I can't honestly see that many "improvements" at all, if any. I was wondering whether I was looking at the old timetable.
- Still a 2 hr gap at Keynsham/Oldfield Park, despite promises to fill it.
- Still horrendus gaps to Gloucester early morning, with
just 1 peak FGW train.
- Still no improvement to the Melksham service at all.
the term 'I hate FGW' is starting to ring true to me
Further comment from FOSBR :
The "final" printed summer timetables (valid from Sunday 20 May) should have been available ON REQUEST from staffed stations from yesterday.
Yesterday at Temple Meads, position was:-
Table A from London - available on request
Table B Devon & Cornwall - available on request.
Table E Bristol area - not available: they were sent 2 lots of Table B !
There should be a new mini-timetable E6 Severn Beach to Bristol and Bath.
The FOSBR stall at Redland Fayre, (Redland Green 1200 - 1630) on Monday will have some Bristol Area Table E ones which were sent direct to FOSBR.
Mon - Fri the last train to Severn Beach & back is half an hour later (restoring a 36 minute connection from the 1930 from Paddington).
Mon - Fri the Weston - Filton trains departing Temple Meads 1716 & 1816 call additionally at Stapleton Road.
On Saturdays the 0735 from Temple Meads still runs "fast" to Clifton Down (slightly faster than stopping trains) but without a 3 minutes earlier arrival at Clifton Down footnote.
Mon - Fri the first bus from Severn Beach to Avonmouth is five minutes earlier to give a more robust 10 (instead of 5) minutes connection with the train.
Mon - Fri the train which arrives Temple Meads 1805 after calling at Stapleton Road & Lawrence Hill now starts at Worcs Shrub Hill (previously Filton).
On Saturdays the 2022 from Severn Beach still has 12 minutes (instead of the usual 5) between Montpelier & Stapleton Road.
On Sundays the first train to Weymouth (until 9 Sept) from Bristol arrives late morning (instead of current "winter" late afternoon) and follows the first Cardiff to Portsmouth train.
Earlier Sunday Weymouth train (until 9 Sept) starts at Westbury but has no connection from Bristol.
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As usual there are some inconsistencies in the timetables e.g. the first Saturday train from Swansea to Paddington (via Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads & Bath):-
Table A omits the stop at Bristol Temple Meads arr 0552 dep 0600.
Table E fails to show a destination of London Paddington and from 15 Sept shows "cycles only carried with advance reservations".
In Table E some trains terminate at Great Malvern but only return south from Worcester Shrub Hill (just like some Wessex trains initially pretended to be a different train company when returning from Great Malvern to Worcester Shrub Hill).
In Table E the Northbound 0759 VT from Temple Meads to Newcastle fails to show that it starts from Cardiff (like it currently does) despite this being the main morning Severn Tunnel Junction train.
CYCLES ON FGW TRAINS
On most of the services to/from Portsmouth Harbour/Brighton/|Weymouth and Cardiff, cycles are only carried with advance reservations (according to the timetable header).
This will affect most of the "local" Bristol to Bath trains.
However, on most of the High Speed services between Bristol and Bath (Table A), cycle reservations are recommended but not compulsory.
The Timetables still have an unhelpful blanket cycle clause
"On non reservable services up to 2 cycles can be conveyed on a first come first served basis."
Ominously, page 84 of Table A includes
" On weekdays reservations must be made on trains which arrive into London Paddington between 0700 - 0744 and between 0946 - 1000 and also on those trains departing London Paddington between 1500 - 1629 and 1831 - 1900."
" For safety reasons we have a cycle ban in place on many trains arriving London Paddington from 0745 - 0945 and on those departing London Paddington from 1630 - 1830. There are no such restrictions at weekend. "
When the trains run to/from beyond Temple Meads in Table E (according to the timetable header) "Cycles not allowed".
If this is rigorously enforced it may apply to local journeys miles away from Paddington e.g. between Bristol & Bath or Weston & Bristol.
When a Trans Pennine Class 158 appeared on the Severn Beach line its"metal broom cupboard" side facing the central corridor had been stripped out & 2 small cycle racks had been fitted at the back of the "cupboard" to hold the tyre (furthest away from the door) in place. 3 bikes could comfortably be stored there plus more near the bulky luggage area.
Was this a standard Trans Pennine modification ?
If Trans Pennine could make the modification why cannot FGW ?
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