Shoveller to SWT from EMT

[embers25]

Is this good news for SWT or bad getting worse? My experience of EMT is not that great(their guards being more clueless and poorly trained than SWT which is hard to believe) but maybe change is good? Then again SWT staff ticket knowledge aside their day to day train operations seem to run smoother than most.

 

[Schnellzug]

Is he the manager, or is this a new job being created in expectation of heavy snowfall?

 

[MCR247]

He is the new MD

 

[Yew]

Is this a good thing? I always found EMT quite good (but have never used SWT)

EDIT: thought this was the other way around, SWT's MD moving to EMT

 

[Johnny Lewis]

Claim to fame - I was at uni with David Horne, the new EMT Managing Director who will replace Tim Shoveller.

 

[WillPS]

Tom Shoveller - the man who took away free tea & coffee and introduced a Penalty Fare scheme without the required notice and consultation period. Truly the people's champion.

 

[T163R]

SWT service is one of the best quality services in the UK and EMT is not one of the best, so maybe there's something to be worried about.
But still, it's the same company (Stagecoach), so maybe it will not be as bad as XC

 

[notoemt]

Maybe things will improve now the sh** shoveller has gone. He presided over an increase in fares and a decline in service - particularly for season ticket holders. Then there's the decline in cleanliness of the trains. Never experienced such squalid conditions under MML. I always feel like I need a bath these days.

 

[T163R]

Just shovel him away

 

[fgwrich]

Just to clear things up a little, Tim shovel off Shoveller is to become SWT MD from January 2012 - This is because South West Trains MD Andy Pitt is retiring at the end of this year...And to replace Tim and as said by Johnny Lewis EMT's David Horne will become EMTs new MD.

It'll be interesting to see what tim brings over to SWT - He certainly seems to be one the stagecoach breed - Managing to bring over the 4 222/1s from Hull Trains (Something that caused a stir in First Group HQ)...But Don't worry Tim, there's no need for you to try and get rid of the Buffet cars / change SWT's catering, as since the passing of the Wessex's, it's virtualy non exsistant - If your trolley turns up, Good! If it dosent, then youd better grab something from Pumpkin!...

 

[313103]

Well he didnt do that good a job when at Silverlink imho!

But at this level its who you know not what you know!

 

[wintonian]

Yes I do complain about SWT a lot (my local TOC) because some of them have clearly not had the relevant standard of training and it is quite a few. However their are still quite a few really good guards and ticket office staff at SWT if you know where to look for them (this has got harder since they closed all the travel centres to make money out of the rental for retail units) but they are there somewhere - and can be very helpfull too.

EMT on the other hand are my new worst TOC far suppressing XC (look at my recent posing history to find out why) in my experience impolite, rude, bordering on aggressive, they don't sell ferry tickets even if they are railsail to Dublin , the guys and girls in first class are very sloppy and I ended up with approx. 3/4 of a cup of coffee (the rest went on the table) as examples.

Anyway I can safely say I will not travel with EMT again for at least the next 5 years (I will see if they have sorted themselves out afterwards) or even ask them to sell me a ticket unless they are the only TOC that serves the station I wish to use.

To sum up some SWT staff are bad but EMT make XC look like an enjoyable picnic IMO.

This is just my experience so naturally yours may be different but I would advise spending the extra and going by EC if you can.

Post script:
If all line rover can be the anti-Arriva man can I be the anti EMT man?

 

[fgwrich]

Yes I do complain about SWT a lot (my local TOC) because some of them have clearly not had the relevant standard of training and it is quite a few. However their are still quite a few really good guards and ticket office staff at SWT if you know where to look for them (this has got harder since they closed all the travel centres to make money out of the rental for retail units) but they are there somewhere - and can be very helpfull too.

EMT on the other hand are my new worst TOC far suppressing XC (look at my recent posing history to find out why) in my experience impolite, rude, bordering on aggressive, they don't sell ferry tickets even if they are railsail to Dublin , the guys and girls in first class are very sloppy and I ended up with approx. 3/4 of a cup of coffee (the rest went on the table) as examples.

Anyway I can safely say I will not travel with EMT again for at least the next 5 years (I will see if they have sorted themselves out afterwards) or even ask them to sell me a ticket unless they are the only TOC that serves the station I wish to use.

To sum up some SWT staff are bad but EMT make XC look like an enjoyable picnic IMO.

This is just my experience so naturally yours may be different but I would advise spending the extra and going by EC if you can.

Post script:
If all line rover can be the anti-Arriva man can I be the anti EMT man?

Interesting! So it looks like were (SWT being one of my local TOCs) in for some 'interesting' times ahead then! Fare rises? fewer staff?

After trying to purchase a simple Basingstoke to Salisbury return yesterday - using SWTs beloved TVMs, they Still do not like £10 Notes - None of them across Basingstoke Station! And not helped by the ongoing rebuilding of the station frontage to provide more retail space, the temporary ticket office usually has only 1 member of staff on at any time. So despite arriving at 14:16, thanks to the farces of the TVMs& 1 ticket window availible, it took me until 14:34 to get the tickets...More staff required perhaps?!

 

[wintonian]

Yes I found 2 destinations this week that I wasn't able to buy from SWT's TVM even though this issue of TVM's not selling tickets to all destinations was supposed to fixed or at least they said they were going to fix it a couple of years ago.

I have never had the £10 note issue you speak of - I tend to pay by card.

And yes I have been stuck in the queue at Basingstoke with only 2 ticket windows and only one member of staff on when the queue has been round the corner and up the station entrance, but then SWT don't want to sell ticket at the station on the day unless that are SDR's or SDS's (anytime tickets).

 

[Schnellzug]

How did this idea, which I've also seen luminaries like Barry Doe express, that SWT is a truly excellent service originate?

 

[T163R]

BTW, do we know why he changed ? Is there a link with the fact that SWT & EMT are run by the same company ?

 

[swt_passenger]

BTW, do we know why he changed ? Is there a link with the fact that SWT & EMT are run by the same company ?

It's a significant internal promotion within Stagecoach group I'd have thought, from the minor to the major franchise. Haven't people moved between First franchises in the past?

I also suggest that he isn't personally responsible for stuff like the introduction of the Penalty Fare regime, it was in the EMT franchise spec so whichever group had won the franchise would have had to do it.

I'd also suggest that many of the changes brought in at EMT since Stagecoach have run it have been based on what was already being done at SWT - and that there'll be no significant changes at all at SWT following this announcement...

 

[fgwrich]

Yes I found 2 destinations this week that I wasn't able to buy from SWT's TVM even though this issue of TVM's not selling tickets to all destinations was supposed to fixed or at least they said they were going to fix it a couple of years ago.

I have never had the £10 note issue you speak of - I tend to pay by card.

And yes I have been stuck in the queue at Basingstoke with only 2 ticket windows and only one member of staff on when the queue has been round the corner and up the station entrance, but then SWT don't want to sell ticket at the station on the day unless that are SDR's or SDS's (anytime tickets).

Re the £10 Note thing - Apparently it's an issue which SWT Has known about for a while...Shame nothing seems to have been done then!

As for the missing stations in the TVMs system - Stations still seem to be missing! It's fine if your on the SWT Network, but if you want to get to St Ives for example, the nearest you'll get is St Erth (I think!) On the other hand, just up the branch is FGW's Bramley / Mortimier / Reading stations -Yet FGWs ticket vending machines seem to have no problems with non FGW area ticket selling!

And as for Basingtoke Stations ticket que's..Yep, they really are that bad and still remain to be...And sadly, despite the front of the station and ticket office undergoing a pretty hefty and expensive rebuild, the amount of ticket office windows will remain the same - so the que's will continue going on and on, despite the space availible from the long closed former BR Travel Office!...Now which station came up in a report sometime around last year on Network Rails list of stations that will need improvement by year xxxx to cope with the increase of passenger numbers?.....Basingstoke!

(If your wondering by the way what works are actually going on at Basingstoke station, the entire ticket / enterance hall is being refurbished, but the works arn't creating any new space for ticket retail...insted it's all about Retail - Increased space for the likes of Pumpskin, M&S Sort of thing! Any works being done to increase the stations passenger flows from Platforms to enterance / exit? Nope! Gatelines due to stay in the same cramped space it's currently in!) :roll:

 

[SteamPower]

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[wintonian]

Re the £10 Note thing - Apparently it's an issue which SWT Has known about for a while...Shame nothing seems to have been done then!

As for the missing stations in the TVMs system - Stations still seem to be missing! It's fine if your on the SWT Network, but if you want to get to St Ives for example, the nearest you'll get is St Erth (I think!) On the other hand, just up the branch is FGW's Bramley / Mortimier / Reading stations -Yet FGWs ticket vending machines seem to have no problems with non FGW area ticket selling!

And as for Basingtoke Stations ticket que's..Yep, they really are that bad and still remain to be...And sadly, despite the front of the station and ticket office undergoing a pretty hefty and expensive rebuild, the amount of ticket office windows will remain the same - so the que's will continue going on and on, despite the space availible from the long closed former BR Travel Office!...Now which station came up in a report sometime around last year on Network Rails list of stations that will need improvement by year xxxx to cope with the increase of passenger numbers?.....Basingstoke!

(If your wondering by the way what works are actually going on at Basingstoke station, the entire ticket / enterance hall is being refurbished, but the works arn't creating any new space for ticket retail...insted it's all about Retail - Increased space for the likes of Pumpskin, M&S Sort of thing! Any works being done to increase the stations passenger flows from Platforms to enterance / exit? Nope! Gatelines due to stay in the same cramped space it's currently in!) :roll:

Yep Freshford and Avoncliff are the two latest omissions from SWT's TVM's I found even though there are plenty of direct trains from Southampton Central, mind you I found Shepard’s Bush yesterday maybe on planet SWT people only travel towards London and during the morning peak except of course Clapham Junction when people only want to go there off-peak. :roll:

Yes I do complain about SWT a lot (my local TOC) because some of them have clearly not had the relevant standard of training and it is quite a few. However their are still quite a few really good guards and ticket office staff at SWT if you know where to look for them (this has got harder since they closed all the travel centres to make money out of the rental for retail units) but they are there somewhere - and can be very helpfull too.

Anyway I can safely say I will not travel with EMT again for at least the next 5 years (I will see if they have sorted themselves out afterwards) or even ask them to sell me a ticket unless they are the only TOC that serves the station I wish to use.

Yes I found 2 destinations this week that I wasn't able to buy from SWT's TVM even though this issue of TVM's not selling tickets to all destinations was supposed to fixed or at least they said they were going to fix it a couple of years ago.

I have never had the £10 note issue you speak of - I tend to pay by card.

And yes I have been stuck in the queue at Basingstoke with only 2 ticket windows and only one member of staff on when the queue has been round the corner and up the station entrance, but then SWT don't want to sell ticket at the station on the day unless that are SDR's or SDS's (anytime tickets).

I rest my case my Lord.

 

[es373]

Its not all about how good the MD is... Its more to do with staff....

Your complaints about Guards makes me think that there's a fault in recruitment or training!

 

[wintonian]

Its not all about how good the MD is... Its more to do with staff....

Your complaints about Guards makes me think that there's a fault in recruitment or training!

No not recruitment most of the guards at SWT range from ok to quite friendly (with a few either side), it's just the training that’s the issue in most cases.

 

[es373]

If there is a Guard on here which work for the "other side" of whom could comment about the training.
In most cases the training is pretty good, although it may be a case where they are taught ONLY what they need to know. But you'll find when people pass out as a Guard (or any role in fact) they get a little bit more lax knowing that they are on the trains.

 

[tbtc]

I also suggest that he isn't personally responsible for stuff like the introduction of the Penalty Fare regime, it was in the EMT franchise spec so whichever group had won the franchise would have had to do it

True - their hands are tied in many respects.

Some good things have happened at EMT (since the end of MML) - Sheffield now has twice the London service, additional 222s have been found to cover the new Corby service.

Fares have gone up, but how many TOCs haven't risen fares over the last few years?

Additional trains are needed, but EMT are at the bottom of the queue for the cascades (having to wait for FGW to receive LM 150s to that FGW can send Pacers to Northern so that Northern can spare some 156s for EMT). Plus they've lost a HST set to East Coast - not ideal.

Personally, I don't think that one man is responsible for all of these good things or all of these bad things, I very much doubt that passengers (of EMT or SWT) will notice any difference.

 

[wintonian]

If there is a Guard on here which work for the "other side" of whom could comment about the training.
In most cases the training is pretty good, although it may be a case where they are taught ONLY what they need to know most of the time. But you'll find when people pass out as a Guard (or any role in fact) they get a little bit more lax knowing that they are on the trains.

Personaly I would add that lttle bit in.

True - their hands are tied in many respects.

Some good things have happened at EMT (since the end of MML) - Sheffield now has twice the London service, additional 222s have been found to cover the new Corby service.

Fares have gone up, but how many TOCs haven't risen fares over the last few years?

Additional trains are needed, but EMT are at the bottom of the queue for the cascades (having to wait for FGW to receive LM 150s to that FGW can send Pacers to Northern so that Northern can spare some 156s for EMT). Plus they've lost a HST set to East Coast - not ideal.

Personally, I don't think that one man is responsible for all of these good things or all of these bad things, I very much doubt that passengers (of EMT or SWT) will notice any difference.

Agreed we down here almost certainly will not see any difference and I expect the situation to be similar up at EMT.

 

[Wyvern]

Tim Shoveller certainly seemed to have an interest in railways, rather than it just being a living . He and his staff were present at the opening of the two heritage lines and has been happy to work with the community groups. EMT have organised a number of enthusiasts specials. He was in addition spotted at Wirksworth on a personal jaunt,

 

[wintonian]

Tim Shoveller certainly seemed to have an interest in railways, rather than it just being a living . He and his staff were present at the opening of the two heritage lines and has been happy to work with the community groups. EMT have organised a number of enthusiasts specials. He was in addition spotted at Wirksworth on a personal jaunt,

I am impressed and quite pleased with that; however business is business as they say!

 

[Wyvern]

Oh certainly. And passengers for Wirksworth t Duffield especially filled the 153 out of Derby to overflowing

 

[fgwrich]

I am impressed and quite pleased with that; however business is business as they say!

True! The partnership between EMT / Tim & The Wirksworth line has been rather good - So if he moves down this way, could we expect to see a simular partnership between lines such as the Swanage? I.e, something like a 158 operated shuttle between Bournemouth/Poole & Norden / Swanage during Diesel Galas for example?...

 

[Wyvern]

One benefit to Wirksworth is that the Matlock trains just happen to pass each other at Duffield, and, Sats and Weds especially, fit neatly with a two hourly Wirksworth service, with a good connection coming and going.

So there's a bit of luck to it as well.