First Great Western - industrial action in 2015 - merged topic

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

UPDATE: FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have updated their strike info page on the website to reflect the above. If anyone from FGW reading this well done. Most of us on this forum want to see your customers affected by this action as little as possible so are glad to see the right info made available for those who need to travel during the strike.

I had also pointed out to FGW, via social media, the missing/ambiguous information on their 'strike' page.

Indeed, a number of others did too.

The Cotswold Line service has been upgraded from "peak hour only" to "Between Worcester and Oxford: A two hourly service will operate at major stations along the line".

Excellent news. I might get a pint in Worcester on Friday evening after all...

No trains to Foregate Street, only Shrub Hill. Last one back from Shrub Hill just after 8....

[Richard Fairhurst]

Last train back isn't an issue, nor SH vs FS - we moor our narrowboat in Worcester and have functioning pairs of legs. Unfortunately it looks like the last Worcester-bound train is 19.40 from Charlbury, though, which is too early for us.

[ChrisB]

If you want to go clubbing, I've just noticed that, although FGW^▸ (First Great Western) stated that the Thursday & Friday times would be the same, the 2148 ex-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) is running on Friday as a turbo, so you have a 2310 to WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) too.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Oh, that's worth knowing - thanks. Bit old for clubbing but will mean we can set out on our boat first thing Saturday morning!

[ChrisB]

Public letter from Mark Hopwood

Later this evening the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) has asked its members who work for First Great Western to take
strike action over our proposals to introduce a new fleet of Super Express Trains from 2017.
This coincides with the union's planned industrial action on the Tube and other train
operators.

These trains are at the centre of our plans to deliver the biggest fleet upgrade on our network
in a generation, helping create three million more seats a year and allowing us to bring you
faster, more frequent journeys.
Fully-equipped kitchens on every train will mean we will be able to serve quality hot and cold
food directly to customers at their seats for the first time on any journey over an hour. And
our proposals would also allow us to get you moving more quickly when things do go wrong
and services are disrupted.

This is the kind of service should expect from a 21st century railway. But we can't deliver
such improvements if these new, state-of the-art trains are operated in the same way as
trains built in the 1970s.
We know some of our colleagues are worried about the impact these changes may have on
their jobs, which is why we have made a number of commitments, including:
- More, not fewer, colleagues on board trains, with their existing pay and conditions protected
- A safety competent train manager planned on every new train - that's more train managers
on more trains than there are today
- No compulsory redundancies for station and customer service staff
- Appropriate development opportunities and help for colleagues to apply for other roles if
they don't want to work on the new trains
- Food and drink served by a member of staff on every journey over an hour on the new
trains

There will, however be an impact on some of our engineering depots when maintenance
work on the new trains transfers to the train provider as part of their contract procured by
government. While we can't change that decision, we can make sure the transition for those
people affected is as easy as possible - and we will offer a voluntary redundancy scheme

Earlier this week we proposed additional commitments to address the concerns of the RMT
and our colleagues, while still allowing us to deliver the improved service you, our
customers, expect from a 21st century railway.
We had hoped this would be enough to avoid strike action, but unfortunately, the RMT did
not endorse these proposals, so it is likely that strike action will affect our services from this
evening to early Saturday this week. We will be running as many of our trains as we can, but
your journey may be affected. Please check before you travel at FGW^▸ (First Great Western).co.uk/strike

In the meantime I am determined to continue talking to the RMT to try and find a way to
resolve this matter, while making sure we can operate the new trains in a way that delivers
the best possible service for our customers.
I'm sorry in advance for any inconvenience this may cause you and thank you for your
patience.
Yours sincerely,


Mark Hopwood

According to a @BBCNews tweet, they had further talks this morning.

[JayMac]

Which proved fruitless.

No movement from the belligerents.

http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/intercity-express-programme-talks-breakdown--strike-is-on/

[TaplowGreen]

Which proved fruitless.

No movement from the belligerents.

http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/intercity-express-programme-talks-breakdown--strike-is-on/

I see the plan is run a pretty much normal LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) service between Reading and Paddington - is this on the assumption that sufficient RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) members will turn up?

I'm just concerned at the possibility of waking up in the morning and having to deal with the consequences of a miscalculation and heaps of cancellations.

[IndustryInsider]

The LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) services will run DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) as they usually do.  There's only a very small percentage of drivers that are in the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers), (95% or so are in ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) who are not in dispute), so, with not all trains running there should be a surplus of available drivers.

[NickB]

And so it begins...
I can report that Paddington at 16.30 resembled something akin to Dunkirk as everyone and their brothers attempted to board the 16.42 to Bourne end.

It's rather hot and sticky, and overcrowded due to being 2 carriages.

[Electric train]

And so it begins...
I can report that Paddington at 16.30 resembled something akin to Dunkirk as everyone and their brothers attempted to board the 16.42 to Bourne end.

It's rather hot and sticky, and overcrowded due to being 2 carriages.

I am guessing that is more to do with folk getting to Padd before the Tube strike takes effect than the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) industrial action

[TaplowGreen]

Well that was a novelty.....9 car Turbo from Reading to Taplow Central!

Westbound HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) arriving at Reading from 1630 onwards full and standing - that's a long old haul to Exeter on your feet, clearly people getting away early.

[thetrout]

Between Weymouth and Westbury

Customers for stations in between Maiden Newton and Westbury are advised to make alternative arrangements.

and

Between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham

Customers are advised to make alternative arrangements.

Ouch...

[TaplowGreen]

And so it begins...
I can report that Paddington at 16.30 resembled something akin to Dunkirk as everyone and their brothers attempted to board the 16.42 to Bourne end.

It's rather hot and sticky, and overcrowded due to being 2 carriages.

I am guessing that is more to do with folk getting to Padd before the Tube strike takes effect than the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) industrial action

I am guessing it is quite a lot to do with it only being 2 carriages?

[NickB]

It didn't help at all

[johoare]

The 17.49 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to MAI^▸ (Maidenhead station) was a bit emptier than usual tonight.. again probably because people had left work early to avoid the tube strike