Avanti West Coast

[whole diary]

[GBM]

Not so much a block on recruitment the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) will say it has to be self-funding ie for revenue or other cost savings

I agree that the DfT will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

From what we already suspect, the DfT would say it's up to Train Operating Company to operate the franchise within their allocated budget.
Nothing to with the Government/Treasury; entirely down to the ToC!
Yeah, right.

[ChrisB]

Just to mention that the Guardian’s take on this is that he was fired by FirstGroup

[Ollie]

Just to mention that the Guardian’s take on this is that he was fired by FirstGroup

The headline does, but then the article states he has decided to stand down.

[broadgage]

Not so much a block on recruitment the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) will say it has to be self-funding ie for revenue or other cost savings

I agree that the DfT will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

I suspect that recruitment would be allowed in that case, remembering that closure is politically unacceptable. They might insist that transfers from other depots be encouraged rather than new staff.
SOME new recruitment is unavoidable but I suspect that pressure is to minimise this.

[Electric train]

Not so much a block on recruitment the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) will say it has to be self-funding ie for revenue or other cost savings

I agree that the DfT will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

I suspect that recruitment would be allowed in that case, remembering that closure is politically unacceptable. They might insist that transfers from other depots be encouraged rather than new staff.
SOME new recruitment is unavoidable but I suspect that pressure is to minimise this.

The 'Shaps' hence Government and DfT mantra would be "modernise your working practices ToC and NR^» (Network Rail - home page)" I cannot see the policy change under the new "undemocratically anointed" PM

[ChrisB]

Just to mention that the Guardian’s take on this is that he was fired by FirstGroup

The headline does, but then the article states he has decided to stand down.

Yep, he was pushed…..

[Electric train]

Just to mention that the Guardian’s take on this is that he was fired by FirstGroup

The headline does, but then the article states he has decided to stand down.

Yep, he was pushed…..

"We have left a loaded revolver in your desk top draw"

[grahame]

I agree that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) will say that.  And yet I wonder if that suggests that any putting of staffing right has to be 100% commercially lead, without consideration to social or environmental issues.  If all the staff at Tidmouth (for example) were to quit, under this approach would the DfT simply allow the line to close, or at the least have a very limited service without morning departures or evening arrivals, staffed from Vicarstown?

Well ... many a fictitious suggestion becomes stranger in fact. After my Sodor example, look what's happening on the Isle of Wight:

Tuesday 06th September 2022

Island Line services unable to run tomorrow between 0900 – 1900

Rail replacement buses operate between Ryde and Shanklin

South Western Railway would like to apologise to our customers on the Isle of Wight that, as a result of staff sickness, the Island Line will not be operating tomorrow (Wednesday 7th September) between 9am and 7pm. A rail replacement bus service will be provided during these hours between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin and a separate minibus shuttle will run between Ryde Pierhead and Ryde Esplanade. There will also be a minibus serving the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Ministers could withdraw Avanti's contract to run services on the West Coast Mainline when it comes up for renewal in October.

Transport minister Trudy Harrison told the House of Commons all options remained on the table.

She said withdrawing the contract was one option, and "all of the implications of that" were under consideration.

[rogerw]

A right fiasco on my crowded train from Glasgow yesterday. When Avanti decided to reduce there services they cancelled all existing seat reservations, although the passengers were not told of this. Not a problem in itself. However they then decided to re-introduce seat reservations on the remaining services without any reference to the previous reservations resulting in numerous examples of two passengers holding a reservation for the same seat. Bad customer service.

[bobm]

I have to travel to Manchester soon.   Given the stories I have heard on services out of Euston, I have opted not to go via London and booked a through Cross Country Voyager from Reading.  Probably the least worst option!

[grahame]

I have to travel to Manchester soon.   Given the stories I have heard on services out of Euston, I have opted not to go via London and booked a through Cross Country Voyager from Reading.  Probably the least worst option!

Transport for Wales via Newport?

[JayMac]

I may have chosen LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) to Leeds then TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express).

[grahame]

Or if going left field ...

Via a Nottingham (change) on EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains - about)

[Mark A]

Aaaah. Crosscountry and Sundays. I've such fond memories some years back of waiting on Leeds station early on a Sunday morning as three consecutive Crosscountry trains were announced as cancelled* ten minutes before their arrival time... that for that forthcoming trip I've booked a return via LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about), Kings Cross and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

Mark

*Over-running engineering works, Crosscountry were running straight to Doncaster, missing out Leeds, and would have been available via a change out of an LNER service - but no one thought to tell the waiting passengers.

On finding out, I elected to abandon the considerable crowd that was finally directed to a southbound ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) train and returned to Bristol via Manchester, Crewe and then Hereford, the ticket thankfully being accepted on explanation by all train managers en route, bless 'em. :-)