Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Another - and not unexpected - day of cancellations.  Our map is "red all over" and yet it hasn't brought an outburst here on the Coffee Shop ... we are getting hardened, immune, perhaps.   And yet - we get reports of trains being full and standing and "never been busier" - so are we (as a knowledgeable group of customers) looking for a quality that does not need to be attained?  And indeed if we gate to a state where 99% of services run, will they be so overrun with customers that the failure to run is replaced by a failure to provide space for the people who want to be on them?

[TaplowGreen]

I don't suppose this will help the situation.....

Cancellations to services between Swansea and Bristol Parkway
Due to engineering works not being finished on time at Swansea all lines are closed. Disruption is expected until 11:45 27/10.
Train services between Swansea and Bristol Parkway have been cancelled.
Customer Advice
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We are sorry for the delay to your journey this morning.
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Engineering work being carried out by Network Rail in the Swansea area has not been finished on time. This means we are unable to run our services between Swansea and London Paddington. Network Rail were estimating the line to be open between 10:30 and 10:45, however, an engineering train has broken down and there is now no estimate of when the lines may reopen. Once we receive this information we will update this message.

[Hafren]

Stuck at SWA^» (Swansea - next trains) on a journey that was already planned to involve a diversion and a replacement bus. OTT^▸ (Open Train Times website, or possibly 'over the top', depending on context) map shows the failed class 6 blocking the up line, and an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) blocking the down. The ECS not moving - line still under possession. If that were to move Im not sure if there's suitable bidi signalling from Landore to Briton Ferry (there is on at least some sections) or if perhaps SLW could be set up (and how long would take realistically) if not.

[grahame]

Stuck at SWA^» (Swansea - next trains) on a journey that was already planned to involve a diversion and a replacement bus. OTT^▸ (Open Train Times website, or possibly 'over the top', depending on context) map shows the failed class 6 blocking the up line, and an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) blocking the down.

Anything running on the alternative line - change at Craven Arms 

[Hafren]

Stuck at SWA^» (Swansea - next trains) on a journey that was already planned to involve a diversion and a replacement bus. OTT^▸ (Open Train Times website, or possibly 'over the top', depending on context) map shows the failed class 6 blocking the up line, and an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) blocking the down.

Anything running on the alternative line - change at Craven Arms 

I was starting to think about more exotic options... there is a HoW^‡(resolve) train due but it's the train formed by that ECS that isn't moving! Also nothing appears to have run wesr of SWA either. Not sure if the moving of the failed eng train is key to ending the possession as info given implies it is now the blocker rather than the overrunning work.

[grahame]

Just to confirm this is NOT just a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) issue ...

On the other hand, a look at the running at East Croydon last Sunday... or Charing Cross... revealed a service with hardly any cancellations (and nearly all trains running to time).

Northern and GWR seem to be the worst for staff shortages.

But not the only ones ... here are a couple of reports from neighbouring /overlapping TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) for today

Cross Country say:

Our temporary timetable is in operation, if you are travelling on Saturday 26 or Sunday 27 October, please check before you travel

And the Transport for Wales Status looks like this:



A brief look around did not give me any statement from SWR^» (South Western Railway - about), and I have not even searched for the TOCs - the joys of a fragmented industry.   ( I'm sure it will magically all get better under GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) once we own it! )

[ChrisB]

Chiltern are having similar problems out of Oxford this weekend too

[Timmer]

A brief look around did not give me any statement from SWR^» (South Western Railway - about), and I have not even searched for the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) - the joys of a fragmented industry.   ( I'm sure it will magically all get better under GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) once we own it! )

No cancellations reported for today on SWR Journeycheck:
https://www.journeycheck.com/swr/

[Hafren]

Announcement just over an hour ago that the faulty train was moving and possession would end in 20 mins or so.

Still no movement. In that time the headcase on the map changed from the 0955 to the 1155, as have the reservation displays, and has since morphed into TBC!

[TaplowGreen]

Another - and not unexpected - day of cancellations.  Our map is "red all over" and yet it hasn't brought an outburst here on the Coffee Shop ... we are getting hardened, immune, perhaps.   And yet - we get reports of trains being full and standing and "never been busier" - so are we (as a knowledgeable group of customers) looking for a quality that does not need to be attained?  And indeed if we gate to a state where 99% of services run, will they be so overrun with customers that the failure to run is replaced by a failure to provide space for the people who want to be on them?

I think when the Sunday issues started to really escalate there was genuine surprise and bemusement as to why it was being allowed to happen - it's gradually become more shambolic over the last few years (and quite often impacts Saturday too more recently), and whilst it's still shocking, it's no longer surprising.

Expectations are very low and so I guess to a large extent there's less "outbursts" as you put it - it's become part of the landscape.

I think a better level of quality should be attained and I would hope that all involved aspire to that, however when I read glib comments to the effect that Hopwood considers it unsustainable and a top priority for the business to resolve, I find myself wondering why he allowed it to get so bad in the first place, when he had far more influence over the matter.

Personally now, I don't chance GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) long distance on a Sunday. Haven't for a few years and advise others not to either.

I drove back from Plymouth this morning, another friend got National Express coach (which was on time to the minute and he finds very reliable and half the price of the train), and I ended up giving another friend a lift - he had planned to get the train to Reading but took one look at what was happening and decided against it.

I wonder how high up it is on Haigh/Hendy's list, are we going to get action or just a load of rhetoric - having caved in with a "no strings" pay award most recently, one would hope that this will be one of the issues which will form part of a firmer approach next year, with assertive action toward getting Sundays into the working week - it cannot simply remain a long term aspiration if GWR's long distance weekend services are going to remain a viable option.

[a-driver]

I find myself wondering why he allowed it to get so bad in the first place, when he had far more influence over the matter.

He’s never had any influence.  He merely follows what he’s instructed to do by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

[Sleepy]

I find myself wondering why he allowed it to get so bad in the first place, when he had far more influence over the matter.

He’s never had any influence.  He merely follows what he’s instructed to do by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

Certainly worked for Greater Anglia's MD Jamie Burles - just landed a nice little number with Dft/GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) after being DfT's model TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company). Rostered Sunday's are compulsory overtime unless it can be covered by volunteers.

[grahame]

I find myself wondering why he allowed it to get so bad in the first place, when he had far more influence over the matter.

He’s never had any influence.  He merely follows what he’s instructed to do by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

Certainly worked for Greater Anglia's MD Jamie Burles - just landed a nice little number with Dft/GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) after being DfT's model TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company). Rostered Sunday's are compulsory overtime unless it can be covered by volunteers.

As the operation and management of UK^▸ (United Kingdom) railways is being re-organised, those who are senior to the ranks being TUPEd will naturally be considering their future careers, and a major element for their future will be how they get on with their potential future employers ... or if they feel that it's a time in their career that they can do what they consider best for the user of their services, anticipating respect from future employers or looking forward to a chance of a new and different career or retirement.

[TaplowGreen]

Today (Monday) isn't looking too good either.

[grahame]

Today (Monday) isn't looking too good either.

Astonishing - no fewer than eight cancellations of trains starting before 7 a.m. and I would suspect that each of them is on a different diagram - in other words they're 8 drivers and/or train managers short on the early shift and this is not explained by one driver who's supposed to be (for example) running up and down from Slough to Windsor.

04:54 Plymouth to London Paddington due 08:35
05:16 Bath Spa to Portsmouth Harbour due 07:38
05:33 Plymouth to Penzance due 07:29
06:02 Swindon to Weymouth due 08:23
06:12 Frome to London Paddington due 08:01
06:40 Penzance to Cardiff Central due 12:21
06:41 Swindon to Worcester Shrub Hill due 08:05
06:42 Frome to Southampton Central due 08:07


P.S. for anyone reading back later ... to emphasise ...  it's a Monday.