How have FGW been coping with the snow?

Mon 25 Jan 2010, 13:01

It hadn't.

Can I perhaps suggest Chris that rather than attempting (inaccurately) to predict the weather you focus your attention instead on trying to improve the train service? When you originally introduced yourself on this website a few years ago I thought it was in the capacity of some sort of FGW "consumer champion" or troubleshooter but we have heard nothing from you in that capacity since last summer. There are two specific questions I asked you via this Forum to which I have never received any sort of answer:

On 19/8/2009 I asked why virtually empty HSTs and not Turbos were being used on mid-afternoon Cotswold Line services. You replied "Derek - I can but ask the question..." You may have asked the question but I've never received any sort of answer to it.

On 4/12/2008 I asked about the possibility of FGW introducing "Carnet" tickets for popular journeys such as Charlbury to Oxford and Charlbury to London. You said "I will explore the carnet position with FGW..." Again, I am yet to learn the outcome of that exploration.

Whilst I accept that the train service has improved a lot compared to how it was 2-3 years ago, it is still a long way from being perfect. If you care to look at the Cotswold Line Blog, you will read reports of heavily delayed trains, trains without heating, trains that are massively overcrowded and that's just from my last two posts! Other people are still reporting cancellations, delays, confusion regarding the provision of information, etc. The service is still a long way from being "fixed", despite what you might think.

On my outward journey from Charlbury yesterday the ticket machine would not accept banknotes, credit cards or debit cards. I thus travelled from Didcot Parkway and back without a ticket. On the return journey, the 17.36 from Didcot Parkway was formed of a 3-car Turbo and was consequently massively overcrowded. Sunday afternoon trains out of London are always very crowded and yet FGW persist in using Turbos and not HSTs to form those services.

So come on Chris: put your seaweed away for a bit and return to your original role of attempting to alleviate the frustrations experienced by the average FGW user. Thank you.