Today, I had a chance to listen to Andrew Haines - CEO of First Great Western, and the man who has been given the task of turning certain aspects of the company - which is currently something of an embarrassment to the "First" brand - around. You'll find me writing more seriously about what he had to say, and my impression of where FGW are going and with particular respect to the Salisbury - Swindon service - posted in the next few days in several places (save the train and the coffeeshop). This has been what has turned out to the the third day of campaigning at the end of a busy week - a place on the platform at a public meeting on Thursday, the mayor reception where I was taking with lots of influencer's and local people on the subject on Friday, and now this today.

But I thought I would share a lighter moment with you. "TravelWatch SouthWest" - the umbrella that arranges meetings like today's where campaign group representatives get to meet up, listen to the transport providers and government, for the mutual benefit of all is lead by a charismatic, effective and knowledgeable chair - Chris Irwin - for whom I have a lot (and awful lot) of time. And he gave us a big scare at the tail end of last year - a medical emergency that put him into hospital for (I understand) more than just a short visit. Well - he was back today with the charisma, meeting control and knowledge unabated, I'm glad to say - delighted to see you if you happen across this, Chris.

And - it came as a surprise - First Great Western have name one of their newly refurbished power cars "Travel Watch South West". We were all wondering what was happening when we were asked to board a bus from the conference centre to the station ...


Andrew Haines and Chris Irwin naming "Travel Watch South West" at Taunton

Now - I have to admit - I'm a bit of a cynic about naming trains. But - in this case - I'm more than won over and feel that, yes, it was the right thing to do. It doesn't replace all the other far more important things that FGW have to do like get back the disenfranchised passengers that was on Andrew Haines's first slide - and nowhere more than Melksham, where I estimate 90% have been lost.

If I see one of these HSTs around on my travels - no doubt I'll be looking to see if it's "TWSW" - here she is at Westbury about half an hour after being named:



But (and everyone knows this) still be concentrating that much more on getting an appropriate TransWilts service running. A final picture:



And, no, that is NOT Melksham. It's the 07:50 Bradford-on-Avon to Great Malvern that two of us caught to the meeting. We would have started from Melksham, but (a) the first train scheduled on a Saturday is too late to get us to Taunton in good time (b) it goes in the wrong direction and the first southbound train isn't until mid afternoon which is when the meeting ends and (c) it is a bus anyway - so we would have taken so long we would have walked in just as Mr Haines finished talking.

We look forward to the disenfranchised becoming part of the franchise again, Andrew, and to working with you to help produce the right solution (practical, cost effective) for "TransWilts"
(written 2008-03-01 19:55:47)

 

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