Grand Central Discussion

[BOSCH]

i totally agree voyagerdude, on the times i have travelled on gc i had sometimes thought that certain members of the train crew are a little smug about their jobs.

Whats there to be smug about like ?:???:
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Regarding the friendliness of staff; I must agree apart from Sunday on the 9.30 when one female member of staff made distictly degrading comments about the passengers waiting to board as the service entered the station - she shouted it to us while leaning from one of the open windows. The same member of staff on the same service when a passenger asked about the cold coach C said something not far from "what do you expect on these old worn out carrages, move to the next coach if your cold".

mealybar,was it the senior conductor or a catering staff member ?

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

We dont have anything to be smug about!!:???: Im thinking perhaps a tin hat might be needed before long!!

 

[yorkie]

All the staff I've met on GC so far have been great!!

Update: Today's 0646 SUN-KGX failed at Grantham 67028 in attendance (Ta TC).

 

[1D53]

Would love to try and grab a photo of them hopefully heading North but alas I'm off to work

 

[mealybar]

mealybar,was it the senior conductor or a catering staff member ?

TBH I don't know. I saw her hanging out of the window coming into Hartlepool, and then when she told the elderly couple about the cold coach (while we were stopped with the Greatham points problem - I think, but may have been at Eaglescliffe). It wasnt a member of catering - I think I recognise most of those faces now! - she didnt wear a GC scarf as the others mostly do though.

Picked up the local paper the other day and page 2, this;

London train link price rise

RAIL OPERATOR Grand Central has announced a review of its fares.
It comes four months after the Sunderland to London via Hartlepool service finally started.
....
Grand Central is now set to carry out a planned review of its fares for the 6.46am service.

The founder of the direct passenger service says he is hopeful that some fares could go down while any increases will be minimal.
...
On the subject of possible fare increases in the review, he (Ian Yeowart) said: "This review was always due to happen so we could look at how the service was performing and I can say I am hopeful not all fares will be going upwards."
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/London-train-link-price-rise.3943075.jp

Taken negatively by the report I think (suggestions that price changes could be both ways not just up), but I hope that the off peak trains get an AP fare or at least some reduction, that'd be nice

 

[Jordy]

Yet another failure - not good news, i'm guessing they now don't have sufficient stock to run a full service...?

 

[37402]

0646 ex Sunderland Failed at Grantham. Reports that 080 shut down in sympathy with 084 which was dead up front. Pax forward on NX service from Grantham. Im on the 1230/1650 today (again!), with R1 which when I left it on wed has both PCs running!

I did wonder whether you'd be on the broken set or not. Apologies to your colleagues that they had to scratch a 66 rather than a slightly more rateable 60, although the way things are at the moment, your lucky to get anything at all!

Although when it passed my window at Donny, the northern p/c (immediately behind the shed) was running...

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

I was on the other set that screamed south just after the failed set had passed donny... with only one member of catering on board as they were stuck on the other set!!!

 

[me123]

On a side note, the company's website is down :?

 

[laseandre]

It's up for me.

 

[1D53]

And the 1405 from York to London seems driverless!

 

[BOSCH]

And the 1405 from York to London seems driverless!

2 drivers were there actually,late start from york awaiting pax from s/land.

 

[1D53]

2 drivers were there actually,late start from york awaiting pax from s/land.

Well they werent sat in the cab and everyone else seemed to be there so assumed thats why they were waiting

 

[yorkie]

Anyone know what is happening tomorrow?

I am sure the 1820 will run throughout, but will the 1342 run from Sunderland? I would guess this is busier than the 0910 so would get priority? or maybe not?

 

[djw1981]

Sir Clag said elsewhere that the was a contingency timetable but as their website is down....

 

[Donny Dave]

Yup, back onto the contingency timetable for a few days. Only having 2 power cars available dictates that ....

 

[yorkie]

The contingency TT used to be 1342 SUN-KGX and 1820 KGX-SUN on Sundays, so it looks like the 1342 will run? If so, I may go for that tomorrow!

 

[paul1609]

Being out east i've rather lost touch- had all 6 power cars been delivered to Grand Central?
If so only 2 servicable doesnt seem a very good effort by the engineers.
Will Grand Central still be in business for my return to the Uk in June?

 

[yorkie]

Well I don't see how the contingency TT can run as the 0910 ran today... so the 1342 will have to be cancelled or they will have to hire something in or perform a miracle....

I guess the old contingency TT isn't being followed and someone is making it up as they go along and not informing anyone...

 

[devon_metro]

GC website seems to be dead aswell.

 

[me123]

Being out east i've rather lost touch- had all 6 power cars been delivered to Grand Central?
If so only 2 servicable doesnt seem a very good effort by the engineers.
Will Grand Central still be in business for my return to the Uk in June?

All 6 had been delivered and were in service until very recently, but sadly 4 have gone kaput Presumably they didn't expect a mass fleet failure. I imagine, however, that they will still be running in June. Every TOC has problems, and remember that GC started from scratch pretty much, unlike NXEC which had GNER beforehand.

The fact that GC are planning a fourth service in under a year shows that the services must be popular enough and I'm sure that they'll still be running.

 

[djw1981]

1 of the 4 is quite serious - seized gearbox. 2 of them are in service, another 2 are expected back in service tomorrow (ie 2 rakes worth).

Do valenta's on ships break down every few thousand miles?

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

I dont think the Marine Valentas suffer the same failure rate.. well, I hope not anyway!

UPDATE: FULL TT BACK IN OPERATION AS OF NOW

 

[yorkie]

But how many of the failures are actually directly related to the Valenta engines themselves?

And Clagalot - I am going for the 1342, can you guarantee it will run? Any idea who the guard is - you by any chance?

 

[paul1609]

The Valenta 12 cylinder engine is getting on in age now whatever its application. The engines fitted in my ship are almost identical to the original HST engine. In the 1990s I did a job swap for 4 weeks and worked at Laira Depot. However ours typically run at full power for days on end so experience a diffferent set of problems. A common factor is the poor availability of spare parts. Needless to say i have exotic dreams about them being ripped out and being replaced with MTU's, Cummins or Warzillas.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

should be running, and it should be Bosch in charge!

 

[yorkie]

It did not run

People were offered taxis to York, where the onward train was to be delayed awaiting them. Shambles

Some guy wanted a taxi to Hartlepool instead of waiting for the Northern

 

[theblackwatch]

Some guy wanted a taxi to Hartlepool instead of waiting for the Northern

And he presumably wanted to pay the GC fare of £2 for his journey instead of the Standard Day Single of £4.90!

 

[yorkie]

2nd set not out today.

0855 KGX-SUN - cancelled
1345 KGX-SUN - ran throughout
1820 KGX-SUN - cancelled.
0910 SUN-KGX - ran throughout
1342 SUN-KGX - cancelled
1842 SUN-KGX - ran throughout

Pax for today's 1342 were put on expensive taxis to York then given tickets to use on NXEC services. Not sure why the cheaper option of metro to Newcastle and NXEC from there was not done.

XC clearly have power cars available for lease, NXEC had 43178 yesterday, but GC have chosen to cancel trains and use taxis instead

I do wish that they had said which trains would/wouldn't run instead of saying the original contingency timetable would be in operation, as the contingency was for 1342 SUN-KGX to run and it didn't.

I felt sorry for the GC staff, who were doing their best in difficult circumstances, and were not kept well informed by control (by the sound of it).

 

[paul1609]

Realistically Yorkie the Taxis are far less expensive than running the train.
You do have to wonder just how many passengers GC are attracting North of York when the replacement transport doesnt even seem to warrant a road coach!