I can see the 10:23 Portsmouth - Cardiff service is now diverted via Melksham (12:28).

 

 

Birds have always been an issue with overhead line electrification.   The first generation (Mk1) used on the WCML and GE had places that allowed birds to build nest, the dropping caused corrosion also the blighters shorted the system.

Large birds such as swans and geese will occasionally fly into the OLE insulators etc, they are also know to fly into pantographs even on moving trains which causes a short usually with a big bang, a dead bird and lots of singed feathers. 

 
Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe

Due to a fault on this train between Liskeard and Looe the line is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 12:00 17/06.
Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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More trains than usual are needing repairs at the same time. We have an insufficient number of trains to guarantee a reliable service. This means that we have no train to run this service.
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What are we doing about it?
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We are working to repair this train and get it back into service as quickly as possible. We have done nothing to solve this underlying problem, which recurs frequently.
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What are your options?
We are really really sorry, honestly [not] for the disruption to your journey today, these are the current options available to you but don't bother reading the copy-and-paste text which follows as it's unlikely to be relevant to the situation we've put you in. :
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Option 1: If there are other rail companies or local public transport operators who may be able to help you make your journey, we will provide details here.
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Option 2: We have requested local bus ticket acceptance and replacement road transport, once these are in place further details will be provided.
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Option 3: If your train is cancelled, you may travel on either of the two services before, or two services after, your original train. If these are peak services or less flexible, you can still travel with your original ticket, at no extra cost.
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Option 4: Consider postponing your journey until our service returns to normal.

 
Please do - I just thought that the folder location would cover it, but I guess that's not always visible depending on the context. Bristol and Bath perhaps, or a separate topic for Bath-specific stuff?

 
Today is a disaster for GWR in Devon and Cornwall.
150 taken from Paignton- Exmouth double unit; maybe for Looe?
0625 out of Barnstaple a 2 car 158 then cancelled as the 0935.
The 175 training train from Exeter-Paignton cancelled maybe to use elsewhere.

GWR has never had the interests of passengers in Devon and Cornwall unless someone else is paying for it. I'd include SWR as they are/were under they same umbrella.

 
The poverty of the phrasing in the information that the industry has evolved in these comms is quite something, but I can't quite come up with an analogy that fits the root cause.

 
Perhaps start this topic heading off with "Bristol"?

 
Bristol seems to be having several train incidents this morning.
07:03 Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton due 08:09
07:10 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester due 08:01
07:14 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 08:32
07:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury due 08:29

 

Exactly as member Mark A said on April 18th! 

 
https://somersetleveller.co.uk/news/tools-and-equipment-stolen-from-clevedon-miniature-railway-site/

 
Now running, about 12 mins late.

 
...and the 5:58 Westbury to Cardiff is 'delayed'.

 
The 4:50 Fratton to Bristol Temple Meads "is running late because of engineering works not being finished on time". So the 6:46 Trowbridge departure is currently showing as 7:04.

 

 

To be fair, geese can take down an aircraft: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549

 
How does the new GBR livery work on units with odd numbers of vehicles as stripy triangular pointy bit faces the nearest end.  Which way will it point on middle vehicle ?

Clearly there are 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 vehicle units around network

 

I seem to recall XC have expressed an interest in those six sets, but it’s sitting with the DfT?

Get those on XC routes ASAP, then the two Grand Central ones in 2028 (and also the boost of however many sets are currently undergoing refurbishment at a time) and you’ll have enough to make a very noticeable impact and perhaps get you through to a replacement order for the Voyagers (and the XC 170 fleet) in the late 2030s.

An option that just might get the ok from the treasury?

 

Here it is - in comparison to a couple of others - a few minutes ago.







None of the passengers seem outwardly concerned at the colour of their train, nor asking if this is the new public railway.  Doesn't feel much different.

P.S. I joined the Gatwick Express train.   It's not going to Gatwick and neither am I.  I understand that I do not have to pay a premium "Gatwick Express" fare.

 
Start the process of ordering a new fleet of 9 car bi-mode trains now for delivery at the slowest possible viable rate. As they slowly enter service use any displaced Voyagers to double up other services. Given the usual delays new trains gave in entering service, by the time you’ve doubled up everything (and coped with the growth arising from the journey experience becoming something to enjoy rather than endure), those 15 years will be nearly up.

 

It's about 15 miles that are unelectrified Newbury-Bedwyn.
Of course a battery EMU could do it as extension (but aren't any yet)

Of course an IET is overkill, and totally wasteful hauling diesel engines around for that distance, when so many other lines could benefit from bimodes to replace pure diesels.  But if it really need a 120-130mph electric commuter train, instead of 110mph one is different question.

So is electrification sensible, wouldn't need new power supplies (one has already been added near Reading West).  Although would really need to continue to Frome / Bruton area if serious about electric freight.

As for practicality, some over bridges might need raising, I think there are
3 over bridges Newbury - Hungerford
3 over bridges Hungerford - Bedwyn
1 between Bedwyn station and reversing siding
Even if assume worst and all need doing (unlikely) then not impossible in practical terms.   Although never going to be in logical queue ahead of other extensions like Didcot - Oxford

 

Yes, currently sets 101-106

Grand Central still has a pair too (units 142, 143), but has nine 5car tri-mode (class 820 ?) IETs on order, so shouldn't need them once these new trains arrive, as won't need so many spares.

Really it would be economically wasteful to scrap all the voyagers (likely to be in service about another 13-16 years), but there is a strong case for using just the intermediate cars and lengthening sets to 6cars.   Fewer vehicles to refurbish, and get a pool of spare parts, engines, bogies, seats, cab fittings etc.

I am not sure if having 4 or 5 or 6 car sets is best.   
4car on their own are too short and crowded (except at fringes of route).  5car sets get far too crowded in the Midlands and less than ideal too.  6car would be better and less of a problem when run on their own.
But if start having doubled up sets of 10, 11, 12 cars do they become overkill, or cause problems at stations where platforms are under 285m (935 feet) long.  An 11car voyager is similar length to 2x5car IETs

 

In theory, yes.

In practice the Voyager fleet has around 10-15 years of life left in them and it would be very hard to make the sums work for a £1bn+ full replacement of them for a few years yet, as it would be difficult to find a home for them.

A small additional fleet of new trains to bolster the current fleet?  Maybe.

 
The primary gripes of most users are smelly trains, unusable wi-fi/blocked mobile signal, overcrowding and high fares.

Most of that could be fixed by replacing existing stock with well-furnished 10-car and 5-car variants of 80x stock. This could bring the offering closer to a TGV/AVE/ICE-standard whilst with more capacity, tickets could be reduced so the per-mile price is closer to the network average.

As mentioned previously, much the core network is now electrified (with more in prospect), and at the very least a bi-mode fleet would offer better performance under the wires and the ability to catch up schedules, but also improve the business case for gaps like Derby to Birmingham and Bromsgrove to Bristol to be filled. Reliability is inevitably going to be difficult on complex and long routes, but I don't think it's the main gripe for most people.

An additional problem is that long-distance "Intercity" passengers doing multi-hour journeys are are mixed with those doing short commuter hops of as little as 10 minutes (e.g. Bristol TM to Bristol Parkway). This is to a certain extent being mitigated by new commuter services like TfWM's planned Birmingham to Bristol/Cardiff, but XC could also bring in "reservation only" carriages. 

 
Are there any ex-Avanti 221s still in storage?

 
I despise the Voyager train, there is something about the interior feeling cramped and chaos at every station that I avoid at all costs

Ironically I just had a weekend in Teignmouth and the cheapest trains by a long shot were using Cross Country.
I was due to travel with a friend, but she was unwell and pushed me to go on my own.

I got on the train at Weston to find people in my reserved seat - first two on the right in the carriage.
The quickly moved on request, but then an elderly lady sat in one of my reserved seats saying it was hers.
Her husband was sat in front of her, and had to move a lady into another seat.

Once I realised they were travelling together I explained they were both my seats and that they could sit there so they could travel together, so I sat in the seat in front.
As soon as I got comfortable a lady in the window seat said her sister had been sat there and was now on the left side, so I offered her sister my seat and sat in my third seat, even before the train had got to the main line

The thing about this, it wasn't just where I was sat there were people moving people from reserved seats all through the carriage and was absolute chaos.

I don't understand why people find the reservation system so difficult to read or take notice of.
The other problem, is why they are only ever 4 car sets, with one being an underused first class.

How 3 carriages has ever been deemed suitable for long distance is incredible.

The ironic end to this, I actually travelled back on Saturday night
The train I was booked on ended up being cancelled

 

Bedwyn and Pewsey are both in the same constituency. With railways being nationalised, there's likely to be more political influence so you could have a word with your MP to help ensure the groundwork for a good outcome for all. In my previous times, Claire Perry was a great ally.

 
The first thing I would do is run a comprehensive analysis of the ticketing data to establish how much of the loading of each service is split between shorter (e.g. Plymouth > Totnes or Newton Abbot) and longer (e.g. South West > Birmingham) journeys.
On the basis of the results I would then make sectors with a preponderance of longer journeys reservation only, preferably aided by a new 'smart' reservation app which, once the origin station has been specified, only displays selected destinations so that the 'swamping' of services by short distance travellers is significantly reduced.

Where such restrictions were implemented I would amend the timetable(s), if necessary, to ensure that an appropriate 'local' service was available to short distance passengers.

The aforementioned ticketing data could also be used to determine, on a 'train-by-train' basis, the number of carriages required for each service; present experience quite clearly shows that 4 or 5 coach trains frequently don't cut the mustard.

The new LNER timetable might show a different way forward; using their Azumas there are now only four 10-car trains each weekday with a corresponding increase in a half-hourly 5-car train service.

 

Owner must have changed permissions as this now works for me

 
Derailed on Sunday, I think?

From Chris Dale on X


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