last minute cancellation of 1715 Didcot to gt Malvern at Oxford

[whole diary]

[IanL]

Just typed in a long post about the above cancellation, can't be bothered to retype it all, but suffice it to say not too impressed with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) announcements!

[CLPGMS]

From what I understand, this topic relates to 180108 refusing to go any further than Oxford and the confusion caused by the subsequent non-appearance of a replacement train.

180108's aliment could not have been too serious as it was out and about again this morning on the 0648 Paddington to Great Malvern and the 0954 return.

[bobm]

I was told it wasn't so much the train but the relief driver at Oxford. He/she did have 180s on their traction card.

[IanL]

OK, calmed down somewhat after losing my post!
I arrived on the 1724 terminating train (late at 1730) and got on the 1732 at approx 1740 when it arrived. This sat in the station for 5min, then a TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) announcement that there was a delay, further information shortly, then 10min later a rather breathless TM announced that please could everyone leave the train as it was necessary to perform a set change....nothing about cancellation, train failure or staff shortage. So Back on the platform at 1755. The 1732 cleared the platform 5 min later, CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) is showing 1732 as cancelled. Meanwhile chaos reigns on p2 as the 1736 is very late, 1746 Banbury departs from p1, 1807 is late and the 1817 is late. It was only when I got home that the reason for the termination after 1 stop of the 1732 was clear......staff shortage, which I assume was the driver as the TM was making announcements. Surely FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't send a train out from Didcot to Gt Malvern with a driver who can only sign as far as Oxford?

[IndustryInsider]

Surely FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't send a train out from Didcot to Gt Malvern with a driver who can only sign as far as Oxford?

Looking at that diagram in question, the driver that brings it from Didcot gets relief at Oxford (having worked it down to Great Malvern and back at 13:25).  There's no real excuse if that is the case though as the relieving driver should have already taken a 180 to Malvern and back at 12:21 - unless that turn was split for some reason?  So, if the reason was a driver shortage then there's really no excuse for it unless there was short notice sickness or something like that.

I hope there isn't a similar cock-up tonight, as according to Genius, a 3-car 166 is currently allocated to that turn which would mean removing the stops at Combe and Finstock.  Could just be an allocation error though.

[Worcester_Passenger]

A bit later (18:20) - it's shown on JourneyCheck as a 2-car.