Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

And a huge gap in the London - Evesham trains, with three successive ones cancelled and nothing between the 15:18 and 19:48 departures from paddington.

[bobm]

Overall we have paid just over £1000 pounds for return tickets - for the privilege of standing/sitting on a vestibule floor.

It is frequently said on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)’s Twitter feed that if you reserve seats and they aren’t provided and there is nowhere else to sit that you can claim compensation.

[Timmer]

So .. the 10:03 ex PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) arrived full and standing with passengers - like my family - left on the platform as it departed. Bursting.

Talked to the Dispatch Manager (sterling lady trying her utmost to get people on trains) and decided that the best way to get on a train and pay for first class upgrade (for 4 adults and 2 children - gulp !).

Boarded coach L to find both L and K has no seats - and the  train manager announcing that there were no first class upgrades

A seat was found for my 78 year old father-in-law, so kudos points to the train crew for that.

Overall we have paid just over £1000 pounds for return tickets - for the privilege of standing/sitting on a vestibule floor.

I was really concerned when I saw the 09.03 canned today of all days and with what you’ve reported with good reason. As Bob says, because your seat reservations were cancelled you can claim compensation.

I do hope your return journey is a better one.

[martyjon]

Overall we have paid just over £1000 pounds for return tickets - for the privilege of standing/sitting on a vestibule floor.

It is frequently said on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)’s Twitter feed that if you reserve seats and they aren’t provided and there is nowhere else to sit that you can claim compensation.

Yes, but the passenger must PROVE there was no where else to sit as invariably GWR reject such claims citing "according to our records the service you were booked on ran as scheduled".

[bobm]

Judging by the comments on Twitter and the fact it was showing on the Customer screens as "full & standing" that might be easier than usual.

[TaplowGreen]

Judging by the comments on Twitter and the fact it was showing on the Customer screens as "full & standing" that might be easier than usual.

Provide the drivers/guards for the trains which are advertised and it won't be an issue.......admittedly I accept  it's a radical concept 

[bobm]

Judging by the comments on Twitter and the fact it was showing on the Customer screens as "full & standing" that might be easier than usual.

Provide the drivers/guards for the trains which are advertised and it won't be an issue.......admittedly I accept  it's a radical concept 

Actually taking that a step further - provide the NAME of the guard/train manager when you put in your claim also helps.  They often give their name when giving announcements or if you see their badge during the journey or on the platform when getting off.   It is a handy way of strengthening your claim you were on the train in question.

[lbraine]

So we finally arrived at St Ives, after a very tight connection at St Erith, just 3 hours after we should have.

Despite all the problems today I do feel compelled to call out the amazing resilience, good nature, and customer focus of the front line FGW^▸ (First Great Western) people we met.

They didn’t hide. They didn’t shirk. No problem was to great. Reassurance was given. Generosity (dare I say at the expense of breaking company rules/policies) was the norm. Time and time again I found myself wincing at the public requests, not all delivered with the good grace shown to them by the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff, only to be amazed at how compentently situations were handled.

On a day like today they made the difference. To any front line staff on this board - your efforts and professionalism were noted, and not once did your colleagues drop the ball or lower the bar on customer service.

I wish that the situations they had to deal with simply did not arise, but I suspect this will require more recognition of issues and a willingness by FGW senior management to ‘break a few rules’ and fix what is a rapidly tiresome repeatitive trend of shoddy planning.

I repeat a statement from earlier, picked up time and time again by fellow passengers : if you (FGW) CANT operate a timetable as published - change the F@*%@?n thing to one you can operate.

Expectation management 101.

[edited to fix some typos. It’s been a long day...]

[bobm]

I know we live in an age of compensation culture but I would urge you to put in a claim while highlighting the actions of staff on the front line.  The messages are fed back to staff and you deserve something for today.

[TaplowGreen]

So we finally arrived at St Ives, after a very tight connection at St Erith, just 3 hours after we should have.

Despite all the problems today I do feel compelled to call out the amazing resilience, good nature, and customer focus of the front line FGW^▸ (First Great Western) people we met.

They didn’t hide. They didn’t shirk. No problem was to great. Reassurance was given. Generosity (dare I say at the expense of breaking company rules/policies) was the norm. Time and time again I found myself wincing at the public requests, not all delivered with the good grace shown to them by the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff, only to be amazed at how compentently situations were handled.

On a day like today they made the difference. To any front line staff on this board - your efforts and professionalism were noted, and not once did your colleagues drop the ball or lower the bar on customer service.

I wish that the situations they had to deal with simply did not arise, but I suspect this will require more recognition of issues and a willingness by FGW senior management to ‘break a few rules’ and fix what is a rapidly tiresome repeatitive trend of shoddy planning.

I repeat a statement from earlier, picked up time and time again by fellow passengers : if you (FGW) CANT operate a timetable as published - change the F@*%@?n thing to one you can operate.

Expectation management 101.

[edited to fix some typos. It’s been a long day...]

Heartening that you witnessed and received excellent customer service from individual rail staff - they do exist - but don't let that detract from complaining and requesting adequate compensation in order to highlight the systemic failings within GWR - publicise it widely if you are able to.

Your experience has been appalling and no-one paying high prices for a service should have to suffer this, and we know from our experiences and other accounts on this Forum that you are one of many who regularly do at the moment through the incompetence of GWR and the railways as a whole.


I hope it doesn't detract too much from a pleasant weekend in Cornwall, notwithstanding the hours you have lost, and that the inconvenience you have suffered is reflected in the gesture which I would hope GWR will make in respect of it.

[GBM]

So we finally arrived at St Ives, ....

May I wish to you all a lovely stay in a lovely town.
Although the weather has taken it's usual bank holiday expected turn, it's still a lovely place to be.
Seem to be many visitors down the far west already.
Much to see and do, despite the cost.

[TaplowGreen]

This afternoon/evenings collection of cancellations and "updates" , some of the latter being services starting/finishing so short that they might as well be the former - a lot of the long haul Devon/Cornwall services affected.

There's been a considerable deterioration as the day has gone on.

14:34 London Paddington to Evesham due 16:45
15:47 Brighton to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:13
16:47 Par to Newquay due 17:39
16:57 London Paddington to Penzance due 22:22
17:08 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 20:52
17:45 Newquay to Par due 18:34
17:55 Evesham to London Paddington due 20:07
17:56 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads due 20:23
18:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 20:09
18:56 Taunton to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:52
19:00 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 22:27
19:22 Par to Newquay due 20:13
20:00 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 22:45
20:04 Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads due 22:00
20:20 Newquay to Par due 21:07
22:48 Weston-Super-Mare to Bristol Temple Meads due 23:07

20 Other Train Service Updates

11:57 London Paddington to Penzance due 17:30
12:08 Cardiff Central to Brighton due 16:44
12:30 London Paddington to Carmarthen due 17:45
13:00 Penzance to London Paddington due 18:25
13:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 16:42
13:08 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 16:52
14:08 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 17:51
14:37 Penzance to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:19
15:00 London Paddington to Taunton due 18:05
15:00 Penzance to London Paddington due 20:25
15:59 Newquay to London Paddington due 21:28
16:04 Exeter St Davids to Penzance due 19:33
16:08 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 19:52
16:10 Plymouth to London Paddington due 20:28
16:55 Carmarthen to London Paddington due 22:15
17:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 20:43
18:10 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 21:51
19:05 Carmarthen to London Paddington due 00:20
20:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 23:41

[Timmer]

Why is the Cardiff-Portsmouth line being badly affected again? Thought we’d seen the back of crew issues on West local services.

[Timmer]

Those who took a day trip to Weymouth face a bus ride home tonight with the 1756 being canned.

[johoare]

I've just dropped my son off at Maidenhead for the 10.17 to Paddington.. It's cancelled due to lack of drivers.. Not ideal at this time of night when it was only a half  hourly service anyway..