Correct me if im wrong but i think Milford/Carmarthen to Manchester requires 12 diagrams (5 hour journey to Carmarthen, 6 hours to Milford Haven plus the turnaround times) well today 4 of these were a combination of 150s and 153s. So that leaves 8 175s. With what is required in North Wales, Cardiff-Holyhead and Chester-Liverpool (some of which are also 158s and 153s) it seems far less than 23 (out of 27) 175s are available each day. Is the overcrowding down to issues with the 175s and having to use more sprinters (often 2 cars). Are a lot more than 4 a day out of service for maintenance and repairs.
Well thats different to what was originally said. I was under the impression every 2 hours would be Swansea-Manchester with the other hour going to Milford.
From what i'm told, exactly that. Yesterday a couple of 175's were taken out of service after hitting debris/animals and also a fatality in North Wales.
There's a lot of grumbling on here, but just to be very clear, ALL South Wales - Manchester trains are booked to be 175's. There's one or too early and late services along the marches that are 150/158 but I don't think they go as far as Manchester.
TfW have an ageing fleet and are also short of sufficient units at the best of times. There seems to be good days and bad days. A few issues with any of the fleet and it just throws things. They also have quite a mixed fleet and from what i've seen over the years it tends to be the 153's and 150's that sub for 158 and 175 issues.
I suspect advances have a miniscule effect on TFW's overcrowding given the random pairs of stations they're available for, that in many cases the saving isn't worth buying a restricted ticket for, and other TFW ticketing nonsense like day returns being available for longer journeys where only a period return is available for shorter journeys on exactly the same route.
It is, I'm afraid, just incompetence. Today's Llandudno shuttle is of course a 3 car 175. And I know saying that will as usual result in me being berated by TFW staff. I'm only noting the pattern I see.
Bit harsh given that the 3 cars work along the coast to get to Llandudno. It may be a waste (in your opinion) for a few hours shuttling, but those 175's go back to Chester at some point to work to Manchester. It's bank holiday weekend and school term. There's huge demand for North Wales over this weekend for people going on holiday and also returning home, so it may not warrant a 3 car to Llandudno but it certainly warrants 3 car to or from Chester.
Are Avanti back to up full service in North Wales yet? Weren't they cancelling services over the weekend? That's a bulk of a Voyager load of passengers trying to squeeze onto the already busy TfW services. If demand is that high, why isn't anyone campaigning (or complaining) for Avanti to increase it's services? Same with the marches, i hadn't even realised Cross Country weren't running Manchester - Bristol anymore. Options are change at Birmingham or Newport.
Absolutely. But someone will be along shortly to tell us how that's impossible, despite TFW regularly running to Crewe direct for the past two years. Small steps though, let's let them actually run through Chester more than a couple of times a day first.
I'm sorry for being so scathing, but they do seem to be one one of the TOCs least willing to even attempt to return to normal.
Portion working will be to Liverpool AND Manchester in the future. Manchester needs a direct North Wales service as much as to Crewe. TfW are the only operator Manchester - North Wales. Avanti operate towards Crewe with TfW's shuttle complimenting it. You can't run to Liverpool, Manchester and Crewe off the North Wales services.
Yes, this appears to be what the TFW staff on here want you to think still happens, and ignore that Llandudno - Manchester has been two or three trains a day at most for a long time now.
I don't understand why they're so defensive. I've worked for many companies and public sector organisations I thought were giving a rubbish service, why they seem to take it personally is puzzling.
Only since Covid. There's a shortage of train crew, some have left, many are on training, covid sickness is still linguring (Not just in TfW, across the whole railway) It may have also been mentioned once or twice before, but TfW have a shortage of stock to be able to go back to full timetable. Spend time reading through the TfW forums and there'll be many an explanation as to what is going on.
I won't deny that TfW's offering is somewhat dire lately, but at the same time there's many factors as to why, and explanations as to how their hands are tied.