Chiltern "deleting" trains

[sammyg901]

This week I've noticed Chiltern doing something they've never done before to my knowledge and that is "deleting" (P-coding?) trains very last minute. This has included the last trains most of this week - the last 3 tonight !

Tomorrow they've cut 23 trains out including the evening Aylesbury-Amersham shuttle leaving Stoke Mandeville / Wendover / Great Missenden without any service

I can only assume they're offering local arrangements for replacement transport for ticket holders (taxis) but nothing is being updated on journeycheck.

This seems like very sharp practice on routes with no alternatives that have been showing a service up until late the night before and that most people wouldn't have bought tickets for in advance

It hasn't been a good week at all, they have had engineering work in progress and the overtime ban but what trains have been running have been booked short and had plenty of short forms. They published an apology on social media

 

[12LDA28C]

I assume trains cancelled today is down to a shortage of drivers. Turns may have become uncovered since the roster was issued and attempts have been made to cover the turns within the restrictions of the current O/T ban. If this has ultimately been unsuccessful then it's better to cancel affected trains with a few hours' notice than just cancel each train shortly before departure.

 

[Huntergreed]

Indeed I noticed this on Wednesday night. I checked the timetable a couple days before and it confirmed several services to Wembley Stadium from Marylebone around 9-10PM.

Got to the station around 21:30 and indeed no services were showing until after 11PM! I just assumed Chiltern had the same habit as TPE as I don’t travel often down here, but it sounds like this may not be the case.

 

[sammyg901]

I assume trains cancelled today is down to a shortage of drivers. Turns may have become uncovered since the roster was issued and attempts have been made to cover the turns within the restrictions of the current O/T ban. If this has ultimately been unsuccessful then it's better to cancel affected trains with a few hours' notice than just cancel each train shortly before departure.

Seems like it. And I do agree, on short runs like this I imagine a lot of people check the timetable on the day and it's better the trains aren't there. From digging around on Twitter it does seem some unadvertised RRB will be running later tonight for anyone caught out

Just a shame to see what was once a very well run franchise getting into such a pickle .