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Author Topic: IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues  (Read 544048 times)
broadgage
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« Reply #390 on: March 23, 2018, 13:27:16 »

Todays list of short train formations train formation updates includes several 5 car instead of 10 car due to "more trains than usual needing repairs"
Presumably these are 5 car IETs (Intercity Express Train) instead of 5+5 car IETs. Are Hitachi paying penalties for this, or is there some wiggle room ?
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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« Reply #391 on: March 23, 2018, 16:35:01 »

The 1730 out of Paddington last night ran as a 5 car. A fellow commuter was on a 5+5 some weeks ago with one half out of service. That was due to lack of trained crew though.
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stuving
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« Reply #392 on: March 23, 2018, 19:53:20 »

Todays list of short train formations train formation updates includes several 5 car instead of 10 car due to "more trains than usual needing repairs"
Presumably these are 5 car IETs (Intercity Express Train) instead of 5+5 car IETs. Are Hitachi paying penalties for this, or is there some wiggle room ?

As I recall, the performance regime as written in the MARA (Master Availability and Reliability Agreement) & TARA (Train Availability and Reliability Agreement) only applies to the full fleet. However, there may be something that applies at this stage lurking among all those words.
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YouKnowNothing
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« Reply #393 on: March 29, 2018, 17:19:57 »

I've been trying to find the TOC (Train Operating Company) performance targets but I'm sure they are not published. I also remember seeing a report on a different TOC lambasting the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) for changing the target. Does anyone have a link to these?
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stuving
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« Reply #394 on: March 29, 2018, 17:55:11 »

I've been trying to find the TOC (Train Operating Company) performance targets but I'm sure they are not published. I also remember seeing a report on a different TOC lambasting the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) for changing the target. Does anyone have a link to these?

Do you mean the details of how performance affects franchise payments to/from DfT, as well as breach conditions? There is lots of that - more than it's easy to make sense of - in the franchise agreement itself, mainly in schedule 7 (from p 306).
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bobm
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« Reply #395 on: March 29, 2018, 18:11:04 »



I know what they mean, and I expect you do too - but would the average passenger?
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YouKnowNothing
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« Reply #396 on: March 29, 2018, 18:21:40 »

The targets are agreed with ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) but I remember reading a report late at night about a TOC (Train Operating Company) (think it was GTR Southern) and the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) changing the targets without publication. The report was chasterising the parties. I have a funny feeling it was a NAO report. I want to do an FOI (Freedom of Information) to see if GWR (Great Western Railway) has had its target changed and the rations for the change. It will give some creed to a party accepting the liability for the recent driver debacle.
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stuving
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« Reply #397 on: March 29, 2018, 19:27:39 »

The targets are agreed with ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) but I remember reading a report late at night about a TOC (Train Operating Company) (think it was GTR Southern) and the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) changing the targets without publication. The report was chasterising the parties. I have a funny feeling it was a NAO report. I want to do an FOI (Freedom of Information) to see if GWR (Great Western Railway) has had its target changed and the rations for the change. It will give some creed to a party accepting the liability for the recent driver debacle.

I don't think ORR have any role in franchising at all. DfT have what they call the Public register of rail passenger franchise agreements, which they describe thus:
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Rail franchise agreements are legally binding contracts between the Secretary of State for Transport and franchisees.

These rail franchise agreements are published as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The franchise agreements are redacted as determined by the Secretary of State under the exemptions permitted by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Franchise agreements published on GOV.UK (United Kingdom) may not be the most current documents held by the department.

So they are agreeing with you that negotiated changes to the agreements may not be public. However, since they acknowledge the public's right to see them, they should answer a direct question as to whether there is a newer version and why they have not posted. Well, logically they should, if that counts for anything.
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YouKnowNothing
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« Reply #398 on: March 30, 2018, 07:07:51 »

You're right. The targets are agreed with the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) with the ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) holding Network Rail to account 

"A primary role for us is to enforce consumer law and compliance with the conditions contained in Network Rail’s and train operators’ licenses, to help ensure that all rail users get the service to which they are entitled"

I think I'm going to need to do so more digging. It has really annoyed me that there has been no public announcement about the problems. Have any other forum users had any correspondence from any of the parties involved? I noticed that they have not organised a meet the manager since the problems escalated in October 2017.
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phile
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« Reply #399 on: March 30, 2018, 11:13:52 »

You're right. The targets are agreed with the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) with the ORR» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) holding Network Rail to account 

"A primary role for us is to enforce consumer law and compliance with the conditions contained in Network Rail’s and train operators’ licenses, to help ensure that all rail users get the service to which they are entitled"

I think I'm going to need to do so more digging. It has really annoyed me that there has been no public announcement about the problems. Have any other forum users had any correspondence from any of the parties involved? I noticed that they have not organised a meet the manager since the problems escalated in October 2017.

As I think I have posted already, I E-Mailed Mark Hopwood direct requesting a Media statement but an acknowledgement  came back from Customer Services on his behalf with the cut and paste reply that they would reply in due course.  I gave up any escalating as I sensed I would get nowhere..
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YouKnowNothing
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« Reply #400 on: April 04, 2018, 22:10:29 »

Over the past few days there seem to be less trains cancelled for driver shortages but a lot more trains short formed??? Especially the 10 carriage ones operating as 5 carriage trains.... Driver shortage over but now a shortage of crews??

There also seems to be more carriages out for maintenance at the moment or is this just a smokescreen for the other franchises have started to get the trains promised from the redistribution of the GWR (Great Western Railway) fleet?
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #401 on: April 04, 2018, 22:20:17 »

Over the past few days there seem to be less trains cancelled for driver shortages but a lot more trains short formed??? Especially the 10 carriage ones operating as 5 carriage trains.... Driver shortage over but now a shortage of crews??

There also seems to be more carriages out for maintenance at the moment or is this just a smokescreen for the other franchises have started to get the trains promised from the redistribution of the GWR (Great Western Railway) fleet?

I think there's been more trains "than usual" in for repair for at least 18 months now, so God knows what constitutes "usual" (again GWR always avoid that question) the baffling thing is that the trains are much newer now, so why do they constantly need repair?
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Richard Fairhurst
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« Reply #402 on: April 04, 2018, 22:25:39 »

First time today that I've travelled on an IET (Intercity Express Train) with the reservation displays/lights in use.

Unfortunately they were showing reservations for a previous journey in the opposite direction (I was travelling Charlbury-Oxford, the reservations were for Paddington-Oxford and similar), but still, baby steps...
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YouKnowNothing
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« Reply #403 on: April 05, 2018, 05:59:50 »

How about.... we know there is a problem with the quiet carriage signs were working on a solution.... since October... here's a solution buy some vinyl off eBay with the word quiet carriage on it. It doesn't take 6 months
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broadgage
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« Reply #404 on: April 07, 2018, 10:03:42 »

Half length IEPs (Intercity Express Program / Project.) seem to be a regular event now, it is starting to look a bit like the voyager introduction.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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