Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

I disagree. Shortage of train crew is a serious and ongoing problem. It would therefore have made sense to roster ALL AVIALABLE train crew, even if the exact duties required of each worker were not known.

I hope that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have not been so incompetent as leave otherwise available crew sitting at home, whilst cancelling numerous trains.

Have read elsewhere that GWR didn't receive the Timetable for today from Network Rail until 1700 last night.    How can GWR be expected to plan accordingly.

And we are told he has already been told by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to cancel trains in order to speed up the delayed (by NR^» (Network Rail - home page) and DfT) crew training on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and 387s.  Planning is something that has to be done in advance if drivers are to get an appropriate amount of rest to ensure that they can safely drive. Rostering on the hoof will never be the best that would have been possible!

  

[Timmer]

I think there is more to this than we are being told. I’m not buying these explanations as we know how spun out they are.

[didcotdean]

Also buried away in the detail is that the trains still running from Maidenhead to Oxford and beyond are nearly all 2 or 3 carriage turbos.

[broadgage]

Also buried away in the detail is that the trains still running from Maidenhead to Oxford and beyond are nearly all 2 or 3 carriage turbos.

Why ? they can hardly claim shortage of stock with the present number of cancellations.

[TaplowGreen]

Hearing reports from pals who are trying to get to Twickenham, it's absolutely hopeless. People giving up and going home. Disabled veterans unable to attend one of the highlights of their year due to the incompetence of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and the rest of the hopeless railway crowd. All involved in this farce should be ashamed of themselves.  The likes of Hopwood should meet these guys and explain themselves/ apologise in person.

Still, nice BBQ weather for those who aren't working. Wonder how many trains will run tomorrow?

[broadgage]

Whilst it would seem that network rail have again been incompetent in not announcing what trains could run until the day before, I still feel that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are substantially to blame for the ongoing failure to engage sufficient staff to run the advertised service.

If GWR cant run the NORMAL advertised service for want of staff, then I doubt that they would suddenly have found enough staff for today, no matter how far in advance network rail had announced what could run.

I suspect that yesterday, that GWR knew that they would again be very short of staff for today, and that the press release by Mark Hopwood was a belated attempt to deflect blame.

Yet again "the railway" have come out of this very badly.

I have made numerous trips on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and later on GWR and these have been generally enjoyable, BUT these trips were often discretionary, almost always first class, and were carefully planned to avoid weekends, bank holidays, engineering works and anything else that could lead to a fiasco.

My generally favourable experiences are therefore not an accurate reflection of the service in general.
 Today seems to be worse than an already very poor "new normal"

P.S. fine weather is forecast tomorrow, good barbecue weather 

[1st fan]

I now need to be in London this evening and for the rest of the weekend. As is usual when there's any sort of RRBS on the Cotswold line or beyond I'm only going to use the train as far as Oxford. I will walk to the Oxford Tube and get that the rest of the way. It's normally inconvenient but I'm actually needing to be close to one of the OT stops so a bonus in this case.  There's more computing power in my phone than they had to put a man on the moon and we're now in the 21st century but this sort of thing still happens?

[lordgoata]

Also buried away in the detail is that the trains still running from Maidenhead to Oxford and beyond are nearly all 2 or 3 carriage turbos.

Yup, can confirm that as I was stuck at Reading for the best part of an hour while the whole "timetable" fell to bits due to Didcot signalling, yet again. Some ancient old turbos that sounded like they had flat spots on every bloody wheel. Everything going Maidenhead to Oxford/Banbury was 2 or 3 car, most delayed by 20-30 minutes during the time I was there this afternoon.

P*ss up and brewery springs to mind.

[TaplowGreen]

Anybody care to hazard a guess on the number of cancellations tomorrow? Aside from the well documented NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) SNAFU^▸ (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up (I have toned down the F word)) this weekend, it's a Sunday, a bank holiday weekend and perfect BBQ weather......might even get weather related problems with the tracks too!

Come to think of it, may be easier to put a figure on the number of services which WILL run! 🤔

[Timmer]

Anybody care to hazard a guess on the number of cancellations tomorrow? Aside from the well documented NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) SNAFU^▸ (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up (I have toned down the F word)) this weekend, it's a Sunday, a bank holiday weekend and perfect BBQ weather......might even get weather related problems with the tracks too!

Come to think of it, may be easier to put a figure on the number of services which WILL run! 🤔

My guess will be services terminating at Oxford and everyone piling on Chiltern trains to get to/from London. It’s a different timetable (if we can still call them that) tomorrow compared with Saturday and Monday hence my guess that some trains stop/start at Oxford.

Hope for those travelling that I’m wrong.

[1st fan]

I had my first trip on a (34 minute late) IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) today amidst the chaos today. It wasn't very full but I didn't see whether it was a 5 or 5+5 train. The seats are too hard for me but the armrest by the window does move making sleep easier. Despite the train running slowly there was no sign of the train manager or the trolley from Moreton all the way through to Oxford.

I therefore needed to purchase my ticket at the Oxford barrier. I then asked if they had a compensation form as my train was more than 40 minutes late by the time we finally arrived. Bloke on the gate quite dismissive until I showed him the delay on my phone. Pointed me in the direction of the information desk where I was given a form. Oxford Tube was then smooth going all the way into London.

[grahame]

Anybody care to hazard a guess on the number of cancellations tomorrow? Aside from the well documented NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) SNAFU^▸ (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up (I have toned down the F word)) this weekend, it's a Sunday, a bank holiday weekend and perfect BBQ weather......might even get weather related problems with the tracks too!

Come to think of it, may be easier to put a figure on the number of services which WILL run! 🤔

More optimistic from the top of GWR.com:

Urgent Timetable update 6 May.  Services on Sunday 6 May will operate as advertised

Confirmed by clicking on that as a link which tells me

Urgent timetable update Saturday 5 May

Customers travelling between Swindon and Reading, and Swindon and London Paddington on Saturday 5 May and Monday 7 May should only travel if absolutely necessary. Services on Sunday 6 May will operate as advertised.

[martyjon]

The Severn Riviera Express is taking the hit today along with my locals between Gloucester and Bristol.

[broadgage]

Rather misleading to state that services today will operate "as advertised" It would have been more accurate to say that services today "will be subject to the normal weekend levels of cancellations and part cancellations"

Well over 50 cancellations and part cancellations so far, almost all due to staff shortage.

And a warning not to travel on bank holiday Monday unless "absolutely necessary" well that that is helpful for customers who have unwisely decided to take a holiday over a holiday weekend, and who wish to return.

[broadgage]

Now over 60 cancellations and part cancellations.
But no need to worry, "there is a generally good service" according to the top of the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) site.