Controlled chaos at Reading tonight

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

Not sure which board this suits as the problem was at reading but affected a good number of services to elsewhere

The 16xx service to Shalford was *intelligently* platformed at 5 due to who knows what.  Which was probably ok except that the guard erm - didnt show up.  Several tannoy announcements saying can the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) guard working the 2O?? please make your way to platform 5.  Took about 20 minutes before he showed.

In the mean time the only up platform was 4 because there was a freight train on the line at 9 and 8 was in constant use with locals/other ups

So at least one Pad bound HST^▸ (High Speed Train) went through 4 delaying all the other down services.

My 1657 at least made up some time

Bet he won't be a popular person tomorrow

[super tm]

Service was going to be cancelled.  New set was found so had to start from platform 5.  Suspect the guard was told their train was cancelled so went to get something to eat and then had to be fouind when reinstated.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for that useful information, super tm.

Hopefully, contacting FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff in such cases will be easier, once they have all been issued with their company Blackberries.

CfN. 

[JayMac]

Oooh....company Blackberries. Can they be issued with a product from Apple as well? Could make a nice pie then. 

[inspector_blakey]

Hmm...I thought that guards were issued with pagers or company mobiles already, which assuming the controller had the relevant number should have solved the apparent problem. I'm not sure what additional purpose a Blackberry serves - maybe the controller can write a message on the staff member's facebook wall  

I suppose a less flippant answer is that they could be useful for staff to look up info off the interweb for passengers. It's often struck me as a bit ironic when waiting at an unstaffed station (Keynsham in particular, prior to new CIS^▸ (Customer Information System)) that someone sitting at a computer in Ulan Bator, or indeed anywhere else, could get more up-to-date information on the train I was waiting for than I could.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, inspector_blakey!

That is exactly why FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are spending ^600,000 on providing their customer-facing staff with company-issue Blackberries.

[super tm]

Thanks, inspector_blakey!

That is exactly why FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are spending ^600,000 on providing their customer-facing staff with company-issue Blackberries.

Are they really.  I have not got one and dont know when I will get issued one.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Perhaps you've been naughty this year, so you won't be getting any Christmas presents, super tm? 

No, seriously: Kevin Gale, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Operations Director, told us at the TravelWatch SouthWest meeting in Taunton on 9 October 2010, that FGW will be issuing Blackberries to their staff.

Chris. 

[JayMac]

Surely it's to late to be issuing blackberries this year. Their season tends to run from late August to mid October.

Although good on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) management for doing their bit to promote the '5-a-day' by dishing out soft fruit to staff.

 

(Shall I stop with the silly fruit/phone confusion?)

[SDS]

Can confirm no blackberries, (or apples or oranges) have been issued to staff at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains).

Some TMs^‡(resolve) have got an O2 xda mantle, which acts as a phone and a pager. Others make do with a Nokia and a seperate pager.

[Ollie]

Can confirm no blackberries, (or apples or oranges) have been issued to staff at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains).

Some TMs^‡(resolve) have got an O2 xda mantle, which acts as a phone and a pager. Others make do with a Nokia and a seperate pager.

I'd assume it will only be given to on train staff.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, Ollie! 

Yes - perhaps I should have made it even clearer - but I understood, from what Kevin Gale said, that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) on-train customer-facing staff will be issued with a company Blackberry.

This is intended to resolve those situations where staff have previously had rather limited information to give out to passengers, in times of perturbation, and have then been challenged by passengers with access to the internet who have pointed out, "That's not what it says on your own website!", etc. 

I hope this clarifies the point.

Chris. 

[JayMac]

So the Train Managers will now be able to say (and show), "Ahh, but this it what it says on our staff only website" (The Manual.)

So no real change in times of perturbation (nice word - had to look that one up  ) , unless and until, all systems, both public and private, start saying the same thing.

I look forward to the day of unambiguity.  

[Commuting Bookworm]

That is exactly why FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are spending ^600,000 on providing their customer-facing staff with company-issue Blackberries.

So reading this thread, am I right in believing that once these Blackberries have been dished out to the train staff, us passangers can look forward to being kept in the loop regarding delays? When will this be? Train delayed (Reading - Basingstoke 0707) again today by 15 mins, do not know why! Getting to the point where I expect it now. Have warned my boss, and do not anticipate getting a full lunch hour in the forseeable future  becuase need to make time up! Thanks FGW...................

Edited to fix quote. bnm

[devon_metro]

Hmm...I thought that guards were issued with pagers or company mobiles already, which assuming the controller had the relevant number should have solved the apparent problem. I'm not sure what additional purpose a Blackberry serves - maybe the controller can write a message on the staff member's facebook wall  

I suppose a less flippant answer is that they could be useful for staff to look up info off the interweb for passengers. It's often struck me as a bit ironic when waiting at an unstaffed station (Keynsham in particular, prior to new CIS^▸ (Customer Information System)) that someone sitting at a computer in Ulan Bator, or indeed anywhere else, could get more up-to-date information on the train I was waiting for than I could.

Blackberries have 'Blackberry messenger' which is a free service very similar to facebook chat or instant messenger for example. Assume would be useful to conveying information.