Portsmouth Harbour-Cardiff Central GWR

[Sun Chariot]

Unfortunate number of cancellations today on the route. Weather related, I presume?

 

[Benjwri]

Unfortunate number of cancellations today on the route. Weather related, I presume?

Tree on the line between Westbury and Salisbury this morning.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Tree on the line between Westbury and Salisbury this morning.

I suspected as much.
No trees are down in these parts (on east Hants coast); but residual floodwater in places, 9 hours after the surge hit the coast.

 

[Stigy]

Unfortunate number of cancellations today on the route. Weather related, I presume?

Overtime ban also affecting some services.

 

[ajs]

And a signalling failure at Hilsea.

 

[Snow1964]

Looks like Friday commuting is booming again !

Just seen 1F06 Portsmouth - Cardiff at Bradford on Avon due 08:12 but 16 minutes late (formed 5cars, 165+166) and was about 90% full along whole train, middle seats were being used, clearly used as commuter service to Bath or Bristol.

Kind of suggests a 4car formation, or a 5car 158 would have had insufficient seats.

1F02, 1F04, 1F08, 1F10 are all formed of just 3cars today, and appears 1F14 is just a 2car 158 !
GWR really need to up their game in successfully getting DfT to allow more stock for regional trains in the Bristol area

 

[HamworthyGoods]

1F02, 1F04, 1F08, 1F10 are all formed of just 3cars today, and appears 1F14 is just a 2car 158 !
GWR really need to up their game in successfully getting DfT to allow more stock for regional trains in the Bristol area

As you have already posted elsewhere GWR have started this process for procuring additional stock.

GWR have issued a pre-tender market engagement notice for fleet for its medium term fleet strategy

Pre-Tender Market Engagement Notice - Great Western Railway Medium Term Fleet Strategy [PIN]

This notice is published by the Great Western Railway (GWR). This notice is published to advertise a... A Utilities Periodic Indicative Notice by First Greater Western.

bidstats.uk

 

[Snow1964]

Now seems GWR are opting for 2car, and reservations recommended between Cardiff-Bristol

Realtime Trains | 1F13 1125 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour | 26/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 1F13 1125 departure from Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour on 26/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Link is todays 1F13 allocated a pathetic 2car 158 with (unallocated) reservations : Reservations recommended between Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads. Reservations available from Bristol Temple Meads.

They seem to have forgotten that many ticket offices served by this train do not open on a Sunday, so how is anyone supposed to add reservations

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Now seems GWR are opting for 2car, and reservations recommended between Cardiff-Bristol

Realtime Trains | 1F13 1125 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour | 26/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 1F13 1125 departure from Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour on 26/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Link is todays 1F13 allocated a pathetic 2car 158 with (unallocated) reservations : Reservations recommended between Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads. Reservations available from Bristol Temple Meads.

They seem to have forgotten that many ticket offices served by this train do not open on a Sunday, so how is anyone supposed to add reservations

Reservations are counted place on this route I understand.

Most people buy GWR seat reservations online.

The saga of the shortage of stock on this route is well documented, GWR as you know is waiting for DfT procurement to whirr into action for fleet expansion.

 

[Dai Corner]

Reservations are counted place on this route I understand.

Most people buy GWR seat reservations online.

The saga of the shortage of stock on this route is well documented, GWR as you know is waiting for DfT procurement to whirr into action for fleet expansion.

Are they going to limit the number of passengers without reservations boarding or chuck them off so there is room for those with?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Are they going to limit the number of passengers without reservations boarding or chuck them off so there is room for those with?

Counted places I understand allows a train to be shown as sold out so people are actively pointed away from travelling on it but not refused entry. I’m sure others have more detail on how it’s supposed to work.

 

[paul1609]

Reservations are counted place on this route I understand.

Most people buy GWR seat reservations online.

The saga of the shortage of stock on this route is well documented, GWR as you know is waiting for DfT procurement to whirr into action for fleet expansion.

but can still find sufficient stock for far less profitable obscure branch lines in the West Country, even reopening tourist routes on to the backend of dartmoor and routes in Bristol with no new stock charged against the project, hmmm

 

[Western Sunset]

... is waiting for DfT procurement to whirr into action...

...at a snail's pace...

Noticed that some of the 3-car 158s have been split recently to form more 2-car units.

 

[JonathanH]

but can still find sufficient stock for far less profitable obscure branch lines in the West Country, even reopening tourist routes on to the backend of dartmoor and routes in Bristol with no new stock charged against the project, hmmm

It is all unprofitable at some level. The routes in Bristol aren't running yet. Previous postings indicate that in theory GWR has enough stock for the timetable it is offering, but it isn't always in the right place or there are problems obtaining parts.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

...at a snail's pace...

Noticed that some of the 3-car 158s have been split recently to form more 2-car units.

Two of the three car sets were split in three two car sets a year ago.

The railway can’t to anything about the speed government departments work at now it is pseudo nationalised.

 

[fgwrich]

but can still find sufficient stock for far less profitable obscure branch lines in the West Country, even reopening tourist routes on to the backend of dartmoor and routes in Bristol with no new stock charged against the project, hmmm

If you think that most of the West Country branches are “far less profitable obscure branch lines” then more fool you I’m afraid. The Devon Metro, Falmouth branch and St Ives have been heaving in recent weeks, and as the weather gets warmer, will only increase for those that head to the coast (Falmouth has always been busy with the Univiersity campuses and Dockyard down there). They’re not some rural sleepy backwater type set up. Gunnislake you can’t really cancel as you’d struggle to get a bus to serve some of those stations, and the Devon Metro has remains busy too. The biggest problem here is that whilst IET reliability has been poor, everything else has to in effect cover for that too, and the cost cutting that led to the HSTs been withdrawn hasn’t helped the situation either. Keeping those on for a little longer = hitachi getting to grips on the IETs = DMUs not having to cover just about every available route in the South West and being able to strengthen the services they need to.

Two of the three car sets were split in three two car sets a year ago.

The railway can’t to anything about the speed government departments work at now it is pseudo nationalised.

958 (aka 776) has been running around as a two car of late and may well be staying that way, so another 2 x 2 cars looks likely to be formed. Noticeable at the moment for having a SWR or black coloured Air Dam and a generally more dirtier front end.

 

[Snow1964]

Counted places I understand allows a train to be shown as sold out so people are actively pointed away from travelling on it but not refused entry. I’m sure others have more detail on how it’s supposed to work.

But on a route with lots of day returns and off peak returns, I too don't really understand how the sold out applies to these.

It certainly never seen out show as sold out on my local stations departure screens, but have have seen 2cars that are so crush loaded no one can get on.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

But on a route with lots of day returns and off peak returns, I too don't really understand how the sold out applies to these.

It certainly never seen out show as sold out on my local stations departure screens, but have have seen 2cars that are so crush loaded no one can get on.

I was referring to ticketing sites not departure screens. I understand it is simply to discourage people searching for a journey when the train is already known to be full.

You’re missing the point it’s just trying to discourage passengers who search for a journey to chose to travel on that particular train.

Plenty of countries such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland do this on journey planners too.

 

[Snow1964]

Now seems GWR are opting for 2car, and reservations recommended between Cardiff-Bristol

Realtime Trains | 1F13 1125 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour | 26/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 1F13 1125 departure from Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour on 26/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Link is todays 1F13 allocated a pathetic 2car 158 with (unallocated) reservations : Reservations recommended between Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads. Reservations available from Bristol Temple Meads.

They seem to have forgotten that many ticket offices served by this train do not open on a Sunday, so how is anyone supposed to add reservations

So far this train has managed to take
3.5 minutes at Newport,
3 minutes at Filton Abbey Wood
and is 5 minutes late after 2 stops. Rather shows single 158s cannot manage to unload and load in booked platform times

Appears they added a second unit at Bristol, which delayed it further and now 7.5 minutes late.

I do wonder if a 2coach 158 that runs late and delays other trains is better option than no train provided.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I do wonder if a 2coach 158 that runs late and delays other trains is better option than no train provided.

Of course it’s better to run it!!

The passengers that 2 car train carries wouldn’t just vanish into then air they’d crowd into the train in front or behind, likely causing station overtime on that service.

I know you have a huge issue with how the service is provided on this route, but the operator, GWR clearly isn’t happy either and is tendering for extra fleet, although this may get further delayed by the shut down of parliament by which time the desired rolling stock could have been leased abroad / scrapped.

GWR were told by the DfT to reduce their fleet size and unfortunately that has left this route short.

 

[Western Sunset]

One of my daughters will be travelling between Bristol and Salisbury later this afternoon. I'll have to see how she gets on...

 

[HamworthyGoods]

One of my daughters will be travelling between Bristol and Salisbury later this afternoon. I'll have to see how she gets on...

The Salisbury terminators are usually a bit quieter it’s worth getting one of those if she can.

 

[Towers]

Of course it’s better to run it!!

The passengers that 2 car train carries wouldn’t just vanish into then air they’d crowd into the train in front or behind, likely causing station overtime on that service.

I know you have a huge issue with how the service is provided on this route, but the operator, GWR clearly isn’t happy either and is tendering for extra fleet, although this may get further delayed by the shut down of parliament by which time the desired rolling stock could have been leased abroad / scrapped.

GWR were told by the DfT to reduce their fleet size and unfortunately that has left this route short.

175s being leased abroad is an interesting thought!

 

[Western Sunset]

The Salisbury terminators are usually a bit quieter it’s worth getting one of those if she can.

She caught one of the dwindling number of 3-car 158s;158950.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

She caught one of the dwindling number of 3-car 158s;158950.

No plans to further reduce the 3 car fleet, the only change in recent times has been the forming up of 3 x 2 car from 2 x 3 car over a year ago now.

 

[BrianW]

I do wonder if a 2coach 158 that runs late and delays other trains is better option than no train provided.

Of course it’s better to run it!!

The passengers that 2 car train carries wouldn’t just vanish into then air they’d crowd into the train in front or behind, likely causing station overtime on that service.

I know you have a huge issue with how the service is provided on this route, but the operator, GWR clearly isn’t happy either and is tendering for extra fleet, although this may get further delayed by the shut down of parliament by which time the desired rolling stock could have been leased abroad / scrapped.

GWR were told by the DfT to reduce their fleet size and unfortunately that has left this route short.

I'm with < Hamworthy Goods> on this; I would rather a train ran tha have to change my plans late on, maybe even aborting them.
The shambles is all due to government messing about 'playing trains as the Fat Controller'.
We can but hope that while nothing will happen during the 'purdah' this side of the General Election, that same general Election may provide a different approach- perhaps we will have conscripts doing 'customer service', or driving, or 'helping serve the public in some other vote-catching way?!!

 

[Western Sunset]

I noticed 158958 running as a 3-car set at the end of March, but as only a 2-car one in the middle of May. Is this a temporary or permanent change?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I noticed 158958 running as a 3-car set at the end of March, but as only a 2-car one in the middle of May. Is this a temporary or permanent change?

It’s a temporary formation, will be back to a 3 car once the errant vehicle is repaired.

 

[Western Sunset]

It’s a temporary formation, will be back to a 3 car once the errant vehicle is repaired.

Thanks. I saw it as a 2-car pottering on the Westbury - Swindon shuttle.

 

[Wyrleybart]

I'm with < Hamworthy Goods> on this; I would rather a train ran tha have to change my plans late on, maybe even aborting them.
The shambles is all due to government messing about 'playing trains as the Fat Controller'.
We can but hope that while nothing will happen during the 'purdah' this side of the General Election, that same general Election may provide a different approach- perhaps we will have conscripts doing 'customer service', or driving, or 'helping serve the public in some other vote-catching way?!!

I don't think that is actually correct.
From my recollection GWR should have put 19 class 769/9s into service last year on the Reading-Gatwick axis. This was to release a pile of 2 and 3 car Turbos, which were to augment the Cardiff-Portsmouth line. Depending on whose excuse you believe, the 769/9s were not accepted by GWR which is why the this service is regularly shortformed.