Lack of available staff - is this a regular occurrence on Sat nights???

[whole diary]

[bigdaz]

20:34 Reading to Gatwick Airport due 21:59
This train has been cancelled.This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.
Last Updated: 22/10/2011 15:03

21:34 Reading to Gatwick Airport due 23:05
This train has been revised.It will call additionally at: Chilworth and Gomshall.
Last Updated: 22/10/2011 15:27

22:22 Gatwick Airport to Reading due 00:01
This train has been cancelled.This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.
Last Updated: 22/10/2011 15:05

23:18 Gatwick Airport to Reading due 00:37
This train has been revised.It will call additionally at: Betchworth, Dorking West, Gomshall, Chilworth, Shalford, Wanborough, Ash, Farnborough North, Sandhurst and Crowthorne.

[bobm]

I was waiting on board the 20:39 to Waterloo when the stock which would have formed the 20:34 to Gatwick came in at 20:18 on the adjacent platform 4B.  As often happens a number of people got out of the Waterloo train hoping for a quicker journey to Wokingham on the Gatwick service.  Staff were trying to lock the coaches out of service as quick as people were trying to board.  (Sounds like the scenes we have had described at Oxford on this forum!)  I'm not sure what the plan for the stock was but the engines were left running from the time it arrived until we pulled out at 20:39 - over 20 minutes. 

When I came back into Reading at 23:45 there was a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) unit stabled on 4B out of service.  Not sure if it was the same unit (I don't tend to note numbers) or another one which had been left there overnight to form a morning service.