Thameslink Services/Timetable from May 20th 2018

[OxtedSignaller]

It does depend on the way it's split it won't be as clear cut I reckon as TL/GN and SN/GX it never is especially if they want to balance out the budgets so to speak. You now have stations majority served by TL managed by Southern on Redhill route and BML which is split between the two, such as major stations like Three Bridges where they have a depot and revenue staff based, they could fight over Brighton potentially as it will be a big revenue earner however would probably provide much needed income to Southern and they will at least run Coastway services and GX if retained. You also have the management staff and centralised functions to allocate between the franchise's, and you will need new staff and offices as it will be dealt with individually instead of by one department for the whole of GTR. It will be a messy break up for sure. I have also heard there could potentially be TUPE issues where staff are based at another operators station.

 

[vtiman]

I have boarded a train at a station with no visible platform display at the part of the platform where the front of the train stops, and with the train's internal PIS disabled. Only checked RTT after I boarded it to discover it wasn't actually stopping (contrary to typical convention off-peak, but not contrary to the timetable) and I ended up making a 30 mile unnecessary round trip into London and back. If you're not sure, it's wise not to board!

Reminds me of John Cleese in Clockwise. All because he boarded the wrong train!

 

[vtiman]

There are very frequent instances of the public - even under a normal timetable of people going inadvertently to St Albans. The staff always direct them to platform 1 for the next southbound local. Not seen an intending Stevenage passenger yet....but it will happen.

Years ago my Mums sister was picking my Mum up at Lancaster. At Carlisle Mum asked and was told it did stop. She waved as the train raced through Lancaster Castle. And we went on a train from Green Ayre. Last summer i walked along the old route along the Lune.

 

[stut]

There are very frequent instances of the public - even under a normal timetable of people going inadvertently to St Albans. The staff always direct them to platform 1 for the next southbound local. Not seen an intending Stevenage passenger yet....but it will happen.

It used to be a regular occurrence on the evening expresses out of King's Cross (pre-Thameslink). Someone would come on, ask if this was the Peterborough train (it was) but someone would add that it was a fast train. They'd reply that it's OK, they're only going to Finsbury Park. Somebody would reply that no, it didn't stop there. They'd insist that all Peterborough trains did, they just didn't put it up on the boards to make people get the Tube.

5 minutes later, we'd be sailing through Finsbury Park as said passenger was stood by the doors looking slightly panicked. "Where's the next stop?" "Biggleswade, mate, we did tell you." "Biggleswade? Is that even a real place? Where is it?" "Oh, about 45 miles outside London..."

 

[OwenB]

As this is the de facto, what the hell is going on with GN/Thameslink - what's the driver shortage on the Moorgate line about at rush hour this evening? Does anyone know?

Edit: sorry that screenshot is massive!

 

[sprunt]

Reduced service to and from Moorgate until the end of the day

A shortage of train crew has meant that a reduced service is required to run to and from Moorgate.

This is expected to continue until the end of the day.

Customer Advice:
Journey planners have been updated to reflect the expected cancellations. Please plan your journey home now as you may need to take a different train to normal.

We recommend that you travel from King’s Cross rather than Moorgate, due to a greater alternative of available travel options.

According to the NRE journey planner, starting at 17:00

17:00 runs
17:05 runs
17:09 cancelled
17:15 cancelled
17:20 cancelled
17:25 runs
17:30 cancelled
17:35 and everything else until at least 18:00

4/7 trains cancelled between 5 and 5:30 is obviously piss poor, but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell me why it's totally acceptable.

 

[OwenB]

Snap Sprunt. After last night sitting at Finsbury Park for 90 minutes in the freezing cold, this is not the relaxing commute home I was after..

 

[sprunt]

That 17:25 is going to be hell.

 

[OwenB]

That 17:25 is going to be hell.

The services are almost dangerously overfull if only one service is cancelled. I'm still wondering what the problem is with the new shiny 717s, although that obviously won't solve the driver shortage issue.

 

[OxtedSignaller]

Apparently the total cancellations is over 40 seems bizarre usually January is well covered, as not many people are taking holiday unless all the drivers are at the Emirates this evening, and obviously it is payday but still. Wonder what's gone wrong, unless it is a train crew planning error.

 

[jon0844]

Hertford Loop gets worst affected and work is ongoing to reinstate services. Services apparently cancelled now to reduce last minute changes.

Where are all the drivers??

 

[Skimble19]

The services are almost dangerously overfull if only one service is cancelled. I'm still wondering what the problem is with the new shiny 717s, although that obviously won't solve the driver shortage issue.

717s are on "preview" services at the moment but are currently planned to start being properly introduced from next month.

 

[Bedpan]

Could it be something to do with 717 training?

 

[OFFDN]

Apparently there’s a retirement do.

 

[OwenB]

Apparently there’s a retirement do.

Seriously?!

 

[Fred26]

Apparently the total cancellations is over 40 seems bizarre usually January is well covered, as not many people are taking holiday unless all the drivers are at the Emirates this evening, and obviously it is payday but still. Wonder what's gone wrong, unless it is a train crew planning error.

It's not pay day.

Hitchin depot are at a leaving do. Three drivers retiring. Just shows the damage no RDW does from one depot.

 

[jon0844]

They're paid next Friday, and if they get an annual attendance bonus then perhaps they don't feel the need to do overtime?

 

[Failed Unit]

It's not pay day.

Hitchin depot are at a leaving do. Three drivers retiring. Just shows the damage no RDW does from one depot.

Yep. Relying on it kills off the service. Especially when you are a poor employer like GTR. Central trains were as bad on Sunday’s. Actually demonstrating well GTR still don’t have a plan A so no wonder they can’t do a plan B in times of disruption.

 

[jon0844]

Sunday working is part of the new contracts. It's the need for people to volunteer that must be causing problems at other times. Plus if drivers retire they need replacing, and that's not quick.

Let's hope more don't leave as the new wave of drivers are going to take a while to get through the system.

 

[Failed Unit]

Sunday working is part of the new contracts. It's the need for people to volunteer that must be causing problems at other times. Plus if drivers retire they need replacing, and that's not quick.

Let's hope more don't leave as the new wave of drivers are going to take a while to get through the system.

My understanding is GTR are a poor employer to work for. If us poor passengers think they are bad I understand the morale is staff is very poor. Therefore if you are close to retirement. You can expect people to just retire. Treat staff badly they leave. The staff must have watched the company’s shocking treatment of Southern staff during the industrial dispute. They know they can treat passengers how they like as a majority of them have no choice but to use rail to get work. I now work from home much more frequently than I used to. Mainly because of GTRs unacceptable service since May. Unfortunately it makes no difference to GTR as they have no revenue risk. Likewise cancel trains because of staff shortage. No action can be taken against GTR as we have seen them unpunished for their part of the timetable shambles. It is all very depressing.

 

[bionic]

My understanding is GTR are a poor employer to work for. If us poor passengers think they are bad I understand the morale is staff is very poor.

Sunday working is part of the new contracts. It's the need for people to volunteer that must be causing problems at other times. Plus if drivers retire they need replacing, and that's not quick.

Let's hope more don't leave as the new wave of drivers are going to take a while to get through the system.

It's not just GTR, it's the same at many TOCs - especially in the London area where drivers can go to TOCs with better work, better conditions and better pay quite easily. Many TOCs are literally running continuous trainee driver courses to cover those leaving.

Some of the less desireable TOCs, and depots within TOCs (no names mentioned), try every trick in the book to force people to stay... making new starters sign an agreement to pay back training costs of thousands if they leave within a certain time after passing out, putting the most trivial incidents on drivers safety records to make them less attractive to other prospective employers and so on. If they spent that time and energy making it a nice place to work then perhaps people wouldn't want to leave, but that's just my opinion.

One short-term saving grace for Thameslink is that while the conditions are pretty poor in comparison to some other companies, the money is good because the union has sold everything out to get the cash (believe it or not there are drivers at some TOCs desperate to go and work for Thameslink!). How long it will stay good is another matter because the union now has nothing left to sell. In a few years when the other local TOCs catch up salary-wise it will be very interesting.

 

[sprunt]

Plus if drivers retire they need replacing, and that's not quick.

That's no mitigation at all. It may not be quick, but a retirement isn't something that happens out of the blue.

 

[ComUtoR]

That's no mitigation at all. It may not be quick, but a retirement isn't something that happens out of the blue.

It very much can be.

Sometimes, people just decide to take retirement. Or sometimes they stay on well past retirement. You can't force people to retire or compel them to stay. Driver turnover is imbalanced. The notice period is a drop and the replacement is an ocean.

 

[jon0844]

That's no mitigation at all. It may not be quick, but a retirement isn't something that happens out of the blue.

Yes it can. People don't automatically get retired, so once you can retire you may stay working. When you do finally decide to go, the notice period is rather a lot shorter than the time to train someone new.

Edit: I see I was beaten to it by ComUtoR!

 

[Aictos]

It's not pay day.

Hitchin depot are at a leaving do. Three drivers retiring. Just shows the damage no RDW does from one depot.

Hitchin's and Stevenage's pubs will do well tonight then....

 

[jon0844]

Hitchin's and Stevenage's pubs will do well tonight then....

It was yesterday. All running well today (not hard with so few trains to run!).

 

[gm671]

Deleted

 

[Surreytraveller]

Apparently the total cancellations is over 40 seems bizarre usually January is well covered, as not many people are taking holiday unless all the drivers are at the Emirates this evening, and obviously it is payday but still. Wonder what's gone wrong, unless it is a train crew planning error.

Payday is next Friday. Well Thameslink's is, so I presume GN is too

 

[Bedpan]

It was yesterday. All running well today (not hard with so few trains to run!).

There were quite a lot of northbound delays on the Midland side earlier this afternoon - said to be due to congestion. At first one thinks, "Congestion with only two trains an hour?" but actually I suspect that the Quarry line might be closed.

 

[jon0844]

There were quite a lot of northbound delays on the Midland side earlier this afternoon - said to be due to congestion. At first one thinks, "Congestion with only two trains an hour?" but actually I suspect that the Quarry line might be closed.

It's going wrong now. Major points problem at Cambridge means delays and some cancellations, and when you're running one train an hour at some stations - that's a big deal.