First Great Western - industrial action in 2015 - merged topic

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

As with previous threatened disputes, I hope that a high priority will be given to ensuring that those trains that do run are of the maximum permitted length.
With so many services not able to run, there should be plenty of rolling stock available, and hopefully therefore no excuse for rush hour trains consisting of just 2 or 3 vehicles.

Will buffets and Pullmans be available ?. IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion), they should be since one of the reasons for the dispute is the withdrawal of buffets. IMHO it would be a publicity gain for the relevant RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) staff to provide these services as normal, whilst pointing out that no such will be available on the new shorter trains.

Agreed, must be 6 car units however no doubt there will be a school of thought that sees this as an ideal opportunity to undertake maintenance.


As for catering, take a sandwich. The only people protesting about the withdrawal of buffets are the RMT and a few enthusiasts. If the service was profitable then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would have factored it in to the new trains. It's a commercial decision, as was dumping Travelling Chef....the space can better be used for more seats.

[Tim]

If the service was profitable then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would have factored it in to the new trains. It's a commercial decision, as was dumping Travelling Chef....the space can better be used for more seats.

You may be right but I am not sure that is the full story.  AIUI^▸ (as I understand it), the decision to removed buffets was made by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).  When given a free hand and not micromanaged by the DfT bean counters FGW has actually shown itself capable of investing in catering facilities.  Witness the installation of the the minibuffets. Something I understand that FGW spent real money on, were not forced to do and which was driven by customer service considerations only. 

[bobm]

Agreed, must be 6 car units however no doubt there will be a school of thought that sees this as an ideal opportunity to undertake maintenance.

Except a lot of depot staff are also in the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers).

[ChrisB]

I see little point in running one train each weay a day on both Cotswolds routes.

Either no one will bother travelling as the times don't suit & will work from home, or it'll be so heavily oversubscribed that it'll leave pax behind. Not so bad in the AM where they can simply return home, but what happens in the evening? You could quite simply be stranded.

Frankly, don't bother trying & allocate them to other routes & bolster what you can offer there. Be far more use to more pax.

[Richard Fairhurst]

"Either no-one will bother travelling... or it'll be heavily oversubscribed"?!

Tell me, how do you work out that it'll be one of those two extremes, but can't possibly be somewhere in between?

As someone who actually lives in a Cotswold Line town I'm very glad they're planning to run something.

[NickB]

I can understand it as a statement.  I'd rather FGW^▸ (First Great Western) said 'we aren't running any trains on xxx line today' so I know not to bother trying.  This is as opposed to standing on a platform for long periods knowing that when a train eventually arrives I will have to fight my way on to a rammed carriage that will take twice (or five times)  as long as normal to reach my destination due to making stops at every station and long dwell times whilst people try to shoehorn themselves on.

My manager understands 'there are no trains' as a statement, but 'we we attempt to run a service' translates to him as 'well why don't you just leave the house at 5am to make sure you're in by 9am'.

[didcotdean]

Although I do have leanings towards agreeing with the thinking one train a day in each direction is a next to useless token service, maybe the still to be agreed/announced arrangements with other operators of buses and trains may make some journeys less reliant on these one-off services at the penalty of a round the houses journey. Appreciate though this could be of no benefit where FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is the only service, and would only crowd out other FGW services more if they are part of the journey.

[TaplowGreen]

Although I do have leanings towards agreeing with the thinking one train a day in each direction is a next to useless token service, maybe the still to be agreed/announced arrangements with other operators of buses and trains may make some journeys less reliant on these one-off services at the penalty of a round the houses journey. Appreciate though this could be of no benefit where FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is the only service, and would only crowd out other FGW services more if they are part of the journey.

.....and what happens if that one "homeward" service in the evening fails, which let's face it is a reasonable bet going by current reliability standards......are there replacement buses on standby? (no) will FGW foot the bill for hotels for stranded customers? (no).....how will people get home to the Cotswolds? I agree, one either way is worse than useless.

[didcotdean]

Are you agreeing or disagreeing with me? I'm not sure 

[TaplowGreen]

Are you agreeing or disagreeing with me? I'm not sure 

Yes 

[Richard Fairhurst]

Never run the last train because it might be cancelled? It's an interesting logic... but it kind of leads to not running any trains at all.

[IndustryInsider]

.....and what happens if that one "homeward" service in the evening fails, which let's face it is a reasonable bet going by current reliability standards......are there replacement buses on standby? (no) will FGW^▸ (First Great Western) foot the bill for hotels for stranded customers? (no).....how will people get home to the Cotswolds? I agree, one either way is worse than useless.

I would be seeking clarification if it might affect me, but if a train has been advertised as running, even if to an severely amended degree such as one train a day, then I would have thought that the NRCoC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage) would still apply and that would then be considered the last train of the day so the following clause would apply:

43. Help from Train Companies if you are stranded
If disruption caused by circumstances within the control of a Train Company or a Rail
Service Company leaves you stranded before you have reached your destination printed
on or stored on your ticket, and the Train Company whose trains you are entitled to use
is unable to get you to that destination by other means, any Train Company which is in a
position to help will, if it reasonably can, either arrange to get you to that destination, or
provide overnight accommodation for you.

The list of 'circumstances outside the control of a Train Company' that follows that clause in the NRCoC makes no mention of industrial action.  So, they would be bound to provide a bus, or taxis, as they do now if the last train of the day is cancelled.

[ellendune]

I need to get from Swindon to Gunnersbury on Friday 10th by 10:15. 

Thought best to avoid FGW^▸ (First Great Western) altogether.  I could drive to Andover and catch the 08:05 and go via Waterloo.  Any better ideas? When is the Car Park full at Andover?

[JayMac]

A few miles further to drive but what about Bicester North? Car par there is more than twice the size of Andover's. 575 spaces versus 262.

Little to choose in overall journey times to Gunnersbury, although via SWT^▸ (South West Trains) is only two changes, versus three from Bicester North.

Via Waterloo fare is more expensive than via Marylebone.

[ellendune]

Good point! I had imagined it would take more than 10 mins longer to get to Bicester.  However there is very little risk of traffic between Swindon and Andover and quite a risk in the peak around Oxford, particularly if there are no trains!