Great Western Coffee Shop

From the FGW website :

18:33 London Paddington to Oxford due 20:12
This train has run short formed with 3 carriages.This is due to an earlier train fault.

21:01 Oxford to London Paddington due 21:59
This train has run short formed with 3 carriages.This is due to an earlier train fault.

A turbo is out again today (28/06/2008), but different reason given :

9:30 Oxford to London Paddington due 10:29
This train has been revised.This train will run short formed with 3 carriages.This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

11:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 12:21
This train has been revised.This train will run short formed with 3 carriages.This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

How can a member of staff being unavailable result in a Turbo sub? ???

Because they may be using a member of staff who doesn't sign a particular traction.

E.g. If Paddington train manager unavailable, then possible to get in a turbo and have a guard from Reading work it.

As well as potential knowledge of traction issues, don't forget turbos can run DOO (Driver Only Operated) between Oxford and Paddington, wheraes HST's or 180's need a Train Manager on ALL routes they operate over. Subbing a turbo on the Oxf-Pad's therefore releases a train manager who can cover other routes when there are shortages.

Thanks for clarifying. :)

29/06/2008 :

08:42 London Paddington to Oxford due 09:51
This train will run short formed with 3 carriages.

So why do they have Train Managers on Turbos and what isn't done if the Train Manager is missing?

What about ticket checking as well!

I'm sure they will live. How many TMs actually do tickets anyway...

(ok, some do - but I can often guarantee I won't get checked on a FGW HST, even if sat in the TGS!)

From my awesome new piece of software/kit:

Service: 11:38 Oxford to London Paddington on 29/06/2008 operated by fgw.
Details: This train will run short formed with 3 carriages.

On Driver Only operated routes (DOO), there are no train managers - you may have a conductor or senior conductor on-board, but their only responsibilities concern 'customer service' - i.e. Ticket checks and providing information. The Driver is responsible for despatch of his train, whether using mirrors, CCTV, or with the help of station staff.

On non-DOO routes then the train manager/conductor/senior conductor (depending what part of the organisation is involved!) they are responsible for train despatch using buzzer codes to the driver.

Right. Why don't we just call "conductors" and "train managers" by their proper name: "guard."

Then, to simplify things, the guard does despatch and tickets. The driver drives!

If necessary, additional "ticket inspectors" (NOT "revenue protection officers" or other stupid names) can supplement ticket checking and allow the guard to concentrate on despatch and safety at busy times.

Ticket inspector suggests simply checking tickets though, whereas RPIs check for valid tickets and dish out penalty fares where required.

Don't get me started on stupid names for railway jobs!  ;)

Well, CT/LM ticket inspectors give out penalty fares. The guards/conductors just check tickets (sometimes).

The barrier staff which do temporary barriers at LM stations are ticket inspectors.
Unfortunately it is not just the railway.

Bin-man = Refuse disposal officer!

etc.

So if the guard/conductor who just check tickets find someone without a ticket or with a wrong ticket, they can't give out penalty fares then (with apologies if I'm misunderstanding!!)?

Correct.

In a previous discussion, Vacman gave a useful explanation of the reasons for this difference in their respective roles: see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1718.msg12494#msg12494

OK, so I'm still a little confused here.. What reason are they checking tickets? Can they sell tickets to people without them, just not issue fines?

I travel Maidenhead/London daily and we only have the people that can fine you checking tickets as far as I know. I have an annual season ticket so don't really know much about that kind of thing..

Anyone you see on the stopping services via Reading will be a member of revenue protection, and so will be checking and issuing penalty fares, but they can issue tickets. But only if it falls within the conditions, i.e. not possible to buy a ticket at station so had to buy on train.

And don't forget if you accidentally buy, say, a Reading to London route Staines ticket - and then decide you want to go on the Reading - London Padd stopper they can't PF you as penalty fares cannot be issued for going off route. :)

Of course, if there were more ticket offices / machines (and more barriers at major stations) then you could have guards doing penalty fares, as less people would not have a ticket!

Except after very small stations, there should be no ticket selling onboard trains.