GWR Performance at 7 year high

[northernbelle]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....dnV6uL4LIaax7ii5XSU4UL7lLKAjVlUH6KW7tdVYOZTg#

Network Rail’s Western route has experienced the best start to a year in terms of train performance since 2012, with over 90% of services running on time following unprecedented investment on new railway infrastructure and new trains.

Network Rail press release about Great Western performance being at a 7 year high.

Certainly reflects what I'm being told on the ground - good to finally see some of the pain reaping reward.

Plenty more to do though!

 

[MontyP]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....dnV6uL4LIaax7ii5XSU4UL7lLKAjVlUH6KW7tdVYOZTg#

Certainly reflects what I'm being told on the ground - good to finally see some of the pain reaping reward.

Plenty more to do though!

“...an additional 10,000 services running each day compared with 2012.”

Really?

 

[FenMan]

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....dnV6uL4LIaax7ii5XSU4UL7lLKAjVlUH6KW7tdVYOZTg#

Certainly reflects what I'm being told on the ground - good to finally see some of the pain reaping reward.

Plenty more to do though!

Bravo! But, the equivalent numbers on GWR's North Downs route say reliability is on the floor.

I'm fair, so I will say that GWR have taken steps to clamber out of the deep hole that they've been in for nearly a year now, but regular commuters on the line would say there is more to do, to say the least! Thameslink timetabling issues at Gatwick coupled with the far too frequent cancellations of the Shalford extras (I thought GWR said they'd been recruiting?), have made the morning peak timetable unreliable, to say the least.

 

[CyrusWuff]

This is evidently a new definition of "a 7 year high", given they're currently offering 5% season ticket Charter discounts for Punctuality on London Thames Valley (former FGW Link routes) and High Speed, 5% for Reliability on Plymouth & Cornwall, and 10% for Punctuality and Reliability (rising to 16% for Annuals) for Bristol Suburban and South Wales - South Coast.

Moving Annual Average performance for each service group at the end of RSP Period 1912 was:

• High Speed - 81.6% Punctuality (Trigger: 88%), 98.2% Reliability (Trigger: 98.2%)
• London Thames Valley - 75.9% Punctuality (Trigger: 89%), 98.3% Reliability (Trigger: 98%)
• Bristol Suburban - 79.3% Punctuality (Trigger: 89%), 98% Reliability (Trigger: 98.5%)
• Devon - 89.1% Punctuality (Trigger: 89%), 99.3% Reliability (Trigger: 98.5%)
• Plymouth & Cornwall - 96.4% Punctuality (Trigger: 89%), 98.5% Reliability (Trigger: 98.5%)
• South Wales - South Coast - 84.3% Punctuality (Trigger: 89%), 97.6% Reliability (Trigger: 98.5%)

For reference, the last four service groups are described as "former Wessex Trains services".

 

[Parallel]

The Cardiff and Bristol to Portsmouth and Weymouth services still leave little to be desired. That said, the large delays seem to be getting rarer, though the train I’m currently waiting for is currently expected 35 minutes late. Looks like GWR sent a 2 car 150 forward but not stopping at my station, despite it only starting one station further down and having plenty of space when it sped through the platform.

 

[embers25]

The Cardiff and Bristol to Portsmouth and Weymouth services still leave little to be desired. That said, the large delays seem to be getting rarer, though the train I’m currently waiting for is currently expected 35 minutes late. Looks like GWR sent a 2 car 150 forward but not stopping at my station, despite it only starting one station further down and having plenty of space when it sped through the platform.

This one was baffling as its good they ran the extra but why did it only call at Bath as it just meant a 10 minute wait there and it's not like it would've been overcrowded from Trowbridge and Bradford and Freshford.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

Sorry to be the voice of cynicism, but isn't this to be expected given they're running the IETs to an HST timetable? These figures don't really tell you anything about the wider performance of the company, just that the IETs are able to better the old timetable: I've seen IETs arrive at Swindon and Bristol Parkway a full five to seven minutes ahead of the HST timings.

One can't blame GWR & NR for looking for a grain of good news, but I don't think any wider conclusions can be drawn until the May timetable change adjusts the timings to IETs and removes all the float they've currently given themselves.

 

[northernbelle]

Sorry to be the voice of cynicism, but isn't this to be expected given they're running the IETs to an HST timetable? These figures don't really tell you anything about the wider performance of the company, just that the IETs are able to better the old timetable: I've seen IETs arrive at Swindon and Bristol Parkway a full five to seven minutes ahead of the HST timings.

One can't blame GWR & NR for looking for a grain of good news, but I don't think any wider conclusions can be drawn until the May timetable change adjusts the timings to IETs and removes all the float they've currently given themselves.

IETs have been being introduced since Oct 17, whereas the upturn is really since Christmas.

There is definitely a benefit from the superior IET performance on HST timings but there are many other factors too - Filton 4 tracking, reduction in TV signalling problems, a reduction in posessions and engineering works along with improved fleet reliability.

 

[didcotdean]

The 387s also routinely arrive early or recover from minor delays compared with the turbo-based timetable. On more than one occasion I've left Didcot 4 minutes late yet arrived at Reading on time for example.

 

[CdBrux]

Surely the objective should to have a timetable that can be delivered. Thus if you have some slack only tighten it once it is clearly demonstrated that doing so is possible with a high probability of success

 

[nickswift99]

The 387s also routinely arrive early or recover from minor delays compared with the turbo-based timetable. On more than one occasion I've left Didcot 4 minutes late yet arrived at Reading on time for example.

In spite of this, performance on Thames Valley remains poor (75.9% punctuality). Perhaps the transfer of the inner services to TFL Rail will help GWR's figures?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

IETs have been being introduced since Oct 17, whereas the upturn is really since Christmas.

There is definitely a benefit from the superior IET performance on HST timings but there are many other factors too - Filton 4 tracking, reduction in TV signalling problems, a reduction in posessions and engineering works along with improved fleet reliability.

The performance gain has been IETs on electric power, on diesel they overall behaved similarly to a tram.

 

[squizzler]

Perhaps the uptick in performance is also partially due to the luminate system. I think Resonate connected this traffic management system to their Route Operation Centre at Didcot in summer last year, or was it earlier than that?

 

[swt_passenger]

“...an additional 10,000 services running each day compared with 2012.”

Really?

Has been edited now, with “each day” deleted. Such own goals don’t give you much confidence in the rest of the “facts” these media departments kick out...

 

[northernbelle]

The performance gain has been IETs on electric power, on diesel they overall behaved similarly to a tram.

Performance gains have been in diesel mode too. They achieve the (admittedly slack) running times in diesel mode and have reduced station dwell times considerably - particularly at stations with SDO.

 

[Nippy]

Perhaps the uptick in performance is also partially due to the luminate system. I think Resonate connected this traffic management system to their Route Operation Centre at Didcot in summer last year, or was it earlier than that?

I think most of the signallers at TVSC would have a different view on TM. Indeed a lot still haven't been trained in its use.

My thoughts are that it is mostly tied in with the wires to Bristol. Trains are routinely making up a lot of time now. Most arrive outside Paddington early, some Bristols that are timed to arrive at xx.14 are getting up around the time the xx.06 Bedwyn is departing.

 

[Mintona]

I think most of the signallers at TVSC would have a different view on TM. Indeed a lot still haven't been trained in its use.

My thoughts are that it is mostly tied in with the wires to Bristol. Trains are routinely making up a lot of time now. Most arrive outside Paddington early, some Bristols that are timed to arrive at xx.14 are getting up around the time the xx.06 Bedwyn is departing.

It could be even earlier but they have to wait at Reading for around six minutes fairly frequently too, awaiting departure time. I guess with the new GW timetable later in the year this will all change.

 

[cactustwirly]

In spite of this, performance on Thames Valley remains poor (75.9% punctuality). Perhaps the transfer of the inner services to TFL Rail will help GWR's figures?

Really, most 387 services arrive early, as they're still running to a turbo timetable!

 

[jon0844]

Got to Cardiff 5 minutes early tonight, giving around 9 minutes on the platform!