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GWR's recent declining performance?

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7ftBroad

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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.

Is there a ruling about the size of the bird, to whom it's gets blamed too. Large birds ( known a few ) Network Rail and small birds to TOC, think I remember seeing it on tv doc.
 
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bb21

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There are implications for delay attribution, but can we discuss this in a separate thread please.
 

Fearless

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Today I'm travelling from Nailsea to Paddington and back. On the two occasions on which I've returned on an IET, it's been terminated at Bristol each time. The last time this happened, we had to exit a 10-car IET and pile into the 2-car 1827 ex Temple Meads to WSM - that was 'cosy'. Will today be third time lucky and I'll actually get to Nailsea? Watch this space...
 

WelshBluebird

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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.

I travel by rail in the area a fair bit (mainly between Bath and Bristol, the Severn Beach line and through to Cardiff) and whilst you are right, it has been a lottery for a few years now, I do think it has got even worse in the last 10 months or so.

The introduction of the IET's (training staff on them, taking sets out of service for training leading to short formations and their reliability issues - not too major, but a fair few had to be taken our of service the other day!), the late delivery of the IET sets combined with the cascade of the HST's not being delayed (causing short formations and cancellations), the introduction of the Turbos to the West (whilst appreciated, has caused some issues with staff not knowing the trains thus causing delays), the whole mess around staff availability (caused by training on the "new" trains and by the Sunday working day issue, leading to yet more cancellations), issues around Temple Meads thanks to the resignalling earlier this year (which has reduced the speed limit through the station, causing delays and taking up recovery time where it exists in the timetable), the infamous "more trains than usual needing repairs" which has been a massive issue since roughly last Autumn (not being helped by trains that are either brand new, or new to an area, and some staff disappearing off to Hitachi or Crossrail), etc etc.

Sure it has always been pretty bad, but it does feel like it has got worse (and the reasons above are just part of the puzzle).
 

Fearless

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Today's travel (Nailsea-Paddington and back): pretty good timekeeping, but the HST was a car short so lots of reservations void, no air con, no electric to charge phone. Same set coming back! Left Padd full and standing right through the carriages as well as the vestibule. Held at Temple Meads for 15 minutes (not their fault, though - 'trespass incident'). And it all felt kinda normal, sad to say.
 

Kite159

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There appeared to be a HST set running around today which had a First/Kitchen coach instead of a standard class coach, so more first class than normal (had the regular coach L plus the composite coach K).

(15:00 Plymouth - Paddington)
 
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There appeared to be a HST set running around today which had a First/Kitchen coach instead of a standard class coach, so more first class than normal (had the regular coach L plus the composite coach K).

(15:00 Plymouth - Paddington)
Would that not be for the Pullman dining service?
 

Parallel

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There looks to be some serious stock shortages today in the GWR west area. Not to mention two of the busiest trains off Cardiff in the morning (07:00 to Paignton and 07:30 to Portsmouth) both formed of just 2 coaches today. Sounds like commuters to Bristol will be playing a compulsory game of sardines this morning.

Also numerous other short forms on the Devon metro, Cardiff-Pompey route, Severn Beach line and Heart of Wessex. Looks to be a lot of 150s covering Turbo diagrams if JC is anything to go by. Also did spot 150244 working a morning service to Pompey yesterday morning - was absolutely packed out.
 

Parallel

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59 formation updates posted this morning, and not short runs like Truro - Falmouth either. The availability last week seemed to be better than this week - Anyone know why? Also worth noting that a morning (very popular) Weymouth train is formed of 2 coaches instead of 5. Having been on a 2 vice 4 last year on the route, wouldn’t surprise me if people from Castle Cary onwards are unable to board, but the saving grace is that it’s not a Saturday. Last year the train was so packed, nobody could board Westbury to Upwey and I felt for the poor guard who has having people (who were to be left behind) shout at him at every station en-route - 2 hours to the next train with no additional road transport provided.

17:30 Weymouth to Bristol was 2 vice 5 last night too. Bet that was cosy.
 

ATW158Xpress

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Seems like the Turbo’s especially 166 sets are just as unreliable or worse then the 150’s they replaced. This is either down to poor maintenance as a result of lack of units so they working them down to the ground. The 166’s we’re not designed to operate stop start station services over a short distance but long distance limited stop Express services! Would have been better if they had the 3 car 165’s which were meant to operate these kind of services!
 

cactustwirly

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Seems like the Turbo’s especially 166 sets are just as unreliable or worse then the 150’s they replaced. This is either down to poor maintenance as a result of lack of units so they working them down to the ground. The 166’s we’re not designed to operate stop start station services over a short distance but long distance limited stop Express services! Would have been better if they had the 3 car 165’s which were meant to operate these kind of services!

I don't know what SPM are doing to them, but they were very reliable when they worked in the Thames Valley.
You do realise that the 166 is just a 165 with carpets, air con and extra first class.
The 166s should be fine on stopping service, they did that fine wit no issus in the Thames Valley
 

F Great Eastern

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There needs to be some kind of standards built into franchises in relation to short forms and penalties for operators where it happens on a regular basis.

I've seen it happening more and more on GWR although it's not at GA levels yet where it's surprising if a train isn't short formed across all fleets, it seems to be heading that way.
 

LBOTG

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The suburban lines from Paddington have been awful this week.

For the past two mornings the 0953 EAL-PAD has been four coaches only, which meant the trains have been really busy.

However, worst of all, on Tuesday the 1759 PAD-RDG was a three car Turbo! With five less carriages and a more cramped interior that lacks air con, you can only imagine how fun that commute home was. Oh yes and a load of people were left behind.
 

JN114

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However, worst of all, on Tuesday the 1759 PAD-RDG was a three car Turbo! With five less carriages and a more cramped interior that lacks air con, you can only imagine how fun that commute home was. Oh yes and a load of people were left behind.

2 fewer coaches than usual, not 5, and not booked to have any coaches with air con. 2R60 has been planned to be a 5 car 165 for quite a while now....

The 5 car Turbo gets to Paddington at 1727 - given that it can’t evaporate when it gets there, do you have an alternative proposed service it could work?
 

JN114

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The suburban lines from Paddington have been awful this week.

For the past two mornings the 0953 EAL-PAD has been four coaches only, which meant the trains have been really busy.

Messed up multi quotes...

Similarly 2P25 is planned in the diagrams as a 4 car, not 8.
 

FGW_Lad

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They also seem to be cutting a few stops from Burnham on the evening peaks recently too, not sure why as I hadn't noted many major delays.
 

JN114

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They also seem to be cutting a few stops from Burnham on the evening peaks recently too, not sure why as I hadn't noted many major delays.

Heat Speeds / Key Route Strategy precluding the use of Slough West and Dolphin Junctions, so the 387s that go ML to Dolphin, then call Slough and Burnham are stuck on the ML to Maidenhead and thus can’t call Burnham.
 
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I don't know what SPM are doing to them, but they were very reliable when they worked in the Thames Valley.
You do realise that the 166 is just a 165 with carpets, air con and extra first class.
The 166s should be fine on stopping service, they did that fine wit no issus in the Thames Valley
At one time they were the pride of the GWR fleet for reliability, but that started declining before the move to SPM, I reckon it was around the time of the move to the new depot at RDG.
 

Michael.Y

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There appeared to be a HST set running around today which had a First/Kitchen coach instead of a standard class coach, so more first class than normal (had the regular coach L plus the composite coach K).

This is not unusual when a coach needs repairs and the only spare trailer lying around a depot is a TF or a TC - sometimes entire TFs substitute for TSOs. In most cases a sensible TM will declassify that coach (it mostly ends up between B and E). A sensible TM will also go there to make sure a) nervous STD pax aren't clogging up the vestibules afraid to sit down, b) allay any complaints about there being "too much damn first class on this train", and also c) ensure no *genuine* First Class pax are sat there waiting impatiently for free drinks.

Talking of Pullman, there *was* a Pullman service the other day with the TRFB reversed, so if the restaurant had been set up in the First Class section adjacent to the kitchen as normal, pax from Standard would have had to traipse through the restaurant section to get to the buffet.

Can only imagine the shunters haven't lost their sense of whimsy in these dying days of HST movements on the Western.
 

LBOTG

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Similarly 2P25 is planned in the diagrams as a 4 car, not 8.

Granted, an error on my behalf. But surely it's a bit misleading for GWR to say "we are introducing 8-car electric train services" when a fair few are of less capacity or even not electric at all! I understand they only have restricted resources, but it just came as a bit of a surprise.
 

LordCreed

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Granted, an error on my behalf. But surely it's a bit misleading for GWR to say "we are introducing 8-car electric train services" when a fair few are of less capacity or even not electric at all! I understand they only have restricted resources, but it just came as a bit of a surprise.

They have introduced 8-car electric train services. Nothing misleading about that.
 

hassaanhc

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Messed up multi quotes...

Similarly 2P25 is planned in the diagrams as a 4 car, not 8.
Excellent planning for the first off peak service at the busy station of West Drayton…

2 fewer coaches than usual, not 5, and not booked to have any coaches with air con. 2R60 has been planned to be a 5 car 165 for quite a while now....

The 5 car Turbo gets to Paddington at 1727 - given that it can’t evaporate when it gets there, do you have an alternative proposed service it could work?
It was an 8-car 387 again for 2 weeks in July when both Newbury and Oxford were closed. Originally that 5-car 165 was on 1R06 (1757, first stop Slough) before being swapped, and the printed January timetable showed that, before quietly being swapped in February.
 

AllLineRover

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First World Problem but the promised Pullman dining on the 12:30 Paddington to Penzance on Aug 2 turned out be be crisps and Coca Cola. They took a reservation at 11:00 too.
Only Pullman experience was staff wearing Pullman badges. If you plan an all lines rover around these trains it’s a PIA. But fighting your way into work is much worse of course.
 

SWT_USER

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I don't know what SPM are doing to them, but they were very reliable when they worked in the Thames Valley.
You do realise that the 166 is just a 165 with carpets, air con and extra first class.
The 166s should be fine on stopping service, they did that fine wit no issus in the Thames Valley

Air con?! You'll be lucky. GWR and predecessors have all been unwilling to fix the awful air con properly.
 
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