Simon / Richard

Thanks for the email, Simon.

FGW's initial response to this request is to refuse it.  We cannot accept this sort of change to already severely delayed trains at this stage (1Z84 already has an extended journey time of 4 hours 15 mins compared with 3 hours in normal weeks).  I am not convinced that the solution will be robust as I can envisage 7A09 being late / not being looped etc and causing untold delays to an already disrupted train service.

I understand that consideration has been given to running 7A09 with a reduced length, but this has been refused.  Given that FGW did not want this possession in August, it was EWS who pushed for it in the first place then EWS ought to consider the impact on our customers versus its customers.  A reduced quantity of stone for four days along with passengers experiencing extended journey times of over an hour seems a reasonable compromise.  This would solve the problem for all of us.

I accept that the offer of the timetable for the relevant week to FGW included a caveat about retimings due to other changes, but this is a standard response. Indeed we have already dealt with a number of minor retimings for other services - working together with your team to resolve them.   7A09 must have been a problem for weeks, but the first we knew about it was last week - we cannot accept the proposed alterations to our advertised, diagrammed train service.

FGW will escalate this issue through both First and Network Rail as well as through industry procedures, if necessary.  In addition Alison will discuss the issue further with Robbie Burns at 1200 today.

Russell
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Russell Evans
Head of Performance & Planning
First Great Western
07 75386 / 01793 515386 / 07788178883
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"Whitehorn Simon" <Simon.Whitehorn@networkrail.co.uk> 18/08/2006 07:52

To:        <russell.evans@firstgroup.com>         cc:        "Alebon June" <June.ALEBON@networkrail.co.uk>, "Cole Richard \(Reg Commercial Manager\)" <richard.c.cole@networkrail.co.uk>         Subject:        Week 22 Wootton Bassett Freight

Russell,

You will recall a brief conversation last week when I was down in Swindon about a freight train (7A09) which was still left unresolved in terms of finding a pathway for it during the Wootton Bassett blockade period.

It would appear that the only way to find a path for it and I can confirm the train does need to run, is to carry out some retimings to your services. Now I know it is late in the day and I can only apologise for that, although when the offer was made to FGW it was caveated that it was still subject to finalising freight retimings etc and that a path for 7A09 would still need to be found. Originally it was thought the only way of finding a path would be to cancel two of your services 1A09 and 1Z84.

However thankfully that is not the case and by using the contractual flex we have in the freight schedule, Sharon Timms from within June's team has come up with what I think is now a workable solution and probably the only workable solution.

Sharon has retimed 7A09 such that it comes out of Woodborough Loop later behind 1A09 allowing that service to run as booked. In order for 7A09 to reach Hungerford Loop it has been necessary to put time in 1Z84 such that it will now arrive Paddington 12 minutes later than previously advised. The 7A09 path has been retimed all the way to Acton arriving 15 minutes later than booked.

However because of these retimings it has had some knock on consequentials on other services from Newbury. Such that 2K31 arrives Reading 8 minutes later, 1A84 arrives Paddington 4 minutes later and 1A11 arrives Paddington 6 minutes later.

Now whilst this is far from ideal at this stage of the process and I can assure you lessons have been learnt for future and will be implemented.

We collectively need to resolve this and as said I can't see any other obvious way out of it. I therefore ask for you support and cooperation to find a way through these issues ahead of the plan being implemented next week.

I am in London all day today in various meetings if you need to discuss the details of the revised plan then please talk to June direct. I will be available later this afternoon to discuss the principles if required.

I look forward to your assistance.

Regards

Simon

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