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October 19, 2006
Behind the new timetable
Looking through the new timetable, I've got a feeling that the vestigial service that we're being provided with isn't being sourced purely off the Stroud Valley line. The 05:29 from Gloucester gets in to Westbury at 07:02, which is exactly the same time that the return trip leaves. Then there's an 07:05 departure from Westbury to Southampton.
I suspect that the 05:29 from Gloucester runs all the way through to Southampton and in practise, yes, we do still have a through Southampton train. A cause for celebration, then, even to a very minor degree? Especially as it looks like the evening train from Westbury may start further south too.
Alas, it raises other concerns. It shows a disregard by the operator for the specification which allows them to run through services to and from Gloucester and Weymouth but NOT Southampton. And it appears to merge in the service through Melksham with the Westbury - Southampton shuttle which is to run for one year only, before it's transferred to South West Trains and cut back to Salisbury. What then?
I was talking on the phone yesterday evening with a concerned and knowledgable party, musing over whether or not the operator is genuine in their stated aim of coming up with the best of a bad job this year, and improving the situation next year, or whether such stated aims and comments are simply made to give us - their customers - a warm and fuzzy feeling while they continue to pull the rug out from under the service. Our conversation didn't result in any conclusion one way of the other.
Posted by gje at October 19, 2006 09:22 AM