What happened at Hayes & Harlngton FGWL services from Hayes to
Paddington today 15-8-2004?

I arrived at Hayes at 12.30 - there was at least 50 people waiting for
a train on platform 4 - I assume the 12.20 failed to show up - no
announcements - just did not arrive (this happened last weekend too).

I asked a member of the station crew whether the 12.20 had run - and
he said he hadn't a clue since after FGWL took over he had been
downgraded to a mere cleaner and wasn't allowed to help passengers any
more. Apparently there are now NO proper station staff at Hayes at
weekends. THIS IS AN APPALLING DOWNGRADING OF SERVICES TO PASSENGERS.

The 12.54 was then announced as running 20 minutes late, and was due
to arrive at 13.20. The announcement said that this was for
'operational reasons' - what the hell are those? Meanwhile more
passengers arrived until there was about 100 on the platform.

When the 12.54 - a three car unit - eventually arrived at 13.22 IT WAS
PACKED, and I do mean FULL. This was obviously due to the cancellation
of the previous train. It took fully 5 minutes for the 100+ passengers
to squeeze onto the train. This obviously lead to a HIGH LEVEL OF
DANGEROUS OVERCROWDING.

When we stopped at Southall there were even more passengers waiting to
get on.

The ex-Thames services were bad especially at weekends but at least we
had station staff tell us what was going on (or not). Now with FGWL
running the serices they are truly APPALLING.

C.J.Brady

P.S. And FGWL Customer Services are also appalling in that they NEVER
respond to letters, emails or faxes of concern. BRING BACK THAMES at
least they tried.

Chris Brady wrote:
P.S. And FGWL Customer Services are also appalling in that they NEVER
respond to letters, emails or faxes of concern. BRING BACK THAMES at
least they tried.

FirstGroup - ******s they may be - shine like brilliant beacons of
success compared to Thames Trains.
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"Chris Brady" wrote in message
om...
What happened at Hayes & Harlngton FGWL services from Hayes to
Paddington today 15-8-2004?

I arrived at Hayes at 12.30 - there was at least 50 people waiting for
a train on platform 4 - I assume the 12.20 failed to show up - no
announcements - just did not arrive (this happened last weekend too).

I asked a member of the station crew whether the 12.20 had run - and
he said he hadn't a clue since after FGWL took over he had been
downgraded to a mere cleaner and wasn't allowed to help passengers any
more. Apparently there are now NO proper station staff at Hayes at
weekends. THIS IS AN APPALLING DOWNGRADING OF SERVICES TO PASSENGERS.

The 12.54 was then announced as running 20 minutes late, and was due
to arrive at 13.20. The announcement said that this was for
'operational reasons' - what the hell are those? Meanwhile more
passengers arrived until there was about 100 on the platform.

When the 12.54 - a three car unit - eventually arrived at 13.22 IT WAS
PACKED, and I do mean FULL. This was obviously due to the cancellation
of the previous train. It took fully 5 minutes for the 100+ passengers
to squeeze onto the train. This obviously lead to a HIGH LEVEL OF
DANGEROUS OVERCROWDING.


and capital letters.

Joe wrote in message ...
Chris Brady wrote:
P.S. And FGWL Customer Services are also appalling in that they NEVER
respond to letters, emails or faxes of concern. BRING BACK THAMES at
least they tried.

FirstGroup - ******s they may be - shine like brilliant beacons of
success compared to Thames Trains.

Dont have that much experience of the GWML I admit however I do know
that yes FGW is outstanding but FGWL is a differnt type of operation.
Just because First run a good INTERCITY service does not default to a
good inner and outer suburban service.

Always the problem no matter where you look these days that on a
weekend a solitary DMU is not enough. TPX, Virgin (lets not go
there!), FNW (whatever it is now). Whenever I have travelled on the
above companies a single DMU is not sufficient. But this is without
previous cancellations I refer to. Anyway feel I am digressing.

CIG_BIG_CIG wrote:
Dont have that much experience of the GWML I admit however I do know
that yes FGW is outstanding but FGWL is a differnt type of operation.
Just because First run a good INTERCITY service does not default to a
good inner and outer suburban service.

I was actually referring to the ****-poor service that Thames Trains
operated, based on what I have seen compared to the service (might be
bad, bur better than TT) that 1st currently operate.
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"CIG_BIG_CIG" wrote in message
om...
Joe wrote in message
...
Chris Brady wrote:
P.S. And FGWL Customer Services are also appalling in that they NEVER
respond to letters, emails or faxes of concern. BRING BACK THAMES at
least they tried.

FirstGroup - ******s they may be - shine like brilliant beacons of
success compared to Thames Trains.

Dont have that much experience of the GWML I admit however I do know
that yes FGW is outstanding but FGWL is a differnt type of operation.
Just because First run a good INTERCITY service does not default to a
good inner and outer suburban service.

They ran a great inner suburban service on the Great Eastern line to
Shenfield. Then they gave the franchise to National Express.

Jonn

Joe wrote in message ...
CIG_BIG_CIG wrote:
Dont have that much experience of the GWML I admit however I do know
that yes FGW is outstanding but FGWL is a differnt type of operation.
Just because First run a good INTERCITY service does not default to a
good inner and outer suburban service.

I was actually referring to the ****-poor service that Thames Trains
operated, based on what I have seen compared to the service (might be
bad, bur better than TT) that 1st currently operate.


This may be true for the stoping services, but as an Oxford resident,
I can vouch for the fact that since the transfer from TT to FGWL, the
Oxford-London fast services have gone severely downhill.