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Does anyone else want to tell FGW about this?

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Tom C

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Oh dear................

Obviously someone was paying attention.
 

Max

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Not just not paying attention, but surely working for Virgin too? ;)
 

Guinness

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Virgin's site is so poor it may as well not exist.

To be fair to FGW I do find there site packed with a fair bit of information. It may not be good information but it's still useful information. With Virgin website it only has necessary information compared to other TOCs.
 

voyagerdude220

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Virgin's site is so poor it may as well not exist.


Why do you say that?

I've allways found it very helpful, and easy to use.

E.g. Christmas travel info is on the site, with tinetables over the festibe period etc
 

theblackwatch

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Why do you say that?

I've allways found it very helpful, and easy to use.

E.g. Christmas travel info is on the site, with tinetables over the festibe period etc

In the past, Virgin has often confused 'timetables' with a journey planner. Having just looked at the site, I eventually found the timetables section, but didn't think it was very clear - I had to go to 'travelling with us' then 'our network' before thelist of tables appeared, in my view it should be straight under 'travelling with us'. GNER's site is much more user friendly and normally has details of any major service problems on its front page.
 

Guinness

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In the past, Virgin has often confused 'timetables' with a journey planner. Having just looked at the site, I eventually found the timetables section, but didn't think it was very clear - I had to go to 'travelling with us' then 'our network' before thelist of tables appeared, in my view it should be straight under 'travelling with us'. GNER's site is much more user friendly and normally has details of any major service problems on its front page.

Indeed. I found this problem but eventually overcame this problem by using ORR website as it had a details of Track Access with full timetables with Headcodes and Traction. It was only for West Coast though.

The only thing I would comment about the Virgin Timetables is how fiddly they are compared to MML and GNER. It's like Folding and Unfolding an OS map!

Virgin said a while ago that the website was getting a redesign in conjuction with the Print@Home idea. Obviously this is not the case now but we could see something over the New Year.

VT Media Room has more in the way of news more than the main website. :)
 

Max

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Why do you say that?

I've allways found it very helpful, and easy to use.

E.g. Christmas travel info is on the site, with tinetables over the festibe period etc

The Christmas timetables were posted at very short notice, and frankly, the engineering works section is abismal, with only a short range of dates covered, rough poor information with some works missed off completely, and no engineering timetables. GNER on the other hand already have full replacement timetables up to the first weekend in April!
 

Guinness

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The Christmas timetables were posted at very short notice, and frankly, the engineering works section is abismal, with only a short range of dates covered, rough poor information with some works missed off completely, and no engineering timetables. GNER on the other hand already have full replacement timetables up to the first weekend in April!

Again, to be fair to Virgin. Network Rail does cancel engineering works at short notice and amends details because of the sheer work required for the WCML Project. Sometimes trains will go via Birmingham some over Trent Valley. With GNER works are mainly closing a few lines or have to replace trains with buses on some routes. These are planned well in advance and doesn't require a lot of work from Network Rail. Resource wise GNER are very good at it by informing passengers, same with Midland Mainline because they both have well in advance information from Network Rail and can plan timetables in advance. Virgin sometimes gets up to 1 week notice far too short to get a timetable printed. WC passengers generally know about engineering works as it's in Timetable Material.
 

Ascot

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So if i type Cardiff to Bristol i should get Stafford to Carlisle? This is better than Doncaster via Doncaster.
 
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