Arriva Rail North DOO

[175001]

Anyone else sick to absolute death hearing about the oasis that is the Mid Cheshire line?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Plans are being put in place for ATW to make extra calls at certain stations between Crewe and Manchester. I woudn't be surprised if XC end up stopping at Congleton as well but I've not heard anything from over there. Altrincham - Manchester would be a waste of valuable managers to work trains given they have Metrolink.

Unlikely as it may seem, please keep us abreast of any news on this!

 

[northwichcat]

The guards might '.....not like it' but perhaps the company is thinking of the passengers - you know, those people who pay the fares.

Surely the guard has no choice in what stations a train stops at to pick up and set down passengers. If one guard with an attitude problem thinks they should have that right then he deserves to be sacked so the guards who haven't grown too big for their boots can stay in employment as guards.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Surely the guard has no choice in what stations a train stops at to pick up and set down passengers. If one guard with an attitude problem thinks they should have that right then he deserves to be sacked so the guards who haven't grown too big for their boots can stay in employment as guards.

I think it's more that TPE may choose not to do it so as to keep their industrial relations good.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....but perhaps the company is thinking of the passengers....

Oh... You weren't joking....

The company aren't interested in the passengers, they are only interested in the money that passengers bring.

 

[Moonshot]

Surely the guard has no choice in what stations a train stops at to pick up and set down passengers. If one guard with an attitude problem thinks they should have that right then he deserves to be sacked so the guards who haven't grown too big for their boots can stay in employment as guards.

No we dont have a choice.....but what we do do is ring in to control if we are stuffed to the rafters with stops still to make - and let them make an operational decision on what to stop / not stop so to speak.

 

[northwichcat]

Anyone else sick to absolute death hearing about the oasis that is the Mid Cheshire line?

I'm sick of one person responding to all of my posts by bringing up one of the largest RUGs and insulting their work. It's almost equivalent to a guard being horrible to every passenger because one passenger on a full 4 car train said something he didn't agree with.

 

[Robertj21a]

Oh... You weren't joking....

The company aren't interested in the passengers, they are only interested in the money that passengers bring.

That sounds horribly like the RMT attitude about 40 years ago - or 20 years ago - or 10 years ago - or this year.

 

[northwichcat]

I think it's more that TPE may choose not to do it so as to keep their industrial relations good.

The comment was actually made in relation to other Arriva TOCs making additional calls.

 

[XDM]

No need to contact head office, it's very plainly explained in the front pages of the ASLEF diary for all drivers to see.
It's not about "having a day at home", it's about not crossing the picket line and supporting your fellow workers, which to some people is a big deal, including me.

Not sure the front pages of the ASLEF diary would count for much in the High Court.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

That sounds horribly like the RMT attitude about 40 years ago - or 20 years ago - or 10 years ago - or this year.

Maybe, but if you're honest you know it's the truth.

 

[craigybagel]

Surely the guard has no choice in what stations a train stops at to pick up and set down passengers. If one guard with an attitude problem thinks they should have that right then he deserves to be sacked so the guards who haven't grown too big for their boots can stay in employment as guards.

The guards may not like it but they will indeed do it, we're all professionals (and besides, the act of physically stopping a train at a station platform isn't really our department ). I think the point being made is that it might provoke them, and cause worse relations and a greater chance of industrial action at ATW or XC in the future, which might outweigh the benefits of making those extra calls.

There will of course also be safety considerations to bear in mind. Neither ATW nor XC are especially blessed with spare capacity at the best of times, even before you dump all of Northerns passengers on top.

 

[mtbox]

Not sure the front pages of the ASLEF diary would count for much in the High Court.

It's the law, so it wouldn't even get to court.

Look it up, protected action.

 

[LowLevel]

Interestingly, and I'm not sure why, lots of TOCs are allowing travel for Northern passengers on Sunday or Tuesday instead of Monday. EMT are specifically stated on Northern's page to have refused this request - I'd be intrigued to know why.

As for assisting passengers - I'd certainly not object to helping people get where they were going, letting them travel on other routes and trains etc - but on the other hand I'd be a bit annoyed if I was to be used to completely replicate a service withdrawn due to strike action by people protesting the abolition of my own grade

 

[kw12]

It's the law, so it wouldn't even get to court.

Look it up, protected action.

I think that the point is that this strike is protected action for employees who are RMT members (and for employees who are not in any union) but it is not protected action for employees who are members of other unions.

 

[northwichcat]

The guards may not like it but they will indeed do it, we're all professionals (and besides, the act of physically stopping a train at a station platform isn't really our department ). I think the point being made is that it might provoke them, and cause worse relations and a greater chance of industrial action at ATW or XC in the future, which might outweigh the benefits of making those extra calls.

There will of course also be safety considerations to bear in mind. Neither ATW nor XC are especially blessed with spare capacity at the best of times, even before you dump all of Northerns passengers on top.

If a lot of services don't run for whatever reason safety will be a concern. Maybe XC stopping more services at Congleton would reduce safety concerns as passengers wouldn't all have to crowd on to the same peak time service which usually stops there?

No-one seems concerned about Arriva buses being full to maximum capacity due to carrying rail passengers as well.

 

[175001]

I'm sick of one person responding to all of my posts by bringing up one of the largest RUGs and insulting their work. It's almost equivalent to a guard being horrible to every passenger because one passenger on a full 4 car train said something he didn't agree with.

That's the trouble with RUGs that I've dealt with over the years, there's always one who thinks he's better. Thank God I don't sign that route.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Yes, correct, those passengers who pay the fares...........so that, in turn, you can then be given a rewarding job keeping them safe.

So as the railways are also subsidised I pay tax, which goes to the government, which then gets divided around doing different things like subsidising the railway! So does that make me self employed? :roll:

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Anyone else sick to absolute death hearing about the oasis that is the Mid Cheshire line?

It is a good line to work and the MCRUA do do a good job, what bugs most train crew is when people who do not actually work trains tell us how we should do our job!

 

[northwichcat]

So as the railways are also subsidised I pay tax, which goes to the government, which then gets divided around doing different things like subsidising the railway! So does that make me self employed? :roll:

The subsidy is paid for by all tax payers. Even the very rich don't pay so much tax that they can claim they pay for one guard's salary by the time their tax contributions are split between a number of areas.

However, your salary is paid for in a similar way to bus drivers who work for companies which have council/PTE contracts. If the public (as a whole) were asked to vote on whether they'd rather keep a loss making bus service that serves a hospital or a guard on their local train, the results might not go the way you want them to go.

 

[theblackwatch]

So as the railways are also subsidised I pay tax, which goes to the government, which then gets divided around doing different things like subsidising the railway! So does that make me self employed? :roll:

If it does, then your National Insurance is about to go up!

 

[XDM]

No need to contact head office, it's very plainly explained in the front pages of the ASLEF diary for all drivers to see.
It's not about "having a day at home", it's about not crossing the picket line and supporting your fellow workers, which to some people is a big deal, including me.

I have looked at all the pages of 3 old ASLEF diaries & nowhere does it say that ASLEF drivers should not cross RMT guard's picket lines. I would caution any driver who is thinking of taking mtbox's advice by refusing to cross a guard's picket line to contact their ASLEF district organiser immediately or head office in Clerkenwell. Why do Southern drivers work during RMT strikes? Because they would be breaching their contract if they refused to work for mtbox's reason. And of course they might consider the RMT strike a lost cause.

 

[mtbox]

I have looked at all the pages of 3 old ASLEF diaries & nowhere does it say that ASLEF drivers should not cross RMT guard's picket lines. I would caution any driver who is thinking of taking mtbox's advice by refusing to cross a guard's picket line to contact their ASLEF district organiser immediately or head office in Clerkenwell. Why do Southern drivers work during RMT strikes? Because they would be breaching their contract if they refused to work for mtbox's reason. And of course they might consider the RMT strike a lost cause.

Last page before the monthly planner in this year's diary.

 

[WCMLaddict]

mtbox:
Rather than diary, read the ASLEF circular that relates to this strike. It's very black and white on what ASLEF drivers should do on Monday.

 

[kw12]

mtbox:
Rather than diary, read the ASLEF circular that relates to this strike. It's very black and white on what ASLEF drivers should do on Monday.

Presumably the circular states that ASLEF drivers should cross picket lines.

 

[Greybeard33]

Yet Metrolink say Northern haven't made any arrangements with them for ticket acceptance on any services on Monday.

The Northern website now says:

Metrolink (Manchester) will accept monthly and above season tickets on the following Metrolink routes:

• Altrincham – Manchester
• Ashton-under-Lyne – Manchester
• Eccles – Manchester
• East Didsbury – Manchester
• Rochdale – Manchester

Edit: Quote updated - the website previously stated any ticket on the above routes and monthly seasons on any route (including the Airport and Bury lines).

Arriva buses will also accept Northern tickets.

https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/industrial-action

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Preston-Ormskirk buses are a classic.

0859 arrival at Preston, too late for work.

1700 departure from Preston, too early for work.

I guess these are off the back of school runs or something?

 

[6Gman]

Surely the guard has no choice in what stations a train stops at to pick up and set down passengers. If one guard with an attitude problem thinks they should have that right then he deserves to be sacked so the guards who haven't grown too big for their boots can stay in employment as guards.

Are guards cleared to handle the PTI at stations with which they are unfamiliar?

 

[craigybagel]

Are guards cleared to handle the PTI at stations with which they are unfamiliar?

At my TOC at least guards are meant to know about every station on the line they sign, not just the stations that they regularly call at. I would be very surprised if I ever get asked to stop at Duddeston for example, but if I'm asked to do so I'm qualified to operate the doors there.

 

[Bungle965]

Transdev are putting additional buses on
Red Express (Blackburn to Manchester)
The WitchWay (Burnley - Manchester)
36 Harrogate - Leeds
662- Keighley - Bradford
Also mentioning that if demand is needed buses on the 36 will be routed via Infirmary Street which is near the station.
http://harrogatebus.co.uk/news.jsp?newsID=1898
(36)
http://lancashirebus.co.uk/news.jsp?newsID=1900
(Witches Way + Red Express)
http://www.keighleybus.co.uk/news.jsp?newsID=1899
(760)
Sam