First Great Western - industrial action in 2015 - merged topic

[whole diary]

[bobm]

I think those that have a tipple in the Buffet with their friends/colleagues on the way home will be upset that they lose the place they can all congregate and have a chat.

Possibly, although at times their very presence, especially if "loud and sweary" puts others off from going to the buffet and so it is a vicious circle - unless those at the buffet purchase enough to compensate for those put off!

[ChrisB]

And a few in peak-hour buffets win't buy enough to maje a profit

[TaplowGreen]

I think those that have a tipple in the Buffet with their friends/colleagues on the way home will be upset that they lose the place they can all congregate and have a chat.

Having a chat with a TM^‡(resolve) last weekend he seems to think retaining the buffets is a necessity. Otherwise the loud sweary types will cause complaints by passengers. But management tell staff not to get into conflict. So the TM gets complaints for not doing anything.  Thus putting him in a situation they cannot do anything to resolve.

Are you seriously suggesting this as a reason why buffets should be retained?

I'd say it's a reason not to sell alchohol on trains, or at least not to those who are already inebriated (.......which is against the law in any case)

If people are being "loud and sweary" and upsetting other passengers, the TM should ask them politely to be quiet and if they don't,call the Police!

Selling alcohol to someone already drunk is akin to trying to put a fire out with petrol!

Agree with your other points re: toilets and luggage 100%

[JayMac]

I've also had a TM^‡(resolve) tell me that he'd like buffets to remain as it somewhere for the drunks to gather. No buffet area apparently means these drunks will upset passengers elsewhere on the train.

I too think this is one of the flimsiest reasons for retaining buffets.

[didcotdean]

The drunks don't all congregate in the buffet - there are plenty on a Friday in particular that bring their own supplies.

I do tend to agree with the view that a rowdy crowd standing all round the buffet puts other people off going. It might be different if there was a seated 'snug' area like the 442s had so the counter is clear.

[chrisr_75]

The drunks don't all congregate in the buffet - there are plenty on a Friday in particular that bring their own supplies.

Indeed, sometimes it seems impossible to get away from them. This is one of the reasons why I'd rather do my current commute by car as I was getting pretty cheesed off with drunks (far worse in First Class incidentally - Swansea services) disturbing my journey whilst effectively being (generally quite discretely) encouraged and egged on by members of staff.

I do tend to agree with the view that a rowdy crowd standing all round the buffet puts other people off going

Agreed, it puts me off. Trains would be a better place without people who can't manage to drink in moderation.

[Rhydgaled]

Travelling Chef was binned because demand was low and it lost money, buffets are going the same way - its the wrong product in the wrong place at the wrong price...

...

Pullman is successful but it's a niche/luxury product for a niche market, affordable to very few.

So, Travelling Chef and (we're assuming) the current buffets lost/loose money but the Pullman doesn't. The Pullman is clearly the right product for the niche market it is there to serve. So, shouldn't the question be what product range (and pricing) would be sucessful in attracting customers to the mass-market buffet? I never had a chance to sample the Travelling Chef offer, partly because it was on a limited number of services and I'm not a frequent traveller on First Great Western and partly because I was not aware of it much before it was withdrawn. I wonder therefore how much it's failure was done to lack of advertising and limited provision of the offer.

The sort of items you can bring with you (sandwiches and drinks) are the sort of thing you can buy from a trolley. A buffet which offers little more than that isn't going to be very successful surely? So, doesn't the buffet need to offer something more? I think I've seen trolleys on some TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) serving hot drinks branded as Starbucks, so would something like Wetherspoons buffet cars work?

[ChrisB]

At ^5 a pint?....I doubt it.

[JayMac]

No progress in the talks between RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) this afternoon.

[Timmer]

No progress in the talks between RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) this afternoon.

Not surprised, looks like a real stalemate in this dispute. Not looking good on the London Underground either with the unions joining forces again for another 24 hour walkout starting 2130 5th August.

[ChrisB]

Which ither unions have joined ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about)?

[ChrisB]

ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) have announced a strike. I was asking Timmer which others I've missed joining them in the strike

[grahame]

No progress in the talks between RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) this afternoon.

Not surprised, looks like a real stalemate in this dispute.

Sitting (as I / we are) on the outside and looking in, I find it incredibly hard to see where a solution acceptable to both sides might come.   Let's hope it's incredibly hard because I'm uninformed, rather than because there simply is no solution.

[JayMac]

Moderator note: Discussion on London Underground strike action has been given a dedicated topic:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15954.0

[JayMac]

Let's hope it's incredibly hard because I'm uninformed, rather than because there simply is no solution.

I suspect it'll come down to money. The money the members won't want to lose by taking strike days/refusing overtime.

I get the sense that there isn't a huge groundswell of support across all RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) members at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) for a protracted dispute. Only 41% of those balloted favoured strike action. The disruption the vocal minority caused was inconvenient but not catastrophic. I predict support will wane rather than harden.

The vocal minority of belligerents may not like the changes, but there are no planned redundancies and no planned changes to terms and conditions.