NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY:NOTICE BOARD

Picture Assortment

Two more years for Wylfa

Llangollen Railway Classic Transport 25/26 August

Moorgate to Carrog - report by George Jones

Bank Quay Scenes - report by Martin Evans

Prestatyn renewed - pictures by Dave Sallery

The Mersey Moorlander - report by Stephen Hughes

Timetable Twaddle

The Monday to Friday 07:09 Birmingham International to Llandudno is noted as "To Llandudno Junction" in timetable 1 as opposed to "To Llandudno".

In both timetables 2 and 4 the new government-sponsored Premier train, the Monday to Friday 18:21 Cardiff to Holyhead is shown as having "An at seat service of cold snacks, sandwiches and hot and cold drinks is available for all or part of the journey" instead of "A restaurant (for 1st Class ticket holders) and a buffet service of hot snacks, sandwiches, hot and cold drinks are provided".

In timetable 2, the Monday to Friday 05:15 Holyhead to Birmingham Interntational via Crewe is not shown despite calling at all stations between Crewe and Shrewsbury, forming a vital early morning commuter service. The Monday to Friday 07:15 Holyhead to Birmingham Interntational via Crewe is shown, so the 05:15 needs to be shown also.

Regarding our September timetable information I note your comments and will investigate this as a matter of priority.  I hope you will be pleased to learn that some of this information has been updated since it was first produced and now appears in full in National Rail Enquiries information, at rail station retail outlets and website real-time timetable/booking systems. 

To this end, our customers will be able to find out about these services and book accordingly. Regrettably oversights can sometimes occur in these complex timetable production processes, despite our best efforts to get things right first time round.   It is interesting to note that, these days, more than six times the number of people use real-time systems on our website for timetable and booking information than rely on our printed booklets.  We have found that this digital real-time information offers superior capability in terms of keeping things up to date, speed of production and customer convenience and, as a result, is the preferred source for the majority of our passengers. 

Rest assured, we will however, continue to produce printed timetable booklets as these also offer an important source of information at our stations. In order to support the various challenges of printed timetable production our station and on-line booking information services are promoted extensively in our booklets and at-station posters, typically using the wording: ‘The information presented in this timetable was correct at the time of printing.  We aim to keep you informed of any changes at stations and on our website’.       

In addition, the September edition of the Timetable 2 booklet (South Wales to North Wales) that contains the Premier Service information, the relevant pages are headed:‘Summary of South Wales to North Wales Train Services’.  This heading is the only one of its type in our booklets and is intended to indicate that further detailed information is also available from Stations & other rail information points. I hope this provides you with an appropriate response to your comments.  Our aim is always to provide the most detailed, up-to-date and accurate information as is available to us. I apologise if, on this occasion, our efforts have not met your expectations.  This is clearly one for us to note and act on going forward.