Great Western Coffee Shop

Andy Mellors is to take up the position of Managing Director, Non-Franchised Businesses within FirstGroup’s Rail division. As part of this role, he will oversee Hull Trains, Tram Operations Ltd, the Group’s East Coast open access rail company which begins operating in late 2021, and other businesses outside the rail franchising programme.

Andy is currently Managing Director at South Western Railway (SWR) and will take up the role on 6 January. He will stay with SWR until that date. Mark Hopwood, currently Managing Director of Great Western Railway (GWR), will become Interim Managing Director at SWR. Mark’s role will be covered during this time by Matthew Golton, GWR’s current Deputy Managing Director.

29 Nov 2019

Andy Mellors is to take up the position of Managing Director, Non-Franchised Businesses within FirstGroup’s Rail division. As part of this role, he will oversee Hull Trains, Tram Operations Ltd, the Group’s East Coast open access rail company which begins operating in late 2021, and other businesses outside the rail franchising programme.

Andy is currently Managing Director at South Western Railway (SWR) and will take up the role on 6 January. He will stay with SWR until that date. Mark Hopwood, currently Managing Director of Great Western Railway (GWR), will become Interim Managing Director at SWR. Mark’s role will be covered during this time by Matthew Golton, GWR’s current Deputy Managing Director.

Commenting, Steve Montgomery, First Rail Managing Director, said:

“We are looking ahead to delivering our plans for more capacity and better customer experiences at all of our rail companies, including the launch of our Avanti West Coast services from 8 December.

“With this in mind, we have created a new role to oversee our non-franchised businesses – as the industry evolves this area of our business is becoming ever more important.

“Andy Mellors brings with him a wealth of experience gained over many years in the industry and has worked hard to improve services for customers at SWR since the beginning of the franchise. I wish him well as he takes forward this new role within First Rail.”

[snip]

Analysis

Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent

Mark Hopwood, the boss at Great Western, is one of the most highly regarded industry leaders, who has successfully steered Thames Valley services through a decade of massive upheaval - rebuilding Reading station, botched electrification and whole fleets of new trains, yet somehow he kept the service running.

It's an interim appointment.

But here's a thought: Mr Hopwood did a deal with the RMT at Great Western.

Most of its suburban trains run through the Thames Valley without a guard. On new trains, drivers operate the doors. All without a fuss, all without a strike.

What can he do at under-performing South Western?

Let’s just hope it is temporary and he does return to GWR.  Would be a huge loss if he didn’t.

Of course in a few months time First may not be running the GW franchise, depending on how talks are going with Dft on the next direct award.

Is Mark’s move to SWR a sign that this could be the case so that his ‘interim’ role becomes a permanent one at SWR should First not wish to continue running or not be awarded a continuation of the GW franchise?

Of course I’m totally speculating as I have no idea how talks are going.

Whatever the case may be, Mark has quite an ‘in tray’ to deal with at SWR. I feel a bit for Andy Mellors as the writing was on the wall before First/MTR took over the franchise from Stagecoach that there was trouble ahead in various forms and this has turned out to be the case culminating in a month long strike about to start.

You kind of get the impression this is a ‘make or break’ decision by the RMT to hold such a long and costly period of industrial action.

Froma report on the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50607416)

Let’s just hope it is temporary and he does return to GWR.  Would be a huge loss if he didn’t.

Of course in a few months time First may not be running the GW franchise, depending on how talks are going with Dft on the next direct award.

Is Mark’s move to SWR a sign that this could be the case so that his ‘interim’ role becomes a permanent one at SWR should First not wish to continue running or not be awarded a continuation of the GW franchise?

Of course I’m totally speculating as I have no idea how talks are going.

[snip]

Agree.
Whilst I am not entirely in agreement with some of Mr. Hopwood's views, it must be said that firstly he has had the courage to join these fora and to answer questions, rather than to hide as has been the case with some managers. And secondly he does understand railways and have an interest therein unlike some managers at some TOCs to whom it is "just another business" not fundamentally different from building houses, or running a supermarket.

Hold on a sec - we used to see those who had the "courage" to face their customers face to face at regular & well publicised "Meet the Manager" sessions at Paddington and elsewhere, without the benefit of 5 days notice to prepare answers to questions.

Not wishing to demean Graham's achievements in getting him to engage in online sessions, but let's not lower the bar too much when it comes to these matters!