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Coronavirus: what impact might it have on the railways?
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Time for tradition to go out of the window. Anyone who doesn't think that is going to have to soon.
In my experience, badly. 15 years ago I started a job which, after the first fortnight or so had an enforced period of only working from home, due to covering a month long event in shifts covering 24 hours. Technically, it worked fine. Socially and for proper induction into the company it worked terribly.
Working from home certainly isn't the universal panacea some in the IT sector with mostly solitary jobs would have us believe.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
I've heard ScotRail have withdrawn on-train ticket issuing. Passengers must purchase from a ticket office, TVM or Smartcard.
Though what if the station you board at is unstaffed and has no TVM. Most ScotRail stations aren't gated but ones like Glasgow Central have staff issuing tickets to allow you through, surely that would be stopped too, as it would be human contact. ScotRail may also withdraw their trolley service.
Avanti are also closing First Class lounges, which makes me think that they might withdraw catering onboard too.
Though what if the station you board at is unstaffed and has no TVM. Most ScotRail stations aren't gated but ones like Glasgow Central have staff issuing tickets to allow you through, surely that would be stopped too, as it would be human contact. ScotRail may also withdraw their trolley service.
Avanti are also closing First Class lounges, which makes me think that they might withdraw catering onboard too.
I work for NHS IT and our budget for extra VPN licenses and laptops went from virtually £0.00 last week to ‘spend whatever you need on end user hardware / infrastructure / licensing’ this week
The only issue is IT staff have to build and configure the 500 extra laptops, which they want done within the next couple of weeks as they’re looking ahead to if things get worse and all IT staff suddenly have to self isolate...
There is another issue of course outside our control...guess where all those shiny new laptops are manufactured...
The only issue is IT staff have to build and configure the 500 extra laptops, which they want done within the next couple of weeks as they’re looking ahead to if things get worse and all IT staff suddenly have to self isolate...
There is another issue of course outside our control...guess where all those shiny new laptops are manufactured...
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
There are certainly things that are needed. I would say for instance that a "daily standup" online meeting is absolutely essential.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Then you pay at your destination. Just don't be fare dodging, and no whining "but I want to pay by cash" - if you have a card use it.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
I'd never ever fair evade. I always buy a ticket at the first opportunity, tho I know several people who would use it as an excuse to dodge.
PG
Established Member
I just wonder if the UK home IT infrastructure is currently sufficient to cope with a large increase in traffic that would be likely to result from a WFH policy?
EDIT: I've created a new thread for more specific discussion relating to working from home and replied there, as we seem to be drifting away from this thread's topic of the impact to the railways and onto the individual practicalities of homeworking. The new thread is here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/coronavirus-and-working-from-home.202305/
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Well, after thinking the passenger volumes weren't noticeably down the past couple of days, tonight's class 67+mk3 had three passengers between Llandudno Junction and Llandudno. Me, a young lad and a BTP officer. It's always quiet, but that may well be a record. Didn't think to get the loco number I'm afraid. For anyone who cares, yesterday's was 67001.
I'm looking at my dining table. Two laptops, just about ...
I have done train planning at home. Worked well for bank holiday traincrew drafting, but still needed the office for input. And to "square up" with colleagues.
Though it was a long time ago.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It is time to be glad you have a job - many don't as a result of this - and to be accommodating of your employer's business because they are going to help you have a much more comfortable ride of this whole thing.
I'm typing this on an ex-NHS laptop. Guy in Cheshire bought 200+, as new, for next to nothing.
Perhaps they shouldn't have sold them?
Or perhaps it'll be reclaimed as a "recently retired NHS laptop" …
Backroom_boy
Member
So these are the things that when gone are possibly not coming back; cut train services will probably be all restored in 12 months or so but catering, f2f ticket sales, cash sales, might all go not to return.
There is no way that office workers whose job involves interviewing 'difficult' members of the public will start inviting said people into their homes to be interviewed. Mark my words, it will not happen.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That isn't what I would call "office work".
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
So? It's entirely clear what type of office work I am referring to, namely the type where all work is done either internally or by telephone, email etc, which is the overriding majority of it.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Pol Pot would say nothing essential in those jobs. Not quite how i see it but none the less not actually making anything or doing anything. Not as simple as that but to run some trains you need drivers, fitters and signalers more than you need planners - especially if the service is drastically reduced.
It occurs to me that reduction in train services is being viewed as a result of reduced passenger numbers. A proportion of front line staff will inevitably become unavailable as well because they get diagnosed with COVID-19 but also precautions for themselves.
Interesting example. I know someone who was sent to work from home (office work) because their wife's office had one case of COVID-19. But his wife is still expected to go to work in her office !.
For me. I had a day off work and coincidentally my better half went off sick (probably a migraine). My boss was expecting me to stay away from my non-office job as a precaution even though my partners GP has ruled out COVID-19 !.
I am going to catch COVID-19 inevitably but the risk is enhanced by the amount of time we are spending wandering around packed shops looking for things on empty shelves. Needed more Paracetamol and spent about four hours in and around Croydon with none found. So if i do see some I will be very tempted to empty the shelf !.
One other impact on the Railways not mentioned in this thread will be the cessation of construction projects.
I would assume that construction of Crossrail will cease in the next day or so if is hasn't already, perhaps not to be restarted for some time if the workers are lined up for another project. In particular, if London were to go on lockdown as has been hinted today, it would seem probable that construction of Crossrail is not deemed 'key work'. I would imagine that an opening date in 2021 is now looking unlikely.
I would assume that construction of Crossrail will cease in the next day or so if is hasn't already, perhaps not to be restarted for some time if the workers are lined up for another project. In particular, if London were to go on lockdown as has been hinted today, it would seem probable that construction of Crossrail is not deemed 'key work'. I would imagine that an opening date in 2021 is now looking unlikely.
If you are out and about on early trains, or walking around looking at building sites, you’ll see that construction in London has definitely not stopped. Indeed, today there was significant work being done to resurface Horseguards Road, which means a certain resident of Downing Street can’t be driven out of his own property via the tradesmens’ entrance.
As for Crossrail, I should imagine it will only stop in the event of a lock down or the absence of staff in task-critical roles. Or if TfL run out of cash to pay the bills.
It appears that lock down is not far away in London given some of the questions in the government press conference this afternoon. While it would be great to have Crossrail ready for the possible end of the pandemic response next year, is construction of a rail network for the masses critical at the current time?
I don't see how writing "ANY office worker" makes it entirely clear that you were actually only referring to certain type of office work ..... but mind reading has never been my forte.
I wonder what the impact will be on HS2?
I’d imagine after the worst of the virus clears off, more people will be working from home and there will be a reluctancy to share public transport in fear of catching the virus again. Do you think this could kill off future rail projects?
Logically, delay to the start of further construction work on the project and a year's delay in its opening.
squizzler
Established Member
The virus has shut down the motor trade in the UK and many pundits think it will be too hard to get much of it back with our future membership of the EU also in question. I think we will find the budget airline model is broken for good. Public transport and rail travel will be needed to take up the slack.
After this thing the economy will be so knackered that, just like after WW2, the state will need to run things. I hope that this resulting planned economy is mobilised to fight the climate emergency, in which case public transport will be very much 'de-rigeur'.
I think it might be too early to speculate about HS2. The pendulum will swing away from London I think. There was already a trend of young people no longer aspiring to live in London as soon as they are able and I expect further dispersion from the capital to become a thing. I do think that we will need to start rolling out good public transport in the regions and rail projects need to be planned accordingly.
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What makes you think this!?
They are incredibly efficient, very flexible, and if there is a recession people will be going for bargains.
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