Thameslink

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

Thought I would start a new topic (bit like the new May 2018 timetable) here.

How about this for starters? https://www.londonreconnections.com/2018/the-politics-of-thameslinks-troubles/

...and the blame game has started.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-44299902

Chris Grayling says rail industry 'has failed passengers' 30 May 2018

The transport secretary says the "rail industry has collectively failed" passengers after timetable changes caused chaos across the network.

Chris Grayling wrote to MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) over the "wholly unsatisfactory" service on Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern.

GTR said it expected disruption to ease "over the coming month" and Northern said it has commissioned a report to "ensure lessons are learned".

Mr Grayling said: "The way timetabling is done has to change."

The transport secretary also criticised Network Rail, saying it "cannot cope" with the workload, and its performance was "simply unacceptable".

He added: "We were aware there might be some disruption in the early stages of any new timetable change but the scale of the problem has far outstripped any expectation."

He said he was now in "regular contact" with Network Rail and rail companies to deal with the issues quickly.

But a Surrey rail user group earlier blamed the Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) for rail problems.

GTR runs Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and the Gatwick Express, while Northern runs services across North of England from Newcastle to Nottingham and in Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, Cumbria and Merseyside.

Trains are frequently crowded at stations such as Harpenden, while other services are cancelled.
Stephen Trigg, of the Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users Association, said: "Thameslink is just failing all over the place.

"This morning six out of 12 trains have disappeared from the timetable. That's before any cancellations. How do people get to work?"

Ros Southward, who set up the Hitchin Rail Commuters Group, said there was constant "stress and disruption" on the Great Northern line.

"[I'm] beyond words, I don't get it because this is supposed to have been planned for a couple of years," she said.

.....and the SoSfT is getting a little bit nervous.

Seems the Network Rail’s System Operator division at Milton Keynes are being made the scapegoat for this disaster as Grayling has written to MP's saying so!

I am writing to you concerning the wholly unsatisfactory levels of disruption on rail services following the huge timetable change last week.

I am frustrated that what should have been a good news story for passengers, with the introduction of new services, new routes and expanded capacity has had such a poor start.

The industry collectively has failed the passengers it serves.

A combination of delayed Network Rail infrastructure works and reduced time to plan a modified timetable meant that the new timetable was finalised much too late to permit adequate logistical planning for the timetable changes.

Network Rail’s System Operator division is responsible for taking all planned timetables and making sure that the plans for the whole network are workable and do not create conflicts between different types of service.

If they are unable to do so to the expected timescales, it causes chaos for the train companies.

A change on this scale requires reworking of train crew schedules, train deployment and a whole range of other complex issues that affect the running of what is a very congested service.

We were aware that there might be some disruption in the early days of any new timetable change of this size, but the scale of the problem has far outstripped any expectation.

I am determined both that the problems are dealt with as quickly as possible, and that this is not repeated in the future.

We have been in regular contact with the leadership of Network Rail and GTR in the last few days, and Jo Johnson and I are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

We are speaking to those involved on a daily basis and we have insisted that both organisations put whatever resource they need to into resolving the situation, and in making sure that there is proper leadership of the recovery effort.

We will be holding a meeting for affected colleagues as soon as the recess is over, when I hope we will be able to give you more encouraging news about the recovery effort.

I have also asked both organisations to organise a briefing meeting for MPs next week so they can explain the detail of what has gone wrong and how it is being solved.

I am also clear that the way timetabling is done has to change.

It is obvious that Network Rail’s current timetabling system simply cannot cope with the volume of work that it has to complete, and I have asked both the current leadership and the incoming Chief Executive, Andrew Haines, to ensure that this issue is addressed as a priority.

Network Rail’s current performance on this is simply unacceptable.

Until this has been done, I will insist on a gradual approach to timetable change wherever possible and not the significant changes that we have seen this month.

Once these problems are resolved, we will have a much better service for passengers.

That is small comfort to them when things are not working as they should, but once we are through this difficult period we will have a better railway.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/712161/sos-letter-to-mps-gtr.pdf

[ChrisB]

Any election straight after Brexit would seriously concentrate on that outcome, and commuters hell on the railways would become insignificant to voters taking their ire out on the Government for not getting it right....far more important to the vast majority of voters that the relatively few ,000s in Thameslink commuterland, and thus will only have a very small impact in a very few UK^▸ (United Kingdom)-as-a-whole constituencies....

If the election isn't until 2022, ways will have been found by then to sort out the problem & it will already be fading in people's memories....and Brexit outcome may be disasterous for the UK economy by then, such that it will still be in most peoples minds as the number 1 voting intention

[JayMac]

Failing Grayling is throwing Network Rail, which to all intents and purposes is state controlled, under a bus. He's blaming them for the Northern debacle too. Nice boss to have. 

What's his agenda with Network Rail? His department have to share  blame. Its the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) who specified these basket case franchises.

[Timmer]

It’s only because Northern haven’t defaulted on their payments that they are still running this doomed franchise. Only a matter of time now...probably stalling for time to give DOR time to get ready to take over another failure of a franchise. Gosh I bet First wish someone would take loss making TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) off them right now.

Back to Grayling. Nothing impresses me with his running of a department which in my view isn’t fit for purpose. They can blame who they like but all roads or should that be rails lead to the Dft’s door.

[ellendune]

Failing Grayling is throwing Network Rail, which to all intents and purposes is state controlled, under a bus. He's blaming them for the Northern debacle too. Nice boss to have. 

What's his agenda with Network Rail? His department have to share  blame. Its the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) who specified these basket case franchises.

As the American Philosopher Noam Chomsky Said

Like when Thatcher wanted to defund the railroads, first thing to do is defund them, then they don't work and people get angry and they want a change. You say okay, privatize them and then they get worse. In that case the government had to step in and rescue it.

And

That’s the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don’t work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital.

[Electric train]

The Thameslink timetable from an NR^» (Network Rail - home page) point is working reasonably well, there are a few NR teething problem; however the biggest issue is the lack of preparedness of GTR.

GTR has not managed to get all of its Drive route knowledge done, eg the drivers from the East Coast / Anglia have not completed the Southern routes and vis versa.  Other things like the Kings Lyn Drivers don't sign class 700 or the Thameslink routes.


I noted that in the media there are a number of organisations / politicians (many Labour Party based) who a calling for Grayling's head, he has been called before the Select Committee I doubt they will accept him blaming NR and the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) without him conceding is Department had made mistakes

[4064ReadingAbbey]

Without making any comment or judgement on Grayling's strengths and weaknesses as a politician it is clear that all the problems of the last few days, weeks and months are the direct consequences of decisions made, or even decisions which were not made, months or years earlier - long before Grayling was appointed SoS.

The solutions which need to be found are managerial, not political. If fault is to be found it is because since taking over the Strategic Rail Authority the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has knowingly or unknowingly supported the creation of a cadre of administrators for the railway industry rather than a cadre of managers.

[TaplowGreen]

Failing Grayling is throwing Network Rail, which to all intents and purposes is state controlled, under a bus. He's blaming them for the Northern debacle too. Nice boss to have. 

What's his agenda with Network Rail? His department have to share  blame. Its the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) who specified these basket case franchises.

As the American Philosopher Noam Chomsky Said

Like when Thatcher wanted to defund the railroads, first thing to do is defund them, then they don't work and people get angry and they want a change. You say okay, privatize them and then they get worse. In that case the government had to step in and rescue it.

And

That’s the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don’t work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital.

As far as Economics goes, Chomsky is a great Professor of anti capitalist Philosophy 

[bradshaw]

This is an excellent explanation of the Thameslink situation

https://www.londonreconnections.com/2018/the-cicadas-take-flight-explaining-the-may-timetable-changes/

[Surrey 455]

One oddity I have noticed is that some Southern services are being described in the journey planners and on the station departure boards as being Thameslink services. I have noticed this for Southern trains running through Epsom. It may possibly be occurring elsewhere.

[SandTEngineer]

This is an excellent explanation of the Thameslink situation

https://www.londonreconnections.com/2018/the-cicadas-take-flight-explaining-the-may-timetable-changes/

Perhaps the moderators could move that post to the THAMESLINK thread I started, as its nothing to do with chocolate....

[Timmer]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) South Today's Transport correspondent Paul Clifton reporting that the chief executive of Govia Thameslink Railway, Charles Horton, has resigned.

[Red Squirrel]

They should renationalise the railways straight away. That's the only way to stop this game of political football. _{Now then which is the emoji for 'yes I am being ironic?'}

[Timmer]

He's not the only one who should be considering their position.

[Thatcham Crossing]

As a mere passenger, but one familiar with some of the Thameslink core route, I've thought (ever since I found out about it) that squeezing 24tph through the likes of Farringdon was going to be a challenge. And even more so, as those trains are converging through that potential bottleneck from several different routes (if I have understood correctly)?