Serco for Sleeper

[Bletchleyite]

Also do they have an agreement in place with First or Abellio for the sale of tickets?

Given that it appears in the Journey Planners I don't see that people would think it had gone away.

Neil

 

[Chrism20]

Given that it appears in the Journey Planners I don't see that people would think it had gone away.

Neil

Can you buy berths through other TOCs sites? I didn't think you could and that it had to be done through ScotRail.

 

[Furrball]

There is a page on the site referring to railcards


http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...imetables/railcards+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is a page on the site referring to railcards


http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...imetables/railcards+&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

That website isn't presently public...the public one is:

http://caledoniansleeper.info/

Interesting that there are different logos - I prefer the one at the above site.

Neil

 

[cjt0131]

That website isn't presently public...the public one is:

http://caledoniansleeper.info/

Interesting that there are different logos - I prefer the one at the above site.

Neil

is there a link to buy tickets after scotrail finish

 

[BRX]

Ignoring Railcards for a minute, I have wondered if they'd take it out of the national fares system. It's something that is otherwise quite hard to sell online, and is relatively stand-alone - so would it not be easier if it was completely separate?

Perhaps, at a push, a separate site could allow you to book a supplement to an existing ticket, itself purchased via normal sales channels.

It could also then be 100% e-ticketed.

Neil

Making the online purchase of sleeper tickets less confusing would certainly be good. Scotrail didn't seem to have managed this. I'm quite used to buying complicated ticket combinations but I have often found buying sleeper tickets somewhat difficult. For the "normal" customer it can only be worse. Plus, the regular journey planner won't always give you a clear picture of your options. For example, if you want to go from london to mallaig, the journey planner tries to put you on the sleeper to glasgow then a regular service up the WHL. The option to travel by sleeper to FTW then do the last bit by regular train doesn't show, and in fact it seems impossible to buy a through ticket to Mallaig using the FTW sleeper. Given that the latter option may well be more appealing to the leisure traveller (despite longer journey time) i wonder how much potential custom this loses.

 

[Essexman]

Earlier boarding times will be welcome.

I haven't seen anything about the 10 journey flexipass. It will be a shame if this been withdrawn as I've found it good value.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Can you buy berths through other TOCs sites? I didn't think you could and that it had to be done through ScotRail.

I think you're right, but the services do still exist in the Journey Planner, they aren't just hidden.

Neil
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

is there a link to buy tickets after scotrail finish

You can buy them from ScotRail for after their franchise finishes at present.

Neil

 

[Chrism20]

I think you're right, but the services do still exist in the Journey Planner, they aren't just hidden.

Neil
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


You can buy them from ScotRail for after their franchise finishes at present.

Neil

Maybe I could have written it better so here goes.

The only place you have been able to buy sleeper tickets online has been on the scotrail website. Way back in 1996 when I first travelled on the service it had to be booked at a station or on the phone. National Express then started selling them online. People using the service are used to using scotrail for them. If there is no agreement in place and scotrail revert to showing the service in the same manner as every other TOC the availability of berths will be hidden. The service is still there at full price open tickets - no other tickets will be available. Would you pay full price to sit on a train through the night? if there is nothing on the scotrail website taking you to the new operators site to purchase the service (of berths) isn't available to the average customers - we are not average customers and would know where to look.

Whilst we know there is a change and it was in the news months ago that there was going to be a change in operator since then we have heard absolutely nothing. The general public forget so when they look on the scotrail website and no berths are there what are they to assume bearing in mind the only place they were available online was scotrail.

Availability is going to twelve months out which suggests another system is being used for reservations, given they trumpeted that they have hooked up with a hotel operator it sounds like they are going to use something like Opera for reservations. Will scotrail have access to this to continue selling tickets?

Given that scotrail are under no obligation to sell Sercos tickets they could pull the plug anytime they want.

The general public are fickle, ask anyone who has ever studies or worked in marketing in the last fifteen years and they will tell you online purchasers want their product ordered and paid for in the minimum amount of clicks. If scotrail does revert to the same system as other TOCs for the display of this service how many people do you think will see the service without berths and then go looking for another operator when they have cost details of the last service trains of the day on the screen?

We are now three months out from launch, the website isn't live and showing times tables, fares etc to the general public this is an absolute disgrace. They aren't a known company for this type of service, there has been no advertising and they are relying on another TOC to sell their tickets which they will then have to pay them a percentage of the ticket for selling.

This is a TOC that was awarded the franchise at least six months ago. Tickets for their services are now on sale. They have no live working website and they cannot sell their own tickets.

If I were an MSP within the Transport Department at Holyrood I'd be worried.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The availability of berths is NOT hidden, at least on Mixing Deck planners. These block it and refer you to ScotRail.

 

[Chrism20]

The availability of berths is NOT hidden, at least on Mixing Deck planners. These block it and refer you to ScotRail.

When you go onto the mixing deck of another operator you see a blanked out service which normally suggests that it is full.

You then have to click on the information box and there is a tiny link to the scotrail website.

You do not see berth prices etc as you do on the scotrail website. To the average customer it looks like this service is full on any other website bar scotrail.

If it goes like that on the scotrail website berths will not be visible.

We are not going to agree clearly but at the end of the day it is a poor show that they cannot sell their own tickets and have no official timetable etc available.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They aren't a known company for this type of service

I also take slight issue with this - they have significant expertise in it in Australia, which was part of their bid (The Ghan etc). I think the Government's take is to monetise it a bit more by appealing it to tourists - the business travellers will use it regardless, but won't fill it midweek to the same extent (the biggest number of business passengers are weekly commuters, I believe, so down on Sun-Mon and back on Thurs-Fri with Friday from home/a local office).

Neil

 

[Chrism20]

I also take slight issue with this - they have significant expertise in it in Australia, which was part of their bid (The Ghan etc). I think the Government's take is to monetise it a bit more by appealing it to tourists - the business travellers will use it regardless, but won't fill it midweek to the same extent (the biggest number of business passengers are weekly commuters, I believe, so down on Sun-Mon and back on Thurs-Fri with Friday from home/a local office).

Neil

Like I said we clearly are not going to agree. I'm not going comment any further after this post on the matter. I'm sorry we do not agree and have different views, however I have neither time, energy or inclination to enter into a slanging match with someone on an Internet forum.

 

[DownSouth]

I also take slight issue with this - they have significant expertise in it in Australia, which was part of their bid (The Ghan etc). I think the Government's take is to monetise it a bit more by appealing it to tourists - the business travellers will use it regardless, but won't fill it midweek to the same extent (the biggest number of business passengers are weekly commuters, I believe, so down on Sun-Mon and back on Thurs-Fri with Friday from home/a local office).

Neil

And, it should be pointed out, Great Southern Rail is not purely a tourist operation but also a part of the state and national transport systems and a recipient of the appropriate public funding to allow regional residents affordable fares on shorter sectors with the GSR interstate trains being shown as part of the V/Line and NSW Trainlink timetables.

Interestingly, Serco are trying to sell off GSR at the moment due to their corporate-level shortage of capital. It's a shame as they've done a reasonable job with it and it's become a known quantity.

 

[cf111]

I agree with some of Chrism20's points, one would think that a proper website would be up by now.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Like I said we clearly are not going to agree. I'm not going comment any further after this post on the matter. I'm sorry we do not agree and have different views, however I have neither time, energy or inclination to enter into a slanging match with someone on an Internet forum.

Disappointed that you consider a debate based on facts and reasoning (on both sides) a slanging match, but so be it. Sometimes the civilised action is to agree to disagree.

Neil

 

[6Z09]

Is there some kind of timescale for the new operator to brief existing staff as to their plans?
Seem to think I saw twelve weeks mentioned somewhere?

 

[Clip]

Is there some kind of timescale for the new operator to brief existing staff as to their plans?
Seem to think I saw twelve weeks mentioned somewhere?

I think TUPE rules mean they can only start to do the staff stuff about 6 weeks before they transfer over to ensure that all HR stuff from bank accounts and uniform is correct.

Legally the sleeper is still run by First so Serco cant do anything until they actually become an incorporated company or something.

Happened to me lass when she transferred from Serco to KeoliasAmey on the DLR. Everything went live at 3am when they transferred over.

 

[jopsuk]

I know it's a bit different, but I'm pretty sure the Thameslink Great Northern "full" website went live at the official moment they took over and not before?

 

[Clip]

Indeed as they were not a trading entity so they cant really do anything 'live' without it affecting another company trading or some convoluted stuff.

 

[reb0118]

Rumour is the Train Managers are to be re branded as Train Captains and issued with smoking jackets and nifty Inverness capes - I'll try to get a link to any images shortly.

 

[6Z09]

Rumour is the Train Managers are to be re branded as Train Captains and issued with smoking jackets and nifty Inverness capes - I'll try to get a link to any images shortly.

"Mixes fashionable style with the heritage of this iconic service" according to Serco website!
Look forward to any images!

 

[Clip]

 

[scotraildriver]

Is there some kind of timescale for the new operator to brief existing staff as to their plans?
Seem to think I saw twelve weeks mentioned somewhere?

Yes we are now in the 12 week transition period. There are E-mail addresses available to answer staff queries and more info is due soon. However it would appear from initial meetings that the service will continue in its present form for the immediate future using the current resources and staff. ie class 67, EWS and Scotrail drivers. The only people who have definate contracts and a transfer to Serco are the onboard staff. Interestingly Staff free travel will continue into the new Abellio franchise for sleeper staff and Abellio staff will continue to get free sleeper travel in a Serco,Abellio agreement

 

[Sleepy]

wonder if the other Abellio group Toc staff will also enjoy sleeper staff travel given Serco' s relationship with the Dutch ?

 

[LateThanNever]

Looks just the sort that could assist Serco in defrauding the taxpayer in the nicest possible way - whilst pretending to be a 'train captain'!
Anyway aren't captains naval? Perhaps they should be addressed with 'hello sailor'?

 

[IanXC]

Looks just the sort that could assist Serco in defrauding the taxpayer in the nicest possible way - whilst pretending to be a 'train captain'!
Anyway aren't captains naval? Perhaps they should be addressed with 'hello sailor'?

Maybe the intercoms on the new stock will be answered with "ahoy"?!

 

[Chrism20]

Wasn't the guard/PSA on the DLR at one point called the train captain? I've certainly heard the term before but not 100% sure where.

 

[scotraildriver]

wonder if the other Abellio group Toc staff will also enjoy sleeper staff travel given Serco' s relationship with the Dutch ?

You never know. ASLEF were going to try and get these benefits retained as part of this years pay negotiations, then Abellio and Serco just handed it to them without asking!!!!! Obviously it is viewed with suspicion by the union but apparently Abellio wish to improve staff morale/benefits etc. We will see!

 

[work-traveller]

If this fellow is the shape of things to come, I think I know where the staff will be recruited from:

http://www.thechapolympiad.com/nggallery/page-29/album-1/gallery-4