Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Same story today - website says "There is a good service across our network" 

Cancelled

05:49 Plymouth to London Paddington due 08:59
07:04 London Paddington to Paignton due 10:17
07:13 Paignton to London Paddington due 10:29
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington due 12:04
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton due 12:49
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 12:59
10:54 Paignton to London Paddington due 14:07
12:34 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 14:59
13:36 Liskeard to Looe due 14:05
13:40 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington due 16:14
14:08 Looe to Liskeard due 14:33
14:12 Paignton to London Paddington due 17:09
15:38 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington due 18:09
16:37 London Paddington to Plymouth due 20:11
17:36 London Paddington to Paignton due 21:16
18:37 London Paddington to Plymouth due 22:12
21:36 Paignton to Newton Abbot due 21:52

[bobm]

Apparently there are 10 drivers at Plymouth depot who have tested positive along with another 37 staff who are having to self isolate after being in contact with them.

Until further notice the Paddington to Paignton and Paddington to Exeter semi fast services are being withdrawn with remaining services making extra stops on the Berks & Hants.

[PhilWakely]

Apparently there are 10 drivers at Plymouth depot who have tested positive along with another 37 staff who are having to self isolate after being in contact with them.

Until further notice the Paddington to Paignton and Paddington to Exeter semi fast services are being withdrawn with remaining services making extra stops on the Berks & Hants.

And another 15 at Exeter who have either tested positive or are self-isolating.

[REVUpminster]

That 1736 Paddington - Paignton acts as the local service Exeter-Paignton-Newton Abbot before running empty to Laira. They usual run a 150 in its place when cancelled.

It's about the only time St Thomas and Starcross get a 9 car 802.

[bobm]

From today - staff shortages etc permitting - more Paddington to Penzance services will be formed of 9 cars rather than 2x5.   This will avoid the need to split units at Plymouth which has been an extra drain on resources with staff needed to bring sets off Laira depot or take them back.

[TaplowGreen]

Apparently there are 10 drivers at Plymouth depot who have tested positive along with another 37 staff who are having to self isolate after being in contact with them.

Until further notice the Paddington to Paignton and Paddington to Exeter semi fast services are being withdrawn with remaining services making extra stops on the Berks & Hants.

And another 15 at Exeter who have either tested positive or are self-isolating.

If that's the case, then there could well be serious problems up until Christmas - this problem only seemed to start on Saturday which suggests recent diagnoses, so these guys are probably going to be out of commission for 2 weeks, and that's before Christmas leave is factored in - I would be interested in GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) contingency plans - and above all their communication strategy  for the next couple of weeks given these circumstances...............or is it cross fingers and hope for the best?

[a-driver]

If that's the case, then there could well be serious problems up until Christmas - this problem only seemed to start on Saturday which suggests recent diagnoses, so these guys are probably going to be out of commission for 2 weeks, and that's before Christmas leave is factored in - I would be interested in GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) contingency plans - and above all their communication strategy  for the next couple of weeks given these circumstances...............or is it cross fingers and hope for the best?

There are no more traincrew off over Christmas than there is at any other time of the year.  Driver wise at Plymouth, based on the size of the depot, the company will only guarantee leave for 10 to 12 drivers every day. Christmas leave was drawn and agreed several months ago.

[bobm]

Any idea how many work at Plymouth - ie how big a percentage is 47?

[IndustryInsider]

Any idea how many work at Plymouth - ie how big a percentage is 47?

There?s about 75 drivers in total.  Not sure how many TMs^‡(resolve) or other staff though.

[Timmer]

Apparently there are 10 drivers at Plymouth depot who have tested positive along with another 37 staff who are having to self isolate after being in contact with them.

Until further notice the Paddington to Paignton and Paddington to Exeter semi fast services are being withdrawn with remaining services making extra stops on the Berks & Hants.

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) showing all semi fasts cancelled tomorrow and Wednesday.

[TaplowGreen]

Today's crew shortage cancellations so far.....Journeycheck now suggesting that this will continue until Close of play on the 18th....

05:49 Plymouth to London Paddington due 08:59
06:13 Reading to Newbury due 06:42
06:52 Newbury to London Paddington due 07:55
07:04 London Paddington to Paignton due 10:17
07:13 Paignton to London Paddington due 10:29
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington due 12:04
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton due 12:49
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 12:59
10:54 Paignton to London Paddington due 14:07
12:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 13:14
12:34 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 14:59
12:48 St Erth to St Ives due 12:58
13:03 St Ives to St Erth due 13:15
13:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 14:13
13:19 St Erth to St Ives due 13:29
13:33 St Ives to St Erth due 13:44
13:40 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington due 16:14
13:41 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 14:50
13:48 St Erth to St Ives due 13:58
14:03 St Ives to St Erth due 14:14
14:12 Paignton to London Paddington due 17:09
14:18 St Erth to St Ives due 14:29
14:20 Reading to Redhill due 15:52
14:33 St Ives to St Erth due 14:44
14:41 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 15:52
15:38 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington due 18:09
15:58 Redhill to Reading due 17:44
16:37 London Paddington to Plymouth due 20:11
17:34 London Paddington to Hereford due 20:25
17:36 London Paddington to Paignton due 21:16
17:50 Reading to Gatwick Airport due 19:20
18:07 London Paddington to Frome due 20:07
18:26 London Paddington to Reading due 19:14
18:34 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 20:47
18:37 London Paddington to Plymouth due 22:12
19:01 Reading to Gatwick Airport due 20:25
19:29 Gatwick Airport to Reading due 20:53
20:08 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 21:11
20:29 Gatwick Airport to Reading due 21:51
21:33 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 23:32
21:36 Paignton to Newton Abbot due 21:52
21:42 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 22:44
22:40 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 00:29
00:45 Oxford to Reading due 01:28

[Timmer]

Today's crew shortage cancellations so far.....Journeycheck now suggesting that this will continue until Close of play on the 18th....

I?d go as far as to say the weekend as well.

[Timmer]

Latest is up to Christmas for cancellation of semi fast services on weekdays:

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Plymouth

Due to a shortage of train crew between London Paddington and Plymouth fewer trains are able to run on all lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 24/12/20.

Customer Advice
You are advised to check your journey before travel, if travelling between London Paddington, Newbury, Pewsey, Westbury, Castle Cary, Exeter St Davids and Plymouth.

If your service has been cancelled, you can use your ticket for travel on an earlier or later train between London Paddington and Plymouth. Additional stops will be put on train services, for Pewsey, Westbury and Castle Cary where the previous cancelled train would have called at these stations.

If you choose not to travel because your train has been cancelled, you are entitled to a refund. Visit our website for more information. Gwr.com/help-and-support/refunds-and-compensation/unused-ticket-refunds

CrossCountry are conveying passengers between Exeter St Davids and Bristol Temple Meads in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys. Please note that reservations are mandatory on all CrossCountry services. Reservations can be made at the ticket office, by tweeting @CrossCountryUK or by using CrossCountry's ten minute reservation SMS service...follow the link for more detailshttps://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/tickets/ten-minute-reservations

South Western Railway are conveying passengers between Exeter St Davids and Basingstoke in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Additional Information
The following weekday services will be cancelled until Thursday 24th December:

From London Paddington:

07:04 London Paddington to Paignton
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
12:34 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
16:37 London Paddington to Plymouth
17:36 London Paddington to Paignton
18:37 London Paddington to Plymouth

From Plymouth/Paignton/Exeter St Davids:

05:49 Plymouth to London Paddington
07:13 Paignton to London Paddington
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
10:54 Paignton to London Paddington
13:40 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
14:12 Paignton to London Paddington
15:38 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
21:36 Paignton to Newton Abbot

[TaplowGreen]

......added to those today;

05:49 Plymouth to London Paddington due 08:59
06:12 Frome to London Paddington due 08:01
06:34 Looe to Liskeard due 07:01
06:55 Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads due 07:13
07:04 London Paddington to Paignton due 10:17
07:13 Paignton to London Paddington due 10:29
08:18 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 10:09
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington due 12:04
08:49 St Erth to St Ives due 09:00
09:11 St Ives to St Erth due 09:24
09:36 Liskeard to Looe due 10:05
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton due 12:49
09:38 St Erth to St Ives due 09:48
10:03 St Ives to St Erth due 10:14
10:08 Looe to Liskeard due 10:34
10:18 St Erth to St Ives due 10:29
10:33 St Ives to St Erth due 10:44
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 12:59
10:48 St Erth to St Ives due 10:58
10:54 Paignton to London Paddington due 14:07
11:03 St Ives to St Erth due 11:15
12:34 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids due 14:59
13:40 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington due 16:14
14:12 Paignton to London Paddington due 17:09
14:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 16:07
15:38 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington due 18:09
16:37 London Paddington to Plymouth due 20:11
17:36 London Paddington to Paignton due 21:16
18:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 19:39
18:37 London Paddington to Plymouth due 22:12
19:39 Exeter St Davids to Bristol Temple Meads due 20:46
20:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 21:37
20:28 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 22:34
21:02 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 22:42
21:22 Swansea to Bristol Parkway due 23:04
21:33 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 23:32
21:36 Paignton to Newton Abbot due 21:52

[grahame]

......added to those today;

Not quite ... your list includes the 15 cancellations in the previous post rather than being in addition to them.  Still a long way from clever, but not quite as bad as "added" suggests.