GWR short train lengths

[Master29]

Arguably the waste isn't having the kitchens but not using them, at least on longer runs.

Very poor that only sandwiches are available on five hour runs to Penzance (and can't even rely on them being on the trolley).

That is also true. Sandwiches in GWR in first? You're lucky even if you get that from what I`ve seen recently. LNER are light years ahead of their poor relation i.e. GWR.

 

[Benjwri]

Po
Post #384 (and previous ones by @irish_rail) suggest that it's more an issue with the mechanical "feel" of the pedal than the electronics that it interacts with.

Yes, I believe that because of the microcontroller issue, when they fail a different design of pedal has to be installed to replace them.

 

[JN114]

There’s some crosstalk here so to clarify:-

Some IETs have been fitted with a different design of DSD Pedal, due to supply chain issues. Replacement Originals are no longer available, so the different design is being fitted when replacements are required.

The new pedals have been met with some discontent, and so are apparently being kept off longer distance work - I hadn’t seen anything about any restriction on their use issued to control but I have been AL for a few days so could have been put out very recently.

 

[irish_rail]

There’s some crosstalk here so to clarify:-

Some IETs have been fitted with a different design of DSD Pedal, due to supply chain issues. Replacement Originals are no longer available, so the different design is being fitted when replacements are required.

The new pedals have been met with some discontent, and so are apparently being kept off longer distance work - I hadn’t seen anything about any restriction on their use issued to control but I have been AL for a few days so could have been put out very recently.

Yeah put out a few days ago I believe. Definitely a restriction according to Aslef

 

[Snow1964]

Some IETs have been fitted with a different design of DSD Pedal, due to supply chain issues. Replacement Originals are no longer available, so the different design is being fitted when replacements are required.

Oh great the IETs already have obsolescent parts.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Oh great the IETs already have obsolescent parts.

Not disagreeing, but anything is usually obsolescent once it’s out of the factory!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Not disagreeing, but anything is usually obsolescent once it’s out of the factory!

Would a supply contract for say 20yrs end this obselescence and guarantee parts for that period?

 

[JonathanH]

Would a supply contract for say 20yrs end this obselescence and guarantee parts for that period?

You still need the manufacturer not to go out of business for that to work.

There does sometimes seem to be an issue where a manufacturer expands to satisfy an order, then finds itself unable to sustain itself once the order is complete and nothing new is forthcoming. I seem to recall it happened with seating manufacturers at various points in the past where there had been order hiatuses.

 

[MasterPhillips]

Yet more short forms yesterday.

1B17, 13:48 Paddington to Carmarthen was a 5 car. As was the following 1B18 to Cardiff, 1B19 to Swansea and 1B20 to Cardiff!

Also, 1C84, 14:03 Paddington to Penzance was a 5 car. Unsurprisingly full and standing from Reading. To make matters worse, the following service, 1C85 to Paignton was also a 5 car and also full and standing at Reading.

 

[FGW_DID]

Yet more short forms yesterday.

1B17, 13:48 Paddington to Carmarthen was a 5 car. As was the following 1B18 to Cardiff, 1B19 to Swansea and 1B20 to Cardiff!

Also, 1C84, 14:03 Paddington to Penzance was a 5 car. Unsurprisingly full and standing from Reading. To make matters worse, the following service, 1C85 to Paignton was also a 5 car and also full and standing at Reading.

1B17: 5 vice 10
1B18: 5 vice 9
1B19: 5 vice 9
1B20: 5 vice 9

1C84: 5 vice 9
1C85: 5 vice 9

 

[Anonymous10]

1B17: 5 vice 10
1B18: 5 vice 9
1B19: 5 vice 9
1B20: 5 vice 9

1C84: 5 vice 9
1C85: 5 vice 9

Hopefully the iet fleet and fleet as a whole gets some new stock and better availability.

 

[irish_rail]

Yet more short forms yesterday.

1B17, 13:48 Paddington to Carmarthen was a 5 car. As was the following 1B18 to Cardiff, 1B19 to Swansea and 1B20 to Cardiff!

Also, 1C84, 14:03 Paddington to Penzance was a 5 car. Unsurprisingly full and standing from Reading. To make matters worse, the following service, 1C85 to Paignton was also a 5 car and also full and standing at Reading.

And yet I saw i think 4 Oxford/ Hereford services in a row formed 9 car! It seems Swansea and now WOFE route are bearing the brunt of the 10 cars (and inevitable short forms) again, whilst the 9s go to Bristol and Oxford, with the odd long distance trip.

 

[43055]

And yet I saw i think 4 Oxford/ Hereford services in a row formed 9 car! It seems Swansea and now WOFE route are bearing the brunt of the 10 cars (and inevitable short forms) again, whilst the 9s go to Bristol and Oxford, with the odd long distance trip.

Half of the Swansea services have to be 10 car anyway as they split for the Carmarthen extensions.

Anyway this thread gives me hope for when the 810 land in the East Midlands with the promise of around half the services being double sets.

 

[Benjwri]

Half of the Swansea services have to be 10 car anyway as they split for the Carmarthen extensions

Not always, GWR have been known in the past to short from the Carmarthens, or use 9 cars, and run a 5 car shuttle between Swansea and Carmarthen.

 

[heathrowrail]

DfT will turn around and say tough, GWR agreed to withdraw them to meet the cost cuts they imposed. Agreement declined, run the services with the resources we said you could.

I said a few months ago, but I’ll say again here - this is just the start of a very painful period for the industry. The situation now has nothing on how bad things will get before they get better.

Without going too far into politics the only way it will change is come 2024 and a new government.

 

[Snow1964]

DfT will turn around and say tough, GWR agreed to withdraw them to meet the cost cuts they imposed. Agreement declined, run the services with the resources we said you could.

I said a few months ago, but I’ll say again here - this is just the start of a very painful period for the industry. The situation now has nothing on how bad things will get before they get better.

The system is currently slipping badly from what was agreed to be cut, now not just got the cuts, but also serious shortages of turbos and IETs available for service each day.

And even if there was a magic money tree tomorrow, could easily take GWR 3 or 4 years to get to a situation where it had sufficient stock so that no short forms or missing trains awaiting repair occur. So realistically would be 2027 or 2028 before things got comfortable.

 

[FGW_DID]

but also serious shortages of turbos and IETs available for service each day.

Do you have accurate daily figures for this? I'm not seeing a "serious shortage" of Turbos each day.

 

[Snow1964]

Do you have accurate daily figures for this? I'm not seeing a "serious shortage" of Turbos each day.

Sorry, no, from personal observation, can't remember the last date there wasn't at least one train short formed through my local station

 

[FGW_DID]

Sorry, no, from personal observation, can't remember the last date there wasn't at least one train short formed through my local station

Only the one today, presumably because 165108 is stopped for Tyre Turning.
Meanwhile over in East we have a 3 vice 2 out and about - funny nobody ever mentions those!

 

[JohnRegular]

To GWR's credit, the 16:27 departure from Cardiff towards Portsmouth (which hits Bristol and Bath at the peak) has been fairly consistently a 4 car 158 for the past few weeks, at least from my own observations. Probably better than a toss up between 3 or 5 car...

Spoke too soon - 2 car again today. 2 more than yesterday I suppose...

 

[MasterPhillips]

Short forms was the first thing mentioned on Mark Hopwoods weekly “connect“ message yesterday. Good to see it is being taken seriously.

 

[Snow1964]

Short forms was the first thing mentioned on Mark Hopwoods weekly “connect“ message yesterday. Good to see it is being taken seriously.

Mentioned, or is there a plan to sort it over and above hope less units need maintenance

 

[Master29]

No wonder GWR advertise their brand as the famous 5. Surely "the short formed 5" would be more appropriate if it doesn't sound offensive to some.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Mentioned, or is there a plan to sort it over and above hope less units need maintenance

Yes, the plan is to get Hitachi to up their game to an acceptable level as that is the underlying issue.

 

[jimm]

The 21:30 that arrived at Oxford from Great Malvern was a five car set.

So a five car set must of gone that way earlier on.

On weekdays that is the return working of the 16.58 from Paddington, which has been operated by a five-car set since the December 2019 timetable change. If we are talking about Saturdays, I believe that service is worked by a five-car set that arrives in Worcester in mid-afternoon and then goes into a siding at Shrub Hill for a few hours.

And yet I saw i think 4 Oxford/ Hereford services in a row formed 9 car! It seems Swansea and now WOFE route are bearing the brunt of the 10 cars (and inevitable short forms) again, whilst the 9s go to Bristol and Oxford, with the odd long distance trip.

Never mind that in the light of your previous comments about the new type of DSD pedals, those may well have been IETs from the group that are banned from duties to the West Country. But any excuse will do to have a go at Oxford/Cotswolds services, won't it?

 

[AgeoftheTrain7]

Looking fairly bad for the Paddington - South Wales services today...
1323 ex Swansea is 5 vice 10 and has left Cardiff Central full and standing.

To make matters worse, the 1818, 1848 and 1918 tonight out of Paddington to South Wales are all 5-car units with no reservations - these can get busy even with 10-car units, and it seems more people are travelling today before the strike tomorrow, so am expecting these to be very busy / overcrowded services.

 

[islandmonkey]

Seeing pictures of suitcases blocking doors and messages of unhappy customers because nobody told them that their seat reservations were cancelled, just a sample of today's complaints to GWRHelp on Twitter/X.

Oh and some complaint about a particular coach on an IET rollercoaster.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Just heading from Bristol Parkway to Reading and every IET I've seen (two heading to Swansea and the one I'm on board) have been 5 carriages and rammed.

 

[Master29]

Oh dear. Looks like a bit of incoming on this thread with the Bristol South Wales area this evening.

 

[Mike Machin]

Just heading from Bristol Parkway to Reading and every IET I've seen (two heading to Swansea and the one I'm on board) have been 5 carriages and rammed.

And then they wonder why people prefer to drive! Overcrowding and unsuitable rolling stock is the reason why I and my colleagues have almost completely given-up travelling by train entirely in this country. I have made precisely two return trips by train over the last 20 months in the UK, whereas at one time it would have been dozens. The only route I now use on a regular basis is Sørlandsbanen between Oslo and Skien, where the service remains punctual, clean, inexpensive and excellent. And anyone can get a seat at any time of day without even thinking of having to make a reservation.

What with short-formed services, shuddering, smoky clapped-out ancient suburban diesel units on regional express services, graffiti, stations with peeling paint and muck everywhere, lack of on-board catering and constant strike action the entire network is a complete shambles.