QUOTE (TallDarkAndHandsome @ Dec 14 2009, 10:53 AM)
it must have been 100 degrees.
Rubbish - all FGW High Speed Services are air conditioned.
QUOTE (TallDarkAndHandsome @ Dec 14 2009, 10:53 AM)
The driver had passed a red light
The delay to the 18:06 was caused by a Train Protection Warning System fault. The driver DID NOT pass a red signal.
QUOTE (TallDarkAndHandsome @ Dec 14 2009, 10:53 AM)
Time of Journey 2 1/2 hours.
The 18:06 to Frome arrived a Newbury at 19:49, The 18:36 to Plymouth (which I presume TDH changed to at Paddington) arrived at 19:43. Unacceptable I agree but hardly the end of the world as he makes out. Try doing it on the M4.
The 08:29 to London this morning had plenty of seats.
Does anyone have the answer to overcrowded trains?
Perhaps we should go back to the old type on non-fixed formation trains with ;lots of extra coaches lying around in sidings for most of the day.
Or build new, longer ones at £12M each which spend most of the day running around half empty.
I sympathise with those who cannot find a seat on peak trains as I am often one of those but it is not such a simple solution as may be imagined.
Perhaps things will change when electrification comes with the associated new trains.
PS - any of you out there vote for a government that privatised the railways so that shareholders could make money out of what is essentially a public service?
As for Blake's worries about what might happen in a crash. There is always a risk in any form of transport of this and we take that calculated risk every time we travel.
A crowded train, whether standing or not, is going to be horrific but the risk of this happening is small especially compared to road transport.
This is because safety is paramount in all operations of the railway and is one of the reasons why TDH was delayed on his trip.
TPWS is a resultant addition to the network from the Ladbroke Grove crash and is there to make your journey safe.
Like all technical equipment it can malfunction but, if it does, it malfunctions in the fail safe mode. I.E. it stops the train.
It is all there for the passenger's safety.
What would you chose.............a delay of 34 mins.................or not get there at all?