Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Indeed one swallow doesn't make a summer, or should it - now we are in October - be one avocet doesn't make an autumn, but only two cancellations so far (1 HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) from Bristol to London and 1 Bristol Parkway to Portsmouth) but also no over-running engineering work and no reported short formed workings.
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so far! 

[ChrisB]

The over-running work moved north to Berwick this morning. Trains up to 2hrs late southbound at Newcastle.

[grahame]

Indeed one swallow doesn't make a summer, or should it - now we are in October - be one avocet doesn't make an autumn, but only two cancellations so far (1 HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) from Bristol to London and 1 Bristol Parkway to Portsmouth) but also no over-running engineering work and no reported short formed workings.
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so far! 

Ironically, one of the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) services from Bristol is cancelled due to crew issues!

[TaplowGreen]

Amazing the effect a "one off payment" can have on the prioritisation of work/life balance!!! 

[IndustryInsider]

I would imagine there will be roughly a 75/25 percentage split in favour of opting in.  Good time of year to be offering a 'bonus' with Christmas presents to pay for!  With harmonisation unlikely to be sorted until the new year (agreement reached/members balloted/having a deal put in place all takes time even if it clears at the first hurdle) this was realistically the only way of stemming the worst of the current mini-crisis on LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) and allowing for drivers to be released to learn 387s ready for the Didcot launch in January.

[hassaanhc]

Thank you for your first post, and that screenshot, hassaanhc - and may I offer you a very warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum. 

Welcome indeed to the forum.

It's ironic that a shortage of one train driver that night lead to a requirement for at least two bus drivers, and perhaps one more than that if the incoming service was also replaced by a bus that would still be some way off Paddington when the return service left.

Thanks for the welcome! I live locally to Southall station and use it quite regularly. I've been lucky to not been affected by these cancellations, and I also have alternative routes that I can use. I was actually out late on the above night and did consider using the 0034 from Paddington, but as the services either side were cancelled I didn't trust this one to run either, and instead used the Piccadilly line to Hounslow East. Really can't be fun waiting for a replacement bus at that time of night, especially as you can't track it online.

[IndustryInsider]

Welcome, Hassaanhc.  It's nice to hear the views of a regular traveller from Southall as the inner Thames Valley stations are amongst the busiest passenger wise, yet worst represented in terms of people on this forum.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I would prefer 'least' rather than 'worst'. 

[hassaanhc]

Yeah I've noticed the lack of posts about the London stations. I have mostly been an irregular off peak passenger until recently, but from today I'll be commuting about 4 times a week (although not all of them in the peak). The service has become far more attractive to use since the extra Hayes & Harlington services started, which plug big gaps both off peak and at certain times in the morning peak. Previously my preferred route for Z1 was using SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) from Hounslow, especially in the morning peak, but the 0821 from Southall is a perfect option now (previously there was a gap from 0810 to 0836). Just hope it doesn't get cancelled!

[LiskeardRich]

Amazing the effect a "one off payment" can have on the prioritisation of work/life balance!!! 

I posted such a suggestion in another thread about Sunday cancelations months ago. Maybe I should start charging them consultancy fees  

[JayMac]

If anyone wants to help GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) address the driver shortage problem:

https://uk.firstgroupcareers.com/vacancy/great-western-railway-gwr-trainee-train-driver-6056-london-paddington-station/6084/description/

[TaplowGreen]

Lots of cancellations/alterations again today due to crew shortages causing severe overcrowding on longer distance routes.

[broadgage]

You cant expect a full service on a Sunday.
Except in an emergency, I gave up weekend travel on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) as they were then known, years ago.
Engineering work, staff shortages, no proper first class, and no Pullman.

[Timmer]

Lots of cancellations/alterations again today due to crew shortages causing severe overcrowding on longer distance routes.

Just a typical Sunday travelling with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) sadly. So much so that no one's bothered to say anything about it anymore.

Looking at the list it's the usual suspects that appear with the Portsmouths, the Cheltenham's and Bristol to London copping it again.

Still, at least you could say even with the cancelled services, it's better than the fair being offered to and from London last weekend. I know that's not saying much.

[TaplowGreen]

Lots of cancellations/alterations again today due to crew shortages causing severe overcrowding on longer distance routes.

Just a typical Sunday travelling with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) sadly. So much so that no one's bothered to say anything about it anymore.

Looking at the list it's the usual suspects that appear with the Portsmouths, the Cheltenham's and Bristol to London copping it again.

Still, at least you could say even with the cancelled services, it's better than the fair being offered to and from London last weekend. I know that's not saying much.

Indeed......GWRs weekend service is now so regularly woeful it's regarded as Business as usual, but today the resulting overcrowding seems particularly bad judging by comments/pictures on Twitter etc......half term effect perhaps?