itself and all fans were given tickets to the British Grand Prix.

Perhaps if the Station Quo concert was beamed around the world by multiple broadcasters paying lots of money they wouldn't have shifted but been allowed to stay put.

 

[hassaanhc]

I have to agree with 313103. Certainly, travelling back from Cardiff with rugby fans after a big game can be unpleasant. They are not usually nasty people, but they can be very drunk, loud and obnoxious.

Many of the worse offenders aren't what I'd call real rugby fans, though, they've just used the sport as an excuse to have a day out and drink too much.

Same could probably apply for football I'm someone who also hates drunk sports "fans" on public transport. The loud chanting is very intimidating.

 

[Clip]

They could watch them if it was hosted on a Saturday evening too or is there a reason why people couldn't watch the opening where it hosted on a Saturday evening when no commuters are travelling?

<snip>.

You're right, they could. However as opening ceremony's are always full of pomp they are always generally held on a Friday night so you can get right into the sport the following day so that every game fits into the schedule.

did people cry this much for the Olympics? No, we seemingly all got on with it so why cry now?

 

[infobleep]

You're right, they could. However as opening ceremony's are always full of pomp they are always generally held on a Friday night so you can get right into the sport the following day so that every game fits into the schedule.

did people cry this much for the Olympics? No, we seemingly all got on with it so why cry now?

Your right they did. They advised commuters to work from home. I don't remember them advising spectators to avoid travelling to certain stations where events took place but may be they did that too.

People took the advice and stayed at home. I personally couldn't so came into work but bad no issues, other than TfL not sticking to the arrangement of allowing passengers from the underground to Platforms 8-11 at Euston, whilst barring those heading to the underground. That arrangement lasted about a day. After that they allowed both flows to use it, expect when there were problems on the underground. Then instead of only barring those going down to the underground, as had been the plan for the Olympics, they barred everyone, including those leaving the underground. But apart from that annoyance now and again it was all good.

However the Olympics was during the summer and not September so u don't know if that helped with passenger numbers on the trains.

 

[atw driver]

I would advise anyone going to games in cardiff to make other travel arrangements as we are currently balloting for strike action and I would expect the games there to be impacted ballot closes on September 21st. Seven days notice then action can begin.
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There was another thread which has been closed about arriva trains wales strike action I can assure you 100 % it will be happening

 

[313103]

I would advise anyone going to games in cardiff to make other travel arrangements as we are currently balloting for strike action and I would expect the games there to be impacted ballot closes on September 21st. Seven days notice then action can begin.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There was another thread which has been closed about arriva trains wales strike action I can assure you 100 % it will be happening

Nothing mentioned on ATW, or ASLE&F, or RMT websites and nothing on any news stations either.

Do you have link?

 

[atw driver]

Nothing mentioned on ATW, or ASLE&F, or RMT websites and nothing on any news stations either.

Do you have link?

I am a atw driver aslef have sent ballot papers out RMT waiting to see what happens talks broke down last week
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Ballot papers being sent out by electoral reform society

 

[313103]

I am a atw driver aslef have sent ballot papers out RMT waiting to see what happens talks broke down last week
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Ballot papers being sent out by electoral reform society

Ok, thanks for update.

 

[BestWestern]

What bothers me is that FGW has blocked advances and reservations on all services to Cardiff Central before matches and from there afterwards.

I think that a wise idea, personally. If numbers are very high it would be impossible to police either of them.

 

[Hadders]

Advance tickets cannot be enforced effectively at Cardiff following a rugby match given the huge numbers of passengers.

 

[Envoy]

Wonder if Cross Country will run their usual 2 or 3 coach turbostars (170's) on the Nottingham > Cardiff route? They can't cope with normal flows.

If using National Express, note that they now arrive & depart from Sophia Gardens which is north of the Principality (Millennium) Stadium. Go to first bride N of stadium & walk up river on the west bank & you will find them.

 

[jimm]

Wonder if Cross Country will run their usual 2 or 3 coach turbostars (170's) on the Nottingham > Cardiff route? They can't cope with normal flows.

If using National Express, note that they now arrive & depart from Sophia Gardens which is north of the Principality (Millennium) Stadium. Go to first bride N of stadium & walk up river on the west bank & you will find them.

It's not hard to find out. I provided the link to the National Rail page about RWC arrengments at the top of this page, where it says:

Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
CrossCountry will run additional services between Birmingham New Street / Cheltenham Spa and Cardiff Central on match days.
First Great Western will run additional services between London Paddington / Bristol Temple Meads / Swansea and Cardiff Central.

A quick search in a journey planner shows that this coming Saturday a couple of the Manchester-Bristol Voyagers will be diverted to Cardiff to back up the 170s, giving 0930, 0942, 1030, 1042 and 1130 trains from Birmingham to Cardiff, with extras in the return direction as well after the Ireland v Canada game giving 1645, 1717, 1745,1820 and 1845 departures.

It may just be that they expect the morning trains to be thronged with Tongans and Georgians living in Birmingham off to Kingsholm for the noon kick-off, but I doubt it. They do seem to try to provide three-car 170s on match days at the relevant times, so it is to be hoped they diagram five-car 221s on the Manchesters as well.

 

[Statto]

Saturday 10th October will be pretty interesting, as not only are England vs Uruguay at The Etihad Manchester there's also the Rugby League Grand Final at Old Trafford, trains to Manchester will be heaving.

 

[atw driver]

ballot paper returned roll on September 21st​

 

[PHILIPE]

Wales v Uruguay at Cardiff
Additional trains now in RTT for Sunday, September 20th. Loco Hauled Holyhead to Cardiff calling at Wrexham, also additional from Crewe worked by the Manchester/North Wales LHCS, Specials on Cardiff Valleys, Ebbw Vale and Newport. No extras to Maesteg - there is no Sunday service on the route..

 

[lazydragon]

Around a week ago there was a report saying that there was plenty of availability for the Wales v Uruguay game...maybe they should save the big guns for the other two matches being held there.

Some of the scheduling seems to be designed to cater to the international markets though, some of the midweek games being held during the day seems to be a little ridiculous in terms of getting people through the turnstiles.

 

[jimm]

Around a week ago there was a report saying that there was plenty of availability for the Wales v Uruguay game...maybe they should save the big guns for the other two matches being held there.

Some of the scheduling seems to be designed to cater to the international markets though, some of the midweek games being held during the day seems to be a little ridiculous in terms of getting people through the turnstiles.

Well I'm looking at the RWC website ticketing page for the Millennium Stadium right now and it says there is limited availability for Sunday, as opposed to the Australia v Fiji game on Wednesday afternoon which has moderate availability, as does New Zealand v Georgia on October 2. If the cheapest seats in Cardiff weren't £50, then I expect the Wales games would already have sold out and they might have shifted more for the other matches as well.

As for scheduling, it's to do with what the TV companies want in return for their £110m payment to the organisers.

 

[Hadders]

Some of the scheduling seems to be designed to cater to the international markets though, some of the midweek games being held during the day seems to be a little ridiculous in terms of getting people through the turnstiles.

No different to the football World Cup where there are numerous different kick off times.

TV drives the schedules. It's even the case these days for Premiership and Champions Cup matches. Northampton Saints played Ospreys in Swansea at 5pm on a Sunday in last years Chamapions Cup. Hardly a friendly time for supporters. It did give me a chance to catch the Capitals United non-stop train through Reading the following morning though

 

[Greenback]

Given the amount that TV companies pay to screen matches, it;s natural that they expect to have a major say in the scheduling. Far more than rodinary fans, or train operating companies!

As much as I hate to agree with John Inverdale, he was right to say that far more people watch rugby matches on TV than do so by attending the game. There's no point in fighting that.

 

[Hadders]

Given the amount that TV companies pay to screen matches, it;s natural that they expect to have a major say in the scheduling. Far more than rodinary fans, or train operating companies!

As much as I hate to agree with John Inverdale, he was right to say that far more people watch rugby matches on TV than do so by attending the game. There's no point in fighting that.

This is true of all major sports. I'm a shareholder at Northampton Saints and I've just received the Annual Report and Accounts for last year.

Saints have the unmatched position opin UK club rugby of being in profit for each of the last 15 years and it is interesting to note that 'Central Revenues' ie sponsorship generated by the Aviva Premiership (notably Aviva's sponsorship and the BT TV deal) generates the most income for the club. Next is Corporate Income which will is club level sponsorship, events and banqueting and box holders etc. Third is match day ticket income.

Saints sold out every home match last season and we have the highest ticket prices in the Premiership!

 

[Greenback]

This is true of all major sports.

Absolutely. Nothing can survive without TV money these days.

 

[infobleep]

Absolutely. Nothing can survive without TV money these days.

It could survive if everyone had no TV money. But like that's going to happen? Of course not.

 

[greatkingrat]

It looks like they have done a pretty good job of scheduling actually with as many weekend matches as possible. In a big tournament like this not every match can have the ideal kickoff time.

 

[Greenback]

It could survive if everyone had no TV money. But like that's going to happen? Of course not.

Do you really think any professional sport can survive without TV? If there was no TV money flooding into football, it would be a very different sport, if it could exist at all.

But we'd better stay on topic!

 

[infobleep]

Do you really think any professional sport can survive without TV? If there was no TV money flooding into football, it would be a very different sport, if it could exist at all.

But we'd better stay on topic!

It did for many years. I'm not saying we should go back. Just that it once did.

 

[Greenback]

Times have changed, I'm afraid. The days of the maximum wage and players travelling to the game on the bus with the fans have long gone!

 

[island]

This is true of all major sports. I'm a shareholder at Northampton Saints and I've just received the Annual Report and Accounts for last year.

Saints have the unmatched position opin UK club rugby of being in profit for each of the last 15 years and it is interesting to note that 'Central Revenues' ie sponsorship generated by the Aviva Premiership (notably Aviva's sponsorship and the BT TV deal) generates the most income for the club. Next is Corporate Income which will is club level sponsorship, events and banqueting and box holders etc. Third is match day ticket income.

Saints sold out every home match last season and we have the highest ticket prices in the Premiership!

I wager that hierarchy is as much due to having a rather small stadium (just scrapes over 15,000 if memory serves).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Times have changed, I'm afraid. The days of the maximum wage and players travelling to the game on the bus with the fans have long gone!

You may say that, but I was getting the train home from Wigan North Western last year having attended Wigan Athletic vs Crystal Palace and some VT staff came along 10 minutes before departure to clear everyone away from waiting for the front two coaches, then along came the (losing) team to travel up to London!

 

[jimm]

I wager that hierarchy is as much due to having a rather small stadium (just scrapes over 15,000 if memory serves).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


You may say that, but I was getting the train home from Wigan North Western last year having attended Wigan Athletic vs Crystal Palace and some VT staff came along 10 minutes before departure to clear everyone away from waiting for the front two coaches, then along came the (losing) team to travel up to London!

Presumably when Neil Warnock was the Palace manager. He often takes his teams on the train to away matches.