Another 'pain in the arse' journey on XC today, when YET AGAIN the second set of the Edinburgh-bound double voyager sent from New Street was locked out of use. It's getting a regular occurrence and means everyone crammed onto 4 cars, not helped by the earlier 170 to Notts being cancelled. Honestly why can't the second set be used? The guard/train manager can surely switch between the two units at stations and communication systems works between the 2 sets in case of a problem??? I assume the reason the second set was locked due to staffing issues - SORT IT OUT!!!!!!
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Another Cross Country nightmare
- Thread starter BREMENMURRAY
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Trainman40083
Established Member
If the DfT dictate the direction, XC have to do it whether they like it or not. If the DfT doesn't like the outcome (that they insisted on), then they have two choices. They either listen to XC and their angry customers OR they buy XC out of their legally binding contract (and that won't happen, because it is cheaper to wait until the franchise ends). So, what we see is XC get a kicking, for what they have little control over. Just imagine if all that anger was directed at the DfT.
voyagerdude220
Established Member
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- 13 Oct 2005
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- 4,246
Isn't this because of the ongoing dispute within Cross Country about the Catering Staff (Retail Service Managers) not being allowed (or being stopped being paid extra for performing higher grade duties) therefore only staff employed as Train Managers are crewing each individual Voyager train until further notice?
Snow1964
Established Member
Used XC from Bristol TM to Durham on Wednesday, might be short of staff, but did three complete ticket checks in our coach (with 3 different people).
Train was ok, but clearly had faults eg a few announcements that reservation displays weren't working in coach C and if sitting there please move if passenger with booking comes (they were working fine in our coach D) At couple of smaller stations, there was a we are now approaching xx station, in male voice, but the reservations one was female voice, so wonder if drivers now announce stations with short stops like Worcestershire Parkway. Catering trolley took 3 hours to appear on our 5car train which seems poor, only appeared once in the 5 hours.
Apart from faulty reservations in coach C (do XC not treat faults affecting paying passengers as important), and trolley only once every 5 hours. Have to say XC was good and on time.
Train was ok, but clearly had faults eg a few announcements that reservation displays weren't working in coach C and if sitting there please move if passenger with booking comes (they were working fine in our coach D) At couple of smaller stations, there was a we are now approaching xx station, in male voice, but the reservations one was female voice, so wonder if drivers now announce stations with short stops like Worcestershire Parkway. Catering trolley took 3 hours to appear on our 5car train which seems poor, only appeared once in the 5 hours.
Apart from faulty reservations in coach C (do XC not treat faults affecting paying passengers as important), and trolley only once every 5 hours. Have to say XC was good and on time.
Falcon1200
Established Member
An unusual situation on Tuesday 13th, on 1M18 0515 Southampton Central-Manchester Piccadilly; In (at least) the First Class coach seat reservations were displayed.... But they were from the previous day! Much confusion and musical chairs resulted. Something I have not seen before.
voyagerdude220
Established Member
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How do you know that they were for the previous day?
Were the interior displays above the doors displaying the correct calling pattern?
Same with the exterior displays?
Falcon1200
Established Member
voyagerdude220
Established Member
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Fair enough. I'm guessing it was a TMS fault with it not downloading your trip's reservations or not clearing the reservations from the night before. (I don't work for XC so don't have any knowledge of the technical workings of the 220/221s)
Snow1964
Established Member
Cross Country seems to have had a spectacular rise in cancellations
The latest figures (period 10) show 13.1% of services cancelled
10.7% were cancelled by XC (other 2.4% as consequence of others)
Short formations are 3.6%
www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk
The latest figures (period 10) show 13.1% of services cancelled
10.7% were cancelled by XC (other 2.4% as consequence of others)
Short formations are 3.6%
Key Business Performance Indicators | CrossCountry Trains
Discover CrossCountry's train performance, including delays and cancellation rates, passenger satisfaction, and complaints.
I wonder if/how the notorious whole/part journey locked-up sets get calculated?
Sounds like something that's easy to sneak under the radar to me...
Hairyspotter
Member
Regardless of ownership, there will still be the same amount of trains, traincrew and the same terms and conditions though, so however much folks might wish for XC to come under the GBR banner, nothing will change any time soon.
To point out, that doesn't mean the present situation is acceptable either.
To point out, that doesn't mean the present situation is acceptable either.
Trainman40083
Established Member
I seriously doubt XC being part of GBR would make any difference, as the real problems remain. But then the passengers would know who they really should blame.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
The current situation is caused by the removal of the payments to the Retail Service Managers.
That payment was removed shortly after the new MD came in last year. Her past experience being managing Amazon warehouses and Royal Mail delivery offices. She was seemingly invited by Royal Mail to go and work for someone else because her performance was so poor.
For all we criticise DfT, I think this decision making here does rest with XC and with an MD who is operating way beyond their talent.
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To be fair the staff involved have said that a big driver is the RMT wanting only to use train managers for this work and objecting to using the retail service managers. The RMT (which does get a bit of criticism, sometimes warranted, for focusing first on guards and then whoever else after) does not want to have the RSMs back doing this work.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
You will be a lot closer to it than I, so it's interesting what you are hearing.
The old system has IIRC been working ever since Virgin days, so my initial question there would be: why have the RMT suddenly got a bee in their bonnet? It's not as though RSMs working in double sets are taking away the jobs of TMs.
I do wonder whether the RMT are worried that the next step will be for a double unit to be operated with two RSMs and no TM? After all, the ceremony of the doors is mostly controlled by the driver on Voyagers (and always has been.)
My understanding was more that the RMT were objecting to the RSMs being expected to do the work for no additional pay. Which seems fair enough to me. If they're objecting to the use of RSMs full stop then that seems odd, although the RMT are always perfectly capable of being odd.
From what I gather part of their interim agreement some time ago was to use two TMs on double sets and they won't backtrack from that to the previous arrangement to allow the RSM to do it again. I believe @ValentaFan1974 does the job and has posted about it on here before basically saying they quite liked it and were happy to have the extra pay but RMT now say no.
I'm an RMT guard elsewhere myself and have never understood the need for more than one guard per train. Additional staff on an Intercity service, absolutely particularly where they don't have a through corridor, but not more than one guard.
Trainman40083
Established Member
How do they decide who is the top guard? Do they toss a coin to see who opens/closes the door?
One is rostered to be in charge and the other is rostered to assist. Same as everywhere else where you get the equivalent of a chief and assistants I guess.
Personal XC rant: A few months ago I was travelling from Notts to the Cambrian Coast of Wales, I got off the bus at Derby and the platform my train (4 car voyager Edinburgh to Plymouth) was on was completely full, hundreds of people trying to board an already at capacity train. MML was closed so we were seriously considering a £200+ taxi to Brum New St. Whole family was panicking and being stressed out, staff at Derby were super unhelpful. Last time I'll travel with XC through the core for a long time (their Stansted services have always been good to us).
We got the bus to Leicester.
We got the bus to Leicester.
Trainman40083
Established Member
Okay, let's say you were just catching the XC from Derby to Birmingham... Personally I'd ALWAYS catch the 170 worked services as, more often than not, there are spare seats. Of course, they have to actually run them to catch them . Too many cancellations...
I travel between Tamworth and Derby quite a bit, if the next service is a 5 car Voyager, I'll chance it, if it's a 4 car, I'll wait for the 170 which is usually no more than about 15 minutes behind.
Snow1964
Established Member
An operator whose cancellation rate in most recent period is whopping 13.1% has far too many cancellations
4 return journeys (8 trains) and statistically over 1 will be cancelled
Key Business Performance Indicators | CrossCountry Trains
Discover CrossCountry's train performance, including delays and cancellation rates, passenger satisfaction, and complaints.
Trainman40083
Established Member
Yep. Good choice. I remember travelling on XC when they ran the HSTs . They hoovered up passengers, and it wasn't that bad if you had to stand.
ValentaFan1974
Member
- Joined
- 8 Jul 2014
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- 393
The train manager in the rear train “works” it (ie: does dispatch, PA etc) and the train manager in the front is the “assist” so will do tickets, passenger assistance etc in the front part.
Peterthegreat
Established Member
Today is probably the worst day for a long long time on the NE - SW axis.
There is only one more departure southbound Leeds today - the 17.06. The 16.06, 19.06 and 21.15 have been cancelled due to shortage of train drivers.
I can sympathise with the Sunday situation but quite frankly this is totally unacceptable.
There is only one more departure southbound Leeds today - the 17.06. The 16.06, 19.06 and 21.15 have been cancelled due to shortage of train drivers.
I can sympathise with the Sunday situation but quite frankly this is totally unacceptable.
ajp999
Member
I wonder if this is linked to the engineering works at Sheffield and specifically a shortage of drivers who sign the diversion route
Peterthegreat
Established Member
I suspect it may be. However given the service is significantly thinned it does seem to imply a lack of robust planning.