Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Some of Devon & Cornwall's local services tomorrow already being cancelled.

Hardly anything to Gunnislake

At least there will be an alternative....

Replacement road transport has been arranged to run in lieu of this train service. Please check station signs and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.

[TonyK]

No mention on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)?

[TaplowGreen]

Welcome to August. All cancelled.


07:26 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance due 11:59
08:19 Romsey to Brighton due 10:08
08:37 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 10:44
11:17 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 12:03
11:18 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 13:21
11:25 Westbury to Frome due 11:34
11:40 Frome to Bristol Temple Meads due 12:40
12:07 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 12:52
12:08 Cardiff Central to Brighton due 16:44
12:35 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 14:46
13:37 Penzance to Exeter St Davids due 16:43
14:37 Penzance to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:12
14:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 16:47
15:11 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 15:57
15:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 17:53
16:04 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 16:49
16:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 18:47
17:08 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 20:52
17:41 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 18:27
17:46 Brighton to Bristol Temple Meads due 21:25
17:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 19:53
18:35 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 19:20
18:45 Westbury to Swindon due 19:27
19:43 Plymouth to Penzance due 21:36
19:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 21:57
19:53 Swindon to Westbury due 20:34
20:01 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 20:47
20:23 Bristol Temple Meads to Clifton Down due 20:36
20:45 Clifton Down to Bristol Temple Meads due 21:00
20:50 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 21:35

[grahame]

Welcome to August. All cancelled.

[snip]

And that's before you look at short workings.  Just about the only international train of the week from Weymouth is terminated before it gets out of England ...

08:07 Weymouth to Cardiff Central due 11:30
04/08/19 08:07 Weymouth to Cardiff Central due 11:30 will be terminated at Bristol Temple Meads.
It will no longer call at Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport (South Wales) and Cardiff Central.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

The cancellations don't come as a surprise - almost routine. What a sad reflection on the organisation that's been running them for so long!

[TaplowGreen]

………...in other words folks, you're on your own;


Cancellations to services between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa


Due to a shortage of train crew between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
Owing to a shortage of train crew there will a significant reduction in the frequency of train services between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa. Road transport will operate in place of certain services but the journey times of these road journeys will be greater than that of the rail service that they are replacing. Owing to other issues affecting train services between Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham using that route as an alternative would not be a viable option today.

These train service cancellations will also reduce the frequency of train services between London Paddington, Reading and Swindon.

[RichardB]

Welcome to August. All cancelled.


07:26 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance due 11:59
08:19 Romsey to Brighton due 10:08
08:37 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 10:44
11:17 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 12:03
11:18 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 13:21
11:25 Westbury to Frome due 11:34
11:40 Frome to Bristol Temple Meads due 12:40
12:07 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 12:52
12:08 Cardiff Central to Brighton due 16:44
12:35 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 14:46
13:37 Penzance to Exeter St Davids due 16:43
14:37 Penzance to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:12
14:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 16:47
15:11 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 15:57
15:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 17:53
16:04 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 16:49
16:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 18:47
17:08 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 20:52
17:41 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 18:27
17:46 Brighton to Bristol Temple Meads due 21:25
17:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 19:53
18:35 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 19:20
18:45 Westbury to Swindon due 19:27
19:43 Plymouth to Penzance due 21:36
19:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 21:57
19:53 Swindon to Westbury due 20:34
20:01 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 20:47
20:23 Bristol Temple Meads to Clifton Down due 20:36
20:45 Clifton Down to Bristol Temple Meads due 21:00
20:50 Gunnislake to Plymouth due 21:35

Other than when there is disruption due to snow, I can't think of a worse day for the Gunnislake service.  And as we all know, this is one of the (if not the) most unsuitable lines to put buses on in place of trains.  I know it is a very difficult situation (and these cancellations will have only come as a very last resort, after all other avenues had been exhausted) but the people of the Tamar Valley deserve much better than this.

[Timmer]

Owing to other issues affecting train services between Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham using that route as an alternative would not be a viable option today.

The other issues being strike action significantly affecting XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services today. What rotten timing to have crew shortages on the same day.

[Rob on the hill]

Other than when there is disruption due to snow, I can't think of a worse day for the Gunnislake service.  And as we all know, this is one of the (if not the) most unsuitable lines to put buses on in place of trains.  I know it is a very difficult situation (and these cancellations will have only come as a very last resort, after all other avenues had been exhausted) but the people of the Tamar Valley deserve much better than this.

13:06 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 13:52
13:06 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 13:52 is being delayed at Bere Alston.
This is due to passengers causing a disturbance on this train.

[TaplowGreen]

Other than when there is disruption due to snow, I can't think of a worse day for the Gunnislake service.  And as we all know, this is one of the (if not the) most unsuitable lines to put buses on in place of trains.  I know it is a very difficult situation (and these cancellations will have only come as a very last resort, after all other avenues had been exhausted) but the people of the Tamar Valley deserve much better than this.

13:06 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 13:52
13:06 Plymouth to Gunnislake due 13:52 is being delayed at Bere Alston.
This is due to passengers causing a disturbance on this train.

Given the number of cancellations, I'm surprised there was enough space to cause a disturbance - or perhaps that was its nature?

[trainbuff]

Owing to other issues affecting train services between Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham using that route as an alternative would not be a viable option today.

The other issues being strike action significantly affecting XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services today. What rotten timing to have crew shortages on the same day.

I don't think it is strike action. Sunday shifts are overtime and there is a rest day working ban in place I think, so not a strike

[stuving]

Owing to other issues affecting train services between Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham using that route as an alternative would not be a viable option today.

The other issues being strike action significantly affecting XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services today. What rotten timing to have crew shortages on the same day.

I don't think it is strike action. Sunday shifts are overtime and there is a rest day working ban in place I think, so not a strike

Yes - the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) ballot result announced on 11th July was "yes" for strike action and for action short of a strike, and the latter started on 1st August:

1 August 2019

RMT Press Office:

Rail union RMT has confirmed that industrial action will go ahead tonight on Cross Country after the company imposed changes to company-wide agreements with the union after holding negotiations outside of the collective bargaining agreement.

RMT members working for Cross Country have been instructed not to work any rest-days or non-contractual overtime from 23:59 Hours on Thursday 1 August 2019 until 23:59 Hours on Tuesday 6th August 2019.

RMT has made every effort to resolve the issue but has been faced with an intransigent management.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

“RMT members on Cross Country are taking industrial action as the company has thrown established practices out of the window and attempted to undermine a recognised trade union at every turn. We cannot and will not allow this to continue.

“As a result RMT has confirmed six days of action where our members will not work rest days or non contractual overtime..

“The union remains available for talks aimed at restoring the collective bargaining agreement. Until then our members on Cross Country will be sending a clear message to management that they expect the company to deal properly with the union that represents them.”

Needless to say that's not how Crosscountry see things.

[Timmer]

I don't think it is strike action. Sunday shifts are overtime and there is a rest day working ban in place I think, so not a strike

As far as the travelling public is concerned it’s a good as a strike as it’s having the same affect but I see your point.

[TaplowGreen]

A number of late night cancellations on LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) tonight due to crew shortage. Seems to be becoming the norm on a daily basis, no longer just weekends.

[TaplowGreen]

Today's collection of crew shortage cancellations and alterations which to all intents & purposes constitute the same
London/Cheltenham service clobbered again & those that are running largely shortened to start/finish at Swindon.


08:28 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 11:06
08:37 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 10:44
09:15 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 11:19
11:18 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 13:21
11:42 London Paddington to Paignton due 15:02
11:49 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington due 14:02
12:35 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 14:46
15:45 Paignton to London Paddington due 19:44
15:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 17:53
16:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 18:47
19:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 21:54
20:26 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington due 22:59
10:37 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 12:45
13:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 15:53
14:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 16:47
17:46 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 19:53
18:44 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 20:45

Question for the mods.......were any questions tabled on crew shortage for the Hopwood Q & A session? If so, any reason why it didnt make the cut? I restricted myself to one question on another subject.

[grahame]

Question for the mods.......were any questions tabled on crew shortage for the Hopwood Q & A session? If so, any reason why it didnt make the cut? I restricted myself to one question on another subject.

Questions that did not make the cut will be put forward - I hope in the next week or so - for comment / answer and will be posted in due course.  Personally, I do not know the subjects of those other questions.  The most active mods and admins here have a deep individual involvement in specific aspects and the question review and selection - and thus the follow up - is less immediate;  the six selected questions were then passed through to the active temple for the actual session.  So - if there was a question on this, it ain't just chucked in the bin, and it's in our (forum team) hands.