Stay at home Sunday

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Things must have improved. I caught the delayed (roughly) 2030 from Exeter and it was going through to Penzance.

The only time I’ve ever been glad of a late train. We caught the 2006 from Axminster aiming for the 2120 (ish) to Plymouth. We pulled in at platform 3 at Exeter at 2042 as the delayed Penzance train was approaching.

My car was in Plymouth for the weekend as I was out of Liskeard earlier than the first train from Cornwall on Saturday morning, which would have been a contingency with all the cancellations

I think they did, but because trains were removed from the system(s) Realtime Trains uses as it's source, usually a great help at times of disruption and cancellations, wasn't much use yesterday. So yes, I believe some further trains from London did make it to Penzance but we don't have a record of which ones did and which ones didn't in the end. It may have been that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were able to run more trains than expected at the start of the day. Hope for all those who were travelling that they were able to.

[LiskeardRich]

Things must have improved. I caught the delayed (roughly) 2030 from Exeter and it was going through to Penzance.

The only time I’ve ever been glad of a late train. We caught the 2006 from Axminster aiming for the 2120 (ish) to Plymouth. We pulled in at platform 3 at Exeter at 2042 as the delayed Penzance train was approaching.

My car was in Plymouth for the weekend as I was out of Liskeard earlier than the first train from Cornwall on Saturday morning, which would have been a contingency with all the cancellations

I think they did, but because trains were removed from the system(s) Realtime Trains uses as it's source, usually a great help at times of disruption and cancellations, wasn't much use yesterday. So yes, I believe some further trains from London did make it to Penzance but we don't have a record of which ones did and which ones didn't in the end. It may have been that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were able to run more trains than expected at the start of the day. Hope for all those who were travelling that they were able to.

I believe the one I was on is the last scheduled Penzance service normlwly. It was full and standing.

[phile]

We talked about GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s failings yesterday but XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) weren't exactly covering themselves in glory yesterday either with some services starting or terminating short. Between them the South West really got a raw deal yesterday.

Actually XC diversions benefited GWR yesterday.  It enabled GWR passengers to use cheltenham, Gloucester and Swindon due to the multiple GWR cancellations with ticket acceptance in place.    One XC train even called at Chippenham.

[Timmer]

Actually XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) diversions benefited GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) yesterday.  It enabled GWR passengers to use cheltenham, Gloucester and Swindon due to the multiple GWR cancellations with ticket acceptance in place.    One XC train even called at Chippenham.

It did for sure.

It was the XC services terminating short at either Bristol or Exeter, and the Edinburgh train that started at Plymouth rather than Penzance due to crew shortages that didn't help matters in the South West where GWR were at times struggling to provide anywhere near an acceptable level of service for a Summer Sunday.

[RA]

Things must have improved. I caught the delayed (roughly) 2030 from Exeter and it was going through to Penzance.

The only time I’ve ever been glad of a late train. We caught the 2006 from Axminster aiming for the 2120 (ish) to Plymouth. We pulled in at platform 3 at Exeter at 2042 as the delayed Penzance train was approaching.

My car was in Plymouth for the weekend as I was out of Liskeard earlier than the first train from Cornwall on Saturday morning, which would have been a contingency with all the cancellations

I think they did, but because trains were removed from the system(s) Realtime Trains uses as it's source, usually a great help at times of disruption and cancellations, wasn't much use yesterday. So yes, I believe some further trains from London did make it to Penzance but we don't have a record of which ones did and which ones didn't in the end. It may have been that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were able to run more trains than expected at the start of the day. Hope for all those who were travelling that they were able to.

After a bit of digging, a summary of GWR and Cross Country arrivals at Penzance yesterday from Plymouth and beyond:

10:59 arrival 2C48 08:57 from Plymouth ran throughout.

12:10 arrival 1C04 07:26 from Bristol TM^‡(resolve) cancelled at Exeter SD (TG no driver).

14:16 arrival 1C05 07:57 from Paddington ran throughout.

14:47 arrival 1V44 10:57 from Bristol TM started at Plymouth (I5 engineering overrun).

16:11 arrival 1C79 10:57 from Paddington ran throughout.

16:50 arrival 2C48 14:50 from Plymouth ran throughout.

17:30 arrival 1C81 11:57 from Paddington cancelled at Plymouth (TG no driver).

18:24 arrival 1C84 12:57 from Paddington ran throughout.

19:33 arrival 2C49 16:05 from Exeter SD cancelled throughout (TG no driver).

20:23 arrival 1C86 14:57 from Paddington cancelled until Exeter SD (PG pre-planned cancellation). Ran as two seperate trains. 17:21 Exeter SD to Plymouth and 18:25 Plymouth to Penzance. Connection maintained at Plymouth.

20:39 arrival 1V56 09:08 from Edinburgh ran throughout.

21:40 arrival 2C51 19:42 from Plymouth cancelled throughout (TH no guard).

22:22 arrival 1C89 16:57 from Paddington ran as two seperate trains. 16:57 Paddington to Plymouth and 20:26 from Plymouth. Connection maintained at Plymouth.

22:42 arrival 1V60 11:05 from Edinburgh cancelled at Exeter SD (TH no guard).

23:35 arrival 1C92 17:57 Paddington to Plymouth ran as two seperate trains. 17:57 Paddington to Plymouth and 21:37 Plymouth to Penzance. Connection maintained at Plymouth as it was the same set throughout.

[BBM]

07:40 Oxford to London Paddington due 08:38
   - next train 08:40 - 60 minutes later

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-44845187

Commuters have been left "irate" and frustrated after Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) cancelled the only train on its hourly service.

GWR resumed a limited service of one train per hour between Oxford and London Paddington earlier, but the 07:40 BST train was cancelled.

Passengers sent tweets which included: "Are you even trying any more?"

"The train was cancelled due to stock displacement, following crew issues on Sunday," said a GWR spokesman.

Commuters vented their frustration on social media.

GWR said a bus replacement service to Didcot was provided for passengers.

A spokesman apologised and said: "Customers were provided with a strengthened replacement bus service while engineering works continues, prior to the departure of the following train service at 08:14."

Maintenance work has been taking place at Oxford station since 29 June.

Engineers are currently replacing track, signalling and cables as part of maintenance works which will affect services between 7 and 23 July.

Once complete it will allow faster travel as well as a new half-hourly London Marylebone to Oxford service.

Great Western Railway said it would operate replacement buses between Oxford and Didcot Parkway, and a limited fast service between 16 and 20 July.

[LiskeardRich]

23:35 arrival 1C92 17:57 Paddington to Plymouth ran as two seperate trains. 17:57 Paddington to Plymouth and 21:37 Plymouth to Penzance. Connection maintained at Plymouth as it was the same set throughout.

I was on this one. Why would it show as run as two separate trains? I’m guesisng due to previously advertising as being cut at Plymouth?

The driver who took over at Exeter was known to my friend so we had a quick chat with him, and he took the set from Exeter to Penzance.

[JayMac]

More pressing questions are starting to be asked of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-44845472

[Timmer]

More pressing questions are starting to be asked of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-44845472

About time, this has been going on far too long. Sadly I don't think it will make any difference. Northern and GTR are still operating and their problems are way worse than GWR's.

[LiskeardRich]

It’s not totally GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) fault. The contract terminology dates from 1999. The powerful union are resisting change.
I was at a beer festival with a member of train crew on Saturday evening and the resource manager called and offered him a huge bonus to work his unavailable Sunday. He had to decline as there wasn’t a chance of being under the alcohol limit by anytime on Sunday!

[TaplowGreen]

It’s not totally GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) fault. The contract terminology dates from 1999. The powerful union are resisting change.
I was at a beer festival with a member of train crew on Saturday evening and the resource manager called and offered him a huge bonus to work his unavailable Sunday. He had to decline as there wasn’t a chance of being under the alcohol limit by anytime on Sunday!

Most powerful unions resisted change. That is why there are very few powerful unions these days.

[Timmer]

I was at a beer festival with a member of train crew on Saturday evening and the resource manager called and offered him a huge bonus to work his unavailable Sunday.

What a way to run a railway. How can you have any confidence your train will run when as late as Saturday night they are still trying to get staff to come in and work?

[lordgoata]

What a way to run a railway. How can you have any confidence your train will run when as late as Saturday night they are still trying to get staff to come in and work?

Agreed, but at least someone was still trying, right up to the last minute. Whats the betting upper management were at home with their feet up.

[Timmer]

Agreed, but at least someone was still trying, right up to the last minute. Whats the betting upper management were at home with their feet up.

No criticism at all of the person trying to get staff in to run trains, criticism of the mess many parts of the rail industry are in that it's come to this. Not an orderly and organised way to run a company. It felt like over the weekend they were making it up as they went along. People were continually asking on Twitter is my train going to run tomorrow and they couldn't answer.

[a-driver]

Well, I would suggest the exact words are key, given there’s a world of difference between an agreement for Sunday’s in the working week, as you confidently claimed in your post earlier, and just committing to work Sunday’s if cover can’t be found.

What has been agreed (as part of the harmonisation deal) is that LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) and West crews (under the new description of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Driver) will work their rostered Sunday’s unless cover can be found - many of whom have to do that already, and that existing HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) drivers (where the cause of the vast majority of the Sunday shortages lie) are ring-fenced unless they choose to take the new GWR Driver grade which LTV and West drivers have agreed to.  Not many will.  All new drivers will now be working under the new GWR drivers agreements.

The situation regarding Sunday’s in the working week will, for all drivers, as previously stated, not change until at least 2021.

If they can’t cover West turns now because there is no cover then for all intents and purposes Sunday’s are in the working week..... just GWR are getting it on the cheap!
However, if Sunday’s are still not part of the working week then surely a driver doesn’t need to work regardless of wether cover can be found, for example, they could be rostered to work and just not show up.  Seems a gray area.