Avanti M.D. quits.

[The Planner]

The piece in Railway Gazette on the situation at Avanti is a bit more specific about the management changes.
The suggestion is that the current Avanti ERMA, which expires on October 16, will be extended to December/March while the service recovers, rather than go to the anticipated long-term direct award.
It also appears OLR s not so far involved in these changes.

Avanti West Coast Managing Director to leave

UK: Phil Whittingham is to step down as Managing Director of Avanti West Coast with effect from September 15 ‘in order to pursue other executive leadership opportunities’, the West Coast Main Line inter-city passenger operator’s parent company First Trenitalia announced on September 2...

www.railwaygazette.com

Gus is a loss, knows his stuff. Off to drive the Class 50 more often I expect.

 

[Dai Corner]

Is that based upon inside knowledge? Transport seems to be more a punishment Ministry in Conservative thinking rather that a top-ranking Ministry, ideal for people like Grayling can be placed in to keep him out of the way of more promotion-based Ministries.

As Saturday's and Sundays are almost certainly outside his working week, Shapps has done his last shift under the present management whatever happens on Monday.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Revoke them of everything they have. They have destroyed both Rail and Bus travel

I do like your Biblical wording above. The reference to First suddenly brought to mind Matthew 20:16...

" So shall the last be First and the First be last, for many are called, but few are chosen"

 

[Sorcerer]

With the Managing Director quitting amidst the cancellations and short-staffing problems, how likely is this going to lead to Avanti's contract being revoked and the service be transferred to the DfT under the OLR? I imagine that the return of the classic LMS brand isn't as far fetched as one might've originally thought.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Is that based upon inside knowledge? Transport seems to be more a punishment Ministry in Conservative thinking rather that a top-ranking Ministry, ideal for people like Grayling can be placed in to keep him out of the way of more promotion-based Ministries.

No but as hes a Sunak supporter and hasn't been helpful to Truss i believe its far more likely. Truss has plenty of bag carriers that she needs rehome as well but perhaps most interesting is Wendy Morton who is a Truss supporter and already has a Transport brief so i would suggest she is a good contender.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

No but as hes a Sunak supporter and hasn't been helpful to Truss i believe its far more likely. Truss has plenty of bag carriers that she needs rehome as well but perhaps most interesting is Wendy Morton who is a Truss supporter and already has a Transport brief so i would suggest she is a good contender.

Whilst not wishing to be appearing rude, but being rather old-fashioned, your mention of a lady member with Transport brief made me chuckle.

HINT ... Certain ladies refer to items of clothing as briefs.

 

[Dai Corner]

Whilst not wishing to be appearing rude, but being rather old-fashioned, your mention of a lady member with Transport brief made me chuckle.

It must have slipped your mind that Barbara Castle was Minister of Transport in 1965-68, a time of much change on the railways.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It must have slipped your mind that Barbara Castle was Minister of Transport in 1965-68, a time of much change on the railways.

When SoS, well-meaning Justine Greening gave us the 2012 CP5 HLOS with its undeliverable electrification plans ("Electric Spine" etc).
She also awarded the ICWC franchise to First Group, which unravelled just after her departure, leaving a hospital pass for her successor Patrick McLoughlin.
You could argue that a lot of the subsequent problems at ICWC began at that time.

 

[dk1]

Are driving instructors in dispute? (genuine question - maybe they're management grades on different contracts to drivers).

Driving Instructors are just regular drivers on enhanced pay for accepting trainees at most TOCs. I cannot speak for AWC but with mine it’s only strike action that is going ahead at the moment so no working to rule & therefore DIs are working as normal.

 

[Surreytraveller]

It appears that every TOC needs DfT permission just to buy toilet paper, let alone recruit staff. There was the DfT-led push for voluntary redundancy recently; I don't see the 'saved' money being available again to recruit someone else...

It was voluntary severance, not redundancy

 

[Master29]

It's a good job Grant Shapps still thinks there are plenty of direct trains each hour between the two cities.

Grant Shapps thinks. That's a new one....

 

[317 forever]

It's a good job Grant Shapps still thinks there are plenty of direct trains each hour between the two cities.

By Tuesday evening the Transport Secretary might no longer believe there are so many trains between London and Manchester.

 

[thedbdiboy]

I wouldn't mind that if they reduced the prices accordingly.

Come to think of it, in these cost conscious times perhaps Avanti should abolish traditional First Class and just have Standard Premium, where you get more spacious seats and a trolley where tea, coffee and biscuits are free, but things such as sandwiches and booze are available to purchase.

Wider seats and more legroom without free refreshments is what you used to get with First Class!

When SoS, well-meaning Justine Greening gave us the 2012 CP5 HLOS with its undeliverable electrification plans ("Electric Spine" etc).
She also awarded the ICWC franchise to First Group, which unravelled just after her departure, leaving a hospital pass for her successor Patrick McLoughlin.
You could argue that a lot of the subsequent problems at ICWC began at that time.

The seeds of the current issues yes, but as a contract, ICWC is probably the most extreme privatisation failure in terms of the gap between the 'promise' (full rebuild of the route with cab signalling and 140mph trains) and what actually happened (classic signalling for 125mph delivered years late at four times the cost). Virgin did very well out of Railtrack and OPRAFs comprehensive failure to agree and deliver a manageable contract. The original promise was undeliverable but, back then, Government was happy to be fed the line that the private sector could do magic where the established engineering capability inherited from BR claimed it was not possible.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Come to think of it, in these cost conscious times perhaps Avanti should abolish traditional First Class and just have Standard Premium, where you get more spacious seats and a trolley where tea, coffee and biscuits are free, but things such as sandwiches and booze are available to purchase.

I did kind of get the feeling that SP was a bit of a trial rather than a product in its own right, which would either be abolished as a failure or would entirely replace First Class. If they wanted to do a "proper" three class arrangement then it'd probably need to be materially different in terms of the hard product between the two - a fairly small meal isn't worth £100+ extra in its own right.

Perhaps a new MD will review things like that.

 

[jfollows]

I did kind of get the feeling that SP was a bit of a trial rather than a product in its own right, which would either be abolished as a failure or would entirely replace First Class. If they wanted to do a "proper" three class arrangement then it'd probably need to be materially different in terms of the hard product between the two - a fairly small meal isn't worth £100+ extra in its own right.

Perhaps a new MD will review things like that.

Indeed. That's been my perception also - First Class is a lot more expensive and not worth it. Whereas I've travelled SP a couple of times this year and it's been OK.

I just don't feel happy with the current Avanti "offering" and although I'm able to pay extra for First Class I'm never going to at the moment because it's not worth the premium. If it's just me that thinks this, it's my problem, but I don't think it is.

Back the the topic, and I think the new MD needs to think more carefully about the needs, desires and requirements both of his potential customers and about the employees. I just feel that a lot of what's happened since the start of the latest franchise has been in the absence of both.

 

[Horizon22]

Re drivers in training. People, at all levels (media, forum members, public, and AWC management), are making the incorrect presumption that the drivers in training will filter through over an X amount of time. What none of them have considered is these drivers need access to the cab of a train with the already resourced driver in the seat - whilst the existing drivers are in dispute..........

Not exactly - several (including myself) have mentioned that DI (driver instructor) availability is a key issue as to the speed of a group of drivers being able to pass out and drive solo.

 

[HOOVER29]

"Whittingham, who transferred to Avanti as managing director from Virgin when the firm took over the west coast mainline operation from Richard Branson’s company,"

As much as I dislike old Beardy Branson HE should’ve been doing the leading
WCML hasn’t been the same.

 

[JamieL]

I did kind of get the feeling that SP was a bit of a trial rather than a product in its own right, which would either be abolished as a failure or would entirely replace First Class. If they wanted to do a "proper" three class arrangement then it'd probably need to be materially different in terms of the hard product between the two - a fairly small meal isn't worth £100+ extra in its own right.

Perhaps a new MD will review things like that.

Indeed. That's been my perception also - First Class is a lot more expensive and not worth it. Whereas I've travelled SP a couple of times this year and it's been OK.

I just don't feel happy with the current Avanti "offering" and although I'm able to pay extra for First Class I'm never going to at the moment because it's not worth the premium. If it's just me that thinks this, it's my problem, but I don't think it is.

Back the the topic, and I think the new MD needs to think more carefully about the needs, desires and requirements both of his potential customers and about the employees. I just feel that a lot of what's happened since the start of the latest franchise has been in the absence of both.

First class is absolutely worth it for the quieter coaches which enables work, especially as Standard Premium takes away much of the more leisure oriented upgrade market.

 

[_toommm_]

Cancellations are nigh-on horrific for AWC at Crewe. They’ve just announced buses for stations north and to Preston because there might not be any more services north tonight.

 

[VP185]

With the Managing Director quitting amidst the cancellations and short-staffing problems, how likely is this going to lead to Avanti's contract being revoked and the service be transferred to the DfT under the OLR? I imagine that the return of the classic LMS brand isn't as far fetched as one might've originally thought.

Avanti’s contract will not be revoked. The DfT are pulling the strings whilst Avanti’s management team take all the blame. The DfT will be more than happy with this until they achieve the desired outcome.

I firmly believe the MD quit before things got a whole lot worse. He was being controlled by the DfT and had little scope to change anything. The changes in industrial relations at AWC appear to be that sudden it can only point to DfT involvement. It’s widely believed in my TOC that the DfT have blocked just about everything including recruitment

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Cancellations are nigh-on horrific for AWC at Crewe. They’ve just announced buses for stations north and to Preston because there might not be any more services north tonight.

Anglo Scottish been pretty lousy all day they ought to advise people to now use LNER at weekends.

 

[yorksrob]

Hopefully the former MD will be in a position to spill the beans and expose the organ grinders very publicly for their perfidy.

 

[Chopper]

Avanti’s contract will not be revoked. The DfT are pulling the strings whilst Avanti’s management team take all the blame. The DfT will be more than happy with this until they achieve the desired outcome.

I firmly believe the MD quit before things got a whole lot worse. He was being controlled by the DfT and had little scope to change anything. The changes in industrial relations at AWC appear to be that sudden it can only point to DfT involvement. It’s widely believed in my TOC that the DfT have blocked just about everything including recruitment

Very much this. I honestly don't know why anyone would be a TOC MD, even given the money. It's now a titular role.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I firmly believe the MD quit before things got a whole lot worse. He was being controlled by the DfT and had little scope to change anything. The changes in industrial relations at AWC appear to be that sudden it can only point to DfT involvement. It’s widely believed in my TOC that the DfT have blocked just about everything including recruitment

I'm not saying DaFT isn't involved, but Avanti has been in a shoddy state for as long as it's existed.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Very much this. I honestly don't know why anyone would be a TOC MD, even given the money. It's now a titular role.

Im available for 273k pa

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The seeds of the current issues yes, but as a contract, ICWC is probably the most extreme privatisation failure in terms of the gap between the 'promise' (full rebuild of the route with cab signalling and 140mph trains) and what actually happened (classic signalling for 125mph delivered years late at four times the cost). Virgin did very well out of Railtrack and OPRAFs comprehensive failure to agree and deliver a manageable contract. The original promise was undeliverable but, back then, Government was happy to be fed the line that the private sector could do magic where the established engineering capability inherited from BR claimed it was not possible.

I thought that in 1997 the "private sector" and "established engineering capability inherited from BR" was one and the same, in Railtrack?
ie the Railtrack overpromises on WCRM was done by rail industry professionals (ex-LU I think, in the case of moving block signalling).

My point about the ICWC franchising failure in 2012 was essentially that the DfT never allowed Virgin to deliver anything other than the same service at reducing cost, over 4 direct awards to 2019.
With some exceptions (some new trains ordered and the rest refurbished), Avanti has had to do the same job since.
The Holy Grail for Avanti was the HS2 element, which was supposed to keep them in contract throughout the next decade.

 

[thedbdiboy]

I thought that in 1997 the "private sector" and "established engineering capability inherited from BR" was one and the same, in Railtrack?
ie the Railtrack overpromises on WCRM was done by rail industry professionals (ex-LU I think, in the case of moving block signalling).

My point about the ICWC franchising failure in 2012 was essentially that the DfT never allowed Virgin to deliver anything other than the same service at reducing cost, over 4 direct awards to 2019.
With some exceptions (some new trains ordered and the rest refurbished), Avanti has had to do the same job since.
The Holy Grail for Avanti was the HS2 element, which was supposed to keep them in contract throughout the next decade.

It was murkier than that. And when there is a sniff of selling £££s worth of kit it is perhaps unsurprising that the sales patter promised the earth and those on the payroll of the suppliers were disinclined to quibble about whether the offer was realistic

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I thought that in 1997 the "private sector" and "established engineering capability inherited from BR" was one and the same, in Railtrack?
ie the Railtrack overpromises on WCRM was done by rail industry professionals (ex-LU I think, in the case of moving block signalling).

Professor Brian Mellitt was Railtrack engineering director having come from LUL where he had been advocate of moving block on Jubilee line extension that was aborted with conventional signalling installed to get line open so how he thought it was going to work on WCML is beyond me. Twenty years on we haven't even got L2 working on any comparable main line yet.

My point about the ICWC franchising failure in 2012 was essentially that the DfT never allowed Virgin to deliver anything other than the same service at reducing cost, over 4 direct awards to 2019.
With some exceptions (some new trains ordered and the rest refurbished), Avanti has had to do the same job since.
The Holy Grail for Avanti was the HS2 element, which was supposed to keep them in contract throughout the next decade.

 

[dctraindriver]

As Saturday's and Sundays are almost certainly outside his working week, Shapps has done his last shift under the present management whatever happens on Monday.

Hopefully I’m wrong but I wouldn’t count on it from the twitter rumours…..

 

[Bertie the bus]

The suggestion is that the current Avanti ERMA, which expires on October 16, will be extended to December/March while the service recovers, rather than go to the anticipated long-term direct award.

That sounds wildly optimistic. As we've seen with TPE TOCs can get themselves into a hole very quickly but it takes a long, long time to dig their way out. Hopefully Avanti's problems aren't as structural as TPE's but I don't think I'll be planning a journey on Avanti any time soon.