Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[plymothian]

Double time being offered to those working on 27th December to perhaps coax a few more volunteers to work an additional shift.

Hull Trains have been approached as well.  Wanting to see if they have any volunteer drivers to cover work out of Plymouth

And I believe that is absolote bullhooks of a rumour as how are these drivers going to learn the routes out of Plymouth in 5 days?

[eXPassenger]

4pm Press Conference today may make it all academic.

I think it has.

[grahame]

Well ... officially (whatever that means!) this is a mess.  New tiers on current cancellation map ...



And the map as it was at 17:55 on 19th December 2020

[IndustryInsider]

I think it has.

Probably a few sighs of relief within the upper echelons of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).  Though I think there was a general level of understanding from most people, even Broadgage, that this was an exceptional situation to which GWR wasn?t really able to do much about.

I didn?t see any long distance trains looking especially busy today myself, though I didn?t catch sight of any of the WoE ones.

[bobm]

The reducing of the five days mixing to just Christmas Day will help the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) struggling with staffing on the 23rd, 24th and 27th - but it won't help those who rely on public transport and have no way to reach places on the day.

[a-driver]

Hull Trains have been approached as well.  Wanting to see if they have any volunteer drivers to cover work out of Plymouth

And I believe that is absolote bullhooks of a rumour as how are these drivers going to learn the routes out of Plymouth in 5 days?

They wouldn?t need to.  The plan was for them to be route conducted by a driver manager.

Some West Country services today ran full & standing.  I wonder how many will be trying to escape London before Tier 4 restrictions are imposed.

[BBM]

Some West Country services today ran full & standing.  I wonder how many will be trying to escape London before Tier 4 restrictions are imposed.

Scenes at St.Pancras tonight on EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about):
https://twitter.com/HarrietClugston/status/1340383304143540227?s=20

[grahame]

Some West Country services today ran full & standing.  I wonder how many will be trying to escape London before Tier 4 restrictions are imposed.

Scenes at St.Pancras tonight on EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about):
https://twitter.com/HarrietClugston/status/1340383304143540227?s=20

From the photographer:

Every person on this train including myself has made what is probably a very silly and irresponsible decision to travel albeit within the law. But that's what people were always going to do to be together at Christmas.

[TaplowGreen]

Here's another account (and yes, I know it's the Daily Mail before the inevitable pile on starts! 🙂), but it seems  a pretty reasonable account of events at various London stations  this evening.




https://www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9071155/amp/Huge-queues-train-stations-desperate-Londoners-flee-capital-ahead-Tier-4.html?utm_source=upday&utm_medium=referral

[IndustryInsider]

Some West Country services today ran full & standing.  I wonder how many will be trying to escape London before Tier 4 restrictions are imposed.

Scenes at St.Pancras tonight on EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about):
https://twitter.com/HarrietClugston/status/1340383304143540227?s=20

Poor Harriet has come in for some harsh criticism on Twitter I see.

[old original]

Only 7 cancelled so far today and two of them are the sleepers. Can't see it staying that way!

[TaplowGreen]

Only 7 cancelled so far today and two of them are the sleepers. Can't see it staying that way!

Given the limitations on long(er) distance travel, especially into or out of Tier 4 areas, it shouldn't make too much difference from here on in..........although I guess the question will arise again after Christmas for those who have already travelled, given that the new restrictions won't be reviewed until the 30th.

[broadgage]

AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know), long distance travel by rail or otherwise, IS permitted in order to return home if one left ones home before the present restrictions. Also if one left home during the restrictions, but for some permitted essential purpose.

[TonyK]

Poor Harriet has come in for some harsh criticism on Twitter I see.

Not by me, because I wouldn't want to add to her distress, but some of the comments seem to be reasonable and justified. The others who didn't tweet are, of course, in the same boat, but didn't mention it. A typical comment is along the lines of "You've self isolated for a week so you can go to see your mum, but now you're going to be packed nose to nose with lots of strangers, changing at Derby. Hopefully you won't infect your mum, Happy Christmas."

[IndustryInsider]

AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know), long distance travel by rail or otherwise, IS permitted in order to return home if one left ones home before the present restrictions. Also if one left home during the restrictions, but for some permitted essential purpose.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should easily be able to cope with that level of custom.  Even if cancellations due to staff shortages are an issue until the end of the year.

Poor Harriet has come in for some harsh criticism on Twitter I see.

Not by me, because I wouldn't want to add to her distress, but some of the comments seem to be reasonable and justified. The others who didn't tweet are, of course, in the same boat, but didn't mention it. A typical comment is along the lines of "You've self isolated for a week so you can go to see your mum, but now you're going to be packed nose to nose with lots of strangers, changing at Derby. Hopefully you won't infect your mum, Happy Christmas."

I guess a few scrums on trains yesterday (though the Twitter clip uploaded by Harriet didn't seem to show anything too bad) is regrettable, but pails into insignificance in terms of people infecting each other had shops stayed open and the original Christmas window plans been retained.