Thursday, December 21, 2017

GWR - Record Breaker?

I'm not sure if there is a record for the most misleading train announcements in the shortest possible time (or something) but I offer today's debacle at Bristol Temple Meads as a standard bearer for confusion.

We arrived in good time to catch the 12.26 to Nailsea.

The departure board was saying that the train was expected 6 minutes late. From 12.32 onwards these are the verbatim announcements:

12.32 The next train to arrive at Platform 10 will be the 12.26 to Taunton (our train), calling at... This train has two coaches.

12.33 The next train to arrive at Platform 10 will be the... (announcement cut off)

12.34 A train arrives from the wrong direction with four coaches

12.34 We apologise that the 12.26 service from Cardiff Central (our train) is delayed by approximately 8 minutes.

It is now obvious to everyone that the four coach train is preventing our train from reaching the platform and needs to depart.

12.37 We apologise that the 12.26 service from Cardiff Central is delayed by approximately 10 minutes (observant readers will note that at this point the train was already 11 minutes late)

12.39 The next train to arrive at Platform 10 will be the 12.26 to Taunton, calling at... This train has one coach.

12.40 A four coach train arrives. We get on front coach on the basis that if it is a one coach train it will be this one that carries on.

Nothing happens for five minutes.

12.47 It is announced on the train that this train it is not stopping until Worle because of delay. We are encouraged/invited to go to platform 8 for the 12.53 service to Taunton.

We do so. The departure board is showing this train as on time.

12.53 The departure board now shows the train as as 4 minutes late.

12.55 It is announced as 6 minutes late.

12.57 The departure board, which had changed from 12.53 to 12.57, now says 'on time'.

12.58 The deaprture board is now showing as 4 mins late when already 5 minutes late.

12.58 Announced as approaching Platform 8 and comprised of two coaches

Arrives 5 mins late at 12.58

Leaves 6 mins late at 12.59

Announced on train as stopping first at Nailsea

(Panicked looks of people expecting to go to Bedminster and Parsons Street)

There is a corrected announcement

The web-site says that an unusually large number of trains were needing repair at same time.

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