The infamous 1915 from Paddington (police called to handle situation on 18th Sept)

[455driver]

Because the 19:12 FO additional is first stop Bristol as I noted above. Where do the 19:12 / 19:15 people go?

Onto the trains they should catch every other day of the year!

 

[Flamingo]

Some TM's on crush loaded services will quietly offer pregnant women (when it looks obvious) and the Infirm access to sit in first class on a case by case basis, instead of declassifying first class to everyone

Never ask a woman if she is pregnant unless you can see a head coming out...

 

[ainsworth74]

Onto the trains they should catch every other day of the year!

But the Reading commuters are special little lambs that deserve to have the entire railway designed around their needs!

 

[Rich McLean]

Never ask a woman if she is pregnant unless you can see a head coming out...

I didn't mention asking

Just offering a free upgrade if you can clearly see they are about drop and looking a bit pale. Seen it done before without the TM having to even mention the P word

 

[jon0844]

Oh dear, what a pity, never mind

A free shafting? That's a Gold Card benefit that wasn't mentioned on any literature I've ever seen.

 

[infobleep]

Doesn't look like it.

The trains have the same status in January as now.

The 19:15 is still Pick Up On Fridays with additional 19:12 FO Pad to Oxford.

Its only different on 19 December where the 19:12 becomes a HST to Swansea first Stop Bristol Parkway and the 19:15 Swansea is still pick Up Only at Reading.

Reading Commuters have been shafted on this particular Friday.

Be interesting to know how that evening goes compared to the others.

Apologies if this has been stated already but does the 19.12 have much space on it or is it a case of that being very full?

 

[Rich McLean]

Be interesting to know how that evening goes compared to the others.

Apologies if this has been stated already but does the 19.12 have much space on it or is it a case of that being very full?

Currently the 1912 is a Turbo on a Friday, so many Reading Commuters will refuse to use it (even if it does arrive just before the 1915). It does get used, but many Reading Commuters prefer the HST

When it changes to a HST in the next Time Table change, it may have greater effect into reducing the loadings on the 1915

 

[infobleep]

Currently the 1912 is a Turbo on a Friday, so many Reading Commuters will refuse to use it (even if it does arrive just before the 1915). It does get used, but many Reading Commuters prefer the HST

When it changes to a HST in the next Time Table change, it may have greater effect into reducing the loading's on the 1915

If I was given the choice of travelling on a HST or Turbo I'd choose the HST but only if it:

A Stop at the station I needed to get to
B Wasn't a train where I'd only have to stand to get on it.

In the case of the 1915, it seems to fail on all accounts.

Also I prefer to get home as soon as possible so that will be the 19.12 that ticks that box.

Does the HST have wifi? Would that be one reason why people want to travel on it?

 

[Rich McLean]

If I was given the choice of travelling on a HST or Turbo I'd choose the HST but only if it:

A Stop at the station I needed to get to
B Wasn't a train where I'd only have to stand to get on it.

In the case of the 1915, it seems to fail on all accounts.

Also I prefer to get home as soon as possible so that will be the 19.12 that ticks that box.

Does the HST have wifi? Would that be one reason why people want to travel on it?

It's pot luck with the Wi-Fi on HSTs. Not due to be fully rolled out until Easter 2015

Also the 1912 is FO, another reason why Reading Commuters will head straight for the 1915

 

[Deerfold]

If I was given the choice of travelling on a HST or Turbo I'd choose the HST but only if it:

A Stop at the station I needed to get to
B Wasn't a train where I'd only have to stand to get on it.

In the case of the 1915, it seems to fail on all accounts.

Also I prefer to get home as soon as possible so that will be the 19.12 that ticks that box.

Does the HST have wifi? Would that be one reason why people want to travel on it?

From the little I've seen of that line (and living on it, but getting slower services some years ago) your chances of getting a seat when commuting from Reading seem to be low anyway.

Onto the trains they should catch every other day of the year!

Well, every other Friday of the year. Oh, that would usually be the 1912.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Perhaps SWT commuters are more tolerant. There again based on the complaints from Portsmouth, may be not.

Be fair. The complainants from Portsmouth have a valid point.

They are in a train that is full and standing for over an hour in a train with 3+2 seating where most people don't fit in a seat.

I hate trips to London because I know it's going to be nasty.

 

[Class 170101]

Currently the 1912 is a Turbo on a Friday, so many Reading Commuters will refuse to use it (even if it does arrive just before the 1915). It does get used, but many Reading Commuters prefer the HST

When it changes to a HST in the next Time Table change, it may have greater effect into reducing the loadings on the 1915

I appreciate the timing load doesn't tell us everything but is it a dead certainty to be a HST? Currently its still shown in RTT as being a 165/166 and if the train is a HST why not time it as such as it would be quicker than the 165 and potentially get people to their destinations quicker?

 

[Rich McLean]

I appreciate the timing load doesn't tell us everything but is it a dead certainty to be a HST? Currently its still shown in RTT as being a 165/166 and if the train is a HST why not time it as such as it would be quicker than the 165 and potentially get people to their destinations quicker?

Currently the 1912 FO is Booked for a 3 car 165. From the next Timetable change it will be booked for a HST (subject to availability, crew etc), but can easily be swapped to a Turbo at short notice and keep to time. Same applies with many of the 180 diagrams

 

[cjmillsnun]

I understand the point, but I'm not impressed by the "Tim Shoveller has stated this loads of times" line. Maybe he states it regularly to SWT staff. Neither he nor any of his predecessors has stated it to me. Luckily I very rarely need to get from Overton to Clapham Junction in the morning peak hour, because if I did the number of changes and the time taken would mean either I had to start at about 5.15, or I wouldn't get there till almost the time the peak hour was over anyway.

It's not just been stated to staff.

SWT have regular meet the manager sessions at Waterloo and also rotate them at other stations across the network.

They also hold regular webinars and tweet the manager sessions.

As far as communication goes they are one of the best TOCs on the network. http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/tell-us.aspx

 

[jimm]

Currently the 1912 FO is Booked for a 3 car 165. From the next Timetable change it will be booked for a HST (subject to availability, crew etc), but can easily be swapped to a Turbo at short notice and keep to time. Same applies with many of the 180 diagrams

Won't apply to a number of 180 diagrams from May, as there will be changes on the Cotswold Line, with a number of speeded-up trains, including a number of near two-hour Paddington-Worcester Shrub Hill timings.

 

[Flamingo]

I didn't mention asking

Just offering a free upgrade if you can clearly see they are about drop and looking a bit pale. Seen it done before without the TM having to even mention the P word

A colleague of mine once had a female passenger storm up to him on a relatively busy train, and before he could say anything, she shouted at him "I'm pregnant!".
He replied (with a suitably shocked expression) "It wasn't me, I swear I've never seen you before!"

 

[infobleep]

It's pot luck with the Wi-Fi on HSTs. Not due to be fully rolled out until Easter 2015

Also the 1912 is FO, another reason why Reading Commuters will head straight for the 1915

Could they make the 19.12 every day or is there no demand on other days? Then may be the 19.15 could be pick up only every night.

It may not be economic to do this of course.

 

[21C101]

I thought this was about a Miss Marple agatha Christie Novel when I saw the title

 

[infobleep]

Be fair. The complainants from Portsmouth have a valid point.

They are in a train that is full and standing for over an hour in a train with 3+2 seating where most people don't fit in a seat.

I hate trips to London because I know it's going to be nasty.

Do you mean a train that is full and standing and additionally one that has 2+3 seating?

2+3 seating is OK providing not everyone is broad shouldered or has a higher body mass than medical people would say they should for their height.

I guess it would work well if they could balance people out in the train. So two thin people sit either side of some one who is wider. It that would be illegal to discriminate on size/weight of course.

Say this I fund I can get a seat on the 6.53, 7.07, 7.34 and 7.45 from Guildford, not to mention after.

I wouldn't get a seat on the 7.17 or 7.54 though but in the case of the 7.17, I can change at Woking and unofficially get the 7.29. Of course one would have to work that out because no journey planner would give you such a connection, even if it showed potential changes of train when your on a direct train. Of course they don't do such a thing because they assume no one would want to change trains when they have a direct service that they are on.

 

[455driver]

I wouldn't get a seat on the 7.17 or 7.54 though but in the case of the 7.17, I can change at Woking and unofficially get the 7.29. Of course one would have to work that out because no journey planner would give you such a connection, even if it showed potential changes of train when your on a direct train. Of course they don't do such a thing because they assume no one would want to change trains when they have a direct service that they are on.

Woking has a 5 minute connection time so no journey planners will show that 'connection' of yours because it is only 3 minutes.
Nothing sinister about it!

 

[Chris M]

Much has been made of commuters catching the same train every day. Is there a reason why the 19:15 isn't pick-up only at Reading every day?

 

[infobleep]

Woking has a 5 minute connection time so no journey planners will show that 'connection' of yours because it is only 3 minutes.
Nothing sinister about it!

I never said it was sinister. I'm just pointing out options exist but only if you make the effort to look at every part of the timetable in isolation so the point about not being able to get a seat may not be valid, providing you study the timetable finely.

 

[Tibbs]

Currently the 1912 is a Turbo on a Friday, so many Reading Commuters will refuse to use it (even if it does arrive just before the 1915). It does get used, but many Reading Commuters prefer the HST

When it changes to a HST in the next Time Table change, it may have greater effect into reducing the loadings on the 1915

Please tell me you're not criticising people for preferring an HST are you? On this board!?

 

[jon0844]

If the 1912 Turbo before the 1915 is 3 car, I guess I can see why those who rock up late on a Friday to find it packed (as I assume it will be) then have 3 minutes to go to the 1915, and do so.

If that was a different train, presumably it would have plenty of space and actually be preferable for the Reading commuters?

 

[Paul Kelly]

I wouldn't get a seat on the 7.17 or 7.54 though but in the case of the 7.17, I can change at Woking and unofficially get the 7.29. Of course one would have to work that out because no journey planner would give you such a connection, even if it showed potential changes of train when your on a direct train. Of course they don't do such a thing because they assume no one would want to change trains when they have a direct service that they are on.

My site BRtimes.com can show you things like this, if you have the patience to play around with it a bit. E.g. this link shows all direct trains from Woking to Waterloo, with departure times colour-coded as to whether they are missed, tight or valid connections out of the 0717 from Guildford.

In this case you can see that in the case where all trains run according to Working Timetable times, there actually is a 5 minute connection there, but not according to the publicly advertised times.

 

[infobleep]

My site BRtimes.com can show you things like this, if you have the patience to play around with it a bit. E.g. this link shows all direct trains from Woking to Waterloo, with departure times colour-coded as to whether they are missed, tight or valid connections out of the 0717 from Guildford.

In this case you can see that in the case where all trains run according to Working Timetable times, there actually is a 5 minute connection there, but not according to the publicly advertised times.

That's great. I must remember to use that. I use real time trains a lot.

 

[route:oxford]

Much has been made of commuters catching the same train every day. Is there a reason why the 19:15 isn't pick-up only at Reading every day?

Or why on a Friday it isn't the 19:13 on the public timetable but 19:15 on the working timetable?

 

[RJ]

Or why on a Friday it isn't the 19:13 on the public timetable but 19:15 on the working timetable?

Such a change would break journeys in the planners - not ideal as a 60 minute wait for the next service might make some journeys unachievable for long distance travellers - it's not them who should be discourage from using the service - rather the shorter distance travellers who have a greater number of alternative services, such as people going to Reading.

Besides, what benefit would there be in retiming it to 19:13? If the avenue of amending the GBTT was chosen, surely it would be better to advertise it at the same time, or a minute before the preceding Reading service?

 

[jimm]

Much has been made of commuters catching the same train every day. Is there a reason why the 19:15 isn't pick-up only at Reading every day?

Because lots of people aren't trying to get to South Wales for the weekend... and because FGW doesn't turn out just about the last Turbo not in service at that time of the day the rest of the week, which is what is required to operate the 19.12 on Friday.

2+3 seating is OK providing not everyone is broad shouldered or has a higher body mass than medical people would say they should for their height.

This is a joke, isn't it? Average-sized people can't possibly sit comfortably in the 3+2 seats in FGW Turbos and other BR stock of a similar vintage - unless they have all had their arms amputated.

I can't comment on 450s as I hardly ever use them.

 

[infobleep]

Such a change would break journeys in the planners - not ideal as a 60 minute wait for the next service might make some journeys unachievable. Besides, what benefit would there be in retiming it to 19:13? If the avenue of amending the GBTT was chosen, surely it would be better to advertise it at the same time, or a minute before the preceding Reading service?

Well they break journey opportunities to implement the leaf fall timetable around Guildford way so if really required they would do it. Of course the gap between services from Guildford isn't an hour.