getting smaller by the day.

Of the 560 reported 'thefts', how many of these items were actually just 'lost'? It can be a bit of a knee jerk reaction to report items as stolen when they were actually just left on a train. These items are often recovered and returned to the owner. No mention is made of how many of the items were subsequently recovered and returned.

Around 2000 items of lost property are recovered on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) network each month.

I think it is fair to say that members of this forum are not the target demographic for this campaign. For the intended audience I believe the campaign has gone down rather well.

When the latest Direct Award franchise extention was given, the conversation with the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) went something along the lines of "Due to all the upgrades going on, your network is going to be pretty shitty for the next few years, as such we are not going to put the franchise out to tender. It's going to be a bit of a poison chalise and nobody will want it, so if you are willing to take all the flak for things being a bit shitty, and keep all that shit away from us then you can keep running the franchise for the next couple of years until we are in a position to re-let it. And we promise not to hold the shittyness against you went it comes to the next franchise compitition."

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are doing exactly what was asked of them by the DfT, so I would argue that it's actually Stephen Doughty who is out of touch for failing to comprehend the politics of the situatuion.

It's not really about a lack of staff, it's about the ridiculous stranglehold the unions have over the railway, whereby train companies cannot compel their staff to come to work on Sundays. The services operate 7 days a week but the staff can simply choose not to work on Sundays if they don't feel like it. So TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have to bribe their workforce to turn up for work on Sundays and if they still won't come in services get cancelled. It is an absolutely ludicrous situation that the unions have no desire to do anything about.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/arriva-trains-wales-customers-lost-wallet-property-charges-a8536946.html

Interesting discussion about legality in the comments section.

The fees that ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) refer to in the article are set by Rail Delivery Group and they are the maximum amount that TOCs can charge for handling different items of lost property. The TOC is also allowed to charge an additional fee for storage of £1 per day, up to a maximum of £25.

Also stated in the guidelines "Where it is an Operator's policy to charge, items of cash will be subject to an administration charge of £2 minimum or 10% of the amount found, up to a maximum of £10"

The article fails to mention that the 10% admin fee is limited to £10.

Incidentally, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) opt to levy no charges for the storage and handling of lost property, and no admin fees are applied when returning cash.  All associated costs relating to lost property are absorbed by the company.

The biggest problem with the car park at Plymouth is the ramps to change levels. The curvature is too tight for modern larger cars and the walls are covered in scrape marks of every conceivable colour. It was designed for British Leyland Minis and Hillman Imps...

The signalers work for Network Rail.

...and the signaler responsible for changing the platform at the last minute works for a different company yet again!

It has nothing to do with an ability to manage annual leave. It's all down to the perfectly normal and valid situation whereby the entire railway workforce cannot be compelled to come to work on a Sunday. It's the Lord's day! Woe betide anyone who dares attempting to force staff to give up going to church. Strike, strike, strike! So if staff cannot be bribed into coming in with massive overtime payments then everything falls apart. Ain't railways brilliant.

Here's how I imagine this might play out... The TM^‡(resolve) will be suspended pending an investigation. The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) will release an inflammatory statement claiming 'Brother so-and-so' is being bullied and victimised. "It's not his fault, it's management's fault for not being there with him to hold his hand and tell him what to do, say and think. He doesn't get paid enough to do, say and think for himself while the Fat Cat management are lining their pockets etc etc. Renationalise Now!" The TM will then be dismissed for gross misconduct and the RMT will go into overdrive with their rhetoric, declaring a culture of bullying and victimisation. They will call for a strike of which 90% of those eligible to vote will abstain from doing so. Of the remaining 10%, 60% will vote in favour of strike action and the RMT will declare a victory with 'overwhelming' support. 4 TMs will then stand on a picket line outside of Penzance station and the RMT will bring along the national press so the world can see their solidarity for 'Brother so-and-so'. By which time everyone will have forgotten all about the original story...

Nonsense. No such thing as a 'staff Oyster'. They open the gates with a gateline 'touch' card, it just opens the gates up and has no effect on Oyster transactions.

Amazing what Marvin can find to spend our money on. It's going to be a most accessible piece of wasteland...

Does anyone have any idea what is currently being built on Arena Island? Looks like a bridge, which will presumably be moved into position once complete, but to where? And what for?

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44032015




Good to hear Mick Cash giving some good solid constructive feedback as usual.