Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 05:15 29 Mar 2024
- Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
* Easter getaway begins with flood alerts in place
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningCancelled
07:00 Bedwyn to Newbury
07:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
08:13 Newbury to Bedwyn
08:46 Bedwyn to Newbury
09:54 Bedwyn to Newbury
10:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
11:29 Newbury to Bedwyn
11:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
12:52 Bedwyn to Newbury
Short Run
04:54 Plymouth to London Paddington
05:12 Reading to Bedwyn
05:33 Plymouth to London Paddington
05:55 Plymouth to London Paddington
06:00 Bedwyn to London Paddington
06:37 Plymouth to London Paddington
07:03 London Paddington to Paignton
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
Delayed
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
05:03 Penzance to London Paddington
06:05 Penzance to London Paddington
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 29, 2024, 05:25:08 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[92] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[91] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[81] Return of the BRUTE?
[69] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[56] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
[50] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5] 6 7 ... 57
  Print  
Author Topic: 2023 - Train update and amendment log - Swindon <-> Westbury  (Read 66216 times)
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #60 on: February 05, 2023, 10:31:50 »

Ongoing exchanges with GWR (Great Western Railway) on the problem of the rail replacement bus refusing to pick up passengers without tickets, even though there are no ticket purchase facilities at Melksham this morning.   

As I understand it, ticket machine out of action (so even pre-purchased tickets cannot be collected) and no way to purchase on a card as there normally would be. No way to pay in cash (normally pay the train manager), and no-one there to ask for help - station itself unmanned and cafe with CRP (Community Rail Partnership) staff does not open on Sundays anyway.

A note from another driver who sometimes runs Rail Replacement Services that he's instructed not to check tickets, which seems sensible as the complex ticketing system of the railways is not something many bus drivers would understand, and they don't have rail ticket machines on the buses anyway.  So as reported, this appears to be a driver taking an authority and action outside the normal remit.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10095


View Profile
« Reply #61 on: February 05, 2023, 10:36:02 »

Yes, there should be no ticket checks made by RRB (Rail Replacement Bus) drivers as they are not trained.  I would perhaps say a “You need a ticket, mate” to any passengers who looks a bit dubious would be acceptable, but no more than that.  If tickets need to be checked then it’s up to the TOC (Train Operating Company) to provide a member of their staff to do the check.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #62 on: February 05, 2023, 11:52:46 »

I visited Melksham Station. I arrived at the station actually just after the bus arrived and was surprised to see people headed from the bus stop onto the platform the use the TVM (Ticket Vending Machine) (which contrary to earlier suggestions IS working for cards) before coming back to join the bus. I spoke with the driver of the bus (11:30 to Westbury) and told him about the limitations of ticket purchase at Melksham. He explained that he could only wait so long when people had been sent to the machine, as others on the bus have connections to make.  I suspect there will be no further issues during his shift. 

From 2 hours back, @GWRHelp don't seem to have got a message through to him (and he is a First employee) - wonderful what people in the local friends group (such as myself) can do to sort out a little local difficulty even when the TOC (Train Operating Company) can't!

Edit to clarify a couple of words (make it read better)
« Last Edit: February 05, 2023, 12:36:06 by grahame » Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Mark A
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1302


View Profile
« Reply #63 on: February 05, 2023, 13:08:38 »

Ongoing exchanges with GWR (Great Western Railway) on the problem of the rail replacement bus refusing to pick up passengers without tickets, even though there are no ticket purchase facilities at Melksham this morning....

So as reported, this appears to be a driver taking an authority and action outside the normal remit.

Wondering if this might be a product of the new stance on penalty fares from certain TOCs (Train Operating Company). Not sure if it helps front-line staff, and will encourage some to over-reach.

Cardiff Central the other day, two people who spoke very little english had managed to turn up at the barriers from London - and were  heading for one of the welsh valleys station. They seemed to think they'd paid for the London to Cardiff stretch using Oyster (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) but the barrier mechanism wasn't so sure - they were wanting to know from the TfW staff outside the barrier how to purchase onward tickets to the valleys destination. I'm hoping the excess ticket window handled *that* gracefully. A tale that sort of indicates that no matter how complicated one might think ticketing is, real world examples manage to throw out something even more complicated and hitherto not imagined.

Mark
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #64 on: February 05, 2023, 13:16:26 »

Are RRS drivers actually *instructed* not to check tickets and/or check whether they have a ticket (any ticket)? or just not instructed at all about ticket checking? There is a big difference.

If it's a rogue driver ignoring their instructions, there is very little (read: nothing) and TOC (Train Operating Company) can do om a Sunday morning - there would be no one within the bus control able to get a message to the driver within a couple of hours at least (remember that drivers are *instructed* not to check their phones while working)

Using Oyster (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) to travel long distances....is a known problem. That'd hurt their pockets trying to sort that out, even i no penalty fare issued (which I doubt it was). That is exactly why on-train checks are necessary so that errors like that are caught early. I wonder why they thought Oyster might get them to Cardiff but not on up the valleys? Hmm, that raises me a flag that would be investigated. I can understand those with a language difficulty thinking Oyster might be a uk product across all rail, but then to want to buy a separate ticket up the valleys doesn't compute easily.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #65 on: February 05, 2023, 13:34:20 »

Are RRS drivers actually *instructed* not to check tickets and/or check whether they have a ticket (any ticket)? or just not instructed at all about ticket checking? There is a big difference.

He waved papers at me saying there was nothing in his instructions about checking tickets or not.

Quote
If it's a rogue driver ignoring their instructions, there is very little (read: nothing) and TOC (Train Operating Company) can do on a Sunday morning.

(remember that drivers are *instructed* not to check their phones while working)

Does "nothing the TOC could do" include asking a member of Chippenham or Westbury station staff to pop down to the RRB (Rail Replacement Bus) when it's there and inform or remind the driver of the situation with tickets?   
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #66 on: February 05, 2023, 14:09:59 »

To catch every RRS & its driver, probably. Which RRS and which driver? Station staff won't have the roster, and nor would GWR (Great Western Railway) control.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #67 on: February 05, 2023, 14:25:24 »

To catch every RRS & its driver, probably. Which RRS and which driver? Station staff won't have the roster, and nor would GWR (Great Western Railway) control.

It's one bus, Chris.  Shuttling up and down today between Westbury and Chippenham.  The ONLY Rail Replacement bus all day at Westbury (where staff could have a word) and Trowbridge (more difficult as staff are in ticket office and bus call is brief).   There was no suggestion that this is an endemic problem across all GWR rail replacement services.    But, I grant you, far easier when the problem is identified for @GWRHelp to pass it on internally and be secure in the knowledge the problem will go away at the end of the day - at least for the time being.

Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #68 on: February 05, 2023, 14:27:26 »

Drivers can still be swapped over, depending on their hours & shift.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #69 on: February 05, 2023, 14:31:51 »

Drivers can still be swapped over, depending on their hours & shift.

Yep ... a brief chat with the current driver is not guaranteed to fix the issue, but it has a darned good chance and would have been a darned site better chance than just excuse/smokescreen mode.    Would have worked too, because there wasn't a swap / shift change.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10095


View Profile
« Reply #70 on: February 05, 2023, 16:28:39 »

Well said, Graham.  Sadly ChrisB’s ‘computer says no’ arguments seem to be endemic in the post-Covid government controlled railway.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #71 on: February 05, 2023, 16:32:51 »

Indeed - Problems can be increased with centralisation. Area Manager as was would have sorted that quickly wghere there was more local management.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #72 on: February 06, 2023, 05:13:33 »

Quote
05:17 Westbury to Swindon due 06:01

05:17 Westbury to Swindon due 06:01 will be terminated at Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
It will be starting late from Westbury.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

Quote
06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07

06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
TaplowGreen
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7747



View Profile
« Reply #73 on: February 08, 2023, 07:31:19 »

06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07

06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07 is being delayed at Westbury.
This is due to a broken down train.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #74 on: February 08, 2023, 08:11:20 »

06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07

06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07 is being delayed at Westbury.
This is due to a broken down train.

and now terminating at Salisbury.  It is (when it runs) the extra school train south of Salisbury to there many be some children  late to school this morning.  Not a huge deal as it would be further north - gap of 15 minutes before the next Salisbury to Southampton train, and most passenger on the train change as Salisbury so relatively few Warminster to Romsey or Southampton passengers.

Quote
06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07

06:11 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:07 will be terminated at Salisbury.
It will no longer call at Romsey and Southampton Central.
It has been delayed at Westbury and is now 36 minutes late.
This is due to a broken down train.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5] 6 7 ... 57
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page