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GWR's recent declining performance?
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Service absolutely diabolical this morning! 07.44 Trowbridge to Great Malvern cancelled due to a broken down train. Following train at 08.00 (06.00 ex-Pompey) formed of 2 coaches instead of 5 due to ‘more trains than usual requiring maintenance at the same time’. Passengers left behind at every station from Trowbridge onwards. Made it on board. All windows locked shut and failed air con! GWR currently getting mobbed on twitter from commuters - What’s more concerning is it’s the second time it’s happened this week, though last time the 08.00 had 3 coaches. Things are really poor for commuters in Bristol - Warminster corridor at the moment.
EDIT: And to top it off, one side of the staircase closed on platform 1 at Bath so took about 10 minutes to even get out of the station - only one side of the staircase open for those travelling between the subway and platform!
EDIT: And to top it off, one side of the staircase closed on platform 1 at Bath so took about 10 minutes to even get out of the station - only one side of the staircase open for those travelling between the subway and platform!
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Dren Ahmeti
Member
Lots and lots of issues with shortforms and failures today: (Pulled directly from Tyrell, sorry if formatting is bad)
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Dren Ahmeti
Member
Started at Bristol Temple Meads [BRI] due to a "fault on the train".
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PHILIPE
Veteran Member
Apparently 150263 quoted above which had a long overnight layover at Canton (Severn Tunnel Blockade) used by ATW last night for an Ed Sheeran Special 2301 Cardiff Cen to Gloucester attached to ATWs 158825.
WelshBluebird
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Even without being caught up in it all, I could tell there were rolling stock issues this morning. The 08.41 Temple Meads to Weymouth was formed of 3x153, which was interesting to say the last. Pretty sure that isn't normally the case. Didn't help will dwell times (which is why I suspect it was delayed a fair bit as it went along).
You can say that again!
I commute from either Oldfield Park to Keynsham or Montpellier to Keynsham, and there has been some kind of delay pretty much everyday for the last few weeks.
One thing I have noticed that is happening is more is services being delayed at Temple Meads. Either adding a delay onto an otherwise right time departure, or existing delays being made worse. And this seems to be even more the case now than what it was before the resignalling. I suspect the slow temporary (or maybe not so temporary) speed limit that has been applied at Temple Meads isn't helping matters at all. I'm also noticing more services being shown on live boards and apps as simply "delayed" rather than having a number of minutes - but that could be a policy change (showing "delayed" rather than showing delayed by 1 minute, then delayed by 2 minutes etc etc).
You can say that again!
I commute from either Oldfield Park to Keynsham or Montpellier to Keynsham, and there has been some kind of delay pretty much everyday for the last few weeks.
One thing I have noticed that is happening is more is services being delayed at Temple Meads. Either adding a delay onto an otherwise right time departure, or existing delays being made worse. And this seems to be even more the case now than what it was before the resignalling. I suspect the slow temporary (or maybe not so temporary) speed limit that has been applied at Temple Meads isn't helping matters at all. I'm also noticing more services being shown on live boards and apps as simply "delayed" rather than having a number of minutes - but that could be a policy change (showing "delayed" rather than showing delayed by 1 minute, then delayed by 2 minutes etc etc).
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
The 0841 Bristol TM to Weymouth is temporarily booked for 3x153s during the transitional period until 165s enter service in the Bristol area.
Update: Train home also formed of 2 carriages vice 5. 158763 earning its keep at the moment/wear it out before the refurb.
Booked for a Turbo, so I assume 3 coaches
Apologies. Pretty sure I read on JC that it was cancelled throughout at one point but maybe I imagined it.
Nicholas43
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Sunday 24 June, 0755. At Didcot I use one of the new ticket machines to buy my tickets from Radley to Pangbourne and back. I note that Gormless Wrong "management" has stuck back over the new machines the old notices telling you you can't buy tickets from another station. I reflect that the only way of getting this corrected this year would be direct action with a felt tip pen.
The 0800 to Paddington (which I won't be taking) is showing as On Time. It continues to show On Time until 0810 or so. Driver is looking puzzled at red signal. Every minute, the robot tells me To ensure punctual blah blah Don't poke the wires with your fishing rod Don't leave luggage blah blah. I overhear driver announcing that he can't find out Why Are We Waiting. Displays switch to Delayed. Robot is sorry to announce that 0800 is Delayed. After further minutes, human announces that he doesn't know why. 0800 disappears from screen. An 0825 to Reading mysteriously appears, and will be On Time. (I later checked: they cancelled the 0800 to Didcot to Paddington and put in 1Z18 just Didcot to Reading, thus collecting their Delay Repay from Network Rail and saving lots of train miles and driver hours.) At 0828, the ex-0800, now called 0825, leaves. The 0829 to Pangbourne etc is showing as On Time. Stock for it (which left Reading early!) is coming into view, but has to wait for platform. No announcements, except the usual robots. We do leave, about 0835.
1808 back from Didcot to Radley. At Radley, door buttons in rear coach do not light up, and don't respond to passengers pressing. I contemplate operating the alarm, but don't. At Oxford, I have a friendly word with driver. He saw people getting out of front coach, and didn't realise that rear coach doors weren't released. I have a look when I get back to Radley. It seems to me that there is no way driver can check in mirror whether external door buttons have lit up on rear coach(es). I don't know if there is a repeater light in the cab. I reflect that life is too short to bother complaining, and get the usual meaningless canned response.
The 0800 to Paddington (which I won't be taking) is showing as On Time. It continues to show On Time until 0810 or so. Driver is looking puzzled at red signal. Every minute, the robot tells me To ensure punctual blah blah Don't poke the wires with your fishing rod Don't leave luggage blah blah. I overhear driver announcing that he can't find out Why Are We Waiting. Displays switch to Delayed. Robot is sorry to announce that 0800 is Delayed. After further minutes, human announces that he doesn't know why. 0800 disappears from screen. An 0825 to Reading mysteriously appears, and will be On Time. (I later checked: they cancelled the 0800 to Didcot to Paddington and put in 1Z18 just Didcot to Reading, thus collecting their Delay Repay from Network Rail and saving lots of train miles and driver hours.) At 0828, the ex-0800, now called 0825, leaves. The 0829 to Pangbourne etc is showing as On Time. Stock for it (which left Reading early!) is coming into view, but has to wait for platform. No announcements, except the usual robots. We do leave, about 0835.
1808 back from Didcot to Radley. At Radley, door buttons in rear coach do not light up, and don't respond to passengers pressing. I contemplate operating the alarm, but don't. At Oxford, I have a friendly word with driver. He saw people getting out of front coach, and didn't realise that rear coach doors weren't released. I have a look when I get back to Radley. It seems to me that there is no way driver can check in mirror whether external door buttons have lit up on rear coach(es). I don't know if there is a repeater light in the cab. I reflect that life is too short to bother complaining, and get the usual meaningless canned response.
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eisenach
Member
Not a regular user, but I caught a train from Tilehurst to Paddington just before 10h00 on Saturday. I was rather impressed with the 387 and stayed on all the way instead of changing at Reading. I think we arrived a little late, but it was a pleasant journey.
I caught the 16h00 HST back which seemed just as good as ever. 178km/h as measured by an app on my phone seemed like a good top speed. The 387 from Reading to Tilehurst is booked for 4 minutes and accelerating briskly hit 115km/h (70 mph) before slowing to stop.
Pleasant travel, all for the princely sum of around £17, including the underground, with a fogers railcard.
No doubt regular commuting is a different story.
I caught the 16h00 HST back which seemed just as good as ever. 178km/h as measured by an app on my phone seemed like a good top speed. The 387 from Reading to Tilehurst is booked for 4 minutes and accelerating briskly hit 115km/h (70 mph) before slowing to stop.
Pleasant travel, all for the princely sum of around £17, including the underground, with a fogers railcard.
No doubt regular commuting is a different story.
WelshBluebird
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Today took the mick a bit. All infrastructure issues, but a few problems caused quite a bit of disruption on the Bristol stopping local services. This left Oldfield park and Keynsham almost 90 minutes between services to Bristol. No replacement transport, no taxis, no fast services with extra stops added and no ticket acceptance on local buses. You can't blame GWR for the initial delays but to not do anything to help passengers is a disgrace imo. I ended up paying for a bus so I wasn't waiting around hopelessly.
What’s interesting is this time of year, the Weymouth services just cannot seem to run to time, and it’s been like it every year since I’ve started commuting about 5 years ago. Obviously not all GWR’s fault but the route becomes very unreliable when we have good weather. Probably down to a mixture of infrastructure issues; trains that break down when it gets to above 25 degrees centigrade; increased passenger numbers; additional trains using the single track on weekends; long distance services (more to go wrong elsewhere) and large passenger numbers.
Makes me wonder if redoubling parts of the single line would make any difference, allowing a more frequent service to run without being delayed at passing points. The current set up is fine for winter but the line struggles to cope in summer.
Makes me wonder if redoubling parts of the single line would make any difference, allowing a more frequent service to run without being delayed at passing points. The current set up is fine for winter but the line struggles to cope in summer.
father_jack
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TODAY-
Line problem: 26/06/18
07:30
Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running across the whole Great Western Railway network may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Following a number of broken down trains yesterday evening; we are critically short of trains for todays' service - particularly on our London to Bristol / South Wales / Cheltenham / Worcester routes.
Engineering teams are working to repair as many trains as possible before this evenings' peak; but in the meantime services may be cancelled or formed of fewer coaches than normal.
If you hold a seat reservation; but have to stand for your journey; you may be entitled to compensation - please visit the GWR website for further details.
IET fleet 23 units for 32 diagrams - driver training trips cancelled and 9 diagrams formed 5 vice 10. HST fleet 32 sets for 33 working diagrams plus numerous failures on depots since start of service. No flex in Turbo or Electrostar fleet to supplement HSS workings.
Would Guards/Train Managers please show discretion to customers who may not have been able to board their intended service due to overcrowding.
Line problem: 26/06/18
07:30
Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running across the whole Great Western Railway network may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Following a number of broken down trains yesterday evening; we are critically short of trains for todays' service - particularly on our London to Bristol / South Wales / Cheltenham / Worcester routes.
Engineering teams are working to repair as many trains as possible before this evenings' peak; but in the meantime services may be cancelled or formed of fewer coaches than normal.
If you hold a seat reservation; but have to stand for your journey; you may be entitled to compensation - please visit the GWR website for further details.
IET fleet 23 units for 32 diagrams - driver training trips cancelled and 9 diagrams formed 5 vice 10. HST fleet 32 sets for 33 working diagrams plus numerous failures on depots since start of service. No flex in Turbo or Electrostar fleet to supplement HSS workings.
Would Guards/Train Managers please show discretion to customers who may not have been able to board their intended service due to overcrowding.
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I just read something similar - doesn’t sound good. 40 formation updates on JC. Seems to also be an unavailability of 3 car units around the Bristol area (Turbos/158s?) so 150s covering those diagrams, and then single 153s covering those diagrams in turn.
I think I might wait for a SWR service to Bristol today...
I think I might wait for a SWR service to Bristol today...
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Primary cause is IET engines overheating due to clogged air filters - one 10 car got stranded in Sapperton Tunnel last night for several hours. Issue then is it’s not just a case of replacing/clearing the filters, the engines have to be thoroughly examined and any secondary damage from overheating repaired. Why the filters aren’t up to the job is the question being asked; but a caveat is they’re doing a lot more high speed diesel running than designed for.
5 sets stopped at Maliphant (Swansea), a brace each at Stoke Gifford and North Pole. Hitachi are working on getting units available for later today to re-strengthen back to 10 car, but they’re up against it.
For once “more train than usual...” is actually the truth!
5 sets stopped at Maliphant (Swansea), a brace each at Stoke Gifford and North Pole. Hitachi are working on getting units available for later today to re-strengthen back to 10 car, but they’re up against it.
For once “more train than usual...” is actually the truth!
WelshBluebird
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The 8.41 Bristol to Weymouth was 2 x 153 instead of 3 x 153 today, no doubt to allow the extra one to be used elsewhere (if it was available at all). Thankfully it wasn't too bad, but was very close to waiting and jumping on the 8.51 SWR service instead.
I've noticed that too.
As you say, I think its just a combination of quite a few different issues that already exist, but get worse when the weather gets hot.
And GWR's performance atm isn't great either, so once you add in the extra issues then its no wonder why it all goes to pot.
Also don't think the resignalling at Temple Meads (and the issues there, mainly around slower speeds through the station) has helped either going the other way (from Bristol to Bath).
Anything to do with the weather too, or just the filters?
I've noticed that too.
As you say, I think its just a combination of quite a few different issues that already exist, but get worse when the weather gets hot.
And GWR's performance atm isn't great either, so once you add in the extra issues then its no wonder why it all goes to pot.
Also don't think the resignalling at Temple Meads (and the issues there, mainly around slower speeds through the station) has helped either going the other way (from Bristol to Bath).
Anything to do with the weather too, or just the filters?
I think it’s all kinda intrinsically linked; but I’ll be honest I’m heading into speculation territory here.
Wilts Wanderer
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Perhaps the new trains are suffering from hay fever? 
43096
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In a way, yes. But it’s not exactly a new phenomenon in the UK for seeds/pollen/leaves to get stuck on radiators under trains. So really it’s poor design and maintenance.Perhaps the new trains are suffering from hay fever?
TractiveEffort
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You are, as it’s not blocked air filters causing over heating.......
That’s what I was told on my handover before my early turn dealing with all this this morning. If further investigation has changed the cause I wasn’t privy to any update before finishing my shift. Doubtless if anything has changed I’ll find out tomorrow; and as always I’ll share what I’m allowed to.
TractiveEffort
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The cause was known by the early hours of this morning, or should I say confirmed, by investigation carried out last night.
Is it something easy to solve?
ArchieWoodbine
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Yesterday, both the 1730 and 1800 services from PAD - BRI were short-formed of five-car IETs. Both full & standing within 5 minutes of boarding.
To rub salt in the wound, we then had to trundle pass North Pole IET depot and look at all the ten and nine car sets sitting idle (presumably without any staff to run them).
It's embarrasing how badly managed the introduction of the new trains has been. In terms of passenger comfort, punctuality and capacity of trains, we're easily in a worse position than a year ago.
To rub salt in the wound, we then had to trundle pass North Pole IET depot and look at all the ten and nine car sets sitting idle (presumably without any staff to run them).
It's embarrasing how badly managed the introduction of the new trains has been. In terms of passenger comfort, punctuality and capacity of trains, we're easily in a worse position than a year ago.
Rather than staff, won’t the issue with the 9 car sets be they haven’t had their run in before being handed over to GWR to be used in passenger service? Other comments about only 24 of 32 5 car sets being available, are the broken ones sitting in North Pole?
Clarence Yard
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Only 4 x 9 car units have been handed over to GWR and the next isn’t due for handover until the 3rd. The stopped five car units are at all three Hitachi depots on GWR, having their radiators unblocked - not a straightforward job because of their location on the power unit.
thelongestroad
Member
New Trains. More seats. Faster journeys.
All coming in 2019 folks. Hold onto your hats!
(You thought they would've taken that insulting message off the CIS now)
All coming in 2019 folks. Hold onto your hats!
(You thought they would've taken that insulting message off the CIS now)
43096
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Coming in 2019. It was meant to be 2018. But it’s late, like GWR’s services.
As for removing the message, they can’t be bothered apologising for the shambles. Which reminds me: anyone seen “Hapless Hopwood”, the missing in action MD?
TractiveEffort
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Sliding out of view faster than their share price.....
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