"S.Byers" wrote in message
om...
... at putting hundreds at risk.

The 11.53 today (Sunday) ex-Hayes to Paddington FGWL strain arrived -
well eventually - fully 25 minutes late - but packed to the gunnels.
It was a three car unit - the rear car was completely locked out of
use. This meant that EVERYONE had to pack into the two forward cars.
We left after a ten minute squeeze into an already jammed train. We
stopped at Southall where even more tried to get on board - most
failed - most were left behind - they'd waited an hour. By this time
you'd have thought that an apology was due from the driver - but NONE
was made. We endured the most appalling cattle truck conditions -
babies and mothers, the elderly, hundreds of others - until Ealing -
where there was a gigantic squash for some to disembark, and many more
embark. Again this took about 10 minutes. We arrived at Paddington
almost an HOUR late. Again no apology - no-one to complain to - no
apology from the driver. As someone remarked is this really 2004. God
help us when they reduce the local service even further in December to
make way for more over-priced HEX services. (I use the word 'service'
with complete sarcasm - FGWL wouldn't know what a service was).

SB

I love it when they use a computerised voice to say "I am sorry that the
train service has been delayed"
As if the computer is able to feel the depth of emotion that you do when
facing the prospect of unemployment in the immediate future.

I wonder if the management are aware that the insincere computerised apology
causes so much resentment.

"Michael Hoffman" wrote in
message ...
Huge wrote:
(S.Byers) writes:
The 11.53 today (Sunday) ex-Hayes to Paddington FGWL strain arrived -
well eventually - fully 25 minutes late - but packed to the gunnels.
It's "gunwhales", BTW.

According to the OED it is either "gunwale" or "gunnel" as the original
poster spelled it.

Of course it additionally lists archaic variant spellings such as the
one you used and gonne walle, gunwayle, gunwaile, gun-wall, gun(n)al,
and gunhill.
--
Michael Hoffman

Yes okay the train was chock a block - we get the picture and we are more
concerned with the situation on the trains than the correct use of nautical
below the decks terminology.

gwr4090 wrote in message ...

The half hourly Paddington-Heathrow service will run from 12 December but
only as far as Hayes, and will be worked by Class 165s. It will be
extended from Hayes to Heathrow next Spring when the first four 360/2
Desiros are available.

How will this service will compare in terms of fares and journey times
with the Heathrow Express? Is it to be expected that HX will lose much
custom to the new service?

Andy Kirkham
Glasgow

In article ,
Skokkie wrote:

Yes okay the train was chock a block - we get the picture and we are more
concerned with the situation on the trains than the correct use of nautical
below the decks terminology.

I believe the gunwales are (just) above the decks ...

Nick
--
http://www.leverton.org/ ... So express yourself

"Nick Leverton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Skokkie wrote:

Yes okay the train was chock a block - we get the picture and we are more
concerned with the situation on the trains than the correct use of
nautical
below the decks terminology.

I believe the gunwales are (just) above the decks ...


Yeah but the riff raff below the decks used diverse colloquialisms to
describe them

Andy Kirkham wrote:
gwr4090 wrote in message ...


The half hourly Paddington-Heathrow service will run from 12 December but
only as far as Hayes, and will be worked by Class 165s. It will be
extended from Hayes to Heathrow next Spring when the first four 360/2
Desiros are available.


How will this service will compare in terms of fares and journey times
with the Heathrow Express? Is it to be expected that HX will lose much
custom to the new service?

Between Paddington, Ealing, Southall and Hayes, the services (Heathrow
Connect) are available for use as normal FGWL services, with the same
fares. Revenue for these tickets will go to FGWL.

Fares from Ealing, Southall and Hayes to Heathrow will have a premium
added (i.e. the Hayes-Heathrow section will be expensive). The premium
will go to BAA.

There will be no reduced fare between Paddington and Heathrow, and
Heathrow Connect will be advertised as a Hayes train at Paddington
(similarly, it will be advertised as an Ealing train at Heathrow).
Therefore the custom will be entirely different from HEx, so no HEx
custom will really be lost.

Shameless plug:
http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/67

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

In article ,
Andy Kirkham wrote:
gwr4090 wrote in message ...

The half hourly Paddington-Heathrow service will run from 12 December
but only as far as Hayes, and will be worked by Class 165s. It will be
extended from Hayes to Heathrow next Spring when the first four 360/2
Desiros are available.

How will this service will compare in terms of fares and journey times
with the Heathrow Express? Is it to be expected that HX will lose much
custom to the new service?

The half hourly Heathrow Connect stopping services from Paddington should
reach Heathrow T123 in about 28 mins, compared with 15 mins for Heathrow
Express services.

David

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 08:37:53 -0800, S.Byers wrote:

... at putting hundreds at risk.

The 11.53 today (Sunday) ex-Hayes to Paddington FGWL strain arrived -

This has bugged me for a while. When you say "ex-Hayes", I assume you mean
the service from hayes, however what does Ex-hayes actually mean?

In article ,
Paul Weaver wrote:
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 08:37:53 -0800, S.Byers wrote:

The 11.53 today (Sunday) ex-Hayes to Paddington FGWL strain arrived -

This has bugged me for a while. When you say "ex-Hayes", I assume you mean
the service from hayes, however what does Ex-hayes actually mean?

Ex is Latin for "from".

Nick
--
http://www.leverton.org/ ... So express yourself

gwr4090 wrote:

The half hourly Heathrow Connect stopping services from Paddington should
reach Heathrow T123 in about 28 mins, compared with 15 mins for Heathrow
Express services.

Hmmm.

With that schedule, they could serve Hanwell, Acton Main Line and West
Ealing as well, unless the Heathrow branch is incredibly slow. This
would solve the main problem with the new service, which is vastly
reduced frequency at these 3 stations.

(Standard slow train timing Paddington to Hayes is 20 minutes, missing
only Acton Main Line.)

Colin McKenzie