Everything's going to plan today, everyone is on board, we pull out on time. Hurrah! But then we stop, just outside Temple Meads. Maybe this unscheduled stop is sponsored by Vauxhall; I've got a great view of several Vectras and a shiny Corsa. Anyway, I don't want a Vauxhall. Here's the train manager with an announcement.
We're behind a stopping train, which has pulled out of Temple Meads at 17:29, just one short minute ahead of us. It's already running late from Cardiff. So why exactly has it been let out ahead of us? We've now got to follow it and wait for it as it stops on the way to Bath. So by the time we get to Bath, despite having left Bristol on time, we're now 13 minutes late. That's a clear 26 minutes to get from Bristol to Bath.
My friends at www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop (a very interesting forum if you want some facts about how the trains operate direct from some of the poor chaps who have to work for Third Rate Western and endure the wrath of ranting commuters like me) tell me that it's nothing to do with Third Rate Western, it's the signallers who make the decision.
But surely someone in a nice office at Third Rate Western Towers (it's in Swindon, so don't assume it's hugely glamorous) can talk to someone at "Fat Controller Towers" (that's a reference to Thomas the Tank Engine, by the way, not a vicious attack on the girth of the signallers) and say:
If two of our trains are pulling out of Bristol at the same time, please put the FAST one in front of the SLOW one!
1 comment:
Don't get me wrong, I'm as pissed off with FGW as you are (see here), but your continued assertions that the HSTs should have priority over what you claim are all "slower" services makes you as bad FGW management.
You may have 5 car trains at the moment, but this is while the HSTs are refurbished. And properly refurbished at that, powercars have supposedly be ungraded, new toilets, more seats - though it's noted they have the same shite sliding doors.
However the refurbishment of S Wales to S Coast trains involves new seat covers and a new carpet, both of which are so cheap and nasty I have developed a "new train hayfever".
The stopping service you speak of in this post does not stop at Oldfield Park or Keynsham, and is always packed full of people going between Bath and Bristol because it's timetabled to leave 8 mins before a HST train that will also stop at Bath.
FGW continue to run this earlier than the longer train because they try where ever possible to stop local commuters from using the precious trains that will take people into London.
Anyway - keep up the good work - your rants are fairly enjoyable - hope you're still writing those letters to FGW.
billyo
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