SWR - Further Timetable Reductions from 17/1

[HamworthyGoods]

As predicted as of today Reading services have reverted to mainly 458/5s with just one pair of 450s, so with the additional peak services loads of extra capacity which really isn't needed right now.

Conversely, the much reduced services via Hounslow are now principally in the hands of 450s, so a double whammy in respect of reduced capacity.

None of the above makes sense to me, but I'm sure there must be a rational explanation...

I suspect it’s like the Southern changes to Victoria, there’s only a certain number of plans the planning teams have on the shelf and can implement quickly and this one presumably needs lower traincrew numbers overall and that’s what they were asked to deliver.

 

[Goldfish62]

I suspect it’s like the Southern changes to Victoria, there’s only a certain number of plans the planning teams have on the shelf and can implement quickly and this one presumably needs lower traincrew numbers overall and that’s what they were asked to deliver.

But it doesn't explain the stock allocation. I'd have expected the Weybridge via Hounslow to take priority for the higher capacity rolling stock.

 

[swr444]

As predicted as of today Reading services have reverted to mainly 458/5s with just one pair of 450s, so with the additional peak services loads of extra capacity which really isn't needed right now.

Conversely, the much reduced services via Hounslow are now principally in the hands of 450s, so a double whammy in respect of reduced capacity.

None of the above makes sense to me, but I'm sure there must be a rational explanation...

Doesn’t make sense to me either, 450s are better suited to readings and via hounslows the 458s because of the door cycles and the fact 458s don’t need to run at reduced power on the Hounslow loop.

 

[Siemens Staines]

I seem to recall that in the past, some 450s on Weybridge services was so that they could be crewed from depots further afield that don't sign 458 or 707 (e.g Basinsgtoke) so that they could maintain diversionary route knowledge via Chertsey. I am not saying this explains quite why so many of the Weybridge services are 450s, but operational convenience may explain some of them?

 

[WesternBiker]

I've just checked the Waterloo - Exeter service on RTT for the past week (we can't go back more than a week). Of the four part-cancellations, one was stated as a problem with the traction equipment, one a person hit by a train and two a signal failure (which must have been between YVJ and EXC). None involved train crew. This doesn't suggest there's a problem with staff availability so what else is going on? "Connections" at Salisbury are between 15 and 30 minutes.

Well, Salisbury is predictably busy with people wandering all over the place looking for trains to Exeter and busy (extra?) platform staff. It’s a real inconvenience - particularly as at least my connection requires changing platforms via the subway.

 

[Mainline421]

I've just checked the Waterloo - Exeter service on RTT for the past week (we can't go back more than a week). Of the four part-cancellations, one was stated as a problem with the traction equipment, one a person hit by a train and two a signal failure (which must have been between YVJ and EXC). None involved train crew. This doesn't suggest there's a problem with staff availability so what else is going on? "Connections" at Salisbury are between 15 and 30 minutes.

You're not alone in thinking this. If there was a genuine problem with staff availability they wouldn't be able to run triple the service on Saturdays, and I would expect to have seen at least one cancellation or short form due to shortage of train crew before it was implemented.

 

[pompeyfan]

Could the reduced amount of crew taking leave and an increase of rest day working after Christmas be artificially skewing the shortage post Christmas?

 

[Devonish]

Do SWR want a timetable that doesn't rely on overtime for drivers/guards? Budget pressure?

 

[geoffk]

Do SWR want a timetable that doesn't rely on overtime for drivers/guards? Budget pressure?

I wonder if it's anything to do with the planned Devon Metro and GWR's aspiration to run through from Barnstaple or Okehampton to Axminster. Perhaps SWR thinks it can hand over the service west of Salisbury, keeping just a handful of peak services for London commuters, if there still are any. Sorry that's speculation!

 

[Kite159]

Do SWR want a timetable that doesn't rely on overtime for drivers/guards? Budget pressure?

That what it looks like from an outsider point of view. Less services being run, means less overtime being offered (rest day working). Therefore DaFT is happy at reduced cost of staffing without seeing the bigger picture of lost passengers

 

[miklcct]

I'm on the train scheduled into Bournemouth at 21:13. The guard has just asked every passenger if travelling beyond Bournemouth and communicated back, possibly because if a connection is wanted the 21:12 London train will be held.

 

[miklcct]

Further explanation:

The train departed 21:01 at Branksome is scheduled into Bournemouth platform 4 at 21:13, with 5 minutes pathing allowance due to a conflicting movement from a terminating train at platform 3 into the depot. However, SWR has done a great job here to hold the path for connecting passengers into the 21:12 departure to London.

 

[deepeetw]

Going well on the Windsor side today already - one of the unit pairs didn’t run this morning, meaning the 0751 Windsor to Waterloo (due 0850) was cancelled “at the operators request”.

To add to this, by the looks of journeycheck, the last couple of Readings today have already been proactively cancelled due to “a short notice change to the timetable”.

A total shambles.

 

[TCDD]

Further explanation:

The train departed 21:01 at Branksome is scheduled into Bournemouth platform 4 at 21:13, with 5 minutes pathing allowance due to a conflicting movement from a terminating train at platform 3 into the depot. However, SWR has done a great job here to hold the path for connecting passengers into the 21:12 departure to London.

I was planning to take that train from Weymouth and make that connection to London, but the SWR twitter told me it was not a valid connection, so I took the earlier train and 'enjoyed' Bournemouth for an hour.

 

[[.n]]

A little but about what Stuart Palmer (former MD of SWT) has to say about this (link Former rail boss claims South Western Railway's timetable changes 'don't add up' (planetradio.co.uk)

Former rail boss says South Western Railway's timetable changes 'don't add up'​

Campaign group RailFuture claim it's not staff sickness levels that have forced changes on Weymouth to Waterloo route

A former rail boss is calling into question changes to South Western Railway's timetables.

As of Monday, services no longer go direct from Weymouth to London Waterloo - instead passengers now have to change services at Bournemouth.


South Western Railway said the 'temporary changes' have been brought in due to reduced demand and staff sickness, both attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.

But Stewart Palmer, former South West Trains managing director said:


“There is no evidence from recent weeks that the levels of sickness by staff from Covid has forced these changes on SWR on these two routes."

Instead, he's calling for increased service on behalf of RailFuture, a national campaign group. He says customers are finding different ways to their destinations because of poorer service from SWR.

"SWR have already reduced the attractiveness of these services by reducing frequencies, extending average journey times and the withdrawal of on-train refreshments. They seem to display a cavalier disregard for the needs of rail users.

"These changes will just drive passengers away to higher carbon means of transport. Rail users and their elected politicians, both local and national, need to make their voices heard to reverse this madness."

Commenting, SWR’s Managing Director Claire Mann said:

“The spread of the Omicron variant has had a significant impact on our railway, with fewer people using the train and staff shortages impacting on our ability to consistently deliver the current timetable.

“Having assessed demand and spoken to our industry colleagues, we believe this new timetable is the most effective means of ensuring our customers receive a reliable service, with short-notice cancellations minimised.

“Journey planners will be updated on a week-by-week basis, with updates taking place towards the end of each week. Customers should check their journey as close to their time of travel as possible.”

 

[miklcct]

I was planning to take that train from Weymouth and make that connection to London, but the SWR twitter told me it was not a valid connection, so I took the earlier train and 'enjoyed' Bournemouth for an hour.

So that's an unofficial connection which is done on a "best-effort" basis. I'm not sure why the working timetable can't be written in the way to prevent the conflicting movement between the empty coaching stock 5W79 and the passenger train 2W30.

According to Realtime Trains, it seems what happened yesterday was that 2W30 entered platform 3 first, got rid of the passengers for the connection, then moved to platform 4 freeing the path, allowing 5W79 to depart from platform 3 into the up line to avoid platform 4, and returned to the line afterwards.

 

[nw1]

I wonder if it's anything to do with the planned Devon Metro and GWR's aspiration to run through from Barnstaple or Okehampton to Axminster. Perhaps SWR thinks it can hand over the service west of Salisbury, keeping just a handful of peak services for London commuters, if there still are any. Sorry that's speculation!

I'd presume not as the Waterloo-Exeter service provides (presumably) much needed links between south Somerset and the London area, or Surrey/North Hampshire and Exeter - both of which presumably attract a good number of passengers. There has always been a regular Waterloo-Exeter service since who knows how far back, so cutting it would be severing an 100+-year standing through service.

Perhaps it would make sense for the Waterloo-Exeter to go fast from Honiton to Exeter (speeding things up for long-distance passengers, as was typical in the 80s) and have the intermediate stops served by an hourly GWR stopper, timed to connect well with the London services? Not sure, I am not a local person so am unaware of travel patterns.

 

[Western Sunset]

Do these changes make Poole the largest place to:

a) have no direct trains to London
b) only have a 1 tph service

 

[Bikeman78]

A little but about what Stuart Palmer (former MD of SWT) has to say about this (link Former rail boss claims South Western Railway's timetable changes 'don't add up' (planetradio.co.uk)

It's increasingly clear that the cuts are mostly not down to lack of crew. If a TOC was cancelling trains willy nilly owing to lack of driver or guard then fair enough. Was that the case on SWR? I've not seen any suggestion that it was. The timing isn't great, with restrictions likely to be knocked on the head next week, passenger numbers will increase again from the 31st.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

a) have no direct trains to London
b) only have a 1 tph service

Walsall is nearly double the size of Poole and has no direct London services.

 

[PTR 444]

Do these changes make Poole the largest place to:

a) have no direct trains to London
b) only have a 1 tph service

Depending on whether you discount irregular and Metro services, Sunderland could easily fit the second criteria.

 

[Western Sunset]

Perhaps I should've clarified that I was thinking more about the area served by SWR.

 

[Spongthrush]

I'm not sure which information I should rely upon for planning how to get home from Waterloo to Winchester on 9-Feb (football).

The temporary timetable has the last train for Winchester at 2235, which I almost certainly won't make. Like another poster, whether pub, show or footy, the 2305 is my usual choice homeward.

Looking at Southwesternrailway website they have 2305, 2335 and 2340 showing for 9-Feb. And Advance fares bookable. No warnings.

National Rail mirrors SWR website but has the yellow triangle warning.

If realtimetrains seems to be more likely to be the most reliable, I'll look at that. But surely SWR can't sell me an Advance fare and then plan not to run the train? I'm fed up losing Advance tickets - as non refundable after 1800 day before - as either testing +ve at the last minute here or with friends I was going to see or footy/gigs that get cancelled....it's cost me ££, which I accept that is my problem, but I won't be happy if I end up buying an advance fare on a service that SWR know won't run, end up in a hotel and can't get the fare back! (Yes I know....I should drive, get a fully flex ticket etc.....)

Anyhow, if people here believe the most credible resource is RTT, that's a help.

 

[ABDeltic]

I'm not sure which information I should rely upon for planning how to get home from Waterloo to Winchester on 9-Feb (football).

The temporary timetable has the last train for Winchester at 2235, which I almost certainly won't make. Like another poster, whether pub, show or footy, the 2305 is my usual choice homeward.

Looking at Southwesternrailway website they have 2305, 2335 and 2340 showing for 9-Feb. And Advance fares bookable. No warnings.

National Rail mirrors SWR website but has the yellow triangle warning.

If realtimetrains seems to be more likely to be the most reliable, I'll look at that. But surely SWR can't sell me an Advance fare and then plan not to run the train? I'm fed up losing Advance tickets - as non refundable after 1800 day before - as either testing +ve at the last minute here or with friends I was going to see or footy/gigs that get cancelled....it's cost me ££, which I accept that is my problem, but I won't be happy if I end up buying an advance fare on a service that SWR know won't run, end up in a hotel and can't get the fare back! (Yes I know....I should drive, get a fully flex ticket etc.....)

Anyhow, if people here believe the most credible resource is RTT, that's a help.

They only seem to be updating journey planners on a weekly basis. So you probably won't know what is happening until a week before. It's not very good.

 

[Bikeman78]

I'm not sure which information I should rely upon for planning how to get home from Waterloo to Winchester on 9-Feb (football).

The temporary timetable has the last train for Winchester at 2235, which I almost certainly won't make. Like another poster, whether pub, show or footy, the 2305 is my usual choice homeward.

Looking at Southwesternrailway website they have 2305, 2335 and 2340 showing for 9-Feb. And Advance fares bookable. No warnings.

National Rail mirrors SWR website but has the yellow triangle warning.

If realtimetrains seems to be more likely to be the most reliable, I'll look at that. But surely SWR can't sell me an Advance fare and then plan not to run the train? I'm fed up losing Advance tickets - as non refundable after 1800 day before - as either testing +ve at the last minute here or with friends I was going to see or footy/gigs that get cancelled....it's cost me ££, which I accept that is my problem, but I won't be happy if I end up buying an advance fare on a service that SWR know won't run, end up in a hotel and can't get the fare back! (Yes I know....I should drive, get a fully flex ticket etc.....)

Anyhow, if people here believe the most credible resource is RTT, that's a help.

If you book an advance ticket and the train is cancelled then you can get a refund if you don't travel. If you turn up at Waterloo then they have to get you home or find you a hotel.

 

[Goldfish62]

Walsall is nearly double the size of Poole and has no direct London services.

So? We're comparing what Poole has normally had to what it has now. What on earth has Walsall got to with anything?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I genuinely reckon that SWR will attempt to keep this timetable up, certainly on the Metro routes at least, until 701s finally enter service in minimum six months time (could be much longer) The truth is, they cannot restore a “full” service (the planned permanent timetable is a large reduction on what it was anyway) until they get more stock. More 455s are dying by the minute, 456s are all gone, only 12/30 707s remain and 458507/517/534 will never return to Metro routes.

 

[Fiyero]

If you book an advance ticket and the train is cancelled then you can get a refund if you don't travel. If you turn up at Waterloo then they have to get you home or find you a hotel.

I wish I was brave enough to test that (booked on the non-existent 23:05 on a Tuesday evening)

 

[JonathanH]

If you turn up at Waterloo then they have to get you home or find you a hotel.

...or suggest that you go away and get the first train in the morning?

Surely they would direct passengers booked on the 2305 to go to Basingstoke (on the 2312 or 2325) and sort out onward travel from there? Either way, I don't think Waterloo would organise a taxi or a hotel. Who do you even ask?

 

[Sean Emmett]

What on earth has Walsall got to with anything?

Completely off topic. I once took a DEMU from Yeovil to Walsall on a railtour, for Bescot open day. An unusual destination from SWR land! IIRC on the way back we did Oxford to Reading in even time.

Back on topic. Reading line emergency timetable from 17/01/22 actually has an extra up morning peak train from Reading, rather than Farnham via Ascot, with extra Aldershot - Ascot to cover loss of the through service. So arguably a slight improvement. I'll find out for real on Thursday morning.