Glasgow Central disruption 27/6

[gsnedders]

Apparently there's been some points failure at Glasgow Central, and Open Train Times shows GLC (high level) at a standstill! The 1834 from Central to Ayr seems to have been the last train to have arrived/departed.

 

[318266]

Signallers seem to be changing train headcodes to the class of it.
156- in P9, with 4380
2156 in P10, with 4380
4380 in P11
3318 in P12
3380 in P13
314- in P14

 

[318266]

so you will see a 156 and a 380/1 in P9, a 156 and 380/1 in P10, a 380/1 in P11, a 318 in P12, a 380/0 in P13, and a 314 in P14

 

[gsnedders]

Signalling failure, not points failure, apparently.

 

[kylemore]

Arrived at Glasgow Central tonight to find nothing moving.

Complete lack of any communication whatsoever apart from a poorly enunciated garbled message every so often of which the only part I could make out was "signalling problems at Shields Road".

Gave up and went to Buchanan Bus station and got the bus to Kilmarnock.

At least as far as communication and customer service is concerned what a low quality organisation Abellio Scotrail is.

 

[318266]

Signal/points failure. The signallers have even turned the train headcodes into the class and number of cars.

 

[InOban]

It's certainly all on their Twitter. The heat has. B******d all the points.

 

[318266]

Ticket acceptance.

First Glasgow
Glasgow - Paisley (9)/Shotts via Uddingston(?)/Motherwell via Carmyle(?)/Cathcart(?)/Patterton(?)/Newton(?)

 

[318266]

McGills
Glasgow - Gourock(901/907)/Wemyss Bay(901/906)/Neilston(3)

 

[318266]

Stagecoach West Scotland
All ayrshire routes
Glasgow - Kilmarnock(X76, X77)

 

[318266]

note; numbers are services that serve both places.

 

[kylemore]

So why was this not communicated to the assembled crowds of punters in Central Station?

 

[68000]

Arrived at Glasgow Central tonight to find nothing moving.

Complete lack of any communication whatsoever apart from a poorly enunciated garbled message every so often of which the only part I could make out was "signalling problems at Shields Road".

Gave up and went to Buchanan Bus station and got the bus to Kilmarnock.

At least as far as communication and customer service is concerned what a low quality organisation Abellio Scotrail is.

1. Glasgow Central is a Network Rail managed station
2. Points/Signalling/Pway issues are Network Rail issues. Did you check the ScotRail twitter feed?

 

[DackandBlecker]

So why was this not communicated to the assembled crowds of punters in Central Station?

Did you check the ScotRail twitter feed?

Checking twitter to see when you're actually there? What are tannoys and information screens for then?

 

[edwin_m]

It was on National Rail when I looked about 20min ago. Though I struggle to understand how there can be a service between Glasgow and Gorouck or Ayr when there's none between Glasgow and Gilmour Street.

 

[68000]

Checking twitter to see when you're actually there? What are tannoys and information screens for then?

Use all sources

 

[DackandBlecker]

Use all sources

And if your phone isn't smart?

 

[68000]

Rely on the info put out by NR/TOC over the tannoy

 

[DackandBlecker]

Yes, and hopefully @kylemore managed to get the correct information.

No offence, but “check Twitter” isn’t an answer.
Twitter should be used *in addition* to normal channels like announcements and info screens, not *instead* of.

 

[sdrennan]

On a delayed train from Euston. Just been advised I have the joy of onward transport from Motherwell

I was on the sleeper down last night which was perfect and nice and early. I suspect it may be a little late tomorrow

 

[kylemore]

Please note I am making no comment on the technical issue or the technical response to it.

I am only commenting on the quality of customer communication.

I was at the station for around 40 mins in the company of several hundred others and there was no attempt to seriously communicate with me or them.

I worked it out for myself due to my savvy that there was no point in waiting and made my own way to the bus station where the driver had no knowledge of ticket acceptance arrangements. I will be obtaining a form to make a claim.

I have a mobile which I use for calls and texts - I don't do twitter/facebook - not interested.

I was in a major station for goodness sake, with numerous staff, a functioning Information screen and PA system and presumably "Managers" on the premises - yet no communication.

 

[haggishunter]

Please note I am making no comment on the technical issue or the technical response to it.

I have a mobile which I use for calls and texts - I don't do twitter/facebook - not interested.

Facebook is almost an irrelevance in this sort of situation, but you don't really need to 'do' Twitter to make use of the information put on it. Twitter is pretty much an ideal way of getting basic critical info out in a fast changing situation, unlike individual businesses websites which even with big resources and scaling can be overwhelmed when there are major problems.

If you choose not to use the information channels the train operator provides, then don't complain about the lack of information.

 

[68000]

Yes, and hopefully @kylemore managed to get the correct information.

No offence, but “check Twitter” isn’t an answer.
Twitter should be used *in addition* to normal channels like announcements and info screens, not *instead* of.

In the absence of the should, smart passengers will use all sources

 

[kylemore]

If you choose not to use the information channels the train operator provides, then don't complain about the lack of information.

Oh but I am - at the risk of repeating myself I am in a major station, indeed THE major station in Glasgow, no doubt mere yards away from highly paid supervisors and duty managers behind closed doors, functioning screens and PA and yet no communication.

That is incompetence.

 

[cf111]

Facebook is almost an irrelevance in this sort of situation, but you don't really need to 'do' Twitter to make use of the information put on it. Twitter is pretty much an ideal way of getting basic critical info out in a fast changing situation, unlike individual businesses websites which even with big resources and scaling can be overwhelmed when there are major problems.

If you choose not to use the information channels the train operator provides, then don't complain about the lack of information.

I don't think it's remotely unreasonable to expect some form of decent communication from staff in one of the country's largest stations during major disruption. If the social media team are able to disseminate the information then why can't information boards, PA systems and human beings? All the information should be coming from the same sources.

Twitter is good but it's not the be all and end all.

 

[Far north 37]

Facebook is almost an irrelevance in this sort of situation, but you don't really need to 'do' Twitter to make use of the information put on it. Twitter is pretty much an ideal way of getting basic critical info out in a fast changing situation, unlike individual businesses websites which even with big resources and scaling can be overwhelmed when there are major problems.

If you choose not to use the information channels the train operator provides, then don't complain about the lack of information.

Surely you cant be serious that people in a major station should be looking on social media to find out whats happening instead of actually being informed at the actual source of the problem.

 

[Highlandspring]

Signalling failure, not points failure, apparently.

There were two seperate issues - firstly multiple points failures at Shields Junction mid afternoon which led to Ayrshire and Paisley Canal services being curtailed. Just as this was overcome it was very shortly followed by the loss of detection and control of just about every set of points between Bridge St Jn/Eglinton St Jn and the buffers at Central. This has been an exceptionally challenging incident to manage for Control, the Signalling Centre and, no doubt, the station staff.

 

[Mingulay]

I don't think it's remotely unreasonable to expect some form of decent communication from staff in one of the country's largest stations during major disruption. If the social media team are able to disseminate the information then why can't information boards, PA systems and human beings? All the information should be coming from the same sources.

Twitter is good but it's not the be all and end all.

Of course you should expect verbal on site face to face communication to be the prinicipal and preferred means of customer info. Social media is lazy and just second rate. It shows they still don't get it on Rail and Aiports. Complete management failure to communicate. They think social media means they can avoid personal interaction. Lazy stuff. Sloppy approach . Get on the platforms deploy staff. Talk to people show you care. Basic stuff frankly. If only the general public would push back against smart phone use and demand better.

 

[Mingulay]

There were two seperate issues - firstly multiple points failures at Shields Junction mid afternoon which led to Ayrshire and Paisley Canal services being curtailed. Just as this was overcome it was very shortly followed by the loss of detection and control of just about every set of points between Bridge St Jn/Eglinton St Jn and the buffers at Central. This has been an exceptionally challenging incident to manage for Control, the Signalling Centre and, no doubt, the station staff.

Still does not excuse communication failure. In this day and age we have mobile phones and radios and so staff need to get on the platforms.

Also it remains bewildering to the general fare paying public that any weather event beyond your average dreich to mediocre Scottish weather that Network rail infrastructure can't cope with a hot day that is just your average summers day in mainland Europe. Can't cope with heavy rain which we get lots of . Frosts and light snow is another reason for infrastructure failure. We live in a mild climate not extreme by any means Where are network rail going wrong ?

 

[Highlandspring]

I didn’t say the problem at Central is weather related, you seem to have reached that conclusion on your own.