Time for a new train line through the south west - train related news

[iscalad]

I use to a lot but now other than around Southampton/Portsmouth area I don't do long distances. I just think if you fancy a day trip into London etc an advance ticket tells you when to get there and leave, I'd prefer not to be restricted by time etc. In general in the UK fares are far too expensive imo.

We use ours for day trips to the Devon seaside

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

I use to a lot but now other than around Southampton/Portsmouth area I don't do long distances. I just think if you fancy a day trip into London etc an advance ticket tells you when to get there and leave, I'd prefer not to be restricted by time etc. In general in the UK fares are far too expensive imo.

I always get a anytime day return, with a rail card there is not a great deal of difference in the price compared to a set train arrival/departure.

What discourages me from travelling is the unreliability these days. It’s amazing how much of the network is shut down at weekends.Let alone the industrial disputes.
I was thinking of getting the train to get to Cheltenham, but as it’s on a Easter Weekend the chance of disruption & replacement bus services is too high. Easier & cheaper to drive especially as I’m taking someone to split the petrol cost.

 

[angelic upstart]

I use to a lot but now other than around Southampton/Portsmouth area I don't do long distances. I just think if you fancy a day trip into London etc an advance ticket tells you when to get there and leave, I'd prefer not to be restricted by time etc. In general in the UK fares are far too expensive imo.

A train from Bergamo to Verona is costing me about £16 and is likely the same distance as Southampton to London. The country is literally light years behind in train travel.

I went to Bristol by train a few weeks on a Saturday, and they decided to whack a few carriages off the train (they had 4, 1 being first class natch. The train was going to Edinburgh) so it was beyond rammed from Taunton. Really annoying.

 

[Grecian2K]

I went to Bristol by train a few weeks on a Saturday, and they decided to whack a few carriages off the train (they had 4, 1 being first class natch. The train was going to Edinburgh) so it was beyond rammed from Taunton. Really annoying.

That has long been a common occurrence in Cr@p Country services ever since the introduced the 4 or 5 car "Voyager" units way back in the day.
They did run a few of the excellent HST sets until quite recently on the lucky few services but these were deemed "life expired" by the corporate bean counters. Ironically, despite this some of the sets have magically found a new lease* of life. Sadly it is in Mexico and Nigeria.
*By "lease" I mean in the literal financial sense. The likes of Porterbrook & other leasing companies have certainly milked every last penny from the stock "generously" donated to them by John Major in his dodgy privatisation.

 

[Alistair20000]

I always get a anytime day return, with a rail card there is not a great deal of difference in the price compared to a set train arrival/departure.

What discourages me from travelling is the unreliability these days. It’s amazing how much of the network is shut down at weekends.Let alone the industrial disputes.
I was thinking of getting the train to get to Cheltenham, but as it’s on a Easter Weekend the chance of disruption & replacement bus services is too high. Easier & cheaper to drive especially as I’m taking someone to split the petrol cost.

On the matter of unreliability, the train up to Paddington on Saturday was half an hour late in due to “running behind a slow moving freight train” The “train manager” advised it would pull into a loop and we would make up the lost time but this never happened. Worse still the 19:02 back to Exeter was cancelled 10 minutes before departure due to “a lack of train crew” The 20:02 was on time but was very full.

 

[Avening Posse]

Trains in New South Wales are very good value. Much much cheaper than the UK and very regular and reliable. The downside is they are slow, which is okay travelling around a city, but takes ages to travel from a city to somewhere in the sticks or another city

 

[Stelios]

. Worse still the 19:02 back to Exeter was cancelled 10 minutes before departure due to “a lack of train crew” The 20:02 was on time but was very full.

Exact same thing happened a few Sundays ago. How many crew are on a ‘normal’ London-Exeter train?

 

[Alistair20000]

Exact same thing happened a few Sundays ago. How many crew are on a ‘normal’ London-Exeter train?

Not sure. Two 5 unit trains joined together so maybe two train managers and one driver ? Sometimes a snack trolley with one or two staff.

 

[DB9]

Not sure. Two 5 unit trains joined together so maybe two train managers and one driver ? Sometimes a snack trolley with one or two staff.

The GWR trains have snack trollys on their Exeter - Paddington line (Not always mind) and probably wouldn't stop a train from running if not there. SWR Exeter - Waterloo no trolly services. I think the train companies run on the basis that staff come in on overtime, Which is not compulsory, To have a business model hoping staff will want to work extra is stupid, Just employ the staff needed, Not ask people to do above their hours.

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

To have a business model hoping staff will want to work extra is stupid, Just employ the staff needed, Not ask people to do above their hours.

I had a few friends who worked on the Railways years ago(BR days) it was the same then. Working extra was necessary to boost a modest salary. Since those days, the different rail companies are competing for staff which has had the good effect of much higher salaries(supply & demand)meaning that working extra is not so vital to the pay packet.