RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted January 29, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2014 Made my first train journey of the year yesterday to attend an AGM in London. Higher fares since last time I travelled but the trains have shrunk from 9 car (east of Salisbury) to just 5 or 6 carriages. That resulted in a large number of passengers standing from Basingstoke in the morning (after peak hour) and even more standing all the way to Andover in the afternoon (before peak hour). Where does all the money from fares and government subsidies go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffalo Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 TOCs getting their own back on their customers because Osborne limited their planned hike in prices? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted January 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2014 TOCs getting their own back on their customers because Osborne limited their planned hike in prices? Tempting to think that you could be right. What ever happened to the Passenger Charter and PIXC requirements? It's a lot more than 20 minutes to Andover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted January 29, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2014 Made my first train journey of the year yesterday to attend an AGM in London. Higher fares since last time I travelled but the trains have shrunk from 9 car (east of Salisbury) to just 5 or 6 carriages. That resulted in a large number of passengers standing from Basingstoke in the morning (after peak hour) and even more standing all the way to Andover in the afternoon (before peak hour). Where does all the money from fares and government subsidies go? Specifically on the subject of train lengths, when did you last travel on the route? I ask because SWT did say that in order to have enough units to provide an hourly service on the Waterloo to Exeter run once the new passing loop at Aminster was commissioned, it was necessary to not only get rid of the Paington services but also reduce the number of units being attached / detached at Sailsbury. Furthermore I believe that the hourly service has proved popular and more trains now need the full train to accomadation demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted January 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2014 Phil, I don't remember the exact date I previously travelled but it is certainly since the hourly service started (which is indeed very popular) - probably three months ago. There was a rather vague notice on the in-train screens saying that timetable would be disrupted until 6 Feb due to works on GW main line. Short trains may be due to that but I can't quite see why it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Same as it ever was. As a lad, I traveled from Sheffield to Birmingham and return going to and from uni. The trains were class 45. or 46 hauled, and usually eleven to thirteen coaches. I NEVER didn't get a seat, not once. Then they started using eight car HST's and some overcrowding was experienced, now they are four car Voyagers and standing is the norm. Yet why don't they attach a second four car unit with the single driver for the really crowded bits, say Bristol to Sheffield? Like the French do with their TGVs? Yet what, exactly, did they expect with more passengers and less spaces???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Parker Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Then they started using eight car HST's and some overcrowding was experienced, now they are four car Voyagers and standing is the norm. Yet why don't they attach a second four car unit with the single driver for the really crowded bits, say Bristol to Sheffield? Like the French do with their TGVs? Because this would cost more, require more rolling stock and not bring in any more income. Think of the shareholders and the executive bonuses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classsix T Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I feel your pain Jeff. Because of diagramming, my morning commute is one Cl.153, on the busiest train of the day, to get it on its lightly loaded off-peak turn. Conversely of course, I suspect TOCs love these, empty seats don't make money. So if you're full to standing you're raking it in. And there's the option to hike fares to "discourage" punters too, as opposed to maybe, I dunno, more seats?! C6T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backofanenvelope Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yet why don't they attach a second four car unit with the single driver for the really crowded bits, say Bristol to Sheffield? Like the French do with their TGVs? Because that would either be far to common sensical or they don't have the stock and don't want to invest in more.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted January 29, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2014 I believe that in most (all?) franchises the length of trains and amount of stock is laid down in the franchise documents, but I might be wrong David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted January 29, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2014 I believe that in most (all?) franchises the length of trains and amount of stock is laid down in the franchise documents, but I might be wrong David Franchising was originally based on passenger numbers as they were c1992 and usage shrinking year-on-year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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