XC Shortage of train drivers

[Martin_1981]

With the constant cancellation/curtailment of services, why the hell did XC bother reintroducing some Newcastle to Reading and Manchester to Paignton services in the new May timetable when they can't fulfill these services? The 08.03 Manchester to Paignton barely makes it beyond Bristol.

Makes no sense.

 

[class 9]

A Rest Day Working aggreement starts at XC w/c 24th July, so there should be an immediate improvement.

 

[sammyg901]

With the constant cancellation/curtailment of services, why the hell did XC bother reintroducing some Newcastle to Reading and Manchester to Paignton services in the new May timetable when they can't fulfill these services? The 08.03 Manchester to Paignton barely makes it beyond Bristol.

Makes no sense.

Cancelled again today.

I actually managed to take the return working (10.14am) a couple of weeks ago and I'd say there were approx 50 people at Paigton boarding that looked like they were going a long distance and I was surprised when I was out and about just how many northern accents I heard generally. Quite an inconvenience for those headed beyond Bristol when it does cancel, adds extra 2 x changes.

There are also a few Paddington services every day - quite interesting oddities in this world of clockface timetables!

 

[irish_rail]

Cancelled again today.

I actually managed to take the return working (10.14am) a couple of weeks ago and I'd say there were approx 50 people at Paigton boarding that looked like they were going a long distance and I was surprised when I was out and about just how many northern accents I heard generally. Quite an inconvenience for those headed beyond Bristol when it does cancel, adds extra 2 x changes.

There are also a few Paddington services every day - quite interesting oddities in this world of clockface timetables!

Indeed, Paigntons main market definitely seems to be northern England, and less so Londoners who seem to prefer Cornwall. Its such a shame that XC can't organise a decent Paignton to Manchester service , as it would also provide extra trips between Bristol and Exeter where onward connections exist for the greater south west.

 

[12LDA28C]

Indeed, Paigntons main market definitely seems to be northern England, and less so Londoners who seem to prefer Cornwall. Its such a shame that XC can't organise a decent Paignton to Manchester service , as it would also provide extra trips between Bristol and Exeter where onward connections exist for the greater south west.

20+ years ago I used to travel quite regularly on a Friday night loco-hauled overnight Manchester - Paignton (1V26?) which I recall left Manchester at around 2330 and arrived at Paignton around 0630, it was always quite busy.

 

[Wyrleybart]

A Rest Day Working aggreement starts at XC w/c 24th July, so there should be an immediate improvement.

Assuming there will be willing volunteers to work their rest days. IMHO much has changed from October 2021 when RDW ceased on XC. Many new drivers and some retired. Are there many "overtime Kings" these days ?

 

[class 9]

Assuming there will be willing volunteers to work their rest days. IMHO much has changed from October 2021 when RDW ceased on XC. Many new drivers and some retired. Are there many "overtime Kings" these days ?

Overtime Kings....... oh yes still plenty of those!! Not as many as there were in BR days when we were on crap money.

 

[Snow1964]

A Rest Day Working aggreement starts at XC w/c 24th July, so there should be an immediate improvement.

Rather depends on what the agreement is, if it is closer to a request for some to volunteer, instead of everyone is ordered to muck in and cover every shortage until we have sufficient trained drivers, then might be more a token improvement.

The reality XC know what their service commitment with DfT is, so how many drivers it requires, and having accepted the contract, should staff it properly. It's not like they only discovered the requirement in last few days, the current XC timetable has been around at least decade (ignoring minor tweaks to basic timetable)

 

[NEDdrv]

Will wait and see if many will volunteer bearing in mind the long running dispute. It may of course go the other way and lots will volunteer to make up for loss of earnings while on strike. Good thing is less abuse of T&C’s, no being taken off route review or moved from booked job with forced hours overtime.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Will wait and see if many will volunteer bearing in mind the long running dispute. It may of course go the other way and lots will volunteer to make up for loss of earnings while on strike. Good thing is less abuse of T&C’s, no being taken off route review or moved from booked job with forced hours overtime.

Very hopefully.

 

[jhy44]

Very annoying how badly affected the Cardiff-Birminghams seem to be hit by this issue, often 3 - 4 consecutive services will be cancelled leaving a very big gap in service. Often leaves Worcestershire Parkway with no north or south service at all when they're all cancelled - although I notice that XC do then stop a few Birmingham-Bristols instead to compensate (which is itself a useful service that should be regular).

 

[gazzaa2]

A Rest Day Working aggreement starts at XC w/c 24th July, so there should be an immediate improvement.

Probably with XC is even with a normal service the trains are way too overcrowded with a real shortage of capacity. If things go wrong with cancellations/delays etc it just make it unusable.

 

[davidknibb]

My friend was on the 1210 Nottingham,Derby, Birmingham today. Just 2 coaches. She said that it was so packed that people at Tamworth//Wilnecote were unable to board. There were of course small children and old folk in the crush. What a disgrace. (1210 from Derby that is)

 

[Martin_1981]

My friend was on the 1210 Nottingham,Derby, Birmingham today. Just 2 coaches. She said that it was so packed that people at Tamworth//Wilnecote were unable to board. There were of course small children and old folk in the crush. What a disgrace. (1210 from Derby that is)

Aren't the Birmingham to Nottingham services now only hourly at the moment due to building work going on at New Street reducing platform capacity? The Leicester trains aren't affected though and remain half hourly.

 

[dk1]

Aren't the Birmingham to Nottingham services now only hourly at the moment due to building work going on at New Street reducing platform capacity? The Leicester trains aren't affected though and remain half hourly.

Yes I think that’s how it is. Can’t do much about it until works are complete later this year.

 

[Llandudno]

Yes I think that’s how it is. Can’t do much about it until works are complete later this year.

But if the frequency has been cut to hourly aren’t there spare units available to operate with four cars?

 

[dk1]

But if the frequency has been cut to hourly aren’t there spare units available to operate with four cars?

No as I think they are running ECS to/from Tyseley in the path.

 

[M60lad]

Was there a reason why yesterday (15/7) XC Birmingham-Manchester services were cut to hourly again when recently they've been back to every 30mins?

I just happened to be at Stoke-on-Trent station yesterday morning and 10:49 to Piccadilly came in 10 late and was rammed solid from what I could see and was only 4 carriages long, surely dependant on train locations they could have doubled the Manchester's back up with the 30 past the hour from Birmingham's not running yesterday if they knew they weren't going to run half the Manchester services?

 

[Tomnick]

No as I think they are running ECS to/from Tyseley in the path.

The paths are there for that, but they haven't actually been using them routinely. I can only assume that they put them in just in case they had problems with platforming for the extended layovers at Notts and/or to help with unit diagramming or swaps.

 

[dk1]

The paths are there for that, but they haven't actually been using them routinely. I can only assume that they put them in just in case they had problems with platforming for the extended layovers at Notts and/or to help with unit diagramming or swaps.

Yes that could be the case.

 

[CommuterPigeon]

Was there a reason why yesterday (15/7) XC Birmingham-Manchester services were cut to hourly again when recently they've been back to every 30mins?

I just happened to be at Stoke-on-Trent station yesterday morning and 10:49 to Piccadilly came in 10 late and was rammed solid from what I could see and was only 4 carriages long, surely dependant on train locations they could have doubled the Manchester's back up with the 30 past the hour from Birmingham's not running yesterday if they knew they weren't going to run half the Manchester services?

Engineering works between Cheltenham and Bristol meant they were diverting services via Gloucester and Newport so had to thin the service down to hourly.
Some additional strengthening on Plymouth - Edinburgh and Manchester - Bournemouth services with the spare stock.

 

[SJN]

Aren't the Birmingham to Nottingham services now only hourly at the moment due to building work going on at New Street reducing platform capacity? The Leicester trains aren't affected though and remain half hourly.

On a Saturday they run two an hour to Nottingham as per old timetable.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2023 ==

The paths are there for that, but they haven't actually been using them routinely. I can only assume that they put them in just in case they had problems with platforming for the extended layovers at Notts and/or to help with unit diagramming or swaps.

During the week the services are double sets so most don’t go to Tyseley. On a Saturday they run two an hour to Nottingham so there are less double sets around.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jul 2023 ==

My friend was on the 1210 Nottingham,Derby, Birmingham today. Just 2 coaches. She said that it was so packed that people at Tamworth//Wilnecote were unable to board. There were of course small children and old folk in the crush. What a disgrace. (1210 from Derby that is)

I believe there was a trespass incident on that route yesterday causing delays and cancellations so that will have meant services that were running being busier.