Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway since September 2017 - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[lordgoata]

Similar crew shortage problems today causing cancellations/foreshortenings, to which are added an additional number of short formations from Penzance/Plymouth - Paddington (5 instead of 10), ensuring some extremely uncomfortable journeys.

Not that it is any consolation, but all the Great Northern trains from Kings Cross to Cambridge were also cancelled due to lack of train crews today, so its not just GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). Did mean I got to experience a different route out of Liverpool Street with Greater Anglia, but thats not something I wish to repeat, the train was so old I was surprised it didn't fall apart on the way...

[grahame]

Similar crew shortage problems today causing cancellations/foreshortenings, to which are added an additional number of short formations from Penzance/Plymouth - Paddington (5 instead of 10), ensuring some extremely uncomfortable journeys.

Not that it is any consolation, but all the Great Northern trains from Kings Cross to Cambridge were also cancelled due to lack of train crews today, so its not just GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). Did mean I got to experience a different route out of Liverpool Street with Greater Anglia, but thats not something I wish to repeat, the train was so old I was surprised it didn't fall apart on the way...

I followed up and got rather dragged off topic looking far wider - so I have split the topic.  Looking at crew shortages and where the railway might be going in coming years ... http://www.passenger.chat/22668

[a-driver]

I would argue that Hitachi should lengthen a few of the 5 car units to 9 car at their expense.
As compensation to the customer for not meeting the promised levels of availability and the consequent overcrowding.
We fairly regularly see a dozen or more half length trains a day, perhaps three or four diagrams.
Lengthening 4 of the 5 car units to 9 car would greatly reduce short formations.

It might be worth GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) paying for additional lengthening, but it seems reasonable for Hitachi to pay for the first few.

Well Hitachi have made no bones about the fact they want a rail franchise.....

[IndustryInsider]

A handful of HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) cancellations today due to train crew shortages.  That might not seem too bad, but it bodes very badly for the summer on Sunday's if they can't muster up enough crew on a late January to operate the advertised service!

[TaplowGreen]

All cancelled - no crew. Rather fortunate that Wales are playing in Dublin today.

Several foreshortenings as well.

A number of the Welsh services that are running are 5 instead of 9/10 too which won't help.

11:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 13:40
12:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 14:14
12:49 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 14:44
13:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 15:18
13:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 15:43
14:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 16:14
14:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 16:41
15:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 17:12
15:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 17:40
16:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 18:12
16:51 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 18:44
17:51 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 19:44
18:47 London Paddington to Swansea due 21:33
19:47 London Paddington to Swansea due 22:31

[Timmer]

All cancelled - no crew. Rather fortunate that Wales are playing in Dublin today.

First silly thought I had was that was the reason for the high number of cancellations on services to and from South Wales was because they wanted to stay home and watch the match on the telly! But Saturday is part of the working week so it must be down to high levels of staff sickness.

When I saw the list I thought is it Sunday as that’s what I’m expecting to see tomorrow; possibly much longer.

[TaplowGreen]

All cancelled - no crew. Rather fortunate that Wales are playing in Dublin today.

But Saturday is part of the working week so it must be down to high levels of staff sickness.

In rugby circles it's known as "International Flu", and tends to strike around this time of year every year, always at weekends (for some reason!) 

[a-driver]

I think with the forecasted storm tomorrow and the blanket speed restriction across virtually the entire network ticket restrictions have been lifted so passengers can travel today or Monday which won’t help.
I understand they have planned for major disruption with crew diagrams abandoned. Trains will just run when they’re available and then crewed accordingly

[IndustryInsider]

Indeed, expect a lot of delays tomorrow as 50mph restrictions are being enforced in several areas due to the exceptional winds expected.

[IndustryInsider]

All cancelled - no crew. Rather fortunate that Wales are playing in Dublin today.

Several foreshortenings as well.

A number of the Welsh services that are running are 5 instead of 9/10 too which won't help.

11:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 13:40
12:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 14:14
12:49 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 14:44
13:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 15:18
13:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 15:43
14:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 16:14
14:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 16:41
15:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 17:12
15:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 17:40
16:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 18:12
16:51 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 18:44
17:51 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 19:44
18:47 London Paddington to Swansea due 21:33
19:47 London Paddington to Swansea due 22:31

These Cardiff’s are all additional trains to what used to run on Saturday‘s up until December.  It doesn’t look good for weekend travel over the summer if they can’t find crew for them in February.  Had the rugby been on I’m sure other routes would have suffered instead.

[TaplowGreen]

All cancelled - no crew. Rather fortunate that Wales are playing in Dublin today.

Several foreshortenings as well.

A number of the Welsh services that are running are 5 instead of 9/10 too which won't help.

11:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 13:40
12:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 14:14
12:49 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 14:44
13:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 15:18
13:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 15:43
14:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 16:14
14:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 16:41
15:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 17:12
15:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 17:40
16:17 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 18:12
16:51 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 18:44
17:51 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 19:44
18:47 London Paddington to Swansea due 21:33
19:47 London Paddington to Swansea due 22:31

These Cardiff’s are all additional trains to what used to run on Saturday‘s up until December.  It doesn’t look good for weekend travel over the summer if they can’t find crew for them in February.  Had the rugby been on I’m sure other routes would have suffered instead.

I thought Saturdays were part of the working week? Why therefore would there be a problem finding crew for them?

It'd be interesting to know where all the missing crew were today.

As for tomorrow, at least there seems to be some communication taking place;

https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information

Absolutely no excuse for trains being shortformed in these circumstances

[Timmer]

As for tomorrow, at least there seems to be some communication taking place;
https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information

A sensible thinning out of the timetable given the forecast giving the best chance of running something usable. However that will be subject to what affect the weather has on the network in our part of the world.

[a-driver]

I thought Saturdays were part of the working week? Why therefore would there be a problem finding crew for them?

It'd be interesting to know where all the missing crew were today.

Would be interesting to know if these cancellations are all Swansea based diagrams, there seems to be very few other mass cancellations affecting other depots.  This would indicate an issue such as depot rosters/diagrams have not been agreed between GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and the union and they’re working on emergency rostering.

[IndustryInsider]

As for tomorrow, at least there seems to be some communication taking place;

https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information

Absolutely no excuse for trains being shortformed in these circumstances

No IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) short forms currently listed.  There may well be tomorrow though depending on what ends up where at the end of the day as stock will be all over the place compared with the base diagrams.

[old original]

Cornish branch lines losing a few services today and that's without having to run the St Ives. Half term??