How does the app know which train you are on?
Perhaps you would connect to the free WiFi on board first.
How does the app know which train you are on?
I think you should go back and re read what is being said by people your reply makes no sense.Oh, I’ve given up. They clearly don’t understand the benefit from these improvements and instead reply with something about splitting the train at Plymouth or the standard of the new trains.
That depends on whether someone is actually operating it or not as is often the case.If there is a static trolley, then that is clearly an existent catering service, not a non-existent catering service.
You do love your Quangos Jimm. Most people knows about those lines anyway. They were already here and not the work of Quango freeloaders. You are correct that numbers have increased but also that the months of usage has probably increased because the now extended holiday periods which have now become the norm.My reference about huge growth was to the branch lines, as the punctuation I used throughout the post to separate the various points is intended to indicate. Just look up passenger figures for the branches in Devon and Cornwall in the early 2000s then compare them with the most recent figures. FGW/GWR staff and managers in the area have put in plenty of hard work since 2006 to develop those branches, with the sterling support of the Community Rail Partnership.
I don`t disagree. Of course there are times when 640 seat trains are unnecessary. I have said in the past that more 9/10 car IET`s should be travelling to Penzance given how busy Cornwall gets in the mornings MOST months of the year and not 9 months as you have said in the past, and as you rightly point out the expanded services west of Plymouth should alleviate some of the crowding but then who wants to change at Plymouth if they`re heading to London as a 5 car set may be rammed.As this reference was about the branch lines, I stand by anything that I have said previously about loadings on IET services to and from London when they are running west of Plymouth. Not all of them justify provision of a 640-seat train at all hours of the day and night all year round, so please stop pretending that the entire population of Cornwall is on trains to and from London seven days a week, year-round, topped off by tourists (who travel in varying quantities throughout the year, with traffic still heavily weighted to the summer months).
Objective fact. I think you`ll find that is an oxymoron."poor interior quality"
> This is, of course, objective fact.
Why. Please explain why I`m wrong?"Beeching"
> oh not that old chestnut
Again, please explain what you are trying to say?"short trains to Plymouth"
> you couldn't split HST's and 5 car splits at Plymouth are an extremely effective way of maximising capacity and matching capacity to demand but that's irrelevant cause I can't walk through a full rake of Mark 3's....
You seem very angry at my post but are offering no rational explanation. This makes no sense at all."Growth isn`t through the non existent hard work of GWR or the DaFT but because the rail infrastructure is already there"
> just... what? The growth was organic??? the extra trains spawned in from the great siding in the sky?
Objective fact. I think you`ll find that is an oxymoron.
Why. Please explain why I`m wrong?
You seem very angry at my post but are offering no rational explanation. This makes no sense at all.
Perhaps you would connect to the free WiFi on board first.
I don`t disagree. Of course there are times when 640 seat trains are unnecessary. I have said in the past that more 9/10 car IET`s should be travelling to Penzance given how busy Cornwall gets in the mornings MOST months of the year and not 9 months as you have said in the past, and as you rightly point out the expanded services west of Plymouth should alleviate some of the crowding but then who wants to change at Plymouth if they`re heading to London as a 5 car set may be rammed.
Indeed, my mistake but it is subjective fact that relates to IET seats surely as it`s only a matter of opinion.Surely subjective fact would be more of an oxymoron?
Pointless comment.It's 2019 and Beeching is still keeping poor old Cornwall down?
Please, explain where rail capacity growth comes from if not from the DfT and the incumbent TOC?
Indeed, my mistake but it is subjective fact that relates to IET seats surely as it`s only a matter of opinion.
Pointless comment.
Again, what point are you trying to make? This was Jimms point, not mine.
Thirdly, I'm not trying to make a point myself, just highlight the ridiculousness of what you said; that rail improvements in Cornwall somehow happened without either GWR or the DfT wanting it so.. FGW/GWR staff and managers in the area have put in plenty of hard work since 2006 to develop those branches, with the sterling support of the Community Rail Partnership.
Or as with some Apps the GPS helps to identify where you are, or what branch of a pub chain you are in.
Not saying an App would be easy but those with the right skills in creating Apps could come up with something plausible.
It's crazy that in the old days of BR on-train Buffets (80's and 90's) that you could get an array of hot food such as Burgers and Hot Dogs but not today.
I doubt that GPS can tell the difference between two trains next to each other but about to depart in different directions.
How does the app know which train you are on?
Does the WiFi on trains ever work? Hilariously, Virgin want you to pay for it, like it’s 2004!Yes indeed, it can't. That's why I suggest using the WiFi on board the train that is linked to a headcode.
It seems like the "good old days" are over. I don't want them back.
You tell it.
Does the WiFi on trains ever work? Hilariously, Virgin want you to pay for it, like it’s 2004!
No they don't. WiFi is free in both standard and first on VirginDoes the WiFi on trains ever work? Hilariously, Virgin want you to pay for it, like it’s 2004!
Yes indeed, it can't. That's why I suggest using the WiFi on board the train that is linked to a headcode.
It seems like the "good old days" are over. I don't want them back.
If you're trying to prove a point, presumably that five coaches are sufficient on all trains in the winter, then you're failing to take into account the differing spread of demand through the day and by day of the week. Morning up and afternoon down trains are generally heavily loaded in Cornwall whatever time of year, plus much of the additional Summer demand is on Saturdays, eg to Newquay.Annual Journeys by rail London to Cornwall (in 2017)
Winter months c55k
Summer months c87k
You don’t need to, the app automatically connects to the on train WiFi and sends your order to the kitchen, no connection to the internet or anything else required.I’d you’re on the 16.00 from Paddington but you’re travelling from Didcot to Bath how do you know which train you’re on?
You'll be on the xx:xx from Didcot.I’d you’re on the 16.00 from Paddington but you’re travelling from Didcot to Bath how do you know which train you’re on?
I don't know what the solution overall would be, however as I've already said Buffet counters are not coming back. No amount of protesting/petitions will change that.
There is no way that precious (much needed) seating will be removed for a buffet counter - as that will attract complaints too.
GWR certainly seem very determined not to allow buffets. However a future operator might be better in this regard.
And as for all the anti buffet arguments, buffets do seem to be successfully provided by other operators, so if one of those operators were to take over GWR services, then they might see things differently.
I am not convinced that it was the department for transport that prohibited buffets on GWR, but not elsewhere. If however it WAS the DFT, then a change of franchise would be a good opportunity to reverse the decision without ever admitting that it was wrong.
"GWR chose not to provide buffets, however in the franchise competition we have listened to customer concerns about this, and the new operator will be operating buffets"
I'm not doubting what you claim but I do find it surprising that it might lose money. Surely the ingredients for the food aren't that expensive, and the overheads of the train itself running are already covered, unlike in a restaurant where you have heat, lights, rates etc. And the food ain't cheap. Fair enough there's staffing costs but you'd need first class hosts for any sort of warm offering anyway.I’ve heard a rumour that the Pullman loses an awful lot of money each month (and has done for a long time) but GWR like to still run it as it is unique and well liked.
But I’m not sure that an increase in Pullman trains is likely.
Trouble with this app idea is everything has to work everytime. Technology failure is going to be a big problem, just as when it fails on Voyagers and there's no seat reservations and they look daft. Also, it still doesn't solve the problem of when a train is standing room with heavy luggage and the staff aren't able to comfortably or safely walk down with hot food and drink orders. I get some people are saying collect it, however without a counter you could end up with a queue in a vestibule.At the end of the day GWR's catering is appalling at best. The First Class offerings are a joke compared to other operators.
Rather than re-instating buffets on Class 800 trains surely a better solution could be sought.
As the nine car sets set already have kitchens on board it wouldn't be too hard to implement, however do the five car sets also have kitchens, or an area for food to be prepared/warmed up?
With the greater use of technology can't some kind of app be created, whereby you can order food and drinks to be delivered to your seat? Food and drinks could then be brought out on a trolley to your seat, or at busy times some kind of announcement that if you order food and drinks, to go to Coach x to pick up your order.
The kitchens seem to be unused for the most part, so surely it makes sense to get greater use out of that asset.
GWR certainly seem very determined not to allow buffets. However a future operator might be better in this regard.
And as for all the anti buffet arguments, buffets do seem to be successfully provided by other operators, so if one of those operators were to take over GWR services, then they might see things differently.
I am not convinced that it was the department for transport that prohibited buffets on GWR, but not elsewhere. If however it WAS the DFT, then a change of franchise would be a good opportunity to reverse the decision without ever admitting that it was wrong.
"GWR chose not to provide buffets, however in the franchise competition we have listened to customer concerns about this, and the new operator will be operating buffets"
No new lines though are there? Yes, we have new trains with better capacity and a greater frequency which to be fair is a good thing but not really growth as people would have still used the trains anyway. You, however talk as if they invented the network. It`s still the same railway with a few minor modifications. Nothing ridiculous in that. Hardly growth, more like a few long overdue improvements. Please give examples of improvements other than the ones I have stated.Yes, sorry my original comment was sarcastic.
RUK, how long do you think it will take for the railway community to get over him?
Firstly, there is no way jimm would say something like that!
Secondly, he actually said the opposite;
Thirdly, I'm not trying to make a point myself, just highlight the ridiculousness of what you said; that rail improvements in Cornwall somehow happened without either GWR or the DfT wanting it so.
9 or 10 are needed on certain trains in Cornwall throughout the year, unless anyone considers that standing regularly between Truro and Paddington is acceptable. Mind you, I'm waiting for someone to now say that there's nothing wrong with standing for that distance...
Can I ask, is the current kitchen built into part of the train which couldn't have been used for accomodation due to safety regulations?As someone who has been involved with the West IEP almost from the beginning, who was involved in the EC bid where some changes were allowed and the entire GWR DA2 cl.802 procurement process, I can assure you that it was the DfT who decided the interior design on the cl.800 sets (before that "consultation"), who let bidders for EC do minor adjustments to their IEP design (which raised more than a few eyebrows at FG) and who were all over the cl.802 interior design before authorizing the build, so as to ensure it didn't show up their product.
I'm not sure that the DfT currently think there is anything wrong with their decisions. They are fixated on seat numbers into conurbations, almost to the exclusion of everything else.
No new lines though are there? Yes, we have new trains with better capacity and a greater frequency which to be fair is a good thing but not really growth as people would have still used the trains anyway. You, however talk as if they invented the network. It`s still the same railway with a few minor modifications. Nothing ridiculous in that. Hardly growth, more like a few long overdue improvements. Please give examples of improvements other than the ones I have stated.
The “crumple zone” rules that prevented passenger accommodation in the leading few metres behind the cab (on 125 mph trains) affected new builds around the time Voyagers and Pendolinos were new, but were superseded within a few years. The rules that now exist are not expressed in terms of a ban over a certain distance.Can I ask, is the current kitchen built into part of the train which couldn't have been used for accomodation due to safety regulations?
If so fair dues. If not, why didn't they do the obvious thing and situate the kitchen between first and standard with a narrow corridor down the side and a collection point for food?