Reading-Paddington cancellations this morning

[whole diary]

[James Vertigan]

Both the 05:14 RDG^‡(resolve)-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) and 06:27 PAD-RDG service shave been cancelled this morning due to 'lack of train crew' - someone's got the right idea and stayed in bed, perhaps?  or did they walk out in support of the striking First Capital Connect drivers?

I normally pick up this train from Acton Main Line, so fortunately found out before venturing out in the cold for what would have been a 20 minute wait - I guess I could have got the Oxford train that calls at AML at 5:31 but found out a little late for that (AML is about a 10 minute walk for me).

I'm guessing that the 06:27 is the return journey for the 05:14?

[inspector_blakey]

Just a guess, but I'd have thought it's more likely to be the flu than any sort of FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect)-related industrial action (which would be unofficial anyway). I'm not sure if what's happening at FCC even technically counts as industrial action, since all they're doing at the moment is exercising their contractual right not to make themselves available for duty on a Sunday.

[JayMac]

Just a guess, but I'd have thought it's more likely to be the flu than any sort of FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect)-related industrial action (which would be unofficial anyway). I'm not sure if what's happening at FCC even technically counts as industrial action, since all they're doing at the moment is exercising their contractual right not to make themselves available for duty on a Sunday.

I call a spade, a spade. As far as I'm concerned, working to rule is industrial action. No doubt there was union organisation behind the FCC action - no way did all the drivers decide, independently, not to show up on Sunday. It is actually quite a powerful weapon that ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) can use. There is no need for a democratic ballot, with the necessary advance notification that this requires. One wonders in instances like this how many drivers felt pressured into not working their lucrative Sunday turn, lest they go against what the shop-stewards have unilaterally decided.

Also what happens to non-driving staff? Are they hit financially by losing a lucrative Sunday turn, or are they required to sign-in and sit in the staff-room all day twiddling their thumbs to earn that day's pay?

[matt473]

Just to calrify sympathy strikes are illegal in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) so staff are risking more than thei jobs if they were to strike in support of others action.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Erm ... Excuse me for suggesting it, but is it possible that at least a few of those staff who chose not to volunteer to work overtime last Sunday did so because they wanted to attend their own local Remembrance Sunday services, perhaps with their families? 

[James Vertigan]

The Reading-Paddington 05:14 (06:08 @ AML) train was cancelled again this morning. Apparently it did start but ran fast from Slough due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

I was talking to an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) employee who I see occasionally at AML (apparently she works as a member of buffet staff on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)) and she said they sometimes move drivers to different trains if one is not available - of course this still results in a cancellation. I can never work out why it is always the 6:08 they cancel though!

Incidentally, why, when a train originating at Paddington and calling at AML is cancelled do they usually send out one of the HC's to drop people at AML, but not the other way round? Or at least they could stop one of the other turbos that usually goes straight through.

[James Vertigan]

Yet again this train was cancelled this morning for the same reason (no train crew available) I had a bit of a rant at a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Customer Services guy at Paddington about it and he gave me a form to fill out and return to FGW. I said it had been cancelled twice this week which was ridiculous. It always seems to be this train that gets cancelled the most.

The only problem is I use my Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card for this journey so I think any compensation would have to come from TFL^▸ (Transport for London), so I asked at the Travel information desk at the end of my Underground journey and they say I have to call the phone number on the back of my Oyster card, so we will see what happens.

[onthecushions]

Guard's announcement heard on a Bristol train arriving into Paddington this morning:

"I am please to announce that, although this train is running 7 minutes late, it is arriving on time".

OTC

[devon_metro]

3 Minutes early surely