GWR Intercity Express Train (IEP) initial diagrams & allocations

[II]

I'm not sure any of the IET services will call at Tackley, Heyford or Kings Sutton in regular service. The test runs may well have checked stepping distances, clearances and confirmed the SDO requirements at the intermediate stops, but that doesn't mean trains will be timetabled to call.

The Oxford<>Banbury IETs from December are scheduled to be:

06:20 PAD-BAN (arriving 07:35)
07:47 BAN-PAD

18:28 PAD-BAN (arriving 19:35)
19:46 BAN-PAD

The timing of the down services indicates they won't be stopping between Oxford and Banbury, certainly not the evening one anyway, though I'm not completely sure about the up services.

 

[Oxfordblues]

The 1450 is an in-service positioning move to cycle Turbos between Reading and Oxford; otherwise they’d get stuck in the Oxford area. The opposite-direction move is the 0931 Oxford to Padd; which goes empty back to Reading depot.

Thank you for that interesting explanation. I must say it is disappointing that after all the investment in new trains and all the fanfare over their introduction, one of the principal morning off-peak "expresses" from Oxford to London is still a cramped, noisy 3-car "suburban" DMU with 2+3 seating. I presume this will be rectified with the December timetable.

 

[VT 390]

Currently waiting to depart on the 11:28 Newquay to Paddington service, it is a 5 carriage 802 with no reservations showing. Does this mean it is going to be just 5 through to London or will another set join at Plymouth?

 

[PHILIPE]

Currently waiting to depart on the 11:28 Newquay to Paddington service, it is a 5 carriage 802 with no reservations showing. Does this mean it is going to be just 5 through to London or will another set join at Plymouth?

Shown as 10 from Plymouth on "Tiger"

 

[Oxfordblues]

Currently waiting to depart on the 11:28 Newquay to Paddington service, it is a 5 carriage 802 with no reservations showing. Does this mean it is going to be just 5 through to London or will another set join at Plymouth?

There's 7 mins dwell time at Plymouth, but nothing in the schedule for calling-on into an occupied platform at 10mph

 

[PHILIPE]

There's 7 mins dwell time at Plymouth, but nothing in the schedule for calling-on into an occupied platform at 10mph

The CIS says 10 and appears to attach to portion which has come from Penzance earlier

 

[FGW_DID]

Currently waiting to depart on the 11:28 Newquay to Paddington service, it is a 5 carriage 802 with no reservations showing. Does this mean it is going to be just 5 through to London or will another set join at Plymouth?

1A86 11.28 Newquay- Paddington is on IW956 which has a booked attach (to IW970) at Plymouth.

 

[II]

Should be 802021 attaching at Plymouth.

 

[TheBigD]

Currently waiting to depart on the 11:28 Newquay to Paddington service, it is a 5 carriage 802 with no reservations showing. Does this mean it is going to be just 5 through to London or will another set join at Plymouth?

Out of interest what are the loadings like? Is a 5 car OK for the number of punters or does the service need 9/10 cars?

 

[irish_rail]

Out of interest what are the loadings like? Is a 5 car OK for the number of punters or does the service need 9/10 cars?

5 cars are generally ok for Newquay loadings (boardmasters aside), however the issue is with lack of reliability. For example 2 weekends ago a Newquay was delayed 20 minutes at Plymouth due to issues separating the 2 5 car sets.

 

[VT 390]

Out of interest what are the loadings like? Is a 5 car OK for the number of punters or does the service need 9/10 cars?

When I was on it today in the coach I was in about a third of the seats were taken and this changed to around just over half at Par, I don't know past Plymouth as that is where I got off, but for Newquay I think even if today was a low usage day 5 is plenty.

 

[Scf]

For two passengers to be seated in first, it looks like GWR are trying to put us at a four-top table with two other passengers. Trying to book two single seats seems to be impossible.

Is there any way to book two single seats? Does first usually go under loaded so that two passengers in a four-top won’t usually be placed with two other passengers?

If it matters, this is for Paddington to Bath Spa on 22 Sept, roughly mid-afternoon. Also the next day Bath Spa to Portsmouth.

 

[Melancholia]

For two passengers to be seated in first, it looks like GWR are trying to put us at a four-top table with two other passengers. Trying to book two single seats seems to be impossible.

Is there any way to book two single seats? Does first usually go under loaded so that two passengers in a four-top won’t usually be placed with two other passengers?

If it matters, this is for Paddington to Bath Spa on 22 Sept, roughly mid-afternoon. Also the next day Bath Spa to Portsmouth.

Not sure why the booking system does that. Only theory is that PAD to BTH on a Saturday is a fairly busy journey, however I've yet to see 1st class busy on them during the weekend.

If you look at a seating diagram of an IET, and note down which seat numbers are for the two seats opposite, you can visit a booking office and reserve those specific seats.

 

[Goldfish62]

Not sure why the booking system does that. Only theory is that PAD to BTH on a Saturday is a fairly busy journey, however I've yet to see 1st class busy on them during the weekend.

If you look at a seating diagram of an IET, and note down which seat numbers are for the two seats opposite, you can visit a booking office and reserve those specific seats.

Isn't it about time that GWR introduced seat self-selection when booking on line, as per VWC, LNER and XC?

 

[Melancholia]

GWR 800002 first day in service today, along with 800007

Its workings:

1C03 0700 Paddington to Bristol TM
1A11 0930 Bristol TM to Paddington
1C12 1130 Paddington to Bristol TM
1A20 14:00 Bristol TM to Paddington
1B55 16:15 Paddington to Swansea

 

[Goldfish62]

Isn't it about time that GWR introduced seat self-selection when booking on line, as per VWC, LNER and XC?

You would think so, but I'm not holding out any hope because it's GWR.

 

[SWTrainspottin]

GWR 800002 first day in service today, along with 800007

Its workings:

1C03 0700 Paddington to Bristol TM
1A11 0930 Bristol TM to Paddington
1C12 1130 Paddington to Bristol TM
1A20 14:00 Bristol TM to Paddington
1B55 16:15 Paddington to Swansea

Assume it won't be long until 001 is out in service if 002 is in service now

 

[Nym]

GWR 800002 first day in service today, along with 800007

Its workings:

1C03 0700 Paddington to Bristol TM
1A11 0930 Bristol TM to Paddington
1C12 1130 Paddington to Bristol TM
1A20 14:00 Bristol TM to Paddington
1B55 16:15 Paddington to Swansea

That took a very long time to get into service after the last of it's test runs with the DBST Instrumentation for Homogenisation, any ideas what I was doing?

 

[Hedgehog1977]

Hi all,

This may have been mentioned on a forum or a post somewhere before.... Despite a search I've not found it.
Is there anywhere where I can find how many carriages a certain train is going to have on a certain route?
I'm specifically looking for Pad - Pnz on Friday afternoons. I'm getting a bit fed up of booking a ticket online then finding out the carriage that my reserved seat is in doesn't actually exist. This has happen a couple of tiem s over the months with a ticket reservation for a 10 carriage train to find a 9 carriage instead. Yes they often move the reservations around but it does bug me not knowing.

Many thanks

 

[800002]

Hi all,

This may have been mentioned on a forum or a post somewhere before.... Despite a search I've not found it.
Is there anywhere where I can find how many carriages a certain train is going to have on a certain route?
I'm specifically looking for Pad - Pnz on Friday afternoons. I'm getting a bit fed up of booking a ticket online then finding out the carriage that my reserved seat is in doesn't actually exist. This has happen a couple of tiem s over the months with a ticket reservation for a 10 carriage train to find a 9 carriage instead. Yes they often move the reservations around but it does bug me not knowing.

Many thanks

In all honesty, I don't think, having the planned diagrams in your knowledge / possession will assist. Last notice changes to the planned diagrammed rolling stock throughout the day occur so frequently with GWR, its literally not worth the paper it would be printed on.

 

[jimm]

Hi all,

This may have been mentioned on a forum or a post somewhere before.... Despite a search I've not found it.
Is there anywhere where I can find how many carriages a certain train is going to have on a certain route?
I'm specifically looking for Pad - Pnz on Friday afternoons. I'm getting a bit fed up of booking a ticket online then finding out the carriage that my reserved seat is in doesn't actually exist. This has happen a couple of tiem s over the months with a ticket reservation for a 10 carriage train to find a 9 carriage instead. Yes they often move the reservations around but it does bug me not knowing.

Many thanks

Not sure if this is helpful to you, but you can find out on the day in the run-up to departure time what the booked train formation should be - subject, as 800002 says, to any short-notice set changes - at this web page http://iris2.rail.co.uk/tiger/index.html

Enter the station name you want and then click on it.

For train formations you can use the CIS Summary Widescreen option, which will say how many coaches there are next to each train, or try Staff View - depending on which station you choose this may give extra details if the system can supply them*, such as the formation in letter order and, on GWR, which platform zones to stand in for first, standard, bike spaces, etc.

*Eg, Paddington has less information about the formation than Reading when using the Staff View option.

 

[Hedgehog1977]

Not sure if this is helpful to you, but you can find out on the day in the run-up to departure time what the booked train formation should be - subject, as 800002 says, to any short-notice set changes - at this web page http://iris2.rail.co.uk/tiger/index.html

Enter the station name you want and then click on it.

For train formations you can use the CIS Summary Widescreen option, which will say how many coaches there are next to each train, or try Staff View - depending on which station you choose this may give extra details if the system can supply them*, such as the formation in letter order and, on GWR, which platform zones to stand in for first, standard, bike spaces, etc.

*Eg, Paddington has less information about the formation than Reading when using the Staff View option.

Thanks jimm that is actually helpful to know whether a 10 or 9 is going to turn up. I can then plan to get on the thing slightly quicker if needed.

 

[83G/84D]

Not sure if this is helpful to you, but you can find out on the day in the run-up to departure time what the booked train formation should be - subject, as 800002 says, to any short-notice set changes - at this web page http://iris2.rail.co.uk/tiger/index.html

Enter the station name you want and then click on it.

For train formations you can use the CIS Summary Widescreen option, which will say how many coaches there are next to each train, or try Staff View - depending on which station you choose this may give extra details if the system can supply them*, such as the formation in letter order and, on GWR, which platform zones to stand in for first, standard, bike spaces, etc.

*Eg, Paddington has less information about the formation than Reading when using the Staff View option.

A good site however I don't think every station on the network is on it.

 

[800002]

A good site however I don't think every station on the network is on it.

You're correct in your thought.
Also, features at some stations (same service) are different at other stations - I think.
Like train length / first class.

 

[31160]

Now that Banbury has been added to the GWR 800 list of places to be, is there any chance of anything else being added?

 

[JN114]

Now that Banbury has been added to the GWR 800 list of places to be, is there any chance of anything else being added?

Can’t think of anywhere else where it would be possible/worthwhile adding a direct-to-London service; within the regular GWR network at least.

 

[Mark62]

I have just seen the press release for the new December timetable where its announced that trains will be up to 17 minutes faster and 68 minutes from London to Parkway. Seventeen minutes faster than when?
It was faster from London to Parkway 30 years ago. Public money has spent an absolute fortune on trains and upgrading the line and still it's slower than services over 30 years ago.
I jusy can't see where these faster journey times are. Not everyone has a short memory and some of us still have those old timetables.
When will these new trains be faster than trains introduced in 1976.
What's happened to the truth these days? I know I go on about these things but it's not me telling the lies about faster trains, it's just me telling the truth. Isn't it time more people did that? Maybe our railways wouldn't be in such a mess if more people just stop putting up with the double speak and outright lies

 

[HowardGWR]

I have just seen the press release for the new December timetable where its announced that trains will be up to 17 minutes faster and 68 minutes from London to Parkway. Seventeen minutes faster than when?

Faster than now presumably? I don't see where there is a 'lie'.

 

[VT 390]

I have just seen the press release for the new December timetable where its announced that trains will be up to 17 minutes faster and 68 minutes from London to Parkway. Seventeen minutes faster than when?
It was faster from London to Parkway 30 years ago. Public money has spent an absolute fortune on trains and upgrading the line and still it's slower than services over 30 years ago.
I jusy can't see where these faster journey times are. Not everyone has a short memory and some of us still have those old timetables.
When will these new trains be faster than trains introduced in 1976.
What's happened to the truth these days? I know I go on about these things but it's not me telling the lies about faster trains, it's just me telling the truth. Isn't it time more people did that? Maybe our railways wouldn't be in such a mess if more people just stop putting up with the double speak and outright lies

They are faster than the current timetable which is what they are saying.
Is part of the reason why are they are slower than they were years ago to do with way more trains using the network?

 

[swt_passenger]

They are faster than the current timetable which is what they are saying.
Is part of the reason why are they are slower than they were years ago to do with way more trains using the network?

There’s a few reasons, including more defensive driving, more station calls, and generally more trains, which can hardly be news to any member of the forum...