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martyjon
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« Reply #375 on: March 14, 2018, 18:20:34 » |
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Another post on my why aren't IEPs▸ using electricity theme: I'm on the 1730 Pad to Taunton train today. Electric power to Reading, then they started the diesels. Why not switch at Didcot?
Driver error perhaps  |
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Adelante_CCT
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« Reply #376 on: March 14, 2018, 18:26:24 » |
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Aren't the axle counters tripping somewhere between Reading and Didcot, as what happened between Maidenhead and Reading a couple of months ago, this affects the IET▸ on electric, class 387s are fine. Last time a length of cable needed replacing to solve the matter, I'm guessing they haven't got round to doing this section yet
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WelshBluebird
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« Reply #377 on: March 15, 2018, 11:19:06 » |
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Travelled to Reading from Bath on Tuesday and pretty sure they switched to Electric at Didcot.
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phile
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« Reply #378 on: March 15, 2018, 11:30:01 » |
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It's only in the Down direction that there is a problem with the axle counters.
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #379 on: March 15, 2018, 12:08:41 » |
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Staffing: I don't know what's specified in franchises or any other industry-specific or GWR▸ -specific factors (though I do remember reading something in the last days of BR▸ about an impending shortage of train drivers cos they were all nearing retirement age, and how they were recruiting in women's magazines cos they reckoned women made better drivers; and more relevantly right now, I know someone who's just left his job to start training as a train driver – he's in his 50s too, but male) but wider factors must affect TOCs▸ like other businesses. People generally are more mobile in terms of employment and don't expect to remain in one job for more than a few years, which is bound to be a problem in jobs requiring long training.
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Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #380 on: March 15, 2018, 12:17:43 » |
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Faster turn over of staff, especially drivers, is certainly costing the industry a lot of money compared to the British Rail days when it was considered a 'job for life' when you got your key after serving an apprenticeship as a 'second man' and often stayed working at the same depot for thirty or forty years plus before retirement. There's not many of those old hands left now - and the arrival of new traction such as the IETs▸ has persuaded some in their early 60s that can afford to take early retirement to go early rather than learn something totally new for only a couple of years.
By no means all new drivers leave to work for a different company after a couple of years, or stop driving entirely, but the percentage is far higher now that it has ever been.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #381 on: March 15, 2018, 23:16:23 » |
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Thanks for that very insightful insight, IndustryInsider.  In my day job (not railway) too, many qualified and experienced drivers these days are happy to 'pick and choose' where they work, and for whom. |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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ellendune
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« Reply #382 on: March 15, 2018, 23:27:23 » |
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Faster turn over of staff, especially drivers, is certainly costing the industry a lot of money compared to the British Rail days when it was considered a 'job for life' when you got your key after serving an apprenticeship as a 'second man' and often stayed working at the same depot for thirty or forty years plus before retirement. There's not many of those old hands left now - and the arrival of new traction such as the IETs▸ has persuaded some in their early 60s that can afford to take early retirement to go early rather than learn something totally new for only a couple of years.
By no means all new drivers leave to work for a different company after a couple of years, or stop driving entirely, but the percentage is far higher now that it has ever been.
Not a time for a company to push for unpopular changes in working conditions then, regardless of unions. |
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devonexpress
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« Reply #383 on: March 17, 2018, 01:01:20 » |
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Its the same with aviation though, mainly because crew,pilots and engineers get treated like a piece of dirt by management.
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GBM
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« Reply #384 on: March 18, 2018, 08:26:02 » |
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Its the same with aviation though, mainly because crew,pilots and engineers get treated like a piece of dirt by management.
And busses. Management treat anyone below with disdain. Comments from 'those below' as to run on time and improve the service are always ignored; it's those below who take the fallout from the public. |
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Personal opinion only. Writings not representative of any union, collective, management or employer. (Think that absolves me...........)  |
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eightf48544
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« Reply #385 on: March 18, 2018, 12:02:38 » |
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From my limited experience (2 Visits) the US has by and large a Service economy whilst the UK▸ still has a servile economy.
Corrected Service for device.
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« Last Edit: March 21, 2018, 16:29:01 by eightf48544 »
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Boppy
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« Reply #386 on: March 21, 2018, 10:44:42 » |
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Looks like a London bound IET▸ had broken down this morning at Reading.
I was at the station at 10 and all the passengers were getting off the train and crossing the bridge to board London bound ones on platforms 10 & 11. It was still at there empty at 10.30.
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Jason
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« Reply #387 on: March 21, 2018, 13:03:04 » |
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Boppy
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« Reply #388 on: March 21, 2018, 13:15:20 » |
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Ah yes. Ready to go then! :-)
Thanks!
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devonexpress
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« Reply #389 on: March 22, 2018, 19:01:34 » |
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Looks like a London bound IET▸ had broken down this morning at Reading.
I was at the station at 10 and all the passengers were getting off the train and crossing the bridge to board London bound ones on platforms 10 & 11. It was still at there empty at 10.30.
So was it actually a break down or did it get delayed? As sometimes people seem to claim breakdowns to make the IET's sound worse than they are. |
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