Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory => Meet the Manager => Topic started by: grahame on November 02, 2019, 10:37:52



Title: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 02, 2019, 10:37:52
As posted on Facebook - ((here)) (https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeShopCRP/photos/a.2247872375459869/2502455246668246/) Meet the Managing Director – Mark Hopwood, MD of GWR, answers questions online here on 5th November 2019 starting at 17:00 – via http://gwr.passenger.chat/b48

This is our passenger forum; the questions are asked by passenger and will focus on timetable and fare changes coming next month. The Master of Ceremonies will be member "Red Squirrel" (hence the picture).  The forum (including the "Meet the Manager" board) is public readable, and any registered members can comment /follow up on questions during or after the session.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/mtmfourpix.jpg)

Questions asked at our last "Meet the MD" session in August... and so excluded from 5.11.2019... can still be read, and members can post follow ups if they wish. 
1. Future "Meet the Manager" sessions at major stations?  http://gwr.passenger.chat/22017
2. Decarbonising local railways http://gwr.passenger.chat/22018
3. Trolley service on IETs http://gwr.passenger.chat/22019
4. When things go wrong http://gwr.passenger.chat/22020
5. Are the jobs of train guards secure? http://gwr.passenger.chat/22021
6. Finally: Three wishes! http://gwr.passenger.chat/22022
Do note that even outside Meet the Manager sessions, GWR staff do read the forum and whilst most of our content is to inform members, occasionally (including last week) we see GWR making adjustments to some issue that has been highlighted.

Squirrel picture - Creative Commons license from Peter Trimming - https://www.flickr.com/photos/peter-trimming/6583159839/ , original source at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_squirrel#/media/File:Squirrel_posing.jpg . Other images - copyright Graham Ellis (grahame on the forum) . Have we included enough for you to work out the locations?


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: ellendune on November 02, 2019, 12:56:28
Have we included enough for you to work out the locations?

No 4 is Swindon Platform 3


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: Surrey 455 on November 02, 2019, 19:52:04
Is No 2 Brownsea Island?  ;D


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: rogerw on November 02, 2019, 19:56:23
No 1 Dilton Marsh


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 02, 2019, 22:47:51
So we have ....
1 - Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire
2 - Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve, Isle of Wight
3 - Hilton Hotel, Paddington, London
4 - Swindon, Wiltshire


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 15:31:25
Checking the questions - YES
Checking the server - YES
Checking Connectivity - YES
Checking my own supply of coffee ... hang on - fresh pot needed.

90 minutes to showtime!

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/mhtau19.jpg)


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 16:37:30
In just under half an hour, Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of Great Western Railway will be here on the Coffee Shop to answer your queations and to follow up on them "real time".   I'm here as the "warm up act" to set the scene before passing on to your host Red Squirrel for the session at 17:00.

From 17:00, and at 10 minute intervals, Red Squirrel will post questions (each in a new thread) that member have raised. Mark Hopwood, MD of GWR will follow that up with an answer, and then discussions will follow.  Mark's already aware of the questions - members reall don't want to sit around waiting while initial answers are typed, but after that initial answer we go interactive.  Mark will be accompanied by our admin BobM in GWR HQ in case of techincal forum issues, and also by a couple of experts on niche topics which we know are coming up.

Questions were submitted in a variety of ways - mostly via personal messages to "moderators" as requested, but also some by other routes (colateral spray?).  As far as I'm aware, everyone who's asked a question will find it cropping up in some form this evening; questions have been combined to avoid repetion, deviation (or hesitation?). The final couple of questions and their answers will be dropped in shortly before we finish - we may be short on discussion time, but they'll allow us to ensure that we have a response from GWR to everything which we can then chat about long into the night.

So - visit the loo, go grab a cup of coffee, sit down in your favourite chair, position your laptop on your knee and its cable so that it's not a trip hazard to others around you, and enjoy an information packed hour of good-natured discussion about GWR and its products and services.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 16:59:17
A splash of light ... a flash so bright ... and a huge hand please for Mark Hopwood and for Red Squirrel who will be your MC introducing the questions ...


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: MarkHopwood on November 05, 2019, 17:06:13
Thanks Grahame! Looking forward to the discussion.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 17:26:51
From BobM ... the scene before the session started - I'm sure Mark's looking far busier now!

Thought you would like a look inside!

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/mhmh10201911.jpg)


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: rogerw on November 05, 2019, 18:03:17
As the hour is now up I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark for his honest answers to the questions raised. I am sure he will be watching for any other points raised during responses.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: MarkHopwood on November 05, 2019, 18:06:36
RogerW - many thanks


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 18:07:17
Seconded . thank you for that post, Roger

From me, many thanks from behind the scenes, Mark, Bob and Tim Red Squirrel ... some very useful answers and discussions which I'm sure members will carr on into the evening.  I know last time you came back and did a quick mop-up review a day or two after the enevt - can I ask if you could do the same again this time?

It strikes me that this session has raised really heartfelt concerns and issues - and Iook forward to 15th Decmeber and beyond going well.   Certainly we wish GWR well at and beyond the challenging time.  And we really appreciate you coming here his eening, Mark and a big Thank you to the backup team too.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 18:08:57
As the hour is now up I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark for his honest answers to the questions raised. I am sure he will be watching for any other points raised during responses.

Note posted here in addition to the bookmark post.  Mods - you may wish to delete one of them

Tidy to come.  Never mind the coffee - I need a brandy!  I will lock this thread to avoid dilution

Edit - threads now merged and unlocked


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: MarkHopwood on November 05, 2019, 18:14:10
Thank you very much for your questions through the Forum and the opportunity to reply to your comments.  I hope you found it useful and look forward to repeating this session again in the near future if you wish. 

Mark


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 18:25:45
A summary of the topics raised this evening - links to each of them

1. Availability of staff and trains  - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22414
2. After the timetable change - what next? - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22415
3. Speed to London v. Network Reliability - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22416
4. Bus/Train integration - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22417
5. Timetable changes affecting availability of off peak fares - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22418
6. Mis-ticketing - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22419
7. Sexual harassment on public transport - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22420
8. Finally, an invitation! - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22421


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 18:47:22
Follow up links on social media -

Shared on Twitter via
https://twitter.com/CoffeeShopCRP/status/1191787780671705088
https://twitter.com/CoffeeShopCRP/status/1191787393180950529

And on FaceBook via
https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeShopCRP/photos/a.2247872375459869/2505451993035238/

Please feel (very free!) if your a member of either of those sites to share / retweet

Numbers of both members and guests rose significantly during "Meet the Manager" - some immediate figures the system gives me can be a bit misleading though. At midnight, certain clever computers much the daily stats and I'll be able to report a lot better about how we did in the morning!


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: 0lg4 on November 05, 2019, 19:40:56
OK, so I missed the opportunity to ask the question this time. But if there is another occasion, please could you ask GWR to clarify exactly who should "authorise" the stopping of IETs in Pilning, and what the correct process would be to request that GWR clear Hitachi Class 800s to call at Pilning?

I refer to the article in Thornbury Gazette  https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/18012186.dispute-changes-one-pilnings-two-trains-week/ (https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/18012186.dispute-changes-one-pilnings-two-trains-week/) where GWR said: "Unfortunately we are not authorised to call our new Intercity Express Trains at Pilning".

Thank you.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 20:10:35
But if there is another occasion, ...

Keep your eyes peeled here, and on Facebook and on Twitter where it's flagged up well in advance - twitter and Facebook handles are in a post Just above these in this thread.   I will try to remember to flag you personally too but am getting old and forgetful.  If you are a frequent poster by now, you'll see what I have been doing today as well as the forum.

Now - where's this?  - one that isn't make it into the "From the Train Window" quiz:

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ftw_201910_31.jpg)

That pathway leads up to a road ... a symmetric path down the other side (for the road bridges the railway), a couple of modular platforms, and Robert's your mother's brother!  There's even a bus service on that road.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: Western Pathfinder on November 05, 2019, 20:15:11
On the up approaching Pilning Westgate ,the proposed site of.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: 0lg4 on November 05, 2019, 20:28:27
That's the NR compound in Pilning village. The idea to relocate the station looks great on paper. However, the local consensus is still such that the station should stay where it is - away from the village, closer to the Wave, and easier to get to from the M5 and Thornbury.

We checked with GWR too, seeking their opinion. They were rather elusive, but reading between the lines, we drew the conclusion that a station so close to the Severn tunnel might cause a massive bottle neck (due to the speed restrictions on the loops, among other things), unless the tracks are relaid to allow a wider angle.


Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 05, 2019, 20:37:26
If you are a frequent poster by now, you'll see what I have been doing today as well as the forum.

Two more posts and you will be.  Of course, you might not want to know what I have been doing today, but regular posting of the angle from your home area helps keep it on the radar.

We checked with GWR too, seeking their opinion. They were rather elusive, but reading between the lines ...

There's often a point in campaigning for something better that you get that sort of thing ;D - I got the same thing when I asked for improvements.  I've just been in a Facebook conversation with one of our regular users who works shift patterns and is typically on what is supposed to be the quietest train of the week - reporting it to be carrying nearly twice the average number of passengers needed over all the trains. 





Title: Re: Meet the Managing Director - 17:00 on 5 Nov 2019
Post by: grahame on November 06, 2019, 07:32:42
Meet the Manager - the morning after.

A huge "Thank You" to Mark Hopwood for visiting yesterday evening, answering questions asked in advance, and then picking us right away on follow up comments and questions.  Big thanks to the others who were there assisting Mark in Swindon - both from GWR and from the forum on the technicl side.  Thanks also to our moderator MC, to other moderators who were also around (with, as planned, no more than a watching role). And thanks to the 30 or so members and 100 or so guests who read and perhaps commented during the hour.  As well as visitors arriving during the hour, many other were there waiting as we started, and here on the forum during the evening,  All the threads remain open for further follow up and comment.

Our forum - using the Community Rail wording - is sometimes a critical friend (personally I prefer "candid friend"), and at the moment our community has a number of concerns - some in terms of what's happened already (or not happened) and some in anticipation of changes that are being flagged up for the next months making us nervous.  So the session had some hard talk in addition to some really useful information; realically the more "casual" viistors will have majored on the information, and the regulars who are / were already aware of most of this will have been looking at the hard talk, and (in places) issues that remain hard this morning.

What we discussed, with reply count to midnight:
1. Availability of staff and trains  - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22414 (12 replies)
2. After the timetable change - what next? - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22415 (6 replies)
3. Speed to London v. Network Reliability - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22416 (8 replies)
4. Bus/Train integration - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22417 (3 replies)
5. Timetable changes affecting availability of off peak fares - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22418 (5 replies)
6. Mis-ticketing - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22419 (3 replies)
7. Sexual harassment on public transport - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22420 (1 reply)
8. Finally, an invitation! - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22421 (3 replis)
And this overall / management thread - http://gwr.passenger.chat/22421 (21 replies)
The final thread includes a "Thank you" to Mark with 15 members signing to endorse that. (and signing is members only, not guests who have no way to register their thanks)

I was planning as I started to write to summarise each thread here, but have changed my mind ... better to follow up on each thread; there are a couple of things I need to follow up on, some great answers and some (frankly) disappoining, while appreciaiating the difficult position that Mark's role puts him in having masters in the Department for Transport, at First group HQ, in his operational and management staff, in his passengers and in the wider and regional communities that GWR provides a key economic and quality of life element.



Numbers off Google analytics
620 users on Tuesday, v 410 on Monday,
937 sessions v 694 on Monday
Peak 120 users in the hour, v 57 in the peak hour on Monday
Peak 95 sessions in the hour, v 51 in the peak hour on Monday
Note - hourly data is dangerous; we don't know which hour people are counted in - for an arrival at 16:45 and a departure of 18:15 we know it's counted once for 16:00, one for 17:00 or once for 18:00.

Numbers off our server
In the flow - 28 logged in members present during seseion v around 10 a couple of hours before & after
139 new posts, v 67 on Monday

Numbers off Twitter
113 impressions to follow up with 24 readers acting on impressions (e.g. click to read more)
Multiple tweets before the sessions - no easy data (to my twitter knowledge) for them; o
one noted that was well shared and reached 3000 impressions
Estimate (no better) total 5000 impressions, 300 acted on

Numbers off Facebook
98 people reached by follow ups, with 63 engagements
Prior to session - 07:00 on 5.11 - 1742 reached, 112 engaged
Prior to session - 09:00 on 4.11 - 124 reached, 16 engaged
Prior to session - 10:30 on 2.11 - 126 reached, 52 engaged

Note - our Twitter and Facebook presences are recent and intended just as waymarks to the forum
Our numbers / membershps are targetted at the forum so other numbers are low quality icing on the cake.




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