NXEA replace the 0847 GYM - NRW train with a bus.

[Any Permitted]

Pretty irritated to be honest. The ever-reliable NXEA have replaced the train on which I commute every morning with a bus because they've "run out of trains". Or at least trains that work.

http://www.itv.com/anglia/rail-misery60494/

Any ideas what exactly happened?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The Sudbury crash 156 is still out of comission.

EDIT - What TheBigD said...

 

[TheBigD]

The 2 LM 153's that wre on short time hire have returned to LM. And the 156 that was damaged earlier in the year is still being repaired.

 

[tbtc]

It was mentioned on another thread here (which I cannot now find!) that its because of the unit (temporarily) written off in the level crossing smash a few months ago.

 

[Any Permitted]

Didn't someone on here say that there was a NXEA/LM/NT 153 swapping going on, I know NT have an LM 153 on loan...

NXEA have had two LM 153s for a while now, I think they were to replace the 156 that smashed into a sewerage lorry at Sudbury but I may be wrong.

 

[sonic2009]

Pretty irritated to be honest. The ever-reliable NXEA have replaced the train on which I commute every morning with a bus because they've "run out of trains". Or at least trains that work.

http://www.itv.com/anglia/rail-misery60494/

Any ideas what exactly happened?

It's something to do with the 156 that got put of action last year, and the 153 that was on short-term hire from London Midland has gone back.

 

[Any Permitted]

So if they lost two 153s which I've seen used on quite a lot of services how come it's only the 0809/0847 service on one branch they've had to replace with buses?

 

[tbtc]

how come it's only the 0809/0847 service on one branch they've had to replace with buses?

Possibly because these two duties are the only use of one unit in a day? Easier to cancel the "shortest" diagram of the day?

 

[Any Permitted]

Possibly because these two duties are the only use of one unit in a day? Easier to cancel the "shortest" diagram of the day?

So a train would leave Crown Point, go to Norwich for 0809 then back from Yarmouth at 0847 to Norwich then back to Crown Point and that's it for a day? Is that normal?

 

[lemonic]

I am sure that they will have changed the diagrams around to get maximum utilisation of the fleet. I don't think that a train would just do one journey to/from Norwich on a weekday, though I am happy to be corrected.

 

[causton]

Are there literally NO spare trains anywhere to be sent to cover for that damaged one? Or is it just that training/staffing/transporting costs make it not worth it?

 

[Any Permitted]

Are there literally NO spare trains anywhere to be sent to cover for that damaged one? Or is it just that training/staffing/transporting costs make it not worth it?

Considering they know they're not getting their franchise renewed this year and they've got literally zero chance of getting it again they don't give two hoots if they irritate commuters so I'm guessing if they really wanted to provide cover they could have done. But they don't.

 

[MCR247]

Well, SWT probably have 1 spare train in their diesel fleet, not sure though. Same with LM

 

[richa2002]

Why no loco-hauled replacement like last year?

 

[Any Permitted]

Well, SWT probably have 1 spare train in their diesel fleet, not sure though. Same with LM

Central Trains borrowed some SWT 158s when they were having their fleet repaired. I remember seeing them at Norwich.

 

[ainsworth74]

Why no loco-hauled replacement like last year?

To run two services per day? Seems a bit unnecessary (and expensive) to me buses whilst not perfect it would seem to be the most logical replacement for the time being.

 

[Tom B]

So, in the 21st century, a railway company has zero spare trains? Do they not have contingency plans, or "business continuity" plans?

 

[ainsworth74]

So, in the 21st century, a railway company has zero spare trains?

It varies from TOC to TOC some like SWT and LM do have a small number of spare DMUs whilst others like Northern and NXEA are running their DMU fleets as intensively as possible so if a unit goes down it might well mean bustitution is the only option.

It's a sorry state of affairs but it's where we are, and unless the government decides to order more DMUs then it isn't going to change any time soon.

 

[tbtc]

So a train would leave Crown Point, go to Norwich for 0809 then back from Yarmouth at 0847 to Norwich then back to Crown Point and that's it for a day? Is that normal?

Possibly, yes.

A lot of lines have additional services at peak hours, some of those extra rush hour services may only be a couple of journeys (with the train involved going off for maintenance etc during the rest of the day).

Presumably whats happened is NXEA have rejigged the diagrams so that instead of one train running (say) 06.00 - 09.00 and another running (say) 08.00 - 22.00, they have one train running (say) 06.00 - 22.00, with nothing spare to cover the duplication at morning rush hour.

Trains (like staff) can't be used seven days a week

 

[CNX]

'Spare' is a dirty word in the industry today, as idle stock still costs money to lease. TOC's operate on a shoestring of vehicles, leasing just enough for the franchise requirement and an allowance for maintainance and normal repairs. Accident damage isn't normally allowed for, and TOC's will normally have to muddle through and hope for the best, and, if the operator of multiple franchises, see if anything can be procured 'in house'.

NXEA have had long enough to tackle this problem; it hasn't exactly sprung up overnight. Nor is it a short term issue. A few days, OK, but four months is totally unacceptable.

The ORR must insist that NXEA find stock from somewhere, even if it means hiring in loco and coaches. The fact that they are to lose the franchise should not come into the equation.

 

[MCR247]

'Spare' is a dirty word in the industry today, as idle stock still costs money to lease. TOC's operate on a shoestring of vehicles, leasing just enough for the franchise requirement and an allowance for maintainance and normal repairs. Accident damage isn't normally allowed for, and TOC's will normally have to muddle through and hope for the best, and, if the operator of multiple franchises, see if anything can be procured 'in house'.

You make it sound like Angel have a load of 170s sat in warm storage, but no TOC wants to lease them for some reason or another :roll:

 

[tbtc]

You make it sound like Angel have a load of 170s sat in warm storage, but no TOC wants to lease them for some reason or another :roll:

I expect it won't take long before someone claims NXEA should simply use some of the hundreds of spare steam engines that are stored in a tunnel in Narnia as part of a secret Government conspiracy...

 

[Z12XE]

To run two services per day? Seems a bit unnecessary (and expensive) to me buses whilst not perfect it would seem to be the most logical replacement for the time being.

This diagram also saw it do an Ipswich - Cambridge and back in the evening, This will be covered by another unit.

Other changes following this problem is that there's a service in the evening which will be 2x153 from IPS to SAX, where the unit splits, one end carries on solo to LWT and the other ECS to IPS to work later services.

NXEA have had long enough to tackle this problem; it hasn't exactly sprung up overnight. Nor is it a short term issue. A few days, OK, but four months is totally unacceptable.

The ORR must insist that NXEA find stock from somewhere, even if it means hiring in loco and coaches. The fact that they are to lose the franchise should not come into the equation.

But this isn't NXEAs fault. Some prat wrecked their unit by parking a tanker on the railway.
NXEA hired in 2x153 units whilst it's away for repair, and about 2 weeks ago the DfT order NXEA to send the replacement units back.

 

[Any Permitted]

This diagram also saw it do an Ipswich - Cambridge and back in the evening, This will be covered by another unit.

Other changes following this problem is that there's a service in the evening which will be 2x153 from IPS to SAX, where the unit splits, one end carries on solo to LWT and the other ECS to IPS to work later services.



But this isn't NXEAs fault. Some prat wrecked their unit by parking a tanker on the railway.
NXEA hired in 2x153 units whilst it's away for repair, and about 2 weeks ago the DfT order NXEA to send the replacement units back.

Why did the DfT order them to send them back?

 

[Z12XE]

They are (aparently) going to FGW to help with the summer loads.

 

[richa2002]

To run two services per day? Seems a bit unnecessary (and expensive) to me buses whilst not perfect it would seem to be the most logical replacement for the time being.

Well as far as I know, buses were not required for any services when the loco-hauled replacement operated in February 2010 so this suggests that they were only 1 unit short off a full service then so I'm surprised its any different now. I doubt the timetable has changed much in a year. Whereas before it was a like-for-like diagram replacement, it seems the diagrams have been messed about with here to try and maximum use of the stock but this has still resulted in two important services being replaced by buses.

 

[Z12XE]

The December 2010 timetable saw completly new diagrams compared with the TT in operation at the time you specify

 

[knight2004]

Whilst i appreciate the damaged train was no their fault they havce had ample tome to sort it out. Just goes to show how Nationalo express don't give a damn seeing how they won't be running those routes soon.

Shame as c2s is excellent and east anglia well rubbish imho, dirty, non refurbed trains around london and the anglia region, their customer service is rubbish i am still qaiting for 78 pounds refund that theirn stupid machine at walthamstow took from me and never credited my oyster TFL said they wont do anything and i'm waiting for Nat express to sort it a waste of my time and money.

sorry thought i'd have a rant i'll be quiet now

I hope tye find a replacement thtese more rural services asfre just shoved to the side qnd not cared for, wonder how much they will lose where people now decide cae is easier.
I imagien as it is summer months more people take holidays so less commutering traffic is their thinking for this?

 

[richa2002]

The December 2010 timetable saw completly new diagrams compared with the TT in operation at the time you specify

Ahh, well I'll be quiet then .

 

[Z12XE]

Whilst i appreciate the damaged train was no their fault they havce had ample tome to sort it out.

See my reply at 16.54, they've had very little time at all to sort this out.