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Author Topic: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway since September 2017 - ongoing discussion  (Read 424602 times)
phile
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« Reply #210 on: December 14, 2017, 21:45:08 »

Henley on Thames finishing the day with buses due shortage of drivers.   Many LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) services cancelled for this reason.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #211 on: December 14, 2017, 22:00:52 »

Henley on Thames finishing the day with buses due shortage of drivers.   Many LTV (London [and] Thames Valley) services cancelled for this reason.

Merry Christmas from GWR (Great Western Railway)......make your own way home!
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #212 on: December 15, 2017, 08:43:28 »

......a flavour of the "feedback" received by GWR (Great Western Railway) last night as a result of them being unable to manage their workforce effectively and cancelling numerous late night services on one of the busiest evenings of the year......this from a personal friend who is not given to hyperbole

"......In nearly 30 years of commuting I have never experienced conditions like this evening. As a company you should be embarrassed to treat your customers like that...."

............from what I understand at one point train drivers on 3 carriage trains at Paddington (which idiot was responsible for only sending 3 car units in these circumstances?) were radioing control begging them to send more carriages for trains which were packed beyond the point of overcrowding 10 minutes before departure (this has been confirmed by GWR staff) - fights to get on trains, people left on platforms after last trains had left, no sign of any "customer service" staff.....naturally..............I wonder if any of this will feature in Hopwood's next Powerpoint presentation?
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #213 on: December 15, 2017, 13:01:58 »

I assume this is referring to the later evening trains?  Expect the same or similar every night until Christmas, as I have little faith in any appropriate response from senior management.

For the late evening services, my suggestion would be temporary diagrams with selected advance notice cancellations and a minimum of 6-car length trains that do run, to apply until 22nd December.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #214 on: December 15, 2017, 16:20:12 »

I assume this is referring to the later evening trains?  Expect the same or similar every night until Christmas, as I have little faith in any appropriate response from senior management.

For the late evening services, my suggestion would be temporary diagrams with selected advance notice cancellations and a minimum of 6-car length trains that do run, to apply until 22nd December.

Yep, roughly 10pm onwards............as for senior "management", I couldn't agree more.....they've all been too busy [snip - GE], preaching about future glories rather than dealing with mundane little things like having enough drivers to get their customers home............here's our anonymous friend on a rare excursion from the Boardroom at the GWR (Great Western Railway) Christmas party, taking his turn on the Karaoke..........apparently he chose "Midnight Train to Georgia" but sadly it had been cancelled as no driver was available!

It will be interesting to see how things pan out tonight, probably the biggest party night of the year, I see one of the peak Maidenhead services and a mid evening one have already been cancelled.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2017, 05:57:55 by grahame » Logged
grahame
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« Reply #215 on: December 15, 2017, 18:43:14 »

I assume this is referring to the later evening trains?  Expect the same or similar every night until Christmas, as I have little faith in any appropriate response from senior management.

For the late evening services, my suggestion would be temporary diagrams with selected advance notice cancellations and a minimum of 6-car length trains that do run, to apply until 22nd December.

Yep, roughly 10pm onwards............as for senior "management", I couldn't agree more.... [snip]

It will be interesting to see how things pan out tonight, probably the biggest party night of the year, I see one of the peak Maidenhead services and a mid evening one have already been cancelled.


I have been asked if the text I have snipped has crossed the line and become a personal attack.  You might like to consider going back and editing your post?     The question of copyright on the image has also been raised - it looks very much like one of mine, but I don't recall giving permission, nor attending any GWR (Great Western Railway) Christmas Party.

Edit to add ... 12 hours later, I have gone back and snipped a handful of words which had coe to key attention from multiple sources as being over the top.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2017, 06:00:27 by grahame » Logged

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« Reply #216 on: December 15, 2017, 19:08:27 »

No comment about the copyright question but a personal attack?? Really?
The comments were directed towards the head of the company that this message board was set up to discuss - a person who has presided over operational failures that are accelerating not reducing and, most relevant of all, has completely withdrawn all means of customer feedback whilst enjoying self-congratulatory industry backslaps.
If Mark Hopwood had any courage at all he would meet his customers at Paddington station one evening, and then he might understand the pent up anger that his customers feel towards him and his management team. Until then he may have to cope with some needling on here.
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grahame
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« Reply #217 on: December 15, 2017, 19:22:13 »

Until then he may have to cope with some needling on here.

Appreciated.  And indeed I probably snipped more than I needed in quoting back.  I loved the cancellation of the midnight train to Georgia, for example ...
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #218 on: December 15, 2017, 19:46:13 »

No comment about the copyright question but a personal attack?? Really?
The comments were directed towards the head of the company that this message board was set up to discuss - a person who has presided over operational failures that are accelerating not reducing and, most relevant of all, has completely withdrawn all means of customer feedback whilst enjoying self-congratulatory industry backslaps.
If Mark Hopwood had any courage at all he would meet his customers at Paddington station one evening, and then he might understand the pent up anger that his customers feel towards him and his management team. Until then he may have to cope with some needling on here.

I have heard a rumour that

GWR (Great Western Railway) proved too much for the man,
So he's leavin' the life he's come to know,
He said he's goin' back to find
Ooh, what's left of his world,
The world he left behind
Not so long ago.

.........but I can't confirm it unfortunately 😜
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FremlinsMan
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« Reply #219 on: December 15, 2017, 21:55:39 »



I have heard a rumour that

GWR (Great Western Railway) proved too much for the man,
So he's leavin' the life he's come to know,
He said he's goin' back to find
Ooh, what's left of his world,
The world he left behind
Not so long ago.

.........but I can't confirm it unfortunately 😜

Does anyone know roughly what time he'll be leaving?
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #220 on: December 16, 2017, 00:16:07 »

I’m sure it’s fingers crossed for the new timetable in Jan.  I think if that works, he’ll stay, if not he’ll be gone...
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a-driver
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« Reply #221 on: December 16, 2017, 08:24:29 »

I’m sure it’s fingers crossed for the new timetable in Jan.  I think if that works, he’ll stay, if not he’ll be gone...

He won’t be going until First give up the franchise.... and they will because who would want it. The new IET (Intercity Express Train)’s and the failed electrification project have pushed operating costs through the roof. There would have to be some big commitments from the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) to get any interest in the franchise.
First have done well with the little assets they were allocated with by the DfT and I say that from someone who has recently left the company.
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Electric train
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« Reply #222 on: December 16, 2017, 08:28:35 »

I assume this is referring to the later evening trains?  Expect the same or similar every night until Christmas, as I have little faith in any appropriate response from senior management.

For the late evening services, my suggestion would be temporary diagrams with selected advance notice cancellations and a minimum of 6-car length trains that do run, to apply until 22nd December.

This does mean the TOC (Train Operating Company) has to go to DfT» (Department for Transport - about) and admit they are unable to run the agreed service which would likely mean financial penalties and payments to NR» (Network Rail - home page) for access; they don't get hit for running short trains 2 car instead of 5 and can live with the odd cancellation as they get cancelled out by NR delay attribution.

I’m sure it’s fingers crossed for the new timetable in Jan.  I think if that works, he’ll stay, if not he’ll be gone...

I hope they have it right, willing to give a few days to allow what is a major operating change to bed in.

The transition to a new type of traction and the cascade of existing stock to elsewhere is always challenging for a TOC and NR.   The short form DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) trains in the TV is a result I suspect of the 165 going west add to that the 180 progressively going off hire, the staff at OOC (Old Oak Common (depot)) having to maintain HSTs (High Speed Train) yet they know the closure of the depot is oh so close, the storing of the new trains.

Add on top of that all the training of staff, its not only drivers but all the train crew as well; the fitters in the depots all needed to be trained on the new train, Hitachi having to recruit there recruitment ground being OOC and having to compete with TfL» (Transport for London - about) and other London train maintenance depots.  Even station staff need training in the dispatch etc of the new trains.

And keep a "normal" service running ................................ its a big task
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #223 on: December 16, 2017, 10:39:09 »



I have heard a rumour that

GWR (Great Western Railway) proved too much for the man,
So he's leavin' the life he's come to know,
He said he's goin' back to find
Ooh, what's left of his world,
The world he left behind
Not so long ago.

.........but I can't confirm it unfortunately 😜

Does anyone know roughly what time he'll be leaving?

Depends on the Pips - they're speaking to the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) apparently, not happy about working weekends.
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ellendune
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« Reply #224 on: December 16, 2017, 14:09:42 »

I’m sure it’s fingers crossed for the new timetable in Jan.  I think if that works, he’ll stay, if not he’ll be gone...

I hope they have it right, willing to give a few days to allow what is a major operating change to bed in.

The transition to a new type of traction and the cascade of existing stock to elsewhere is always challenging for a TOC (Train Operating Company) and NR» (Network Rail - home page).   The short form DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) trains in the TV is a result I suspect of the 165 going west add to that the 180 progressively going off hire, the staff at OOC (Old Oak Common (depot)) having to maintain HSTs (High Speed Train) yet they know the closure of the depot is oh so close, the storing of the new trains.

Add on top of that all the training of staff, its not only drivers but all the train crew as well; the fitters in the depots all needed to be trained on the new train, Hitachi having to recruit there recruitment ground being OOC and having to compete with TfL» (Transport for London - about) and other London train maintenance depots.  Even station staff need training in the dispatch etc of the new trains.

And keep a "normal" service running ................................ its a big task

Of course it is and that is why DfT» (Department for Transport - about) have kept renewing FGW (First Great Western)/GWR (Great Western Railway)'s franchise because it would be an even bigger risk for anyone else and so they might not have got any bidders. 
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