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32
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All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: Nice work if you can get it ??
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on: March 25, 2024, 06:01:45
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The Sunday Times, which the BBC» cites, says it is a flat £600 in place of £125 plus an hourly rate, which they don't specify. That's not how the BBC put it; they say both are in addition to the driver's salary. But as an extra day, it would be - wouldn't it?
Unless they mean, but neither exactly says, that the day is paid an additional standard day's salary (i.e just time), and this bonus is on top. The Sunday Times does quote £67,000 for four days per week - which for 48 weeks is 67,000/192 or £350 per day. So £600 flat is up from £475 average, if that's what it means, and it probably does as it is plausible. £950 average would up up much more!
The £125 is a rest day working premium paid on top of a minimum 8 hours pay at their normal rate (or whatever the length of shift is if over 8 hours). That worked out at a minimum of £421. |
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34
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All across the Great Western territory / Smoke and Mirrors / Re: Notification of different standards - Bedwyn and Melksham
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on: March 24, 2024, 13:01:20
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There are several reasons, but the key one, which IIRC▸ Mark Hopwood confirmed, is that trains diverted through Melksham are exactly that. Diverted. And already facing a lengthy delay as a result.
The likes of Hungerford are on the line of route, so the only delay is for the station stop.
Whether it’s right or wrong, Mark does not want a further 2-3 minute delay on an already very late service that would result from the station call at Melksham. And of course that also affects the number of diverted trains that can be squeezed through per hour on the lengthy single line section, which is why the local service is axed in the first place.
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35
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Rail unions strike action 2022/2023/2024
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on: March 23, 2024, 11:25:26
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Yes, I think we’re kind of in agreement…though we’ll have to get you a Broadgage style bingo card.  It’s all about letting everyone know ASLEF» are still in dispute occasionally, but until the Tories are ousted there will be no real likelihood of a settlement, and fair play to ASLEF for not ruining the big Easter getaway for the all important leisure market. |
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38
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Rail unions strike action 2022/2023/2024
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on: March 22, 2024, 17:10:48
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I take it that they at least get a day off in lieu for working a Bank Holiday?
The GWR▸ drivers (and GWR HSS▸ grade ones as well) don’t get any days off in lieu. IIRC▸ bank holiday lieu days for drivers were removed going way back to the last century. Even Christmas Day/Boxing Day come out of a drivers annual leave unless they happen to be off that day anyway. Yes, it would all have been negotiated at the time as part of a pay rise, but does help demonstrate that a headline salary doesn’t always tell the full story as it doesn’t in many jobs in many industries. |
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39
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Rail unions strike action 2022/2023/2024
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on: March 21, 2024, 10:10:03
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Yes, GWR▸ drivers used to get an enhancement of 0.25 for bank holidays but that was removed several years ago as part of a pay deal. So, Good Friday and Easter Monday are flat rate pay and Easter Sunday is just a ‘normal’ Sunday with a 0.25 enhancement.
Avanti are the same, but I guess some other TOC▸ ’s may still have some form of an enhancement, but even then I doubt it’s a particularly lucrative one.
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45
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Briefing on forthcoming changes - from GWR on 14.3.2024
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on: March 17, 2024, 01:10:41
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The relief train to Plymouth and the resulant superfast run of the regular Penzance train are for the summer only. The extra train has other things to do come the autumn. The path IS being kept so that it can be run again when appropriate amd there's a train to do it. So not really a long term thing for Plymouth.
There is what I read as widespread early concern amongst the informed and interested in the community, and indeed in GWR▸ , at the effect the closures for six years over the Christmas period - ranging from 2 days some years to 18 years in other years - is going to upset passengers, as will extra stops if they are to be aded thereafter at Old Oak. There is a feeling that the new station will bring very few benefits / new travel opportunities to GWR passengers who are having to "pay" for it with extra disruption and slower journeys. But I suspect at the end of the day people will just put up with the disruption and slowing, with the wider community getting a bit upset nearer the time it actually happens, but then learning to live with the changes that are permanent.
How much MPs▸ are briefed, by who, whether they choose to take these briefings / inputs further and what they look to achieve by doing so will vary between them. It was very interesting to see the different ways our local MPs in Wiltshire and BaNES reacted to the news that well used through services to and from London were to be withdrawn, and the murky and dirty way that had been decided. Some made very strong and public inputs in support of the services (not that it saved the services), other talked of going in to see the minister and raising it with him - but the way this was reported left it very unclear as to whether the MP in question had made a strong input on our behalf, or had assured the minister that if he stuck to his guns it would blow over.
Thanks for providing an objective, informed and reasonable answer to my question, Graham. Though I think you meant 18 days and not 18 years! Still waiting any more insight as to whether the 19:04 is being badly crowded with Reading passengers on a Friday? |
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