August 2019 / Welcome to "Meet the Managing Director"

[whole diary]

[GBM]

Please ensure that the fatted calf is killed in an EU^» (European Union - about) approved slaughterhouse, that the ear tag numbers are correctly recorded, and that proper hygiene procedures are followed regarding meat handling and cooking.
Consider also the carbon emissions of transporting the live animal, the carcass, and of the cooking process.

On animal welfare grounds, a free range fatted calf is preferable to one reared in a pen. The calf should only be moderately fat if the meat is to be enjoyable.

And don't forget to include your last inspection results, together with a link to the live CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) recordings 

[ellendune]

Please ensure that the fatted calf is killed in an EU^» (European Union - about) approved slaughterhouse ....

Just to be precise. The EU do not approve any slaughterhouses, they merely set the regulations, which together with the government's own regulations (yes we have additional regulations) are used by competent authorities in member states (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland this is the Food Standards Agency) use to approve such places. 

[CyclingSid]

We always have additional regulations. It has been said for a long time that we "gold plate" EU^» (European Union - about) regulations, which might be part of the problem.

[Robin Summerhill]

We always have additional regulations. It has been said for a long time that we "gold plate" EU^» (European Union - about) regulations, which might be part of the problem.

There's no "might" about it...

[TaplowGreen]

………..another week goes by without questions, answers, or even an acknowledgement - I'm sure some of those who organised/moderated this event are aware, and I would hope they would at least have the courtesy to respond, unless of course the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) model of communication/customer service is being followed in the spirit of the MD's participation?   

The issues - and an apology - are due from the Coffee Shop end in this case.  Significant follow up - my estimate - during next week.   Currently with the moderator team;  some of us are widespread and on icky connections at the moment (personal story from me on that tomorrow morning) but still volunteering to run this place well above our unpay grade

Another week gone by with no response - absolutely not directed at Graham, who quite rightly pointed out others were leading on this.

If someone could explain why cutting/pasting the questions/answers is proving so difficult it may be easier for the rest of us to understand the delay.

Almost 6 weeks on now, rather frustrating.

[broadgage]

It might be that there is not much more that we can ask Mr Hopwood.

1) Catering has already been enquired about and has been answered by "no way will GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) allow buffets" and by reassurances that the trolley service is already acceptable and will soon get even better, as was promised previously.

2) Short formations are probably "of the agenda" as the main cause thereof is the failure of the new DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) to work reliably. Anyone can see the ongoing number of short formations, but discussions thereof by the MD might be prohibited by legal concerns.
The new timetable should help in this regard, not of course by increasing train lengths, but by re-branding single 5 car units as being "correct and as planned" and not as "short formed" The resultant overcrowding can then be blamed on increased passenger numbers, rather than on 5 car DMUs replacing full length inter-city trains.

3) The hard seats, could perhaps be talked about, but any such complaints are easily answered "as required by regulations"

4) Ongoing IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) faults such as no reservations, defective toilets, squeaks, bumps, bangs and rattles, easily answered by "get used to it, it is called progress" Though Mr Hopwood would word it much more diplomatically.

5) Ongoing staff shortage , easily answered by a simple statement "we are actively working towards recruiting more staff"

6) Signaling and other infrastructure failures "down to network rail, not us"

7)Failure to electrify, as above.

[IndustryInsider]

However there are a many other equally worthy subjects out there as well as your perennial favourites, Broadgage.

[broadgage]

However there are a many other equally worthy subjects out there as well as your perennial favourites, Broadgage.

I don't doubt it, but I suspect that most can answered by one of two standard replies, either,

"Not our problem, but our partners Hitachi/ network rail/ HMG/someone else  are working towards resolving this issue"

"We are working hard to further improve performance regarding this issue"

[IndustryInsider]

I think you are being rather unfair on Mark Hopwood, who could easily have shut down the conversation with you about buffets a lot earlier with similar responses, but tried to explain and debate in an open and honest way - even if you didn’t like the answers.

[Celestial]

Moreover, it's been explained on a couple of occasions that the problem is not that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) hasn't answered the questions, but that the mods dealing with it have not yet completed the work to prepare those answers for publication.  But that hasn't stopped broadgage take an  opportunity that wasn't there to steer the subject round to his favourite hobbyhorse.

[grahame]

Ladies and Gentlemen ... a move forward to get questions not yet addressed answered via a fresh session, with it managed such that all new questions are timeously answered, is underway.  There's a thread started on this on "Frequent Posters" but the subject will be broached in public early next month. Good on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - on their instigation again.

[TaplowGreen]

Ladies and Gentlemen ... a move forward to get questions not yet addressed answered via a fresh session, with it managed such that all new questions are timeously answered, is underway.  There's a thread started on this on "Frequent Posters" but the subject will be broached in public early next month. Good on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - on their instigation again.

Graham another session is one thing but it doesn't address the point being made here over several weeks - undertakings were given in respect of questions that weren't used as part of the session on 5th August, which haven't been met.

All that is being asked is for those questions that didn't make the cut to be published - ideally with, but if not without answers. I am baffled as to why this hasn't happened, but if someone would be good enough to articulate the apparent difficulty in doing so it would be enlightening.

You at least have engaged on this subject, the rest of the moderators who we were given to understand would be leading on this have been conspicuous by their absence/silence.

[Sixty3Closure]

And a mention in the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Customer Panel update

"You may have seen the online 'Meet the Managing Director' session we ran with the Great Western Coffee Shop Forum in August. Here is the link if you'd like to read it:* http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?board=48.0

We will be working with the Coffee Shop to run a similar session again on 5 November, inviting their members to submit questions in advance and Mark Hopwood will be online between 1700-1800 to answer them.  The focus of this session will be on the timetable change.  If you’d like to participate, please sign up to the Coffee Shop by following this link: * http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?action=register

We are working on providing an online platform for all members to engage with us and with each other and I’ll be in touch with more details about this very soon."