Easter engineering works and subsequent ongoing disruption - April / May 2015

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

If it was the solid state signalling then that technology dates from 1985 but has been further developed since then and its application on Thames Valley at the earliest dates from the mid 1990s.  I don't call that old. 

I have heard others saying that the 1990's installation was done on the cheap by RT.

I am beginning to believe that the fundamental problem is NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has lost all of its skilled and experienced staff and that is the basis of the, and its, problems.  Of course never admit that, so blame it on the equipment..........

Did NR loose them?  I heard it was RT decision not to do major signalling upgrades that caused many to leave.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Now if you were talking about mechanical signalling in Cornwall which in some cases is over 100 years old then that is a different matter.

... and the Oxford - Worcester - Hereford line.

[a-driver]

I am beginning to believe that the fundamental problem is NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has lost all of its skilled and experienced staff and that is the basis of the, and its, problems.  Of course never admit that, so blame it on the equipment..........

Did NR loose them?  I heard it was RT decision not to do major signalling upgrades that caused many to leave.

We too were told by an NR employee that they've lost all their experience and skilled staff through a constant drive to cut costs.  As he put it "if it's anything more than changing a fuse, we're stuck"

[ChrisB]

If so, where have they gone? Overseas? Because they presumably aren't working for contractors in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), otherwise NR^» (Network Rail - home page) would be hiring those contractors.

And if they've retired, wouldn't they have done so if still with NR?

No, that isn't quite the answer

[a-driver]

Early retirement, voluntary redundancy, internal promotion, moves to a different region and I'm sure some of the skills will be transferable to different industries, there are even a few who are now drivers!!
Would be interesting to know what morale is actually like within NR^» (Network Rail - home page). 

When you look at those pictures NR tweeted during the Easter work the signalling work was undertaken by contractors.  When it fails you get NR staff trying to figure out, understand and fix a system they didn't install.  That can't be beneficial.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Hayes & Harlington
Due to signalling problems between London Paddington and Hayes & Harlington some lines are blocked.
Impact:
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed.


.............doesn't bode well for a seamless return to "normal service" tomorrow.....

[bobm]

Apparently it involves the set of points needed for today's Paddington to Hayes & Harlington shuttle to turnback at Hayes.

[TaplowGreen]

Looking at Journeycheck it seems completely knackered for the foreseable

[tomL]

I am beginning to believe that the fundamental problem is NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has lost all of its skilled and experienced staff and that is the basis of the, and its, problems.  Of course never admit that, so blame it on the equipment..........

You may not have to believe anymore... https://twitter.com/networkrailgwrm/status/587254400009293824 

[Electric train]

I am beginning to believe that the fundamental problem is NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has lost all of its skilled and experienced staff and that is the basis of the, and its, problems.  Of course never admit that, so blame it on the equipment..........

It is not only within S & T that has this problem, E & P has some acute shortages how NR are going to find the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") and Distribution staff to maintain and fault find the GWEp when it is completed is a concern to some.

The industry is suffering from the skills vacuum generated in the 1980 / 90's when the government of the day removed the funding for the like of the EITB and CITB etc also numerous Technical Collages closed; the previous generation the 1960 / 70 trained people (ie my generation) have done their 40 years in the pension scheme and are looking for or have already found door marked exit.  If we also add into the mix the turmoil that privatisation caused in the industry where RT and many of the contractors that took the staff on just wanted to reduce costs so many people just went through redundancy and not come back to the industry.

[TaplowGreen]

......went past Maidenhead station today and noticed that they were using normal (Reading) single deck buses rather than coaches for the rail replacement service to Didcot.....not particularly comfortable for a long haul!!!

[bobm]

Reading Buses single deckers are a lot more comfortable than a lot of other single deckers in Berkshire, but I agree still not ideal - but what is the alternative?

[TaplowGreen]

Reading Buses single deckers are a lot more comfortable than a lot of other single deckers in Berkshire, but I agree still not ideal - but what is the alternative?

I'd say a proper coach rather than a bus? - they had plenty of time to organise it after all.

[Timmer]

Problems on the diversion line at Princes Risborough:

A signalling problem at Princes Risborough is causing delays of up to 45 minutes to trains between Banbury and London Marylebone / London Paddington. This is expected to continue until 21:00.
First Great Western services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads / Swansea are being diverted via this route due to planned engineering works taking place.

The 1520 Swansea-Paddington currently running 75 minutes late. The service behind this train, the 1730 from Bristol 40 minutes down with the 1621 from Swansea leaving Banbury 55 minutes down. Disappointing end to otherwise mainly successful diversions both the via Banbury and West Country to Waterloo services.

[SandTEngineer]

.......the previous generation the 1960 / 70 trained people (ie my generation) have done their 40 years in the pension scheme and are looking for or have already found door marked exit.  If we also add into the mix the turmoil that privatisation caused in the industry where RT and many of the contractors that took the staff on just wanted to reduce costs so many people just went through redundancy and not come back to the industry.

Yep.  You can count me as one of that 1960/70s generation that did find the exit door (some 5 years ago now)..........   Much better working for a consultancy and less stressful and (mostly) blame culture free which means you turn out good quality work and not rubbish