EMR - MD Will Rogers leaves immediately

[HamworthyGoods]

The MD of EMR has left with immediate effect.

“Will Rogers has left his role as Managing Director of East Midlands Railway with immediate effect.

Transport UK, which owns EMR, confirmed on 27 July that Mr Rogers, who had held the role since January 2020, was leaving that day with Merseyrail MD Neil Grabham taking over as Interim MD.”

https://www.modernrailways.com/article/will-rogers-leaves-east-midlands-railway?

http://utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=I...egMbZDCbIiU4j7BgZA_aem_NNDKLJp-OR1LYa2lS6roBw

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Reportedly an opportunity for him to step back and spend some more time with his family. So, did he leave of his own volition?

 

[45Fox]

Fell or pushed?

 

[Elecman]

Wonder if that’s related to the sudden blaming if Hitachi last week which he must have authorised ??

 

[Randomer]

Wonder if that’s related to the sudden blaming if Hitachi last week which he must have authorised ??

I wonder if it might be more a point of an operating company; in whatever level that still exists with management contracts, being prepared to point the finger at other organisations.

If he was, presumably, prepared to authorise public facing messaging blaming Hitachi then the next logical step when the problems worsen (and they almost certainly will) is to blame government/department for transport for cancelling the remaining Midlands Main Line electrification which brought the need for an untested bi-mode design. Or stating that the DfT will not fund hired in trains from other operators to reduce the ongoing issues as they hold the purse strings.

I can see the DfT leaning heavily on the wider Transport UK Group to not let either happen and have perhaps a convenient thing to point to as "we are doing something about it."

Alternatively the wider company thought something needed to be done to have any chance of gaining contracts in the rail sector outside the UK post GBR. They certainly haven't seemed to pivot towards open access like First Group or won any of the remaining UK operating concessions tendered recently e.g. London Overground.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Or maybe given the issues going on there, he just didn't fancy carrying on knowing there isn't a quick magic bullet that means things would improve anytime soon. Maybe this is why I'm not out out for such jobs but I certainly wouldnt want to stay in a job that has no realistic chance of having a good outcome.

 

[43096]

Or maybe given the issues going on there, he just didn't fancy carrying on knowing there isn't a quick magic bullet that means things would improve anytime soon. Maybe this is why I'm not out out for such jobs but I certainly wouldnt want to stay in a job that has no realistic chance of having a good outcome.

If that's the case, why did he leave with immediate effect? No handover to a successor, just gone same day. All points to him being pushed.

 

[bramling]

Wonder if that’s related to the sudden blaming if Hitachi last week which he must have authorised ??

One would think that would have been authorised by the DfT, given EMR are still a management contract?

 

[Bald Rick]

One would think that would have been authorised by the DfT, given EMR are still a management contract?

Almost certainly.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

If things are going to get worse (more trains leaving) before they get the 810s sorted means more service reductions likely. A new broom can get away with that in the short term more than the incumbent good so could be matter of sequencing.

 

[Merle Haggard]

All the emphasis seems to be on the 810/222 debacle. What gets overlooked is the poor performance of the Corby service, with cancellations in full or part and short formed trains even in the peak.
The 360 refurb. programme seems to have stalled, too.

 

[High Dyke]

Ah well, they've just replaced him with another useless manager, in the interim.

 

[webbfan]

Interesting the BBC report has his main manager saying how wonderful he has been in the job.

East Midlands Railway boss to leave role amid ongoing train problems

Will Rogers says he has decided it is time to step back and spend some more time with his family.

www.bbc.co.uk

'Dominic Booth, Transport UK CEO, said: "He has been instrumental in delivering exceptional service to our customers and has embodied the Transport UK delivery-first mentality.
"In recent weeks, Will has also given his all in responding to the tragic incident at Bedford South. I would like to thank Will for all his efforts and wish him the best in the future."'

 

[GoneSouth]

Is EMR just a little flavour of the chaos ahead once inexperienced civil servants are in charge of absolutely everything? I do hope not.

Blaming Hitachi seems fair, their product is not fit for purpose!

Blaming the DfT for cancelling the MML electrification seems fair.

Now, what was the sequence of events leading to releasing too many old trains before new ones are ready to run RELIABLY in their place. This seems to be the real problem for EMR, but whose fault was it. I suspect DfT’s but don’t know for sure.

If so, just dropping everything, walking away immediately and saying sort your own bl00dy mess out also seems like reaction of somebody at the end of their tether.

Alternatively, he was relieved of his duties at the request of DfT before he put then and their image of a shiny bright future for GBR in the firing line and told passengers the truth, thus creating a negative image before GBR really got going.

• Fall guy for shoddy products?
• Silenced by a government department trying to protect its reputation?
• Man on the brink after 6 years in an impossible job?
• Poor decisions meant he failed and the most recent timetable change was a failure to far?
• Poor operating performance, ultimately resulting in EMR handing back most of their revenue in delay repay.

My last experience with EMR was not a happy one, with cancellations and delays of over an hour meaning I didn’t contribute a single penny to EMR/DfT for my journey. This is unsustainably. And, what intercity train operator can claim to offer great service without the ability to reserve a seat. What a mess.

Staff are great though, and presumably that culture comes down from the top so he was doing something right.

 

[Harpo]

Blaming the DfT for cancelling the MML electrification seems fair.

Blaming the Treasury/PM for cancelling MML electrification seems fairer.

Meanwhile has anyone considered the possibility that Mr Rodgers might have accepted a role elsewhere that would be considered a conflict?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Meanwhile has anyone considered the possibility that Mr Rodgers might have accepted a role elsewhere that would be considered a conflict?

Always a possibility, but the quote attributed to him in the article linked to in post #1 (= "it is the right time for me to step back and spend some more time with my family") hinted at otherwise.

 

[edwin_m]

Meanwhile has anyone considered the possibility that Mr Rodgers might have accepted a role elsewhere that would be considered a conflict?

If it was a role with a competitor then he might be put on "gardening leave" - still paid for his notice period but not doing any work for EMR or anyone else. This is common for senior roles with inside knowledge that might be valuable to the competitor.

However, it's hard to see how that might apply in this situation. Private UK TOCs are an endangered species, they can't do much on their own initiative, and even he went to an open access operator it's hard to see how he could damage Transport UK's standing. An overseas role is possible but again that wouldn't be in direct competition with EMR or its parent.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Unfair, this mess is not his making. Now we know you can be sacked for going along with DfT rollingstock decisions as well as sacked for disagreeing with them (Chris Gibb).

 

[Killingworth]

I seem to recall that the current operators of the East Midlands franchise were the only ones left after the others withdrew. They were left with the short straw - some might say that's become a whole box of short straws!

The current situation has been brewing for months, years and probably back to the start of the franchise. Will Rogers needed a break and the immediate naming of an interim successor with inside experience seems to ensure a relatively orderly transition.

 

[Sleepy]

Add to list the August strikes due to safety concerns ?

 

[Killingworth]

Add to list the August strikes due to safety concerns ?

Yup, the short straws have been broken even shorter!

It's not so long ago that TPE seemed to be in a mess. A new man at the helm may have made it easier to do things previously seen as too hard. We don't seem to see so many grouses in recent months.

Presumably Neil Grabham didn't agree to take over yesterday morning. Hopefully he's already working on how to improve things, much of which would have been going to happen anyway. But he will need better luck than Will has had so far this year.

 

[thedbdiboy]

One of the unwritten rules of being a TOC MD is the requirement to walk the plank when things go wrong. The position holds the accountability regardless of where the direct responsibility lies. It's priced into the job, so to speak.

 

[AlterEgo]

One of the unwritten rules of being a TOC MD is the requirement to walk the plank when things go wrong. The position holds the accountability regardless of where the direct responsibility lies. It's priced into the job, so to speak.

Basically this. It is the same as being a football manager. Mr Rogers will be employed elsewhere; MDs do not get it right everywhere they go and sometimes swirling crises simply engulf even good ones.

 

[Spekejunction]

In light of the above..is there a case for the formation of TOC managers Union ?

 

[Djgr]

In light of the above..is there a case for the formation of TOC managers Union ?

This essentially exists. It just hides in the shadows.

 

[tocguard]

There seems to be a lot of people focusing solely on the Hitachi situation as being the reason he has left.

Actually, there's a lot more to it than that. Yes, the Aurora roll out hasn't gone to plan and everyone can see that and also see that it is not necessarily the fault of EMR or its people.

So why has he gone?

If we look at the wider state of affairs, there are wholly credible underlying safety concerns with the Auroras but yet the company appear to have dismissed these claims and continue to push out units in daily service with known repeat faults and failures. Safety IS the line. It shouldn't be bent to suit operational desire. Any other fleets and similar industries would "ground" a fleet until potential for safety issues to reoccur were resolved. If it's Hitachi's fault then they should pay the associated costs of hiring any replacements etc. EMR have failed to resolve this long standing issue and have jeopardised safety.

Similarly, have a look at the regional and connect fleets. In some cases, they are literally falling to bits. Maintenance has been been so bad and I've never travelled on another TOC ever that has been as slow to rectify such obvious cosmetic faults. Now imagine what it's like for train crews reporting faults that the public can't see. In a lot of scenarios, what the public can't see is even worse.

Regional provision of services is inadequate and has been getting worse during the tenure of EMR. Under stagecoach EMT, units were clearly maintained to a better standard and reliability was evidently much better. There was more of a mantra that services HAVE to run. Regional services are now commonly cancelled, and in comparison to some other TOCs, not usually for crew issues. It is most likely a service is cancelled these days due to unit failure or even lack of units. The units that are out working will have questionable adherence to regulatory standards.

Staff morale is at an all time low and the MD was the least visible, least approachable and most far removed from the reality of what goes on, for at least a decade, if not longer. So no, it's not all about the Auroras, and talk to the staff, the real staff onboard, no he won't be missed by many within the company.

 

[800001]

There seems to be a lot of people focusing solely on the Hitachi situation as being the reason he has left.

Actually, there's a lot more to it than that. Yes, the Aurora roll out hasn't gone to plan and everyone can see that and also see that it is not necessarily the fault of EMR or its people.

So why has he gone?

If we look at the wider state of affairs, there are wholly credible underlying safety concerns with the Auroras but yet the company appear to have dismissed these claims and continue to push out units in daily service with known repeat faults and failures. Safety IS the line. It shouldn't be bent to suit operational desire. Any other fleets and similar industries would "ground" a fleet until potential for safety issues to reoccur were resolved. If it's Hitachi's fault then they should pay the associated costs of hiring any replacements etc. EMR have failed to resolve this long standing issue and have jeopardised safety.

Similarly, have a look at the regional and connect fleets. In some cases, they are literally falling to bits. Maintenance has been been so bad and I've never travelled on another TOC ever that has been as slow to rectify such obvious cosmetic faults. Now imagine what it's like for train crews reporting faults that the public can't see. In a lot of scenarios, what the public can't see is even worse.

Regional provision of services is inadequate and has been getting worse during the tenure of EMR. Under stagecoach EMT, units were clearly maintained to a better standard and reliability was evidently much better. There was more of a mantra that services HAVE to run. Regional services are now commonly cancelled, and in comparison to some other TOCs, not usually for crew issues. It is most likely a service is cancelled these days due to unit failure or even lack of units. The units that are out working will have questionable adherence to regulatory standards.

Staff morale is at an all time low and the MD was the least visible, least approachable and most far removed from the reality of what goes on, for at least a decade, if not longer. So no, it's not all about the Auroras, and talk to the staff, the real staff onboard, no he won't be missed by many within the company.

What are the safety issues with the 810s?

I've not seen written on here or by the unions what those concerns are.

 

[AlterEgo]

What are the safety issues with the 810s?

I've not seen written on here or by the unions what those concerns are.

Indeed. One can assume if that's what this is all about they won't be in service tomorrow.

 

[800001]

Indeed. One can assume if that's what this is all about they won't be in service tomorrow.

The only 'concern' I've seen is the Aux off/on procedure and an apparent lack of communication between train crew and signaller.

That process is no different to any other of the 8XX fleets. And if driver is performing that on a mainline then they can issue there mobile number to the signaller incase they need to communicate.

 

[BrianW]

Much as we would like to know in detail the reasons for departure- we shall probably never know. There may be payments conditional upon fine words being said; a 'good' reference my be provided; tho' I understand References are required to be truthful. I wish anyone changing jobs good health and happiness, tho as has been remarked departure for failing is 'priced in', and there will be, as with football managers further opportunities to fail coming round the corner. 'The next arrival at ... will be ...'

I find Forumites' suggestions of compromising of safety somewhat concerning.