Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

Perhaps it's time for Graham or Bob to coax Mark Hopwood onto the forum for another one of his sessions? 

Watch the space ...  ... plans are already afoot to meet your objective in a few weeks ...

As long as Broadgage is banned from mentioning buffets! 

I MIGHT be tempted to mention the subject, but probably not since any return of buffets will be a matter for GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) or the next operator. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have already said "no way" to buffets.
More likely is that I will mention the miserable failure of the trolley service to achieve ANY of the promises made.
And the ongoing staff shortage, and if any firm plans exist to rectify this.
And the failed IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) project in general. It is now some years since the new units came into use, and short formations are still the norm, despite the reduced timetable.

[TaplowGreen]

Industry Insider - don't poke the bear!!! 

[TonyN]

And the ongoing staff shortage, and if any firm plans exist to rectify this.

Looking at the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) and Scotrail threads the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) plan to solve the problem by cutting the service.

[jamestheredengine]

And the ongoing staff shortage, and if any firm plans exist to rectify this.

Looking at the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) and Scotrail threads the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) plan to solve the problem by cutting the service.

At least SWR cut services with some redundancy. It would be reasonable for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to cancel the Ealing-Greenford branch (use London Buses) and the Slough-Windsor Branch (use SWR and change at Staines for Reading). Instead we get widespread disruption, but a perfect service on those two Beeching-dodging branch lines. If there's any shortage in staff, those two branches should be the first things to go.

[IndustryInsider]

Unfortunately neither service is generally worked by drivers that sign the routes where there were shortages today. 

I may have mentioned before that I believe greater flexibility on what drivers sign in terms of traction and routes is a good way of improving efficiency.  Not that a Reading driver is ever likely to be able to cover a St. Ives shuttle, but there could, and should, be greater flexibility.

[broadgage]

And the ongoing staff shortage, and if any firm plans exist to rectify this.

Looking at the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) and Scotrail threads the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) plan to solve the problem by cutting the service.

Indeed, and a cynic might even suspect that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) know that lack of rolling stock is liable to be a long term issue, and therefor thought that there was little point in training drivers and train managers to work non available trains.

[ChrisB]

I am so glad that you aren’t in a managerial position at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). Your assumptions, frankly are complete rubbish sometimes

[Oxonhutch]

irony
/ˈʌɪrəni/
noun
1.   the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

hyperbole
/hʌɪˈpəːbəli/

noun:
1.   exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Both humorous devices to get across a serious point.

[TaplowGreen]

Hyperbolics

[a-driver]

And the ongoing staff shortage, and if any firm plans exist to rectify this.

Looking at the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) and Scotrail threads the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) plan to solve the problem by cutting the service.

Indeed, and a cynic might even suspect that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) know that lack of rolling stock is liable to be a long term issue, and therefor thought that there was little point in training drivers and train managers to work non available trains.

Plenty of trainee drivers coming through the system.

In the next roster/timetable change I guess there’s the ability to tighten up some of the inefficiencies in crew diagrams which inevitably come about when you are forced to make significant changes as a result of the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) issues at short notice

[phile]

I have noticed recently that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have not been showing many cancellations on Journey Check in the morning giving, me at least, fresh hope but only to find about double the number for the evening appearing by the afternoon.    Exeter seem to be pretty hard hit in the evening.

[ChrisB]

Yup - if the problem is annual leave being taken, surely ALL the day's cancellations could be posted at start of the day. I appreciate that a few crew might not phone in sick until due to start their shift - but at least this would cover the vast majority of cancellations

[GBM]

I'm guessing on more 'in the know' regular passengers would think to look at JourneyCheck before they leave.
If it's not always reliable, there is little point in its existence.
Surely most wouldn't even know about it?
Savvy passengers would use real time apps perhaps

[ChrisB]

At point ofvtravel, journeychevk is geberally reliable - but if all the days cancellations could be posted earlier then anyone needing to be somewhere at a given time can plan earlier to travel earlier & not get caught out

[IndustryInsider]

On the flip side, it’s been frustrating to see how many cancellations are posted early on and then retracted later in the day.  You only have to look at the transwilts thread to see how often that happens.  Much can happen during the day to mean short notice cancellations (and short notice reinstatements) end up making the information supplied unreliable at best in terms of planning.

I continually ask myself if journeycheck is fit for purpose.