Great western franchise specification consultation

[Manchester77]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...XJq43XxqEUDP+N6bBmhVOyxTFQ9NCS6VvLHmYoXkAPA==

The aim of this document is to inform stakeholders of the planned approach for securing Great Western franchised services when the current direct award franchise ends in September 2015, and seek their views on the franchise specification with a focus on the changes planned during the 5 year period from September 2015, and in particular to:

• Provide stakeholders with background information about the current services on the Great Western Railway;
• Provide information about the impact of major projects on the franchise;
• Advise stakeholders of the objectives and expectations for the franchise;
• Inform stakeholders of the options being considered for the franchise;
• Seek the views and input of stakeholders; and
• Give potential promoters of incremental schemes the opportunity for meaningful engagement in the process, including the opportunity to comment on these proposals and formally notify the department of any specific increments or decrements they may wish to purchase...

Mustn't have been out long, not had a chance to look through yet just got the email from passenger focus. Apparently the northern and the TPE ones will be released next month.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Mustn't have been out long, not had a chance to look through yet just got the email from passenger focus. Apparently the northern and the TPE ones will be released next month.

It came out on 12 May.
I find it very difficult to comment on.
It says nothing that we didn't know, except possibly that 110mph EMUs are mentioned for the Thames Valley.
Kennet Valley passengers are asked to choose between a DMU to Newbury or Reading (but not wires further west).

There's this opaque statement:

The new operator will be expected to work with the Rail Executive, Network Rail and the ORR on ideas for bringing costs down and improving co-operation between the management of track and trains. Any work done in this area will need to reflect the diverse use of the infrastructure in the Great Western franchise area and to take on board the interests of all users, including freight operators.

Is this code for more DOO?
The biggest area of uncertainty is probably around Oxford and the interaction with east-west rail, but that hardly figures.

 

[Blindtraveler]

as long as Pulman Restaurant and traveling sheff stay Im happy lol
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
seriusly though, for the sake of staff and Safety, no more DOO, It aint clever

 

[IanXC]

There's this opaque statement:

Is this code for more DOO?
The biggest area of uncertainty is probably around Oxford and the interaction with east-west rail, but that hardly figures.

I didn't read it that way. To me it sounds more like 'consideration should be given to an SWT-style deep alliance with Network Rail' than anything to do with DOO.

 

[Kingsman]

as long as Pulman Restaurant and traveling sheff stay Im happy lol
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
seriusly though, for the sake of staff and Safety, no more DOO, It aint clever

Unfortunately, I fear the decision to reduce the number of first class carriages to only one will quickly kill of the Pullman restaurant. It was chaos on Monday morning (19.5.14) travelling first class from Par 11.07 to Paddington. The staff were very good, but trying to rearrange all the passengers, speculating that it might be better to change onto the 12.55 from Plymouth (an option withdrawn when that Pullman was said to have been withdrawn because of a faulty hotplate). The staff said their top priority was to find all first class passengers a seat, then to deal with those who wished to have a Pullman meal. We were moved 3 times, with our luggage, before being offered the Pullman meal originally reserved with customer services. All standard class customers were turned away pronto.

The staff were wonderful this time, but surely it's just going to get worse in the summer - there was considerable muttering from nearby passengers that it was clear that they were going to have to drive in future, to have any comfort, presumably not the intended reaction. I don't fancy standing 4 hours.

Hope this rather pessimistic assessment does not come about, but I fear the worst.

 

[Rich McLean]

What would be handy post IE is a half hourly service to Plymouth and hourly beyond.

 

[WatcherZero]

There's this opaque statement:

Is this code for more DOO?

No its referencing the new Alliance system where NR and Tocs are supposed to agree partnerships for minor infrastructure works and disruption/enhancement planning without having to use the Dft as a a middleman.

 

[mattdickinson]

I see the new franchise is to retain the West Ealing - Greenford Shuttle.

In addition, although through services from Greenford to Paddington will cease, a shuttle service will operate between Greenford and West Ealing and will be included in the Great Western franchise as part of the changes associated
with the Crossrail programme

 

[swt_passenger]

Unfortunately, I fear the decision to reduce the number of first class carriages to only one will quickly kill of the Pullman restaurant.

They announced a reduction to 1½ carriages of First Class, not a single carriage.

 

[Kingsman]

They announced a reduction to 1½ carriages of First Class, not a single carriage.

The half carriage is the half at the other end of the buffet counter carriage and used as the Pullman restaurant.

 

[jimm]

Unfortunately, I fear the decision to reduce the number of first class carriages to only one will quickly kill of the Pullman restaurant. It was chaos on Monday morning (19.5.14) travelling first class from Par 11.07 to Paddington. The staff were very good, but trying to rearrange all the passengers, speculating that it might be better to change onto the 12.55 from Plymouth (an option withdrawn when that Pullman was said to have been withdrawn because of a faulty hotplate). The staff said their top priority was to find all first class passengers a seat, then to deal with those who wished to have a Pullman meal. We were moved 3 times, with our luggage, before being offered the Pullman meal originally reserved with customer services. All standard class customers were turned away pronto.

The staff were wonderful this time, but surely it's just going to get worse in the summer - there was considerable muttering from nearby passengers that it was clear that they were going to have to drive in future, to have any comfort, presumably not the intended reaction. I don't fancy standing 4 hours.

Hope this rather pessimistic assessment does not come about, but I fear the worst.

At a loss to understand how you thought you had "reserved" a Pullman meal at lunchtime. Reservations are only available for first class ticketholders on the two evening services from Paddington, as clearly stated on FGW's website:

A booking facility is available for First Class customers who would like to dine on either the 1803 or 1903 London Paddington to Plymouth services. Please call 03457 000 125 before 1515 on the day of travel to book a seat in the restaurant. After 1515 you can make your booking in person in the London Paddington First Class Lounge.

 

[Rapidash]

Less of a franchise issue, and more of an infrastructure thing.....

There's a spectacular lack of things for us living in the wilds beyond Bristol. How in the name of the almighty flying spaghetti monster is some of Wales getting electrified when it has half the number of journeys compared to the SW as a whole?

When you look at the details of the 'Greatest Investmentment since Brunel' blurb the only improvements for down here are the new toilets and repainted/structurally secured footbridges. There are several new stations planned, but these will just add to the problems.

There is no obvious infrastructure upgrades to increase the number of services possible along the route between Torbay and Exeter, despite the fact the route is consistently getting busier as the price of driving and parking in Exeter continues to be vastly more expensive than getting the train.

How about doubling the line through to Topsham to enable easier passing? How about working with the heritage line to re-establish a line to Brixham to help alleviate the chronic traffic problems that occur there? How about diverting more HST and Voyager services to Paignton? Adding a 4th platform to Newton Abbot so that waiting times for clearance is removed? Resume the West of Exeter SWT services, which is getting easier now due to electrification elsewhere?

The possibilities are all there, but for whatever reasons, all eyes look elsewhere for now

Franchise wise....

FGW are already squeezing the stock on the Devon metro to breaking point, even the Sprinters are failing now. Half hourly to Torbay is nice, but given the problems I've been having on them in the last two months (persistent electrical failures on the Pacers, Sprinter engines refusing to start etc...) it's going to be madness stretching them further.

If the gov is adamant that the west can't be electrified because of whatever engineering issues, then they should at least do the decent thing and let FGW order new diesels. I know we're (allegedly) getting the Turbos in five years or something but by that point they'll be running on fumes as well.

To be honest, it all just makes me think there needs to be a proper local transport authority, akin to TfL or TfGM, with the appropriate funding powers. There's no real co-operation between different transport operators at present.

Sorry if that came across as being a bit ranty, but I've have been pondering upon this for the last few weeks and thats the sum total of my umming and arring.

 

[swt_passenger]

If the gov is adamant that the west can't be electrified because of whatever engineering issues, then they should at least do the decent thing and let FGW order new diesels. I know we're (allegedly) getting the Turbos in five years or something but by that point they'll be running on fumes as well.

There is no evidence (that I'm aware of) that the government have ever stated that electrification cannot reach Paignton, Plymouth or Penzance for technical reasons. Network Rail's electrification RUS gives Paignton and Plymouth a business case but to be done as a part of the cross country network.

There's nothing 'allegedly' about the CP5 plan to use 165/6 in the Bristol area, the project is funded and in the CP5 plans for 2016-17. The infrastructure for phase 1 (cross Bristol routes - in the wider sense including Cardiff to Portsmouth) is shown as ready by June 2016, which is only 2 years from now; this coincides with EMUs taking over the Thames Valley suburban routes.

 

[Rapidash]

There is no evidence (that I'm aware of) that the government have ever stated that electrification cannot reach Paignton, Plymouth or Penzance for technical reasons. Network Rail's electrification RUS gives Paignton and Plymouth a business case but to be done as a part of the cross country network.

Why is it part of the cross country network and not the Great Western programme? Seems awfully like kicking the issue down the road to me. If the machinery is in place, why not carry on?

Not sneering at you by the way! I'm asking the universe these things!

 

[swt_passenger]

Why is it part of the cross country network and not the Great Western programme? Seems awfully like kicking the issue down the road to me. If the machinery is in place, why not carry on?

Not sneering at you by the way! I'm asking the universe these things!

Because they can only do a finite amount of wiring at a time, and the BCR for the route SW of Bristol becomes better when you can run XC as well as GW services on it.

You have to look at overall national priorities for wiring, and the missing sections of the SW extremities of the main XC 'X shaped network' become more feasible once the middle bits are done such as Derby - Birmingham, and Birmingham - Bristol. But those bits are prioritised after the MML from Bedford to Sheffield via Derby, and York to Leeds to Sheffield etc etc. So once the core GW is done, the next priority is the MML, after which they can look at XC as a few shorter infill routes.

The Network Rail Electrification RUS, although needing an update now as a result of planned schemes, goes into quite a lot of detail on these dependencies of one route on another that might be well away from the immediate area.

 

[Rapidash]

How long is that going to take then? 20 years or more? Looks like we'll be the last on the list as usual.

 

[swt_passenger]

Why 20 years? Exaggeration does your case no good really.

MML, and XC (from Coventry to Oxford), and TPE North (Manchester to York via Leeds) is already planned and budgeted for in CP5, to happen immediately following GWML, and the XC NE-SW axis is the obvious successor 'big project' for the next control period, CP6, commencing in 2019.

 

[Rapidash]

Sorry for the cynicism, but its a sad fact of life down here that major projects can take half a century or more, from conception to construction to actually happen.

If it aint the NIMBY's, it's the economy collapsing, or a war breaks out or a lesser known smurf worm is in the way or an ancient city is found under the field....Admittedly I just described the entire UK's problems

I think my recent travels on the Southern network may have jaded me somewhat.