Northern discussions on conductor restructuring at an end

[snookertam]

Love how traincrew say they want Sunday in the working week, then do their best to input obstacles to ensure it doesn’t happen.

Drivers at ScotRail also say they’re up for Sunday as part of the working week, the rocks will melt in the sun before they accept any proposal that made it happen. And why would they? Why should they even? You get most of your Sundays off, a good chance of ensuring any specific Sunday off, and also hold a load of power should the company piss you off about something by refusing overtime.

It all a big game.

 

[Killingworth]

However, back on Northern we have timetabling difficulties when various stock types can operate the same services. 195s have better acceleration and braking than the 150/156/158 combinations that may be drafted in at short notice to cover for them. A pair of lightly loaded 150s will perform better than a packed 2 car 195 that has to let passengers off and back on again at each stop.

This DOO issue is a matter of principle rod for Northern and the RMT's backs. As long as 195 and 331s seem to be the only units that could operate that way, and they're interchanged with other units that can't, surely it's largely academic? Put that issue away to be resolved before 2032 when new stock makes it more relevant?

As a passenger I want a full Sunday service now. The truncated services lead to highly variable loadings, especially when combined with short forming and cancellations.

I'd like doors to open a little quicker at some stations. I see payment avoidance and would like to see more fellow passengers being pulled up and made to pay - but in the shorter term let's get those Sunday services reinstated.

Have Northern enough conductors trained and willing to do that from the December timetable change? Seems not. A fortnight or so ago tickets could be booked for the full Hope Valley Sunday timetable. Not any more! Maybe by May? I'll not hold my breathe.

DOOOOO!

 

[InkyScrolls]

This DOO issue is a matter of principle rod for Northern and the RMT's backs. As long as 195 and 331s seem to be the only units that could operate that way, and they're interchanged with other units that can't, surely it's largely academic? Put that issue away to be resolved before 2032 when new stock makes it more relevant?

Not quite - the 333s are set up for DOCC as well. The primary beneficiary of the proposal would be the Triangle, as all local services (bar one or two at the extreme ends of the day) are operated, even with short notice unit changes, with either 333s or 331s.