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Avanti West Coast cancellations
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Trainbike46
Established Member
Based on previous strike days, how disruptive are the RMT/TSSA strikes on thursday going to be to avanti's service (or, alternatively TfW+WMT) from Liverpool (or chester) to London?
I'm kind of considering a day trip on the 18th, and am wondering how likely I would be to actually make it down to london (and back!)
I'm kind of considering a day trip on the 18th, and am wondering how likely I would be to actually make it down to london (and back!)
station_road
Member
The timetable is online for Avanti. There won't be any trains from Chester to Crewe, from Liverpool you would get 3 hours in London at most, and that depends on both trains running as planned.
The advice is only to travel if necessary for a reason.
Link to Avanti timetable for 18 August 2022
londonmidland
Established Member
There’s a complete loss of signalling in the Lockerbie area. Emergency special working in place.
No ticket acceptance with LNER due to OLE damage in the Biggleswade area.
No ticket acceptance with LNER due to OLE damage in the Biggleswade area.
Trainbike46
Established Member
Thanks for the timetable link! I was trying (and failing) to figure out what was going on based on the journey planner. no chance of that happening then, as the last train back would be way too early for me.
Just a tad confusing.. Its allocated 390124 passing Leighton Buzzard 13 late so plenty of time to turnaround. No set swaps reported.. Who knows!
it is almost entirely because of this. LNER are resourced up for additional services due to commence in May this year which have not happened.
The glasgows are supposed to be running but the Edinburgh are terminating at Preston.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Which means the armchair CEO (aka "GBR") solution is to transfer/loan the surplus LNER crews to Avanti to cover its shortfall temporarily, maybe with its spare trains...
I know very well what the obstacles are likely to be to that, but the question ought to be asked.
If you were Chris Green running Intercity wouldn't you be demanding a Plan B?
Bizzarely trains still running north, yes, but those with advanced tickets forced into buses as their tickets not valid on other trains.
Mcr Warrior
Veteran Member
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Eh? Even during disruption?
No option to get a later train says my source who's going to Carlisle so any train would suit them.
CORRECTION, having told the trainload to await buses, they were then told to get on a Glasgow train and are now on their way but it's totally full and standing on departure from Preston. At least they are underway and delay repay will refund everyone's tickets....
CORRECTION, having told the trainload to await buses, they were then told to get on a Glasgow train and are now on their way but it's totally full and standing on departure from Preston. At least they are underway and delay repay will refund everyone's tickets....
Just a timetable error. Some trains had to have the schedules resubmitting and ran under a Z headcode. Nothing major.
The only part of Avanti's service that LNER could possibly cover for would be Carlisle-Edinburgh. And even then, LNER could only run a skeleton service without reducing their ECML offering.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Fair to say that LNER have more than enough problems of their own - not just today , but for the last few months. .........(in any case , loadings are well good)
as you know, even if you put all the contractual and union issues to one side, shifting LNER crews to work the WCML would require them all to complete route and traction training.
Not much point doing that, when, as I’ve said upthread, Avanti already have 250 people in training as traincrew.
That side of things is in complete chaos, by all accounts.
nlogax
Established Member
I imagine the pressure is well and truly on to get that training finished. What a grim situation to be in.
Well I guess they haven’t been training for a couple fo weeks, as all the trainers / instructors are out driving!
Hence the reduced timetable now, to enable training to restart and thus get more crew into productive activity.
Meanwhile the cancellations for traincrew reasons seem to have evaporated today, which suggests that yesterday was the not uncommon issue of Day 1 of new diagrams bedding in with rosters.
“Chaotic”, “disorganised”, “a toxic atmosphere”. Not my words.
Quite possibly!
FormerBritInMe
Member
Looking at my upcoming 0910 Euston - Holyhead trip at On Time Trains, the week of 1 Aug - 5 Aug had 4 of the 5 weekday trips cancelled 
The following week was much better, all operated with 10 min delay at worst.
Crossing my fingers!
The following week was much better, all operated with 10 min delay at worst.
Crossing my fingers!
Is 250 not the amount needed? I doubt avanti have the resources to train 250.
AIUI they need more than that, but 250 is the most they can train at any one time.
Where have all the staff gone. Surely a 250 staff deficit can’t only be pandemic retirements and a lack of training?
AIUI it is retirements (and other leavers), training suspension, significantly increased absence rates, plus a planned expansion of crew requirements to accommodate additional services and the training for the new stock.
dk1
Veteran Member
Did Avanti just give up during the pandemic or could they not get union agreements? I’m struggling to understand how this TOC lost the plot as badly as it has.
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