Meltdown ...

[whole diary]

[grahame]

As seen at 07:00 this morning (9 August 2017), prior to any other changes during the day.

Sunday 6th August - 19:32 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa via Melksham cancelled
Monday 7th August - 17:36 Swindon to Westbury cancelled at Melksham
Wednesday 9th August - 07:33 Westbury to Swindon cancelled
Wednesday 9th August - 08:49 Swindon to Westbury cancelled
Wednesday 9th August - 09:48 Westbury to Swindon cancelled
Wednesday 9th August - 10:47 Swindon to Westbury cancelled
Wednesday 9th August - 11:47 Westbury to Swindon cancelled
Wednesday 9th August - 12:47 Swindon to Frome cancelled

We are concerned if cancellations exceeded 5 in a 28 day period.   Assuming nothing more gets cancelled later today, this is 8 in 4 days.   That’s not *just* over the cancellation concern rate - it’s more than 8 timed the rate!   Against another measure, it’s a 11.2% cancellation rate / 88.8% running against typical targets of 98% at the very lowest that are set.

There are three separate “incidents” over the 4 days - so no mitigation is saying it was “just a bad incident”.  One is bad luck, two could be regarded as unfortunate co-incidence, three is a pattern than can and should be addressed - not just in words but in deeds.  7 out of the 8 cancellations are reported as lack of train crew - on a line that First have been running for twelve years … and one a failed train.

It’s “unmarketable" in this form.

I appreciate that the immediate response can and only will be in words. But we need actions to be taken too if we’re not going to see trains - when they do run - having lots of empty seats that could be gaining revenue!

What we can do as a CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) / community to help services get back down to the cancellation rates specified in places like the franchise / management contracts. - I am getting to my wit's end and would appreciate ideas.

[Timmer]

Lack of train crew isn't just affecting weekends now, it's also affecting weekday services. Are First recruiting more guards/drivers for West services.? If they aren't they jolly well need to. Day after day of train cancellations due to lack of train crew is unacceptable and First's responsibility to sort out.

[John R]

Briefly looking around, it seems to be the only line affected in the area. I think you have very just cause for raising with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) senior management and pointing out the impact of cancellations on a line which completely wipes out a service rather than leaving just a half hour gap to the next train.

[bobm]

The 05:49 Westbury to Portsmouth Harbour was also cancelled due to lack of staff.

The 11:47 Westbury to Swindon and 12:47 return have now been reinstated but with the earlier cancellations I fear the damage, for today at least, has been done.  Unfortunately I won't be around but I wonder how heavily loaded the 17:36 ex-Swindon will be.

[grahame]

The 05:49 Westbury to Portsmouth Harbour was also cancelled due to lack of staff.

The 11:47 Westbury to Swindon and 12:47 return have now been reinstated but with the earlier cancellations I fear the damage, for today at least, has been done.  Unfortunately I won't be around but I wonder how heavily loaded the 17:36 ex-Swindon will be.

And the 09:47 round trip also re-instated.

Spirit on the 17:36 last night was remarkably good considering it had missed out Melksham the night before, and it was well loaded:

[bobm]

And the 09:47 round trip also re-instated.

[/quote]

That's interesting - disappeared from Journeycheck but not yet had a text confirming it.  (Have had for the cancellations earlier and for the re-instatement of the 11:47).

[phile]

There is a program of training on Turbos which has to be done.

[grahame]

There is a program of training on Turbos which has to be done.

And this has come as a surprise to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) ??

[LiskeardRich]

It stems to poor management, there is no two ways about it.

On the other hand a large the sceptic in me says, a large number of cancellations hitting numbers means it's not performing well on passenger numbers let's cut,

[bobm]

07:33 Westbury to Swindon and 08:49 return both cancelled again this morning.

Frustrating.

[grahame]

For the record - Meltdown again on Saturday 19th, with three out of eight TransWilts services cancelled in each direction.  Sunday 20th better, though frankly others were suffering - at Westbury off the 10:11 arrival from Swindon, the connections to both London and Weymouth were cancelled, and the 10:58 Cardiff train started at Wesbury rather than coming up from further south.

One excellent "result" ... the service from Swindon was about 15 late into Westbury, and the Penzance service was held for people to make the connection.  Excellent call be someone, in contrast to what I reported on 5th with two trains moving alongside the platform - the late arriving train drawing to a halt as the connection pulled out on time! 

THANK YOU someone for getting it right on 19th; the real solution is to run services on time. Second best is to allow a short hold where a connection is very tight indeed into an infrequent service.  Having the infrequent service pull out when the arriving train is in site was third rate!