XC short notice alterations due to driver unavailability.

[whole diary]

[Oxonhutch]

Just done a return trip Manchester - Cholsey on a very reasonable (by comparison  ) first class open return on a Senior Railcard. No host or or snacks in the rear half (unreserved) but this isn't my first rodeo. Survived quite comfortably with the help of Mr Tesco (proof of age required) before I hit Piccadilly.

[trainbuff]

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members-updates/senior-conductorstrain-managers-duties--cross-country171121/

 I believe, not confirmed, that the above industrial action is also a contributing factor.

There is no RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) action at the moment. But there is a ballot ongoing. Also plans to use some HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s on Sundays

[IndustryInsider]

HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) "mothballed" which is probably code for "about to be withdrawn"

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) have started to use their HST fleet again.  Specifically for this week there's at least two diagrams helping to provide additional capacity for Cheltenham Festival racegoers.

[IndustryInsider]

It's been a poor week for CrossCountry.

No full cancellations listed today, but a whole raft of part cancellations, some quite significant:

06:24 Newcastle to Reading due 11:09
06:28 Penzance to Edinburgh due 17:08
06:39 Nottingham to Bournemouth due 11:13
06:45 Reading to Newcastle due 11:45
07:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 12:13
08:03 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton due 13:07
08:40 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 13:29
09:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 14:13
09:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 14:29
10:14 Paignton to Manchester Piccadilly due 14:59
10:35 Newcastle to Reading due 15:05
11:27 Plymouth to Edinburgh due 20:04
11:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 16:29
11:45 Reading to York due 15:39
12:36 Newcastle to Reading due 17:14
12:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 17:29
13:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 18:17
14:03 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton due 18:53
14:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 19:13
14:38 Paignton to Manchester Piccadilly due 19:59
14:45 Reading to Newcastle due 20:01
15:24 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 20:16
15:43 Reading to York due 19:42
17:23 Plymouth to Leeds due 23:34
17:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 22:15
17:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 22:30
19:45 Bournemouth to Birmingham New Street due 22:48
20:19 Paignton to Birmingham New Street due 23:55
23:09 Birmingham New Street to Nottingham due 00:18

Now, a list that long looks bad when TG posts the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) alterations, but for an operator of much fewer services like CrossCountry it's far worse.  Especially now that many of them are now back down to 4-car trains .

[Timmer]

I was planning a day of travelling for the last time on a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) tomorrow with the added incentive of the diverts via Newport. After seeing the forecast high winds decided better of it. One tree down on the line anywhere between Plymouth and Birmingham would cause me issues. Now seeing this list of cancellations, though its for today, that's definitely made my mind up not to go. I had a pretty tight connection at New Street as it was with everything running smoothly.

[Wizard]

People said that train drivers should leave and do something else if they aren’t happy with their pay and conditions.

So they are.