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31
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2019 - TransWilts cancellation and amendments log
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on: August 21, 2019, 13:51:29
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Unfortunately it comes down to the fact that Westbury-Swindon services are easiest to cancel. I believe most are crewed in a round trip which makes things a whole lot easier to get rid of. When it comes to HSS▸ cancellations it comes down to Cheltenham because it is mainly crewed by Reading and Paddington who do a round trip on it, where as Bristol crews tend to take it back to Stoke Gifford at Cheltenham.
Duty Cards and Schedules do amaze me!
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38
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2019 - TransWilts cancellation and amendments log
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on: August 18, 2019, 13:26:39
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GWR▸ have set up a new driver's grade which includes Sundays as part of the working week. All new recruits go into that grade. Existing drivers have been offered incentives to join the grade (and therefore have Sundays in their contracts).
Some have taken up the offer but others, particularly those near the end of their service, have opted to remain with their current conditions. This is particularly the case at Plymouth and Penzance depots apparently.
I am not sure what arrangements are being made for guards/train managers.
As for guards, there is currently work going into Conductors and Train Managers being brought into a grade of On Board Train Manager. Currently TMs‡ work HSS▸ services and Conductors work shorter journeys, but whether this will go through depends on whether Train Managers vote for it as they currently earn about 6k more than Conductors. |
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40
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: December 2019 timetable recast
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on: August 18, 2019, 11:44:08
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Will we possibly see 10 car formations operating on the South and North Cotswold lines? I’ve also noticed that 9 car IETs▸ are now being signalled into Gloucester platform 1 where they previously wouldn’t fit but there has since been improvement works.
Are you sure about nine-car IETs in Platform 1 at Gloucester? I’ve not heard of the restriction being lifted. A look on RTT» and it’s showing Paddington bound services using the platform. Also, a NR» Manager seemed to think that they were moving the points to accommodate longer trains. |
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42
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All across the Great Western territory / Meet the Manager / Re: August 2019 / Welcome to "Meet the Managing Director"
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on: August 16, 2019, 19:51:10
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I accept that we can not live in the past and understand that a certain amount of downgrading is unavoidable when new trains are introduced. IETs▸ however contain so many backward steps.
....... the whole thing feel like a regional DMU▸ and not an inter-city train.
The IETs (as designed for GWR▸ ) seem to have been designed specifically for the London to Bristol corridor (i.e as a middle-distance commuter train) with little, or no consideration, for the longer distance traveller. I disagree with that. Whether travelling only as far as Swindon or the entire journey to Paddington, I feel that my experience should remain the same and that the trains are built for a variety of journeys. Many people do travel from Paddington all the way to Penzance/Swansea, however, these trains also carry passengers travelling to and from intermediate stations. I am a great fan of the HST▸ and will miss them. However, should we be defining Intercity travel in the same way we did 40 years ago? |
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44
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All across the Great Western territory / Fare's Fair / Re: Seatfrog comes to GWR
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on: August 15, 2019, 12:18:19
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Pragmatically, couldn't that still earn you a Penalty Fare if you sit in First Class with it ?  I think so but what happens if you want to upgrade by excessing the fare? According to the "rules" I assume you have to sit in Std Class until your ticket has been upgraded. Which goes against what the "rules" say about getting a Weekend First on the train.......perhaps you only get a Penalty Fare Mon - Fri if you sit in First with a Std ticket ? I remember TMs‡ announcing the upgrade and telling passengers to “make their way down to coaches (etc) and will make their way through shortly. |
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45
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: December 2019 timetable recast
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on: August 14, 2019, 20:55:37
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West sector services I don’t know well enough to be able to express an opinion.
I certainly have my concerns over HSS▸ sector trains - especially at weekends when there is a substantial increase in trains, particularly Sundays where we often struggle as documented on here.
I’m aware that there are depots in the West where Drivers and Conductors are learning to Paddington, well at least according to a Gloucester driver.. I think they’re learning the IETs▸ , I doubt they’ll learn the route to Paddington. To sign a route the drivers need to have booked work over that route. There are defiantly drivers learning to Paddington. |
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