Shortage of drivers on GWR

[GWRrrr]

According to GWR themselves :

Live Train Times and Journey Updates | Great Western Railway

See the Great Western Railway TrainTracker for live departure times and up-to-the-minute train journey updates.

www.gwr.com

the information says

"Due to a shortage of train crew between London Paddington and Plymouth fewer trains are able to run on all lines.
Impact:
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 24/12/20.
...
The following weekday services will be cancelled until Thursday 24th December:
From London Paddington:
07:04 London Paddington to Paignton
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
12:34 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
16:37 London Paddington to Plymouth
17:36 London Paddington to Paignton
18:37 London Paddington to Plymouth
From Plymouth/Paignton/Exeter St Davids:
05:49 Plymouth to London Paddington
07:13 Paignton to London Paddington
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
10:54 Paignton to London Paddington
13:40 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
14:12 Paignton to London Paddington
15:38 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
21:36 Paignton to Newton Abbot"

Does anybody know if this due to staff being sick or isolating?

This morning at Dawlish actually looked worse than that:



So maybe there was something else going on?

Thanks

 

[DorkingMain]

Combination of increased number of staff being sick / isolating due to rising COVID cases + a freeze on recruitment / training during COVID means this is happening on a lot of TOCs recently.

 

[Bald Rick]

All trains cancelled at Dawlish usually means only one thing: check the tide table.

 

[Chingy]

All trains cancelled at Dawlish usually means only one thing: check the tide table.

I notice a freight managed to get through though.

 

[Bald Rick]

I notice a freight managed to get through though.

That’s not a freight. NR train.

 

[221129]

The train crew issue is due to COVID.

The dawlish problems this morning was due to the tides.

 

[Megafuss]

Sir Peter Hendy at the Commons Christmas Travel committee session this morning said that GWR at Plymouth and Penzance were at 25% of establishment. It wasn't clear if he meant drivers and/or conductors or if he meant they were 25% down compared to where they'd should be. But he said 25%.

 

[Chingy]

Either way, a non passenger train went through.

 

[greatkingrat]

Sir Peter Hendy at the Commons Christmas Travel committee session this morning said that GWR at Plymouth and Penzance were at 25% of establishment. It wasn't clear if he meant drivers and/or conductors or if he meant they were 25% down compared to where they'd should be. But he said 25%.

Penzance being badly affected seems odd, seeing as it is virtually the only part of England still in Tier 1?

 

[221129]

Penzance being badly affected seems odd, seeing as it is virtually the only part of England still in Tier 1?

With a significant amount of crossover between various other depots, it's not that surprising. Although what is more surprising is that it is effecting just GWR and not the other TOCs in the South West.

 

[Horizon22]

Your screenshot combines a) the train crew issues and b) the sea wall flooding at Dawlish.

Regarding GWR's "shortage of train crew cancellations" it's 3-fold:
1) increased level of sickness or self-isolation,
2) fewer trained drivers due to delays caused by Covid and natural wastage meaning gaps on rosters,
3) an uptick in services from Dec 2020 timetable change. Those cancelled trains are all semi-fast W. Country trains that all haven't been running since about May anyway.

It was inevitable this was going to happen.

 

[PHILIPE]

TFW services in North Wales and at Chester have suffered multiple cancellations for approx two months now.

 

[Megafuss]

Penzance being badly affected seems odd, seeing as it is virtually the only part of England still in Tier 1?

It's here from 40 to 46 mins https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episo...mittees-live-transport-at-christmas-committee

Although the 25% figure I quoted is the number of drivers GWR has available at Penzance and Plymouth over the Christmas period as of this morning, not now. So the situation may be even worse in a few days

 

[irish_rail]

10 percent ish of plymouth drivers have covid. Many others are also thus self isolating.
Many penzance drivers are off HSS wise, not totally sure why, but suspect covid related.

Plymouth and penzamce being at 25 percent establishment? Utter rubbish. Those in charge really need to get their facts right.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Dec 2020 ==

I bet GWR are glad at the moment for depots with extensive route and traction cards like Exeter and Plymouth HSS. Because at one point (and I suspect it is still the ambition) they wanted drivers to have as little route and traction knowledge as possible in order to get trainees productive quicker. But it is guys who can drive plymouth all the way to London and back who are keeping the service going at the minute....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Dec 2020 ==

also worth pointing out, most of the Covid cases at Plymouth are amongst the Laira drivers and so one of the big issues is getting sets to and from the depot at night. Slightly fewer splits and joins at Plymouth Station and slightly fewer 5 car sets knocking about down here has turned out to be a very good strategic decision in hindsight.

 

[theironroad]

It's here from 40 to 46 mins https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episo...mittees-live-transport-at-christmas-committee

Although the 25% figure I quoted is the number of drivers GWR has available at Penzance and Plymouth over the Christmas period as of this morning, not now. So the situation may be even worse in a few days

Absolutely disgusting comments from Chris Loder MP suggesting that drivers who have either tested positive for covid, or are self isolating under track and trace, are part of some big trade union plot. The comments, despite Peter Hendy having already telling him the reason for staff shortages and that he had spoken with MD are beyond belief.

 

[irish_rail]

Absolutely disgusting comments from Chris Loder MP suggesting that drivers who have either tested positive for covid, or are self isolating under track and trace, are part of some big trade union plot. The comments, despite Peter Hendy having already telling him the reason for staff shortages and that he had spoken with MD are beyond belief.

Lost for words.
Colleagues of mine are suffering with Covid and some are feeling really really unwell. Hope this muppet doesn't get on my train anytime soon....

 

[theironroad]

10 percent ish of plymouth drivers have covid. Many others are also thus self isolating.
Many penzance drivers are off HSS wise, not totally sure why, but suspect covid related.

Plymouth and penzamce being at 25 percent establishment? Utter rubbish. Those in charge really need to get their facts right.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Dec 2020 ==

I bet GWR are glad at the moment for depots with extensive route and traction cards like Exeter and Plymouth HSS. Because at one point (and I suspect it is still the ambition) they wanted drivers to have as little route and traction knowledge as possible in order to get trainees productive quicker. But it is guys who can drive plymouth all the way to London and back who are keeping the service going at the minute....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Dec 2020 ==

also worth pointing out, most of the Covid cases at Plymouth are amongst the Laira drivers and so one of the big issues is getting sets to and from the depot at night. Slightly fewer splits and joins at Plymouth Station and slightly fewer 5 car sets knocking about down here has turned out to be a very good strategic decision in hindsight.

The 25% was quoted by Peter Hendy after consultation with GWR MD.

My understanding was that only 25% of establishment were available for driving, not 25% with covid.

That would take into account other sickness, ad hoc leave , annual leave, free days, off track for incidents and any other reason that a driver may not be productive.

 

[irish_rail]

The 25% was quoted by Peter Hendy after consultation with GWR MD.

My understanding was that only 25% of establishment were available for driving, not 25% with covid.

That would take into account other sickness, ad hoc leave , annual leave, free days, off track for incidents and any other reason that a driver may not be productive.

OK, still seems a bit far fetched although I will confess there are alot off trains for various none covid reasons at plymouth.

 

[43096]

So the question needs to be asked as to how the drivers are all catching it and how it is spreading. If so many are off; I'd be surprised if it was all external to work. Given that drivers are alone whilst driving, social distancing in mess rooms and when travelling pass is an obvious starting point.

 

[irish_rail]

So the question needs to be asked as to how the drivers are all catching it and how it is spreading. If so many are off; I'd be surprised if it was all external to work. Given that drivers are alone whilst driving, social distancing in mess rooms and when travelling pass is an obvious starting point.

Indeed. No windows in much of the messroom and very poor ventilation doesn't help. There is also the daily sight until recently of the customer hosts hugging and what not. Also worth pointing out the customer hosts are expected to share a very small area on IETs and its hardly surprising it spread amongst them first.

 

[iphone76]

At our place a lot of drivers are isolating as their children are displaying symptoms.

 

[Bald Rick]

Absolutely disgusting comments from Chris Loder MP suggesting that drivers who have either tested positive for covid, or are self isolating under track and trace, are part of some big trade union plot. The comments, despite Peter Hendy having already telling him the reason for staff shortages and that he had spoken with MD are beyond belief.

A former employee of First Group Rail division too!

 

[whoosh]

Absolutely disgusting comments from Chris Loder MP suggesting that drivers who have either tested positive for covid, or are self isolating under track and trace, are part of some big trade union plot. The comments, despite Peter Hendy having already telling him the reason for staff shortages and that he had spoken with MD are beyond belief.

Worse that he used to work in the rail industry and started as a Guard.

 

[387star]

Lost for words.
Colleagues of mine are suffering with Covid and some are feeling really really unwell. Hope this muppet doesn't get on my train anytime soon....

Indeed utterly appalling and Hendy to his credit made it clear that wasn't the case

 

[Megafuss]

Absolutely disgusting comments from Chris Loder MP suggesting that drivers who have either tested positive for covid, or are self isolating under track and trace, are part of some big trade union plot. The comments, despite Peter Hendy having already telling him the reason for staff shortages and that he had spoken with MD are beyond belief.

Yes, the best part was him offering his services as an ex guard himself, which I thought was rather ill-judged given what he said...

After what he said I doubt he'd get a cushy duty from the allocator....

 

[Jaytrains]

Anyone know if there are any courses starting early 2021??

 

[the sniper]

also worth pointing out, most of the Covid cases at Plymouth are amongst the Laira drivers and so one of the big issues is getting sets to and from the depot at night. Slightly fewer splits and joins at Plymouth Station and slightly fewer 5 car sets knocking about down here has turned out to be a very good strategic decision in hindsight.

So the question needs to be asked as to how the drivers are all catching it and how it is spreading. If so many are off; I'd be surprised if it was all external to work. Given that drivers are alone whilst driving, social distancing in mess rooms and when travelling pass is an obvious starting point.

Is there much taxiing done between Plymouth and Laira?

 

[irish_rail]

Is there much taxiing done between Plymouth and Laira?

Absolutely loads. Kept the taxi firms of plymouth in business through lockdown!

 

[the sniper]

Absolutely loads. Kept the taxi firms of plymouth in business through lockdown!

Taxiing is the bit I'm most dubious about at work. Can't imagine there are many taxi drivers who'd quickly give up two weeks of pay unless absolutely necessary and they come into contact with all sorts of people...

 

[theironroad]

Worse that he used to work in the rail industry and started as a Guard

A former employee of First Group Rail division too!

Indeed utterly appalling and Hendy to his credit made it clear that wasn't the case

Yes, the best part was him offering his services as an ex guard himself, which I thought was rather ill-judged given what he said...

After what he said I doubt he'd get a cushy duty from the allocator....

I'm sure most at SWR were keen to see the back of him tbh, though as head of new trains or something his guard duties were limited to a contingency role during the industrial action.

I thought Hendy came across quite well though he seemed to be over reliant on the data from Avanti regarding reservations made so far for the Christmas travel. Most of the south and south east are run by tocs that have no reservations so think they're guessing a bit as to how busy it might be. He did seem a bit concerned about crew availability for Sunday 27/12 at those tocs that still have Sundays outside. He's probably right to as the 27/12 is one of the most popular days of the year for people wanting the day off at my TOC and has a long waiting list to have day off.