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GWR's recent declining performance?

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Tim456

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Well so far (as at 08:00) there is only 8 cancellations showing, 2 in Cornwall & 6 for Paddington - Bristol services
A few Paddington - Swansea services have since been added to the cancellations list but compared to previous Sundays better, unless you so happen to have been travelling on one of the services that are now cancelled.
 
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Cardiff123

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So far, zero train formation updates. So all services today are running at their full diagrammed length?
 

PHILIPE

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So far, zero train formation updates. So all services today are running at their full diagrammed length?

There are at least 2 circuits running as 5 vice 10. I have Tweeted GWR to point out not shown on Journey Check. 1033 PAD to BRI and 1333 PAD to SWA for starters.
 

father_jack

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The Cardiff-Gloucester/Worcester shuttles have fallen to pieces due to being a set short and a set now incapacitated due to a bird strike.
 

Parallel

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That makes more sense, thanks for that! I’m still yet to see a 9 car unit in service!

The Cardiff-Gloucester/Worcester shuttles have fallen to pieces due to being a set short and a set now incapacitated due to a bird strike.
That makes sense why I heard there was a Bristol Parkway local cancelled earlier due to ‘animals on the line’ - What maybe the announcement should say is ‘due to the train striking an animal earlier today’ but obviously that’s the closest pre-set reason on the system.
 

PHILIPE

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That makes more sense, thanks for that! I’m still yet to see a 9 car unit in service!


That makes sense why I heard there was a Bristol Parkway local cancelled earlier due to ‘animals on the line’ - What maybe the announcement should say is ‘due to the train striking an animal earlier today’ but obviously that’s the closest pre-set reason on the system.

An animal on the railway is different to a bird in the air which it actually was according to Post #125
 
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HowardGWR

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A bird strike is force majeure. I don't see how this incident has anything to do with GWR declining performance.
 

PHILIPE

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Parallel

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GWR desperately short of units it seems. 150249 working Cardiff - Portsmouth today and 17.37 departure from Bath cancelled due to ‘more trains than usual requiring maintenance at the same time’ - the 18.36 Bath to Cardiff also cancelled. 18.2x to Frome also cancelled. 18.07 running over 20 mins late!

Also, 18.13 Bath to London was a HST formed of 9 coaches!! Coach F wasn’t in passenger use though.
 

Dr Hoo

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The 2+4 mini HST set was unavailable in the South West today. Covered by a Class 150/2.
 
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Also, 18.13 Bath to London was a HST formed of 9 coaches!! Coach F wasn’t in passenger use though.
I saw it too at Temple Meads. Anyone know why they'd put an extra standard-class coach on at the first-class end and then lock the gangway anyway?
 

JN114

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I saw it too at Temple Meads. Anyone know why they'd put an extra standard-class coach on at the first-class end and then lock the gangway anyway?

Usually to move a defective vehicle from one depot to another. 2+9 not permitted in passenger service on GW, has to run with the 9th trailer locked out of use.
 

Warwick

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On the naughty step again.
I'm currently suffering from it. I'm sat in the 07.41 from Penzance to Reading which has lost time at every station - it was already 2" late in the short journey to Truro. Naive child that I am I thought it's ETA into Reading at 13.15 would easily see me on to the 13.32 to Dorking. 13.26 and just through Didcot. When will GWR platform staff learn to close train doors instead of standing around and blowing whistles?
 

fgwrich

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Usually to move a defective vehicle from one depot to another. 2+9 not permitted in passenger service on GW, has to run with the 9th trailer locked out of use.

Could it not be for the Newquay services? I'm sure 2+9 sets used to be churned out for the summer Newquay services with the extra trailer used for the storage of luggage & surf boards. The extra vehicle was always inserted in at the FC end.
 

JN114

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Could it not be for the Newquay services? I'm sure 2+9 sets used to be churned out for the summer Newquay services with the extra trailer used for the storage of luggage & surf boards. The extra vehicle was always inserted in at the FC end.

Quite possible - not in a position to look at allocations today
 

HowardGWR

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GWR desperately short of units it seems. 150249 working Cardiff - Portsmouth today and 17.37 departure from Bath cancelled due to ‘more trains than usual requiring maintenance at the same time’ - the 18.36 Bath to Cardiff also cancelled. 18.2x to Frome also cancelled. 18.07 running over 20 mins late!

Also, 18.13 Bath to London was a HST formed of 9 coaches!! Coach F wasn’t in passenger use though.
What amazes me about your reports is why the GWR is making such a fist of those trains required at the peak, as opposed to the 'quiet' hours. We saw when we ran the performance app that there is a general malaise, but still?
 

cactustwirly

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There seems to be a lot of late running freight messing up the Thames Valley locals this week...
 

JN114

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There seems to be a lot of late running freight messing up the Thames Valley locals this week...

Stone Trains to/from Acton out of their usual paths due to B&H closure; so they’re interacting with the TV Locals for longer; also some with delays due to pathing over the single line via Melksham etc.
 

Wilts Wanderer

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Reports of a 2+8 HST covering one of the Weston SM-Bristol Parkway diagrams for much of today. The other diagram was cancelled due to lack of available unit with Cardiff-Taunton services picking up some of the omitted stops.
 

Parallel

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What amazes me about your reports is why the GWR is making such a fist of those trains required at the peak, as opposed to the 'quiet' hours. We saw when we ran the performance app that there is a general malaise, but still?
I guess they run more services down the Avon Valley in the peaks and are unable to cover them if they are short of units. This morning was a nightmare, from Trowbridge the 07.24 cancelled; 08:00 didn’t stop (2 carriages vice 5) and the 08.51 was cancelled. Thankfully I managed to get on the 08.23 (which was packed) or else I’d been nearly an hour late for work. Also plenty of short forms everywhere.
 

Parallel

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Reports of a 2+8 HST covering one of the Weston SM-Bristol Parkway diagrams for much of today. The other diagram was cancelled due to lack of available unit with Cardiff-Taunton services picking up some of the omitted stops.
Not every day you can take a HST from Bedminster to Parson Street, or from Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road! :D
 

RJ

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Is this declining performance really a recent thing?

I've been making long distance trips on the network since 2013 and 50% of the time, I get delayed by at least 30 minutes on one leg, often a lot more. Most recently was last Tuesday on this train I took to Cardiff.

There was failed aircon in 2 Mk3s with a third giving up half way through. There was no counter service or water on board. We were delayed at Reading to procure water for those feeling unwell, then an inexplicable increase in delay as the journey progressed. At Swindon we picked up the passengers of the preceeding Swansea service which had broken down. They had been waiting there for 90 minutes.

A few weeks ago I got delayed by 45 minutes between Swindon and Bristol TM due to signalling problems.

Random cancellations due to crewing issues or signalling problems, usually in the Bristol Parkway area have been the most common causes of the delays I've experienced. People seem to get hit by trains east of Slough 2 or 3 times a week - that alone puts me off ever wanting to commute on that line. Other high speed lines I commuted on like EMT and HS1 were very reliable. Using GW is a bit of a lottery and it's irritating as those delays cut into your time which you never get back.

In my view it has been an unreliable part of the railway for at least a few years.
 

Wilts Wanderer

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Most of the Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road stops were removed for performance reasons - understandable given that the northbound run that did call - 1510 WSM-BPW? - lost about 8 mins against the schedule doing so.
 

Wilts Wanderer

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Is this declining performance really a recent thing?

I've been making long distance trips on the network since 2013 and 50% of the time, I get delayed by at least 30 minutes on one leg, often a lot more. Most recently was last Tuesday on this train

There was failed aircon in 2 Mk3s with a third giving up half way through. There was no counter service or water on board. We were delayed at Reading to procure water for those feeling unwell, then an inexplicable increase in delay as the journey progressed. At Swindon we picked up the passengers of the preceeding Swansea service which had broken down. They had been waiting there for 90 minutes.

Random cancellations due to crewing issues or signalling problems, usually in the Bristol Parkway area have been the most common causes of the delays I've experienced. People seem to get hit by trains east of Slough 2 or 3 times a week - that alone puts me off ever wanting to commute on that line. In my view it has been an unreliable part of the railway for at least a few years.

All this is probably very true, and is EXACTLY the reason why the route modernisation, new train fleets and enhanced timetable are long overdue. Currently the first of those is still underway and causing many issues across the board from traincrew resourcing impacts to equipment unreliability, the second are gradually taking place but impacted by delays and re-scoping of the modernisation, and the third has been postponed due to entirely external unrelated factors.
 
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