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Heathrow Connect

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cjp

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A FGW staff member said to me yesterday that they run Heathrow Connect between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington and BA just the last bit into Heathrow. This seems odd to me although i know FGW provide drivers.

My Question is has Heahrow Connect become, like Gatwick Express and Southern, just a trading name and it all really is FGW in disguise?

Following on from that does FGW therefore determine policies fares and train times?

Last time I was in touch with Heathrow Connect (admittedly in 2008) they wrote to me on Heathrow Express / Heathrow Connect paper.
 
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I believe its a joint operation, so not entirely FGW or HeX but run as a joint TOC between them.
 

TEW

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It is a joint operation, between Paddington and Hayes it is providing services that FGW would otherwise have to provide. As far as I know it uses BAA drivers though. When Heathrow Connect drivers went on strike the other week FGW replaced the trains with Turbos running between Paddington and Hayes.
 
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It is a joint operation, between Paddington and Hayes it is providing services that FGW would otherwise have to provide. As far as I know it uses BAA drivers though. When Heathrow Connect drivers went on strike the other week FGW replaced the trains with Turbos running between Paddington and Hayes.

Correctamundo. If a service is advertised as operated by Heathrow Connect it is run by a class 360 with staff provided by Heathrow Express. No FGW staff can operate a class 360.

HC operates on behalf of FGW between Paddington and Hayes. Between Hayes and Heathrow the service is run for BAA. Therefore during any Heathrow Express strike FGW have to operate the service from Paddington to Hayes with their drivers and trains to fulfil their franchise commitments.

Fares to / from Heathrow are determined by BAA and everything else is up to FGW as far as I am aware.
 

rmt-driver

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It is a joint operation, between Paddington and Hayes it is providing services that FGW would otherwise have to provide. As far as I know it uses BAA drivers though. When Heathrow Connect drivers went on strike the other week FGW replaced the trains with Turbos running between Paddington and Hayes.

Scabs!
 

cjp

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Correctamundo. If a service is advertised as operated by Heathrow Connect it is run by a class 360 with staff provided by Heathrow Express. No FGW staff can operate a class 360.

HC operates on behalf of FGW between Paddington and Hayes. Between Hayes and Heathrow the service is run for BAA.

Fares to / from Heathrow are determined by BAA and everything else is up to FGW as far as I am aware.

So it is likely then that HC may have changed their policy on the carriage of cycles to fall in line with FGW even though HC trains are roomier - wider doors and vestibules - and have an areas for cycles/disabled as well more luggage storage than any FGW local train.

All down to the lowest common denominator then :cry:
 

Eagle

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It is a joint operation, between Paddington and Hayes it is providing services that FGW would otherwise have to provide. As far as I know it uses BAA drivers though.

It's the same as Sevenoaks–Kentish Town (FCC/SE) and Newcastle–Glasgow Ctl (Scotrail/Northern).
 
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So it is likely then that HC may have changed their policy on the carriage of cycles to fall in line with FGW even though HC trains are roomier - wider doors and vestibules - and have an areas for cycles/disabled as well more luggage storage than any FGW local train.

All down to the lowest common denominator then :cry:

On peak time trains where space is at a premium I would say that it makes sense to restrict the number of bicycles on trains for the consideration of all customers! I would also say it makes sense to have one policy for all trains on this route.

Does anyone actually police these restrictions though? FGW surely can't stop people from boarding as most of the stations are ungated on this part of their route.
 

cjp

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On peak time trains where space is at a premium I would say that it makes sense to restrict the number of bicycles on trains for the consideration of all customers! I would also say it makes sense to have one policy for all trains on this route.
It does unless you are one of a handful of cyclist (count me in) who know all but about 4 HC trains a day have plenty of room and all usually have room enough.
Going by train saves 7-8 miles of cycling and makes getting to places , say ex Marylebone, easy.

FGW trains are different and I do know and I keep off FGW trains as they do not have the room (and I do have the comfort of a letter from Heathrow Connect saying OK)
It just seems odd that FGW apply a blanket time ban on cyclist irrespective of train loadings but it is still OK for the vast wheeled luggage which is now so common and buggies at all times.
I know there is a restriction on luggage size of sorts but policing cycles is much easier than measuring a case (trunk) and saying Whoa not today, not now.


And of course HC trains have extra luggage space.
 

JoeGJ1984

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Correctamundo. If a service is advertised as operated by Heathrow Connect it is run by a class 360 with staff provided by Heathrow Express. No FGW staff can operate a class 360.

HC operates on behalf of FGW between Paddington and Hayes. Between Hayes and Heathrow the service is run for BAA. Therefore during any Heathrow Express strike FGW have to operate the service from Paddington to Hayes with their drivers and trains to fulfil their franchise commitments.

Fares to / from Heathrow are determined by BAA and everything else is up to FGW as far as I am aware.

Is this arrangement allowed? Because I remember Chiltern Railways were fined for letting Wrexham and Shropshire effectively run trains that Chiltern had to run in their franchise commitment.
 

ainsworth74

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Is this arrangement allowed? Because I remember Chiltern Railways were fined for letting Wrexham and Shropshire effectively run trains that Chiltern had to run in their franchise commitment.

Yes because this arrangement is in FGWs franchise agreement!
 
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