Posted 14th March 2014 | 7 Comments
First Great Western reduces First class provision
FIRST GREAT WESTERN is converting some of the First class coaches in its High Speed Trains to Standard to provide more seats, while the operator has also unveiled a number of timetable changes.
The news has come only days after it emerged that FGW is in line for a further directly awarded contract of up to five years.
Some timetable revisions have been agreed with the DfT to start in May, while FGW will now begin a formal consultation on further proposed changes to its key West of England services, in response to customer and stakeholder demand. The company said that following the disruption at Dawlish, it had been been 'considering how it can improve the train service between London and key destinations in Devon and Cornwall'.
From May a High Speed Train will be used on the Bristol-Weymouth route on summer Saturdays, there will be more capacity on the Devon and Cornwall branches and a locomotive-hauled train will run between Par and Exeter on summer Saturdays. Weston-super-Mare will gain an additional London service on summer Sundays.
Further ahead, FGW will consult on a proposal to reroute the current 07.06 Paddington to Paignton service to Cornwall, which would provide earlier arrivals of around 40 minutes at Totnes, Plymouth and stations to Penzance.
To balance this change, the 07.30 service from Paddington to Penzance would run to Paignton via Bristol instead, providing better connections with South Wales. The company said there would be a journey time improvement to Exeter St David's, Torquay and Paignton of 19 minutes.
Other changes would mean that London-Cornwall services would be more evenly spread through the day, and there would be a new 11.33 Paddington to Exeter service with a return at 14.53. To complete these revisions, timetables on the Devon and Cornwall branches would be adjusted to maintain connections, and there would be some additional timetable changes for trains routed via Westbury.
Meanwhile, more capacity on board HSTs will be achieved by converting some First class accommodation to standard, although there will still be one and half First class vehicles in each set. The remaining First Class areas will be refreshed by the realignment of single seats, installation of privacy screens, more comfortable headrests, re-covered seats, new carpets and other changes. The first new look trains are expected in service by June, with the entire fleet having been dealt with by summer next year.
FGW said the conversion of some First class areas will create almost 3,000 more Standard seats a day, with 16 per cent more seats available in Standard class on HSTs arriving at Paddington in the morning peak.
First Great Western managing director Mark Hopwood said: "We know that, ultimately, the only long-term solution to busy services is more trains. New Intercity Express trains are on their way, however, it is still some time before they will be ready for service. The conversion of these carriages to create more standard class seating is crucial in the interim period."
Work is continuing on reopening the main line at Dawlish, with Network Rail still aiming to complete the repairs to storm damage by 4 April.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
James J, Dawlish
I have used FGW service to get to London for years now, and generally use the 1st class service which enables me to work whilst I travel.
With the current reconfiguration, I can no longer do this, and the cheaper 1st class tickets have been removed, and these areas are now oversubscribed.
As a consequence, I have stopped using the rail service for this, and now fly which is cheaper and faster.
Shame, as I did like the journey.
John Gilbert, Cradley
The provision of first class is less important than the current squeezing in of more and more people into re-seated Mark Threes, depriving many people of a window view and/or squashing them between narrower and narrower seats. Thus the provision of more second class seats by removing first class is not the point; what is needed is an EXTRA carriage in which, like the rest of the train, second class seating reverts to the original 1970s standard - seats beside and alongside windows and tables between them. This present squashed fly tendency is totally intolerable.
David Cook, Broadstone, Dorset
I love the idea of an HST coming to Weymouth on Summer Saturdays, I'll certainly give that service a try out. I also look forward to seeing the timings of the 14-53 off Exeter, and whether this stops at Castle Cary for a connection to Weymouth (allowing the 15-01 from Torbay to run non-stop into Paddington), speeding up that service, possibly passing the 15-01 at Westbury. Interesting times for us FGW passengers ahead, and a note to David Smith of Milton Keynes, FGW already do weekend upgrades, I love them, just a fiver from Taunton to Plymouth, perfect for a complimentary leisurely cuppa and a biscuit.
Jonathan Brain, Herts
How about opening 1st class to full fare single/return std ticket holders off-peak? Enable travel std outward in peak and 1st on return off-peak or vv.
Problem with a 1st class off peak overload in places?
At least provide something more flexible than the current 1st advance offerings.
CAMP fREDDIE, HANTS
On FGW 1st Class is not under exploited this is being done because of the need for extra standard class accommodation, as 1st class is used but never full, weather that is in peak or off peak, as there no extra coaches to make 2+9 sets rather than the 2+8 currently operated
Tony Pearce, Reading
I used to travel First Class 25 years as that is what my employer paid Managers to do, and expected work to be done whilst on the move. But that stopped after 5 years and most other firms I know (including the Civil Service) made all staff travel Standard from about the same time. I see even Members of the Cabinet are expected to travel Standard Class and can only claim that amount back. Very few people travel 1st if it comes out of their own finances. Having said that there are bargains to be had on Eurostar which makes upgrading at your expense quite reasonable.
david c smith, milton keynes
First Class seems to be something of an underexploited assett with some TOC's.
I don't know whether rhis applies to FGW, but living in Milon Keynes I often observe Virgin Pendolinos going through with virtually empty 1st class outside of the business market peak times.
It would seem useful for all TOC's to offer discounted 1st class fares outside the business peaks, not only in the form of Advance Purchase but also either as an extension of the " Weekend First" initiative into weekday off - peak where standard class ticket holders cam upgrade to 1st class on payment of a fixed supplement or as cheaper " off - peak 1st" tickets with validity restricted to off - peak trains.
Chltern Railways now offer an interesting variation oh this on their Marylybone - Birmingham service whereby there are no 1st class tickets ; instead, on top of the basic "Anytime" or"Off - Peak" Standard ticket superior accommodation is available for a £10 supplement ( off - peak) or £20 ( peak) per single journey.