Exeter to/from Waterloo - Saturday, 4th September

[whole diary]

[Witham Bobby]

I am not convinced that filling with diesel as is complex as "the railway" seem to think it is.
Diesel fuel is non volatile and low risk. Car and truck drivers handle it routinely without special training.
Car drivers are even allowed to handle petrol without training, a far more dangerous fuel.

Having had the pleasure of visiting Rossmore Road Depot, adjacent to Marylebone. in the days of Class 115 DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) on the Banbury and Aylesbury routes, I can confirm that the DMUs were routinely refuelled by drivers - moved from siding to fuelling road, and either back again or out into traffic, with the driver getting out from the cab and doing the job.  I'm not sure if this was official, or simply a convenient way of working.  But it was definitely done.

[JayMac]

Toilets, cleaning, fuelling, inspecting, maintaining, marshaling...

I get the impression some think that SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) are lying about staffing problems. I have it on good authority that Salisbury TMD^▸ (Traction Maintenance Depot) is severely under staffed at present. They are having to concentrate their rostering efforts on the weekday service. There simply aren't the numbers at present to take up rest day work or overtime.

And despite trying to concentrate efforts on the weekday service there were still cancellations today (Monday 6th September 2021) due to staff shortages.

Add in the problem of a driver shortage too...

[PhilWakely]

I get the impression some think that SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) are lying about staffing problems. I have it on good authority that Salisbury TMD^▸ (Traction Maintenance Depot) is severely under staffed at present. They are having to concentrate their rostering efforts on the weekday service. There simply aren't the numbers at present to take up rest day work or overtime.

And despite trying to concentrate efforts on the weekday service there were still cancellations today (Monday 6th September 2021) due to staff shortages.

Add in the problem of a driver shortage too...

Interesting to note that stations east of Salisbury, together with the Romsey loop had a full service on Saturday with no cancellations.

[ChrisB]

Be a little silly to use those available drivers west of Salisbury if there was then no/little way of getting from there towards Basingstoke/London?

[RichardB]

Be a little silly to use those available drivers west of Salisbury if there was then no/little way of getting from there towards Basingstoke/London?

Chris, I hope you are not saying what happened west of Salisbury on Saturday was in any way acceptable.  It wasn't and I very much hope it was a one off.

[ChrisB]

Not at all….just that if what I described had happened, there would have been a lot more people affected/stuck at Salisbury, proabably having to journey south with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)

[RichardB]

Not at all….just that if what I described had happened, there would have been a lot more people affected/stuck at Salisbury, proabably having to journey south with GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)

Salisbury passengers would at least have had an alternative.  Honiton, Axminster, Crewkerne etc passengers had nothing.  Not small numbers, especially in terms of day trips from Axminster, Honiton etc into Exeter. 

[broadgage]

I do not entirely trust SWR^» (South Western Railway - about). I doubt that they are blatantly lying, but I suspect a certain amount of exaggeration. "No need to do their utmost, simply cancel and short form, and blame it on covid"

The average passenger does not even know what todays excuse is.
Staff shortage, signaling failures, weather, industrial disputes, bridge bashes, cracked trains, leaves on the line, or whatever.

They simply know that trains are not a reliable mode of transport, as well as being complex and expensive. Gaps of 6 hours or more on a main line is a third world railway. And as for paying some of the highest fares in the world to stand for hours on a new shorter train, simply unacceptable.

If SWR are really unable to service their trains, then charter stock should have been hired. This is serviced and made ready by the charter operator. A couple of full length charter sets on the busiest diagrams would have saved up to six 3 car 159s for other services.
Steam haulage would be fun, but a modern diesel more sensible.

Some tourist trade body have been promoting the message that "The west is open" well not by train it is not, at least not with any reliability.