1918 Kings Cross to Sunderland 10Feb17

[43096]

Some customers still think GC is some family run outfit and therefore have unreasonable expectations about what can be delivered.

They'd be shocked to know it's ultimately owned by the German state!

 

[TUC]

Some customers still think GC is some family run outfit and therefore have unreasonable expectations about what can be delivered.

Surely the fact that it is now owned by a much bigger company makes it reasonable to have higher expectations about what can be delivered? If you're saying that a small family run business can deliver customer care better than a large TOC, that is telling in itself.

 

[Class 170101]

Smaller businesses in my experience tend to be better at their customer care than larger ones as they don't have such a large beaucracy to wade through.

 

[AlterEgo]

Smaller businesses in my experience tend to be better at their customer care than larger ones as they don't have such a large beaucracy to wade through.

That illustrates the preconceptions of much of the GC customer base accurately, in my experience.

 

[AlterEgo]

Surely the fact that it is now owned by a much bigger company makes it reasonable to have higher expectations about what can be delivered? If you're saying that a small family run business can deliver customer care better than a large TOC, that is telling in itself.

I have specifically outlined upthread exactly how the smaller business is hamstrung, so I'm not sure how you've reached that conclusion.

 

[Jonfun]

Just out of idle curiosity, what happens to the train crew (guard, buffet staff, driver etc) when this sort of thing happens.

Do they all stay with the train (and end up at a repair depot?) or does the driver only stay with the train? Do the buffet staff try to get home on alternative services or do they get 'put up' overnight somewhere?

Thinking about it, the crew maybe needed once the train becomes servicable but if that involves an overnight 'stay' somewhere, would they have spare clothes etc with them?

I am just curious that all.

Alan

If it's anything like at our place then for catering staff it'll usually be a case of get yourself back on diagram unless otherwise advised - sometimes there'll be replacement trains that need a crew or you can be better off used elsewhere.

Guards and drivers will be more actively managed as if you're running replacement trains you'll need them to be in the right place.

If you can't get the crew home by rail then it's a taxi (more likely if there's a few of you or you're not far from your depot) or a lodging in a hotel overnight.

 

[racklam]

I was on this train on Friday. I don't know anything about what checks etc. were carried out but I think it could've been handled better by GC.

Apparently the train had an air leak, which led to it being cancelled at King's Cross just after 19:30, and everyone was told to get the 20:00 VTEC to Sunderland. At about 19:50, the GC was announced as running again. Took a couple of attempts to leave the platform (accelerate, full brakes, repeat) which I assume was the driver testing whatever the fault was. During this, the 20:00 VTEC unfortunately left, so was directly in front of us.

Just before Potters Bar, emergency stop followed by a slow crawl into the station. Train is cancelled due to overheated brakes.

Got on the next GN stopper to Peterborough where everyone was told to catch the 22:00 ex London.

I was checking RTT and saw realised the GN stopper was pulling into Stevenage 3 minutes before the 21:00 ex London, so I jumped off (along with a few others from the GC service), but the majority stayed on the GN until Peterborough.