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Greater Anglia 2019 - What could possibly go wrong?

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Dr_Pepper

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Thanks - how extremely bizarre.
Speaking for Wickford theres no way a 5 carriage train would fit in and what's more, I cant see how the platforms could even be extended without the complete replacement of the bridge over the high street which is immediately to the east of the station.
 
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iphone76

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Thanks - how extremely bizarre.
Speaking for Wickford theres no way a 5 carriage train would fit in and what's more, I cant see how the platforms could even be extended without the complete replacement of the bridge over the high street which is immediately to the east of the station.

Or demolishing one (or both) station building(s) and making either (or both) platform(s) islands with associated footbridges with lifts?
 

Butts

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There was an article in I today about Greater Anglia withdrawing weekend 1st Class Complimentary refreshements due to "abuse"

Has anyone got the full story as it didn't go into details as to the form of "abuse"
 

dk1

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There was an article in I today about Greater Anglia withdrawing weekend 1st Class Complimentary refreshements due to "abuse"

Has anyone got the full story as it didn't go into details as to the form of "abuse"
I think we've all know what many weekend 1st types are like when it comes to freebies. I had a friend who worked for Virgin Atlantic cabin crew. She hated working out of Gatwick far preferring the Heathrow passengers as the former tended to be those that wanted two, three or more of everything or simply as much as they could get free. Heathrow on the other hand where proper first class who had a drink or two & their meal but just wanted to be left in peace. Weekday first class rail passengers are far more Heathrow too.
 

LowLevel

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All looks to be continuing to go wrong today with a hatful of services at Norwich being single 153s, 321s or just outright cancelled.

The new stock looks superb (from a distance the interior looks as good as any I've seen) but it's not much help parked up almost teasing the passengers on their late, crowded or cancelled legacy trains.
 

Butts

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I think we've all know what many weekend 1st types are like when it comes to freebies. I had a friend who worked for Virgin Atlantic cabin crew. She hated working out of Gatwick far preferring the Heathrow passengers as the former tended to be those that wanted two, three or more of everything or simply as much as they could get free. Heathrow on the other hand where proper first class who had a drink or two & their meal but just wanted to be left in peace. Weekday first class rail passengers are far more Heathrow too.

I'm assuming this was a trolley type operation ?

Normally you would just get a drink and a packet of crisps / biscuits as with other operators i can't see how it got out of control ?

Were the 1st Class Supplements really cheap at the weekends ?
 

dk1

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I'm assuming this was a trolley type operation ?

Normally you would just get a drink and a packet of crisps / biscuits as with other operators i can't see how it got out of control ?

Were the 1st Class Supplements really cheap at the weekends ?
There are some bargain advance fares during the week but at weekends with £10 upgrades too it got silly. There is no limit to what people can have & ive witnessed some having a dozen bags of crisps on the table along with countless biscuit packets & even ordering coffees for friends in standard. There is no trolley in 1st & hasn't been for a couple of years. All collected from the buffet.
 

ashkeba

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There is no limit to what people can have
So why not set some limits and upset a few excessive users instead of scrapping the whole thing and upsetting many more? Seems like yet another catering PR own-goal on the GEML when other operators still serve free at-seat two/three-course light meals in First.
 

Owen

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I think we've all know what many weekend 1st types are like when it comes to freebies. I had a friend who worked for Virgin Atlantic cabin crew. She hated working out of Gatwick far preferring the Heathrow passengers as the former tended to be those that wanted two, three or more of everything or simply as much as they could get free. Heathrow on the other hand where proper first class who had a drink or two & their meal but just wanted to be left in peace. Weekday first class rail passengers are far more Heathrow too.

Don’t personally bother going up for it. It’s only a bag of crisps and a biscuit!!
 

Owen

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All looks to be continuing to go wrong today with a hatful of services at Norwich being single 153s, 321s or just outright cancelled.

The new stock looks superb (from a distance the interior looks as good as any I've seen) but it's not much help parked up almost teasing the passengers on their late, crowded or cancelled legacy trains.

I agree!
 

dk1

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So why not set some limits and upset a few excessive users instead of scrapping the whole thing and upsetting many more? Seems like yet another catering PR own-goal on the GEML when other operators still serve free at-seat two/three-course light meals in First.
No idea. It's very hard to police. Not sure why it was really even introduced. Probably other issues too ahead of the new 745 fleet roll out.
 

Sleepy

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No idea. It's very hard to police. Not sure why it was really even introduced. Probably other issues too ahead of the new 745 fleet roll out.

I think it was a franchise requirement to introduce complimentary items in 1st Class to match other IC operators.
 

F Great Eastern

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I think it was a franchise requirement to introduce complimentary items in 1st Class to match other IC operators.

They still are, just not at weekends, is how they will argue it and also having a force majeure situation.

The reality though is that GA is heavily bleeding money and any money that can be saved will be to try and stem this, every little helps when you're burning through the reserves like Abellio are.

They're not going to come out and say that is the reason though.
 

dk1

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I think it was a franchise requirement to introduce complimentary items in 1st Class to match other IC operators.
It was something Abellio offered in the initial temporary franchise when taking over from NX. It seems to have just continued.
 

306024

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There was an article in I today about Greater Anglia withdrawing weekend 1st Class Complimentary refreshements due to "abuse"

Has anyone got the full story as it didn't go into details as to the form of "abuse"

All as explained above. Only season ticket holders continue to get freebies at weekends, presumably because first class season ticket holders are held in higher esteem. First class can be full at weekends due to the relatively cheap advance tickets, much to the annoyance of some season ticket holders.
 

Butts

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There are some bargain advance fares during the week but at weekends with £10 upgrades too it got silly. There is no limit to what people can have & ive witnessed some having a dozen bags of crisps on the table along with countless biscuit packets & even ordering coffees for friends in standard. There is no trolley in 1st & hasn't been for a couple of years. All collected from the buffet.

Was it really advertised as "unlimited" ? - if so that was rather silly !!

Mind you even at the extreme you witnessed 12 packets of crisps at 15p cost, similar biscuits at 25p cost and a dozen coffees at 15p cost does not even equate to one £10 in upgrade fees.

Sometimes on Virgin and XC you have to collect it yourself and would not expect or receive anywhere near the quantities described.

All they need to do is adopt a similar policy.
 

dk1

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Was it really advertised as "unlimited" ? - if so that was rather silly !!

Mind you even at the extreme you witnessed 12 packets of crisps at 15p cost, similar biscuits at 25p cost and a dozen coffees at 15p cost does not even equate to one £10 in upgrade fees.
Weekend First was £7 even before complimentary refreshments where ever dished out & then many would pay £2 each for a coffee & possibly then buy food too. There have also been rather large queues at the buffet on Saturdays which put standard class punters off. It just does not seem to work. Possibly more to it which may come out in due course.
 

Dr_Pepper

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Or demolishing one (or both) station building(s) and making either (or both) platform(s) islands with associated footbridges with lifts?
That would be catastrophically expensive so i cant see it happening and either way its still not clear how whatever is going to happen, will happen before the new trains!
 

Alfie1014

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56FFF7D4-93B5-4B33-86AD-F58B2DB09A91.png Looks like today it’s Norwich (not) with a 90 today! The 14:30, 15:30 and 16:00 Liverpool Street to Norwich services all have been cancelled (in London) due to failures! Next service is the 16:30 which is a booked 8 x 321. Perhaps they could borrow Mayflower or the WCRC’s class 33 which are both down country on a charter today?
 

86246

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The sensible decision was made to cancel the 17:00 London in ninety instead of the 17:03.
 

dk1

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The sensible decision was made to cancel the 17:00 London in ninety instead of the 17:03.
Not a lot of choice there with the 17:30 cancelled too. The Diss & Stowmarket commuters would be revolting.
 

trebor79

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Perhaps they could borrow Mayflower or the WCRC’s class 33 which are both down country on a charter today?
I know this was tongue in cheek, but the charter seems to have come to grief itself. It was sat at Ipswich at 2200, when it should have just about been back at Liverpool Street. No passengers on board so presumably they'd been turfed out.
I was on the 2100 from Liverpool Street and have a sneaking suspicion that it was the set which should have formed the 2130 which was announced as cancelled as it only arrived a few minutes before we departed.
Seemed an odd decision with the announcer advising 2130 passengers to take the 2100 - not sure how that one works - but I was grateful for it.
 

dk1

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I was on the 2100 from Liverpool Street and have a sneaking suspicion that it was the set which should have formed the 2130 which was announced as cancelled as it only arrived a few minutes before we departed.
No your train was formed by the correct set which was the 18:30 ex-Norwich. It had a 22 late start & lost further time en-route due to special stop orders & loss of path etc. They advised anyone booked on the 21:30 who may already be at Liverpool St or seen it on twitter that they would be passed on the 21:00 as otherwise it's an hours gap to the 22:30 & possible missed connections.
 

trebor79

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@dk1 Ah that makes sense. I didn't consider the possibility that the incoming train was delayed. Sounds like it was a difficult day on the GEML.
 

Bromley boy

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However, I have noticed that when there is a small delay, drivers usually have had communication and announce the reason for the delay (sometimes daft ones, like "congestion").

Out of interest, what is “daft” about announcing a delay is caused by congestion? Delays very often occur for this reason, especially at bottle necks, of which there are many around the national network?

There are often threads on this site where people ask to be given more information, not less. Hopefully you can see why that information is often not forthcoming from staff when perfectly valid reasons for delays are dismissed.
 

samuelmorris

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Out of interest, what is “daft” about announcing a delay is caused by congestion? Delays very often occur for this reason, especially at bottle necks, of which there are many around the national network?

There are often threads on this site where people ask to be given more information, not less. Hopefully you can see why that information is often not forthcoming from staff when perfectly valid reasons for delays are dismissed.
Because congestion is a secondary delay. I prefer when "due to <actual reason> earlier today" is used.
 

Shunter_69

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I think congestion is a fair explanation when delays occur through Stratford as there is always a lot of traffic trying to squeeze through there and as a driver you’d have to be a mind reader to know that the delay was actually caused by the train maybe 3 in front of yours that had a passenger requiring assistance or a door not closing properly or even someone holding one open for a friend or relative.
 

Bromley boy

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Because congestion is a secondary delay. I prefer when "due to <actual reason> earlier today" is used.

Often there is no overarching reason other than a few services running two or three minutes late for reasons unknown, missing their slots and arriving in the same area all at once.

The typical scenario is: you are brought to a stand outside a station, the train in front is still in the platform with doors released, a freight train has been given the road across a junction in front. The driver will know there is likely to be a two or three minute wait. In this case “congestion” is absolutely the cause of the delay.

Surely being told about the congestion is better than: “we are standing at a red signal”, or simply no announcement at all?
 

samuelmorris

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Often there is no overarching reason other than a few services running two or three minutes late for reasons unknown, missing their slots and arriving in the same area all at once.

The typical scenario is: you are brought to a stand outside a station, the train in front is still in the platform with doors released, a freight train has been given the road across a junction in front. The driver will know there is likely to be a two or three minute wait. In this case “congestion” is absolutely the cause of the delay.

Surely being told about the congestion is better than: “we are standing at a red signal”, or simply no announcement at all?
That's true. Generally speaking such small delays only tend to be announced by drivers who would give a more specific account of the issue. Generalised delay notices such as over station announcements tend only to cite it if delays become considerable. I'm sure tiny inconsequential issues can occasionally sum a large delay but usually there is one particular incident attributable.
 
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