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

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Example; person A has the virus and persons B, C, and D who were near A self isolate as instructed by the app. Persons E, F, and G, then hear of this and and go near A. Screenshot no help here as the instruction really was received.

Unless you have a time machine to travel back and go near "A" while he's still on the loose, don't see how this would work, even if E F and G were devious enough.

[TaplowGreen]

Of the long distance routes, mainly London-Devon affected with crew shortage cancellations today, but on the face of it, not too bad given the warnings issued last night..............we shall have to see how many more (un)fortunately timed isolation notices get issued today, and of course the BBQ/football factor tomorrow.

Given that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s warning only suggested COVID isolation rather than general staff shortage as an issue however, perhaps the plan re: Sundays is holding up and we will be be spared the carnage tomorrow that has been predicted?

06:38 Bristol Parkway to Penzance due 11:41
08:35 London Paddington to Paignton due 12:05
08:55 Paignton to London Paddington due 12:09
09:04 Plymouth to Paignton due 10:09
10:35 London Paddington to Paignton due 13:47
10:56 Paignton to London Paddington due 14:09
11:28 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa due 13:28
12:35 Lawrence Hill to Severn Beach due 13:09
12:56 Paignton to London Paddington due 16:22
13:59 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 15:59
14:36 London Paddington to Plymouth due 18:01
14:56 Paignton to London Paddington due 18:09
16:04 London Paddington to Plymouth due 19:21
16:10 Par to Newquay due 16:55
16:36 London Paddington to Paignton due 19:48
17:15 Newquay to Par due 18:00
18:13 Par to Newquay due 19:06
18:35 Westbury to Swindon due 19:24
18:59 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington due 20:59
19:08 Newquay to Par due 19:59
19:34 Swindon to Westbury due 20:16

[grahame]

but on the face of it, not too bad given the warnings issued last night ...

Hmmm ... patchy. Dire for places like Pewsey ...

08:55 Paignton to London Paddington due 12:09
10:56 Paignton to London Paddington due 14:09
12:56 Paignton to London Paddington due 16:22
14:56 Paignton to London Paddington due 18:09
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

09:29 to 19:25 gap in trains Eastbound at first glance (and second glance may reveal further problems).   Similar westbound problems.  No indication of any alternatives, such as extra stops on the expresses, replacement buses, or extension of the Bedwyn shuttle to Westbury on Journey check.

[bobm]

The 09:04 and 11:04 Paddington to Penzance are both making extra calls at Pewsey according to journey planners but do not appear on Journeycheck.

EDIT:  they do now!  Added while I was typing the above.

[Timmer]

Extra calls being made at Newbury, Pewsey and Castle Cary but not so much at Westbury.

Of course Westbury does have the advantage of connecting to London services either via Bath or the Transwilts. Even so, the loss of so many direct services to/from London, though not affecting vast numbers of passengers using Westbury is still not a good service today.

[TaplowGreen]

From National Rail - summarising long distance GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) arrangements tomorrow - nb most Penzance/Plymouth - London services are showing fully booked;

Night Riviera Sleeper services

The Night Riviera Sleeper services are cancelled, you may use your ticket for travel on an earlier train on Sunday 11th July or for travel on the following day Monday 12th July.

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
21:15 Penzance to London Paddington
 

Train services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads, Weston-super-Mare & Plymouth

14:56 Plymouth to London Paddington via Bristol Temple Meads at 17:02 will be cancelled.
18:27 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington will be cancelled
20:15 Weston-super- Mare to London Paddington will be cancelled
16:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads will be cancelled
17:30 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare will terminate at Bristol Temple Meads
20:30 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare will be cancelled.

Train services between London Paddington, Westbury, Exeter St Davids, Plymouth and Penzance
Train services from London Paddington:

08:00 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids will be cancelled.
09:13 Plymouth to Penzance will be cancelled
12:02 London Paddington to Penzance will be terminated at Exeter St Davids.
14:37 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids will be cancelled.
15:03 London Paddington to Plymouth will call additionally at Pewsey, Westbury and Castle Cary.
16:03 London Paddington to Penzance will be cancelled.
19:04 London Paddington to Plymouth will be cancelled.
 

Train services to London Paddington:

10:16 Penzance to London Paddington will be cancelled.
14:13 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington will be cancelled.
12:16 Penzance to London Paddington will start at Plymouth.
15:18 Penzance to London Paddington, will call additionally at Castle Cary, Westbury and Pewsey.
17:40 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington will be cancelled.
17:50 Penzance to London Paddington will start at Exeter St Davids.
 

[bobm]

Night Riviera Sleeper services

The Night Riviera Sleeper services are cancelled, you may use your ticket for travel on an earlier train on Sunday 11th July or for travel on the following day Monday 12th July.

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
21:15 Penzance to London Paddington

Customers already booked for the sleeper were contacted individually on Friday to warn them it was a possibility the services might be cancelled.

[broadgage]

A very poor performance indeed, both as regards the sleeper, and more generally.
Blaming it on self isolation due to covid sounds better than saying "normal Summer staff shortages" Or suggesting that the new trains could be at fault.

"The West Country is open" but don't try to travel by train.

[TaplowGreen]

Night Riviera Sleeper services

The Night Riviera Sleeper services are cancelled, you may use your ticket for travel on an earlier train on Sunday 11th July or for travel on the following day Monday 12th July.

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
21:15 Penzance to London Paddington

Customers already booked for the sleeper were contacted individually on Friday to warn them it was a possibility the services might be cancelled.

I see that there's a 2350 service scheduled (in its place?) Paddington- Plymouth tomorrow night. Realistically the only option for those going to Wembley & planning to return to the Westcountry.

It's already listed as fully booked. I guess the nightmare scenario for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is an England defeat and lots of unhappy fans arriving back at Paddington with no means of getting home....that could get quite unpleasant.....perhaps there are plans to run another, even later service as a contingency?

[broadgage]

Example; person A has the virus and persons B, C, and D who were near A self isolate as instructed by the app. Persons E, F, and G, then hear of this and and go near A. Screenshot no help here as the instruction really was received.

Unless you have a time machine to travel back and go near "A" while he's still on the loose, don't see how this would work, even if E F and G were devious enough.

It would require that A alerts E F and G promptly before A goes home to watch the football self isolate.

[IndustryInsider]

I see that there's a 2350 service scheduled (in its place?) Paddington- Plymouth tomorrow night. Realistically the only option for those going to Wembley & planning to return to the Westcountry.

It's already listed as fully booked. I guess the nightmare scenario for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is an England defeat and lots of unhappy fans arriving back at Paddington with no means of getting home....that could get quite unpleasant.....perhaps there are plans to run another, even later service as a contingency?

Do you think many people would be watching the match at Wembley and wanting to get back to Exeter or beyond late that evening?  I can't see more than a trickle at the most.

[IndustryInsider]

Example; person A has the virus and persons B, C, and D who were near A self isolate as instructed by the app. Persons E, F, and G, then hear of this and and go near A. Screenshot no help here as the instruction really was received.

Unless you have a time machine to travel back and go near "A" while he's still on the loose, don't see how this would work, even if E F and G were devious enough.

It would require that A alerts E F and G promptly before A goes home to watch the football self isolate.

I'm not sure making such elaborate and fanciful suggestions does your credibility much good, Broadgage.

Especially as we've already established many staff can just make themselves unavailable (with 5 days notice), or if really desperate, just throw a conventional sickie.

[grahame]

I see that there's a 2350 service scheduled (in its place?) Paddington- Plymouth tomorrow night. Realistically the only option for those going to Wembley & planning to return to the Westcountry.

It's already listed as fully booked. I guess the nightmare scenario for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is an England defeat and lots of unhappy fans arriving back at Paddington with no means of getting home....that could get quite unpleasant.....perhaps there are plans to run another, even later service as a contingency?

Do you think many people would be watching the match at Wembley and wanting to get back to Exeter or beyond late that evening?  I can't see more than a trickle at the most.

Following morning I suspect. Advance tickets on the 06:37 and 07:04 available at £53.20 to Exeter, mind.  Then best fare on the 08:04 and 09:04 is £140.00

[TaplowGreen]

I see that there's a 2350 service scheduled (in its place?) Paddington- Plymouth tomorrow night. Realistically the only option for those going to Wembley & planning to return to the Westcountry.

It's already listed as fully booked. I guess the nightmare scenario for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is an England defeat and lots of unhappy fans arriving back at Paddington with no means of getting home....that could get quite unpleasant.....perhaps there are plans to run another, even later service as a contingency?

Do you think many people would be watching the match at Wembley and wanting to get back to Exeter or beyond late that evening?  I can't see more than a trickle at the most.

The fact that it's flagged as sold out and only stops at Reading, Exeter and Newton Abbot before Plymouth suggests it'll be busy into Devon, and I note it goes on to Penzance - IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) instead of sleeper to fit more people on I guess?

[bradshaw]

SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) seem to have joined in.

 https://twitter.com/sw_help/status/1413875664948695043?s=21

Due to high levels of Covid-related absences, services on Sunday may be subject to short-notice cancellation.

We are sorry if this impacts your journey and urge all customers to check before you travel at: southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey