I'd rather be late & have a seat on Chiltern, than be on time on First Great self-abusers Western....
I was down south last year and experianced a First Group Pacer I thought it was the Indian railway I was on.
It seems this company don't give a monkeys about you poor soles down south as if they ran those things up here they would get torched at night in the depots.
I seems they only buy new stock for scotrail,well they are from sheep sh***n country([size=8]North of Dundee
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Chiltern are actually quite good, they are sometimes late, but never more than a couple of minutes. In two years of using them, the only delay of more than 15 mins was due to fire at signal box in London.
First Great Western London area, are in a bit of a pickle, they are waiting for the Electrification of the line, so they can put new stock on, but their contract expires around time of this completing, with no guarantee they can run line afterwards, with a bit of luck they will pull out!