The Coffee Shop during the Coronavirus

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Update - 13.7.2020

As we come out of lockdown, as train and bus services rise back towards pre-March levels ... advise changes.   To be added in a day or so ...

Update - 28.6.2020

Advice remains to use public transport only if you need to; definition of "need" is woolly.

You need to socially distance, you need to wear face masks, you need to allow for not being able to fit on the service you want unless rebooked.

Full advice from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is at http://www.passenger.chat/23725

Volunteer activities at stations remain at near-standstill.  Only light gardening is allowed, once a week by no more than 2 volunteers, away from passengers and pre-arranged with Station Manager.  Your CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) or station friends group will have details - mirrored at http://gwr.passenger.chat/adopt_20200622.pdf


This is an online forum and during the Coronavirus crisis it can provide both:
* a useful sources of information on what's going on and how to look after yourself, especially when travelling
and
* a social gathering point for those of us interested in the topics we cover and looking to avoid social isolation
It is my intent to do what I can to encourage users to read and contribute for both of those reasons.

The passenger travel information role was one which was created over a decade ago, and continues into these current very different times where we don't really know where we will be in a week, a month and a year. The social side is something that had grown over the years and can be particularly helpful to people over those coming periods.

* If you are signed up as a member and have posted before, please help me and the moderator / admin team by regularly posting - perhaps even a little more than you regularly would.  How about starting with a "reHi" at http://www.passenger.chat/23048

* If you are signed up as a member, but have never posted, please post; the "Coffee Shop" is a friendly place and you will find a big welcome to your first post - and subsequent posts too - as you join in with our community.  If you don't know what to say - how about a brief intro at http://www.passenger.chat/23048

* If you are a "lurker" - a reader not signed up as a member - please register now ... our forum welcomes all vaguely on(ish) topic posts and discussions from all viewpoints - totally free and friendly.  Much more detail for newcomers at http://www.passenger.chat/1761

Although the "Coffee Shop" founded and rooted in "GWR territory" from London to the West Country, South Wales and Cotswolds, our borders are fuzzy and we learn a lot (and are interested) in reading and sharing experience from elsewhere, and although founded as a rail forum, we take wider interest in other forms of public transport and indeed the whole "getting around" thing.  If you can't find quite the right board to post - don't worry; our moderator team can help move things around and join posts on a subject into a linked thread, and if appropriate our administrators can add a new board.  A new role of Data Manager is just about to be announced (oops - looks like I've done it!) - Data Managers will be specialists on particular topics / boards who will keep introductory and pinned posts fresh and clean, and will help maintain the operation and life of their board(s) with the benefit of local knowledge.

Follow up posts ... to be added over coming days (and I will edit links in here) ... "early doors" here as I write but please join now.

1. I have started a thread "Members Roll Call" at http://www.passenger.chat/23048 as a "checkpoint" - for members to (re) introduce themselves

2. I shall shortly start a "discussion of the day" thread in 'the lighter side', looking to keep at least something light and fresh on the forum ... [edit - done - at http://www.passenger.chat/23051 ]

3. An announcement of Data Manager roles and an invite to apply

4. General "hard" information for a discussion on Coronavirus and its effects - "The West, but not the west's trains" seems a logical place. Also a thread there on general advise - outside our norm, but we should carry it

5. Threads on specific public transport issues responses.

This list (above) is likely to change / this a "sticky post" that will be edited later

[SandTEngineer]

Although I consider myself to be reasonably familiar with computer systems (well I have worked on fail-safe computer based railway signalling systems in the past), when it comes to social media I sometimes get lost in all the technical speak.  Perhaps we could have a topic explaining things like what a "sticky" is? 

[grahame]

Although I consider myself to be reasonably familiar with computer systems (well I have worked on fail-safe computer based railway signalling systems in the past), when it comes to social media I sometimes get lost in all the technical speak.  Perhaps we could have a topic explaining things like what a "sticky" is? 

Probably a good idea to add a fresh lick of paint to many of the explanations - added to the "todo" list.

For an immediate answer - a "sticky" thread is one which remains at the top of the a board even when there's been no new posts onto it.  Social media uses the term a "pinned post".  Threads (or topics) are made sticky or pinned by moderators or administrators and are used for timeless and/or important information which we feel should not decay into the depths of the archives.

As an example, this thread with its waymarking to resources will - I expect - be much referenced over the coming months and as such should remain "above the fold" ... an old newspaper term for being on the top half of the front page so that people see it as they choose which paper to buy today from the newsagent's shelves.  I really don't want it to slip inside the paper or even down to the bottom of the front page.

[grahame]

Coffee Shop AGM^▸ (Annual General Meeting) - 4th April 2020 in Taunton - CANCELLED. See ((here)) for reasoning and alternative plans being considered.

[grahame]

UPDATE - timetable summary (if you must travel!) from 30 March to 3rd April 2020 from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) site mirrored ((here)).

Note to potential passengers - please only travel if you must

Note to service designers and managers - the people who are still travelling are for the most part doing so by necessity and are typically key workers / carers / going for medical appointments.  As such they are VIPs and the provision of the service should consider each need and not be based on passenger number norms.

Note to staff running the services - Thank You. Those of us who don't need to travel offer you our hearty thanks and support and look forward to travelling with you again when it's appropriate. Look after yourselves and your families.

[grahame]

Note to potential passengers - please only travel if you must

We've said "please do not travel at present unless you have to".   I have now added that message to the top of every forum pages in red "cannot be missed" text. 

This is not because I have any evidence of our members making unnecessary journeys; it's because so many none-members visit out site and they may not be as tune-in as our contributors, and also to ensure that we help convey that message from all members of the community rail network just in case anyone has any doubts what so ever!

Public Transport at present is for essential journeys only.
DO NOT TRAVEL unless your journey is vital.

[grahame]

Note to staff running the services - Thank You. Those of us who don't nee to travel offer you our hearty thanks and support and look forward to travelling with you again when it's appropriate. Look after yourselves and your families.

... can I please highlight the Thank You poem commissioned by Transport Focus which I have copied and featured in the 'All across the Great Western territory/ The wider picture in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)' section of this forum

Worth a reference here too - http://www.passenger.chat/23285

[grahame]

By email from National Rail:

The government’s ‘Stay at Home’ rule has now changed, which is why we’re on hand to keep you updated about the latest government travel advice changes.

If you are travelling, the advice for now remains to keep journeys to a minimum. If you are taking the train we want you to travel with confidence which is why, as part of our safer travel pledge, the rail industry has: 
* Maximised space for social distancing
* Enhanced cleaning on trains and in stations
* Increased social distancing signs to help you get around safely
* Launched new technology to make it easier for you to find out the latest information about your journey, including if your chosen train is expected to be busy