Has the GWR thread moved or deleted?

Fri 30 Mar 2018, 09:59 (last edited on Fri 30 Mar 2018, 20:52)

Am I reading this correctly?

Problem - Failure to train drivers - shortage - cancelled trains.
Solution - Run fewer, double length trains with one driver.
Consequence - Platforms too short for double length trains.
Solution - Spend loads of money lengthening platforms.

Sounds a bit like a script from Yes Minister!

Fully support re-doubling the missing link - should never have happened, but at least the late Sir Peter Parker kept the line open.

Thu 29 Mar 2018, 10:05

Stephen, according to the GWR coffee shop website, this is the full list of stations with platforms currently due to be lengthened:
6 car (26m Vehicle)- Kingham up platform
7 car (26m Vehicle)- Hanborough (Single); Charlbury up and down platforms; Moreton In Marsh up and down platforms; Honeybourne up and down platforms; Evesham up and down platforms; Pershore (single).

Even if the new 10 carriage trains could stop at Shipton, Ascott, Combe and Finstock safely, it would be difficult for passengers to position themselves correctly on the train. With the new layout of carriages, it is easier to move luggage along the aisles, but any need to do so would be likely to increase delays.

Thu 29 Mar 2018, 03:03

Agree with Stephen - dualling the rest of the Cotswold Line won't solve the current training problems.

The issue of no alternative transport being provided is a localised one. Or Charlbury station/GWR just don't seem to want to spend the money. Charlbury Station staff apparently knew about the cancellation as early as 05:30 that morning and yet organised nothing in its' place! I am not really interested in their excuses - like most people I have to get to work on time!

By contrast I find the GWR staff at Oxford station are on the whole pretty organised when it comes to arranging replacement transport when trains are cancelled coming back from Oxford.

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 15:44 (last edited on Wed 28 Mar 2018, 16:45)

Ok Liz, but your CC motion is addressing a different problem, and I disagree that a different franchisee would have not anticipated and dealt with the current and ongoing training issue differently. Also note that for operational and capacity reasons once the drivers are fully trained we will see will 10 carriage trains made up of two sets (hence the current planning proposal to lengthen the Charlbury platforms). Does anyone know whether such trains will be allowed to stop at these smaller stations safely, as I doubt that there is a case for lengthening their platforms.

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 15:05 (last edited on Wed 28 Mar 2018, 15:05)

The recent problems have been due to GWR's failure to train drivers for the new trains. But the ongoing problems we have had for many many years lie with the fact that we have single track along a significant part of the route. If we had a dual track along the whole length, people in Shipton, Ascott, Combe and Finstock could have more than one train a day and we would have a better service generally. Of course the cancelled services of late cannot be brought back, but we can at least try for a better future. A new franchisee would not fare any better with the present set-up.

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 13:28 (last edited on Wed 28 Mar 2018, 16:15)

Dualling of the line will not magic back the numerous and regularly cancelled services now or in the future. GWR should have decided to operate an emergency timetable, with reduced but a more reliable timetable when they knew drivers were not able to be trained in time (in Autumn 2017). Their failure to address the problem and complete lack of consideration for passengers is unacceptable. In the past buses would have been deployed when there is a cancellation. GWR staff at Oxford told me last week that a full rota of drivers will not be trained until June and that further 125 HSTs will continue to be withdrawn before then, so there is no expectation that matters will improve anytime soon. The franchise should be stripped from the company.

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 12:26

The threads are not deleted. They remain, but several pages back = The Great Western Failway & also The Poor People of Charlbury ...

I had noticed the news about dualling the Cotswold Line. It's very welcome, but I noticed that, in the reporting on this in the local press, the impression was given that all of GWR's problems on this line come from the single track sections.

But, as we well know, at the moment the real problems come from the fact that GWR have bought a lot of new trains from Japan, but haven't trained the drivers to use them. So the most common excuses for lateness are "shortages of drivers" or "shortages of trains".

Having said this, I have now actually travelled on one of the new trains, & one that was running (almost) to time. The seats are a bit hard, but nevertheless comfortable (at least, for me). The layout of the seats & passageways is also very good, making the carriages feel more spacious. Let's hope that more of these trains make an appearance very soon!

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 12:17

Alex

Maybe you mean the thread "Great Western Failway"? You can find that at forum.charlbury.info/thread/4965 last posted on 17 March.

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 11:50

Just to let you all know that at the County Council yesterday I put forward a motion about dualling the rest of the Cotswold Line - there is a task force looking at the business case for this and I asked the Council to support this by lobbying. It was carried unanimously. Doesn't mean it will happen, but one more bit of pressure on Network Rail and the Secretary of State to take this seriously.

Wed 28 Mar 2018, 11:33

I've not checked in here for about a month. It was a good place to vent your frustrations such as today March 28th considering the 11:11 has been cancelled owing to no driver (driver presumably called in sick and nobody available to drive the new train!)