'Travel safety officers'

[yorkie]

The REOs will span all GTR TOCs, but they're employed by their former TOC (Southern or Southeastern for example), so there's quite a few about now I guess? And as such will patrol their individual TOC area (so Southern would go as far as Brighton, whereas SET obviously wouldn't?). Unlike like the RCOs who at present only work on the SWR network and not across all FirstGroup TOCs (there's only 30 for the whole network give or take).

GTR is a TOC; the constituent route brands are not TOCs and have not been for years.

At times, GTR does act in a way that is designed to mislead people into thinking each of their route brands is a separate TOC (for reasons I won't go into now!), but they do admit the truth in their Passengers Charter.

Govia Thameslink Railway is the name of the company running your train service. There are four routes: Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink. This is the largest franchise in the UK, with 22% of the UK’s passenger rail services.

 

[tsr]

Thanks for the explanation, I wasn’t aware of this. Southeastern were part of GTR weren’t they? Hence why RNOs changed to REOs? (To be consistent).

Nope, Southeastern have never been part of GTR.

GTR is partially owned by Go Ahead, like Southeastern, which may be where the confusion arises.

 

[OxtedSignaller]

GTR is a TOC; the constituent route brands are not TOCs and have not been for years.

At times, GTR does act in a way that is designed to mislead people into thinking each of their route brands is a separate TOC (for reasons I won't go into now!), but they do admit the truth in their Passengers Charter.

It's because they are required to run them as separate brands GN/TL and GX/SN it is part of the franchise agreement, and also required due to different working practices, terms and conditions, stock, staffing provision and also presumably to make it easier for when they separate them as allegedly will be happening according to the DfT. GTR management contract is a transformational contract as a result of the Thameslink programme, had the company been more successful I would imagine they would have moved towards closer integration and harmonization however recently they seem to be running them more separately them ever before. Never the less it will be a messy break up as the management function is integrated and it will no doubt bring competition onto the Brighton Mainline again.

 

[yorkie]

Yes, we're at risk of drifting off topic here; I am aware this train company is required to implement separate route brands, but they're not the only TOC who is required to do that (e.g. Greater Anglia). Yes they have staff on diferent T&Cs but again that is not unique (e.g. XC, Northern, EMT)

But the point is the GTR Travel Safe Officers are employed by GTR (a route brand cannot employ anyone as it is not a company and does not exist as an entity)

 

[LOL The Irony]

Did he look like a former England manager called Sven?

I know exactly who you're talking about.

 

[Stigy]

Nope, Southeastern have never been part of GTR.

GTR is partially owned by Go Ahead, like Southeastern, which may be where the confusion arises.

I recall Go Ahead being the parent company actually, so maybe it's that I was thinking of. It's all rather complicated in my eyes and don't wish to venture off topic of course.