September strikes (travel related queries)

[afcjunior]

Appreciate a thread has been. Hopped OK this but I have a query.

The strike starts at midday, will travel on the 26th be normal on before that time? Also will company's and routes not in the strike be affected due to network rail? I'm travelling from Preston to Bridgend that morning, transport for Wales don't appear to be included in the action?

Any advice would appreciated.

 

[Crossover]

My understanding is that it affects staff booking on from the time the strike starts. i.e. a staff member booking on at 9am would work their normal shift on 26th but not on the 27th. Happy to be corrected though

 

[Essexman]

15th according to BBC news.

 

[dk1]

15th according to BBC news.

That’s ASLEF

 

[skyhigh]

15th according to BBC news.

TSSA are striking on the 26th.

 

[Surreytraveller]

What happens is, staff booking on between the times of the strike won't book on. All staff booking on before the strike starts work their normal shift, but the trains will all need to be berthed up, and drivers ending at their correct locations, before the strike starts, otherwise you'll end up trains strewn all around with no drivers.
I wouldn't be surprised if the service doesn't start up in the morning

 

[skyhigh]

All staff booking on before the strike starts work their normal shift, but the trains will all need to be berthed up, and drivers ending at their correct locations, before the strike starts, otherwise you'll end up trains strewn all around with no drivers.

Not in this case, as it isn't drivers striking on that date.

 

[Jonny]

TSSA are striking on the 26th.

Will that make much operational difference?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I need to get the train to Heathrow from South Wales on the 26th so I’m hoping they’ll be OK in the morning.

 

[Dave91131]

I need to get the train to Heathrow from South Wales on the 26th so I’m hoping they’ll be OK in the morning.

I'd look at going via the M4.

 

[trainophile]

Sorry if I should be waiting for a dedicated thread for the newly announced strikes, but a general question - on the previous occasions has travel been allowed on the next day using the existing tickets?

 

[dk1]

I'd look at going via the M4.

Or travel on the 25th staying overnight.

 

[adrock1976]

I am booked to head to Filey on Monday 26 September alongside with my partner and the dog.

Which aspect of the railway are TSSA involved in?

 

[Towers]

Sorry if I should be waiting for a dedicated thread for the newly announced strikes, but a general question - on the previous occasions has travel been allowed on the next day using the existing tickets?

Generally, yes. Plenty of flexibility. The railway would prefer people travel on a different day than not travel at all and need refunds.

 

[trainophile]

Generally, yes. Plenty of flexibility. The railway would prefer people travel on a different day than not travel at all and need refunds.

Great thanks. Hope it's the same this time then.

 

[afcjunior]

Thanks for all the insight!

Would the network rail aspect of the strike not bring the whole network to a halt, ie signallers.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I'd look at going via the M4.

Thanks. Requires a car and a licence though.

 

[trainophile]

I was just checking whether the Tyne & Wear Metro is affected, and apparently they use Network Rail lines/signallers between Pelaw and South Hylton so there's no services between those stations on strike days.

 

[Statto]

I need to get the train to Heathrow from South Wales on the 26th so I’m hoping they’ll be OK in the morning.

I know it's not ideal, but you might be better off looking at National Express coaches, they have direct coaches to Heathrow from South Wales

 

[JN114]

TSSA represents a large number of back office, control, planning grades - the direct impact is relatively minor to the wider railway; and is why on the very rare occasions they do walk out they’ve tended to walk out alongside RMT or ASLEF - but with a massively understaffed control office then management of any kind of even minor disruption will prove virtually impossible. 1 or 2 contingency staff won’t manage the workloads of 20 or 30 during disruption.

 

[Goldfish62]

I'd look at going via the M4.

Indeed. Look at Flixbus, National Express and Megabus.

 

[afcjunior]

Had a look, I leave crewe for Bridgend at 1140, this is the final leg of the journey, so does that mean as I leave before midday I should be OK?

 

[eastwestdivide]

Generally, yes. Plenty of flexibility. The railway would prefer people travel on a different day than not travel at all and need refunds.

Can you travel the day before instead? Or did I imagine that?

 

[JN114]

Because they’re essentially invisible roles, who make the railway run better and improve the passenger experience, but on paper aren’t necessary to run trains.

There isn’t the breadth of contingency staff available that you see come out to drive or guard trains for example.

The railway will just do without those roles on TSSA strike days, to the detriment of passenger experience - Fewer/no control staff which will result in the most minor of disruption being unmanageable. Nobody to organise buses/taxis when it goes wrong. Nobody to put delay information or service alterations onto Apps, info screens etc. Nobody with the necessary experience with which to decide how best to recover late running - in all worse passenger experience just from control being largely absent. Then there’s the whole other plethora of roles TSSA represent - station staff, head office staff and so on.

Unfortunate for the passenger because they won’t see the same level of contingency cover and service reductions that at least make RMT/ASLEF strike days “work” - not much runs but that which is advertised to run generally does, and runs well.

 

[railfan99]

I will be visiting UK for a limited time but on that day can probably rearrange lines to be travelled.

Is it likely that 'branches'/secondary main lines such as the Settle and Carlisle will maintain their relatively limited passenger train frequencies?

 

[Mag_seven]

A reminder that this thread is to allow people to provide advice for travel during the forth coming strikes. Any posts discussing the rights and wrongs of the strikes will be deleted as off topic.

thanks all

 

[zero]

I have an LNER ticket Newcastle to London on the 26th at 1130. Is it likely that some LNER services will run even if I have to wait a bit longer and/or not get a seat?

 

[dk1]

I have an LNER ticket Newcastle to London on the 26th at 1130. Is it likely that some LNER services will run even if I have to wait a bit longer and/or not get a seat?

Exactly. Just pile in & you’ll get there.

 

[philosopher]

Are there likely to be any trains between London and Birmingham late morning / lunchtime on 17th September? I know the RMT signallers are on strike that day but I am not sure whether the train drivers are.

 

[dk1]

Are there likely to be any trains between London and Birmingham late morning / lunchtime on 17th September? I know the RMT signallers are on strike that day but I am not sure whether the train drivers are.

Only RMT on the Saturday.