Delights of train travel Options

[JeffG]

So yesterday, I had to travel to London for a meeting at 16:45. I don't think I've been on a train since I retired, so I had forgotten about things like "reliability". Decided to go on the 13:48, returning on the 19:45, during off-peak.

Got to the station in good time, parked the car, looked up at the board and "Cancelled". Train failure at Westbury. A bit after 15:00 I finally got on a (delayed) Intercity at Reading after a torturous all-stations trip on a local train in baking hot weather. Local train air con courtesy of open windows. Got to Pad with 45 minutes to get to Waterloo - no problem. I expected the Bakerloo to be an oven, but it was fine. The meeting was fine with a good result.

Got back to Pad in plenty of time for a snack before the 19:45 which was shown as On Time. So far so good. At 19:30 that changed to Delayed - expected boarding 20:05. Virtually everything else was delayed too, due to signalling problems, and a security alert on an incoming train. Finally boarded at 20:25. Turfed out of reserved seat because they hadn't bothered to ticket them. Found another one eventually. Stuck behind stopping train now. Hour late at Reading. Finally back to Newbury. At least the "pay by text" parking that I had pre-registered for had worked.

I love FGW.

[Newbelly]

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/About-U...es/Compensation

If delayed over an hour, I always make a claim.

[Biker1]

So yesterday, I had to travel to London for a meeting at 16:45. I don't think I've been on a train since I retired, so I had forgotten about things like "reliability". Decided to go on the 13:48, returning on the 19:45, during off-peak.

Got to the station in good time, parked the car, looked up at the board and "Cancelled". Train failure at Westbury. A bit after 15:00 I finally got on a (delayed) Intercity at Reading after a torturous all-stations trip on a local train in baking hot weather. Local train air con courtesy of open windows. Got to Pad with 45 minutes to get to Waterloo - no problem. I expected the Bakerloo to be an oven, but it was fine. The meeting was fine with a good result.

Got back to Pad in plenty of time for a snack before the 19:45 which was shown as On Time. So far so good. At 19:30 that changed to Delayed - expected boarding 20:05. Virtually everything else was delayed too, due to signalling problems, and a security alert on an incoming train. Finally boarded at 20:25. Turfed out of reserved seat because they hadn't bothered to ticket them. Found another one eventually. Stuck behind stopping train now. Hour late at Reading. Finally back to Newbury. At least the "pay by text" parking that I had pre-registered for had worked.

I love FGW.

Bad luck Jeff, most unpleasant.
Can I point out that the items in bold were not the fault of FGW. In italics yes.
I agree that all TOC's have their issues and problems but anyone who thinks that a change of franchise from FGW to someone else will mean they will all magically go away is in for a nasty surprise.
Long term investment and back tracking from the unrealistic notion that public transport can make money is what is desperately needed.

[x2lls]

So yesterday, I had to travel to London for a meeting at 16:45. I don't think I've been on a train since I retired, so I had forgotten about things like "reliability". Decided to go on the 13:48, returning on the 19:45, during off-peak.

Got to the station in good time, parked the car, looked up at the board and "Cancelled". Train failure at Westbury. A bit after 15:00 I finally got on a (delayed) Intercity at Reading after a torturous all-stations trip on a local train in baking hot weather. Local train air con courtesy of open windows. Got to Pad with 45 minutes to get to Waterloo - no problem. I expected the Bakerloo to be an oven, but it was fine. The meeting was fine with a good result.

Got back to Pad in plenty of time for a snack before the 19:45 which was shown as On Time. So far so good. At 19:30 that changed to Delayed - expected boarding 20:05. Virtually everything else was delayed too, due to signalling problems, and a security alert on an incoming train. Finally boarded at 20:25. Turfed out of reserved seat because they hadn't bothered to ticket them. Found another one eventually. Stuck behind stopping train now. Hour late at Reading. Finally back to Newbury. At least the "pay by text" parking that I had pre-registered for had worked.

I love FGW.

Sounds like a normal day to me

[JeffG]

Can I point out that the items in bold were not the fault of FGW. In italics yes.

If you say so. But why was the lack of air conditioning on the local train not down to them. And who maintains the trains ineffectually so they break down at Westbury? Why didn't they put on a replacement service?

FGW is the customer-facing element of "the railways". If they are happy to let customers suffer, while still collecting their money, without demanding a better service from their providers, then they deserve the flak in my book.

Newbelly: thanks for the link

[Timbo]

Bad luck Jeff, most unpleasant.
Can I point out that the items in bold were not the fault of FGW. In italics yes.

Disagree my friend. You don't go on an Easy Jet flight, complain about broken air condition and have them go "Well,it's Boeings fault"..

[Andy Capp]

Bad luck Jeff, most unpleasant.
Can I point out that the items in bold were not the fault of FGW. In italics yes.
I agree that all TOC's have their issues and problems but anyone who thinks that a change of franchise from FGW to someone else will mean they will all magically go away is in for a nasty surprise.
Long term investment and back tracking from the unrealistic notion that public transport can make money is what is desperately needed.

100% the fault of using a train though.

[Biker1]

If you say so. But why was the lack of air conditioning on the local train not down to them.

The DFT determines which trains the TOC's can run. They were inherited from BR. FGW do not own them and cannot specify how they are equipped. They probably need replacing but the money is not forthcoming.

And who maintains the trains ineffectually so they break down at Westbury?

The locomotive that broke down is owned by Hanson Aggregates Ltd and they maintain them themselves.

Why didn't they put on a replacement service?

Impossible to rustle up extra train, crew etc. at such short notice (considering the investment, or lack of it, that we have in the railways) there is simply no spare stock. This would be the same no matter what TOC was operating.

FGW is the customer-facing element of "the railways". If they are happy to let customers suffer, while still collecting their money, without demanding a better service from their providers, then they deserve the flak in my book.

They do demand a better service from their providers but more often than not they don't get it due to lack of investment. The money collected does not necessarily go back into the railways as they are "privatised".

[Biker1]

100% the fault of using a train though.

I was stuck on the M6 for nearly 2 hours the other week.
Is that a fault of using a car then??

[Timbo]

I was stuck on the M6 for nearly 2 hours the other week.
Is that a fault of using a car then??

It would be if your air conditioning didn't work.

[Andy Capp]

I was stuck on the M6 for nearly 2 hours the other week.
Is that a fault of using a car then??

No, it is the fault of using the motorway!

[Biker1]

Disagree my friend. You don't go on an Easy Jet flight, complain about broken air condition and have them go "Well,it's Boeings fault"..

The air conditioning wasn't "broken" it was simply not equipped.
As said before, these trains probably need replacing and will be with electrification.
Hopefully with ones fitted with air con.!

[Biker1]

No, it is the fault of using the motorway!

I thought I would start a new thread entitled "The delights of Road Travel"
Trouble is I'm not too sure who to moan at when I am delayed and inconvenienced using that mode.

[JeffG]

100% the fault of using a train though.

I don't understand your comment. Should I have cycled?

[Timbo]

I thought I would start a new thread entitled "The delights of Road Travel"

At least you don't need to sit next to annoying, smelly people in your own car. One thing I dislike about public transport - the public that use it! (some of them )

[andy1979uk]

At least you don't need to sit next to annoying, smelly people in your own car. One thing I dislike about public transport - the public that use it! (some of them )

Buses are worse than trains, at least on trains you get people who can drive just they are going where it somewhere easier to get too on the train. On buses 90% of the passengers are plebs who probably can't drive.

[Andy Capp]

I don't understand your comment. Should I have cycled?

Biker1 was trying to defend FGW by pointing out that some of the issues you had were not of their making. I flippantly suggested, whoever was at fault, it was the decision to use the railways that resulted in the issues experienced. Whether you would have had a better time using any other method is debatable.

[Jayjay]

Buses are worse than trains, at least on trains you get people who can drive just they are going where it somewhere easier to get too on the train. On buses 90% of the passengers are plebs who probably can't drive.

Yes that famous 'pleb' Albert Einstein never learned to drive.

[lordtup]

Bit of a Tup tangent I know but I have just spent most of the day sat in a car that ,on a round trip to Tunbridge Wells which would normally take a leisurely 4 hours ,turned into an 8 hour ordeal of Herculean endeavour. Now I am not sure if this was due in part to some athletics meeting that I believe is being held somewhere in London or the norm but I for one conclude that in the interest of retaining sanity.................Don't travel !!!

[Biker1]

At least you don't need to sit next to annoying, smelly people in your own car.

No, instead you have to put up with people who can't drive, slow drivers, impatient drivers, road rage, traffic cones, traffic lights, road works, speed traps, over sized juggernauts, civil enforcement officers (or traffic wardens) and over enthusiastic traffic cops.