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

[whole diary]

[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.

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?

I think that very few tickets would have been available for advance sale, as is the case for other services at the moment, as Graham indicated here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=25144.msg307795#msg307795

So, given the sleeper has very limited seating, and still has to comply with the social distancing restrictions in that link, ‘sold out’ probably means very little and I don’t think many people would take the risk of just turning up.

If it does run as an IET then I think that will provide amble accommodation.

[TaplowGreen]

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  

Had to laugh at that reply! 

[Timmer]

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  

Judging by the responses to this tweet people aren’t buying that the absences are covid related. Cynical lot rail users are. 

Maybe if it had said due to covid and the football it might have been more believed.

[phile]

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  

All TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) and NRE^‡(resolve) are saying COVID or self isolating rather than telling the truth.  I think it will eventually emerge into the open regarding the match
Judging by the responses to this tweet people aren’t buying that the absences are covid related. Cynical lot rail users are. 

Maybe if it had said due to covid and the football it might have been more believed.

[Lee]

The big day has finally arrived!

#Got your bike on
Reserved the space
On an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train)
Don't give up your place
Got your day trip planned
To Centre Court
But your train's cancelled
They've run it short

Express cancelled?
Let's run it short
Pullman cancelled?
Send broadgage some port
TransWilts cancelled?
Can grahame be bought?
Call the Pickfords up but don't get caught

They've got the trains in motion
There's no end to what they can do
They've got the trains in motion
And we can't believe it's true

At St Philip's Marsh
There's no-one there
Laira deserted too
Both depots bare
Across the west
They drink to England's health
But no toast for Mark
He'll drive those trains himself

Express cancelled?
Stick a Turbo on
Newquay cancelled?
Paging Richard Burningham
Severn Beach cancelled?
Don't tell Julie Boston
Let's get First Bus on the phone

They've got the trains in motion
From Truro, Taunton and Tenby
They've got the trains in motion
Even Pilning too next week

You get the units out
And put them on the right lines
They can be slow or fast
But they must get there on time
Lee will always mock you and rock you
With an annoying song
But look what happened to them
Last time the French won

So catch us if you can
Cos I'm the Great Western man
And what you're looking at
Is our emergency plan
Westbury rugby fans
Will put the Melkshams on
Three Trains at least today
So grahame can't go wrong

We've nearly made it
Here we come!
Outskirts of London
Journey's nearly over
Here we come!
Arriving early at Paddington#

[grahame]

From my London - a more rounded view of the factors behind the anticipated thinning of services today.

England fans face widespread travel disruption tomorrow (July 11) on their way to and from the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

This is after multiple train lines have announced cancellations, a large portion of which are the result of a spike in staff self-isolating, according to the Telegraph.

Other issues include delays to one company's driver training scheme caused by the pandemic and an agreement with trade unions which means that it is 'voluntary' for drivers to work on Sundays.

Unsurprisingly, many staff are also reported not to want to miss the final for work despite being offered a good overtime deal.

Away from travel to and from the match, I would think that passenger volumes will be relatively low today and the loss of alternate trains on services that normally run more than once an hour is regrettable but understandable and a even a sensible move if not done at the last minute.

[Lee]

From my London - a more rounded view of the factors behind the anticipated thinning of services today.

England fans face widespread travel disruption tomorrow (July 11) on their way to and from the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

This is after multiple train lines have announced cancellations, a large portion of which are the result of a spike in staff self-isolating, according to the Telegraph.

Other issues include delays to one company's driver training scheme caused by the pandemic and an agreement with trade unions which means that it is 'voluntary' for drivers to work on Sundays.

Unsurprisingly, many staff are also reported not to want to miss the final for work despite being offered a good overtime deal.

Away from travel to and from the match, I would think that passenger volumes will be relatively low today and the loss of alternate trains on services that normally run more than once an hour is regrettable but understandable and a even a sensible move if not done at the last minute.

Interesting that the "more rounded view" comes from a "Trainee Reporter", rather than My London's Transport Correspondent, who I recall that you are not the greatest fan of.

[TaplowGreen]

Epidemiologists have announced that they suspect the emergence of a new COVID variant (provisionally categorised as TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)-BBQ) which is necessitating mass isolation of those affected.

It is thought to have evolved suddenly last week - around 10pm on Wednesday - in a particularly sophisticated way and only affects one group - English rail crew on certain days of the week - it's feared to be particularly virulent this weekend - symptoms appear to have emerged on Friday evening and the science suggests that it will be short lived - any illness will disappear miraculously on Monday although there may be a severe headache if excessive liquid is taken.

Those employed in all other sectors as well as rail crew in Wales and Scotland seem to have been unaffected and able to continue as normal.

 

[broadgage]

And the means by which this new variant spreads shall be known as the "broadgage effect"

[Sleepy]

Noticed no departures from Penzance after the 1616 for FIVE hours  wonder how many were caught out, wonder if bus ticket acceptance for local journeys was in place ?

[IndustryInsider]

Noticed no departures from Penzance after the 1616 for FIVE hours  wonder how many were caught out, wonder if bus ticket acceptance for local journeys was in place ?

Most trains I’ve seen today seemed as quiet as this thread has been today.

[bobm]

Looks like the sleepers are running.  Empty stock from Reading just about to arrive in Paddington. 

[TaplowGreen]

And the means by which this new variant spreads shall be known as the "broadgage effect"

That would suggest it came in via a Port.

[jamestheredengine]

20:30 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare will be cancelled

Interestingly they stuck the Chippenham and Bath Spa stops into the 2043 to Swansea instead.

[IndustryInsider]

Hard luck, England.  No shame in losing on penalties.  Wishing a safe and incident free journey home to the fans of both sides, and shame on those ‘fans’ who broke through security and into the ground.  I was able to watch most of the match in the end.

Finally, let’s spare a thought for Lee who must’ve put a lot of effort into his poem with only two ‘likes’ so far.