Yet more hand me downs and cast offs being used by the West side of the business.

Statement of fact.

The part of the former SW&W which eventually became Wessex Trains is the only TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) from 1994 that has never had any brand new rolling stock built for them. EVER!

Other companies cast offs, 150/1s and 175s.
Redeployed stock Turbos.
And the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) on the Cardiff WofE services which they were never designed for or originally planned to be used on.

This SSO is primarily done because the Oompey behind is only a 2 or 3 car vice 5. Anyone for Filton or BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) to change at BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains).

I remember on my handling in 1994 driving the 0730 Cardiff Pompey several times as a 2 car and barely half a dozen people standing coming down Filton Bank. How times change.

Around 18 months to two years ago the ability to buy privilege rate tickets online became available. As an experiment I looked up London (any) to Birmingham (any).

I think over 20 options were shown ranging from £8 to £110! And this is with 75% off.

Luckily I was on a BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) box that day but if it's a minefield for staff then how are the passengers supposed have the correct ticket for the journey being made?

Exactly my point. You can't buy a ticket for one plane then try to board another. So why do some passengers try do that with advance purchase train tickets?

As one of the dying breed that is lucky enough not to pay to travel or get a 75% reduction I feel complete sorry for those who do have to work out the cheapest way to complete a train journey. And even more sympathy for those whose job it is to carry out ticket checks and trying to tell the difference between those who have made a genuine mistake which in my experience is around 35% and those who know exactly what they are doing and have every intention of....

Buying a rail card ticket without the correct rail card.
Wrong number of passengers on a groupsave ticket.
And the regular abuse, advance purchase tickets then travel on the train the passenger wants to be on.

And the worse passengers are those who know they are in the wrong but abuse the person doing the ticket checking whether face to face or on social media.

And this could affect the ticket checkers. A person may be more towards sympathy then gets verbally assaulted or is given a telling off by a guards manager and becomes hard skinned then goes towards full fare single irrespective of the circumstances.

Thankfully quite a lot of passengers pay when caught and is it a geniue mistake and therefore pay the excess or a deliberate attempt to fare dodge and therefore full fare single on top of what has been previously paid? Again a minefield. If the excess is paid there's normally a warning which the deliberate fare dodger will ignore, try it on and if I loose out I'm paying the correct fare. But then the next ticket checker goes straight to full fare single and along comes the abuse because the fare dodger doesn't want to pay over the original price.

Something I remind the staff, the process on buying a ticket requires a box to be ticked stating the terms and conditions have been met BEFORE card details are entered.

Dear Passenger,

This ticket is for the 2332 to Bristol. You are on the 1732 'ow much peak time train.

Pull this stunt at an airport.

I believe ticket simplication has been on the agenda for how many years?

Looking at today and tomorrow irrespective of time of day the České Dráhy fare on the commuter belt from Pardubice to Praha is 213 Kč with a couple of reservation compulsory trains which are an extra 35 Kč. Turn up and board any train whether next stop Praha, a semi fast or an all stops. The distance is around 63 miles or 104 km.

The main private operator, RegioJet are charging between 114 Kč and 204 Kč 2nd class. This company does not allowing standing on board, no seat reservation equals no boarding. And it is enforced.

And I was the very lucky driver sent to Westbury to bring the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) back to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)). I had a fitter with me who I had to help with the brake continuity test. I then ran at a top speed of ten MPH from Westbury with a requirement for 5 MPH over point work at fittings due to the wheelset damage. I ran non stop and it took over 3 1/2 hours to complete the journey. I was doing the required 5 MPH from the trailing crossing at St Anne's the rest of the way into BTM. I parked the set in the up through unintentionally leaving the damaged power car opposite what is now the main gateline.

I made sure of a couple of pints from the (un)kind controller who volunteered me for this task.

It was more difficult holding ten MPH than 125!

Many thanks for your kind comments.

And nationwide the next big shortage of staff.

Early 2000s there was a recruitment drive with lots of people late 30s or early 40s in a second career. Mainly ex forces but also other operational jobs, NHS, police etc. 2 decent pension pots.

Also the last of the BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) staff will be getting ready to finish.

Try to replace all that knowledge and experience.

Apologies for the long reply.

The shortage of train crew on the majority of TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) goes back to May 1994. And yes, I'm being serious.

This is when all depots were split up into TOCs ready for privitisation.

So at this time train crew could only drive traction and routes TOC specific.

Taking Bristol Bath Road for example.

That was split into GWT, Cross Country, Regional Railways and RES. Also at Bath Road there was no RDW (Rest Day Work) agreement for drivers.

RES very quickly worked out that money could be made by hiring out drivers on weekends so a RDW policy was quickly implemented and drivers could keep previous traction and route knowledge.

Then along came DRI (Driver Restructuring Initivitive) where the old basic wage with non pensionable allowances and bonuses were considilated into a clean salary. Part of this included a reduction from 39 to 37 hours. But unfortunately no TOC took on extra drivers to cover the additional staff needed. So next up came poaching. Why run a drivers course at great expense and not no how the driver will turn out when you can cherry pick the best from other companies?

Unfortunately Wales and West were unable to convince qualified drivers to move, in fact drivers were leaving for GWT, VXC^▸ (Virgin Cross Country - former franchise) and SWT^▸ (South West Trains). Summer of 98 the drivers didn't wish to do RDW at bare time so the MD of W+W decided to give an interview to the South Wales Echo slagging off the drivers for having the cheek to enjoy the additional time off from the job. Never mind the minor fact that exactly zero driver's courses had been run for 4 years.

The next shortage that came to notice was in 2002/3 when Wessex trains came into being. We were around £5k behind FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) so drivers were passing out, doing around 9 months to a year trouble free driving and moving to an Intercity TOC. Negotiations took place and over a 15 month period Wessex trains gave the drivers a 30% payrise in exchange for a few terms and conditions. Also on Wessex Trains we became the 2nd TOC to get the 35 hour week and 104 rest days a year.

So when the Greater Western franchise was created, or in the eyes of FG the unwanted Sprinters were taken on, the 35 hour for Wessex staff was eyed up by HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) drivers on the 37 hour week. Management immediately capitulated but the additional drivers weren't recruited. The only way to run the service was RDW which Ailson Forster was completely against and the best MD of a TOC was eased out.

Finally the voluntarily Sundays. Put properly into the working week. But this needs an additional 17% extra crew to be taken on and with a mixture of franchise lengths and justifying the cost this will never happen. So on HSS Sundays are voluntary whilst for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff they are enforced overtime. Add in crew that are Sunday exempt, booked Sundays in the middle of fortnights leave or Sundays before and after leave there are plenty of vacancies.

I'll give you a clue.

Graham took plenty of pictures.

From a long time lurker.

I took very early retirement last September after 33+ years on the railway, nearly 29 as quite probably your chauffeur.

I started off as BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) (RIP) before being TUPEd to SW&W, W+W, Wessex then to First Group.

Voted remain but thankfully allowed to emigrate to the EU^» (European Union - about).

Plenty of memories and information in the brain still...  If OK and inside the rules of this forum I wish to reply to old comments as I may have either been involved or have additional information regarding an incident.

And there's a thread on this forum with me in a starring role.

First post from a very long time lurker.

The main advantages of using České Dráhy.

I don't get warned about the lack of tactile paving or sloping platforms.

I don't get warned about the dangers of facing to stand behind the yellow line.

I don't get continually told to keep an eye on my luggage.

I don't get continually told to report suspicious activity.

At most minor stations you need to cross the track to get to the station exit.

I can easily get used to this....