Yes, we had a couple of days break and visited the Swanage Railway as well!
Greenback- we monitored the occasions when Wolverhampton turn backs occurred from 01 when they first started up until now. The peak of tunrbacks was in 04 & 06 - Arriva run years. The Arriva bid team and also the Arriva man who "babysat" ATW's first MD Peter Strachan in Cardiff were confident to the point of arrogance that Cambrian punctuality would be turned around "straight away" once they took over the franchise. It took them 5 years!
I was actively involved with all the bidders for the Wales and Border franchise in more than once capacity and can remember what was said and how the various bidders were rated at the time. To a large degree Arriva's current management in Cardiff still have to pick up the pieces of what Arrivas bid team said and did 8 years ago. Hence why I insist Arriva must take a share of the blame for the franchise. Despite having a magic 15 year long franchise they are also very reluctant to dip their own hands in their pockets for anything and are always looking for WAG to give them more subsidy. Looking at their financial figures its clear they take a larger cut out of the franchise as profit than some other operators do, which ties the management in Cardiff down in what they can do as money that could be used to improve customer experience/improve services ends up with shareholders who've brought nothing in. In essence Arriva "are the wrong type of company" - as many of the bus bandits are .Have a good read of the DfT Reforming Franchising consultation its their conclusion too!
We can but hope that Deutsche Bahn bring a new corporate attitude.
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merlodlliw is right that the forthcoming Assembly election in May 11 will have a large bearing on this and other rail related issues across the Wales and Borders franchise area. The two party's in coalition in Cardiff Bay are the opposite to those in coalition in Westminster. You don't have to be a genius to work out where rail might be an election issue given the national transport plan and a map of constituency's with 2007 & 2010 results! Chuck in budget cuts and it could get quite interesting.
I agree that Arriva as a multi national company leave a l;ot to be desired! In the case of the Aberystwyth - Birmingham Cambrian services, the choice, due to constraints in Birmingham, seems to be between having unrealistically short turn round times at New St or over long turn round times at international.
The first was tried and failed, with resulting customer dissatisfaction, the second obviously ties up stock which could be earning revenue. Neither is ideal!
Arriva took on the franchise aware of the constraints, as for suiting potential demand, ATWs route to London , the failure can only be blamed on its management, no one else.
As for more demand Aber to London than Holyhead to Cardiff, you may well be correct, but these are not big towns Aber 12K pop with 8K full time students, Holyhead 11K pop with ferry foot passengers.
As for tourism, both Mid Wales & North West Wales semi match each other, who knows.
As for no toc being good enough for WAG, again you may well be correct if its the All Wales Franchise, but next time the franchise will be chosen in Wales & not by some faceless DFT civil servant, the last TOC was imposed on passengers dont forget with no consultation with them whatsoever.
But alas devolution appears to have more political overtones in Wales, Gerald & Wagair being two examples of one Ministers aspirations placed above actual passenger need.
All we can do is hpe that things improve with DB Schenkler taking over Arriva, and the elections coming up. I hope that the franchise being written in Wales will also be positive for rail passengers.
I fear, though, that my optimism may be misplaced, and we all look back at the current era as a golden age of Welsh railways in comparison to what may be ahead!
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