WCML Mischief

[NSE]

Hello all, just arrived in from Stafford on 390047 and have two questions for you, firstly I was booked on the 11:21 London Midland slow to Euston from Crewe but it was cancelled, any one know why? Due to this I went on said Pendo from I assume Liverpool, however it was in reverse formation, anyone know why?

Thanks

 

[MCR247]

Deleted

 

[NSE]

I think you misunderstood, I was booked on the Stafford to Euston stopper FROM Crewe but it was cancelled so I just bought a ticket for the standard Pendo working from Liverpool which I assume had run fast from Lime Street calling only at Runcorn. I only added this info as I thought it could help with answering my queries

 

[MCR247]

The set would probably have been turned in Birmingham, as I can't think of many other places on the WCML. Although it is possible in Glasgow, I don't think they do it very often

 

[NSE]

Errr I was starting at Stafford :P hence why I was booked on the Stafford to Euston stopper operated by London Midland. Like I said I only mentioned it had come from Crewe as I was wondering if the 350 had failed there or something. But yeah as for the pendo I don't know tHe WCML that well so couldn't think where it could have been turned, hope that's bait clearer :P
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Errr I was starting at Stafford :P hence why I was booked on the Stafford to Euston stopper operated by London Midland. Like I said I only mentioned it had come from Crewe as I was wondering if the 350 had failed there or something. But yeah as for the pendo I don't know tHe WCML that well so couldn't think where it could have been turned, hope that's bait clearer :P

 

[87019Chris]

Hello all, just arrived in from Stafford on 390047 and have two questions for you, firstly I was booked on the 11:21 London Midland slow to Euston from Crewe but it was cancelled, any one know why? Due to this I went on said Pendo from I assume Liverpool, however it was in reverse formation, anyone know why?

Thanks

The reasons for the train canelation is that aslef drives/ traincrew are not going to do permanent overtime so that LM can operate the normal services unfortunatly your service is the one they cut
Hope this helps
Chris

 

[MCR247]

Errr I was starting at Stafford :P hence why I was booked on the Stafford to Euston stopper operated by London Midland. Like I said I only mentioned it had come from Crewe as I was wondering if the 350 had failed there or something. But yeah as for the pendo I don't know tHe WCML that well so couldn't think where it could have been turned, hope that's bait clearer :P
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Errr I was starting at Stafford :P hence why I was booked on the Stafford to Euston stopper operated by London Midland. Like I said I only mentioned it had come from Crewe as I was wondering if the 350 had failed there or something. But yeah as for the pendo I don't know tHe WCML that well so couldn't think where it could have been turned, hope that's bait clearer :P

Sorry, that'll teach me the read posts more thoroughly!

 

[NSE]

Not a problem MCR :P thanks Chris shame it was cancelled but I understand those reasons, sods law puts it one of the few advance tickets I hold :P

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Just to add to what Chris said, sometimes LM cancel the trains at Northampton because Northampton drivers won't take the trains up to Crewe!

Whether that was what happened with your train or not, we dunno but that is just an addition to what 87019Chris said

 

[Pumbaa]

Just to add to what Chris said, sometimes LM cancel the trains at Northampton because Northampton drivers won't take the trains up to Crewe!

Well it's a good job Northampton don't sign Crewe then isn't it! Rugby sign to Crewe, as do Crewe (surprisingly). Northampton only sign north to Nuneaton and New St via Coventry. For the first few years, they only signed north to Rugby but this is now solved.

Basically - LM can't run a service to save their life.

 

[MCR247]

Or diagram 350s to save their life....

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Basically - LM can't run a service to save their life.

Or diagram 350s to save their life....

Granted and agreed on both parts for different reasons

MCR is right because on weekdays, you have the Euston - Crewe services and the Euston to New Street services separate but on a weekend, they have them boleted together. Surely that would make sense doing that on a weekday as well? Add to that fact that sometimes they bolt eight cars together to Milton Keynes/Tring/Northampton when a four would probably be suffice and that leads to them not knowing what the hell to do. Come to thing of it, First TransPennine Express don't know what to do with a Desiro as well

Pumbba is right as well because sometimes, they dont have a clue what they do with services some of the times. I only take this as a case example but when I was coming back from Wolvo, I was on the 1607, it was a two car Turbostar and everyone was cramming on because the service before had been cancelled. The lady on point at the back was letting more and more people on to the point where everyone was cramming in and squashing people against walls, against doors, against doorframes and she didn't make one announcement about telling people to move down! And when people were getting off at destinations, people were bitching at the guard and she was just like tough luck!

So both bring up very valid points

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I was on the 1607, it was a two car Turbostar and everyone was cramming on because the service before had been cancelled. The lady on point at the back was letting more and more people on to the point where everyone was cramming in and squashing people against walls, against doors, against doorframes and she didn't make one announcement about telling people to move down! And when people were getting off at destinations, people were bitching at the guard and she was just like tough luck!

So both bring up very valid points

You would have liked the guard to ask some people to get off the service because of the crowding? If so, how many?

 

[Mr Spock]

Granted and agreed on both parts for different reasons

MCR is right because on weekdays, you have the Euston - Crewe services and the Euston to New Street services separate but on a weekend, they have them boleted together. Surely that would make sense doing that on a weekday as well? Add to that fact that sometimes they bolt eight cars together to Milton Keynes/Tring/Northampton when a four would probably be suffice and that leads to them not knowing what the hell to do. Come to thing of it, First TransPennine Express don't know what to do with a Desiro as well

Pumbba is right as well because sometimes, they dont have a clue what they do with services some of the times. I only take this as a case example but when I was coming back from Wolvo, I was on the 1607, it was a two car Turbostar and everyone was cramming on because the service before had been cancelled. The lady on point at the back was letting more and more people on to the point where everyone was cramming in and squashing people against walls, against doors, against doorframes and she didn't make one announcement about telling people to move down! And when people were getting off at destinations, people were bitching at the guard and she was just like tough luck!

So both bring up very valid points

The reason rhey have 8 coach trains to Tring etc. is that they then work other (or have worked previous) services and it is easier to leave them like that than run into a depot to split.

As for the train from Wolves if the passengers are to dumb to move down without being told then they deserve what they got.

 

[222007]

I'd heard from a colleague at that the reason for so many cancellations is LM's former silverlink men were working to rule? If so this could explain things

 

[12CSVT]

I'd heard from a colleague at that the reason for so many cancellations is LM's former silverlink men were working to rule? If so this could explain things

ie, management have failed to recruit enough traincrews to run a full service. At present they are about 10% short of having enough drivers.

 

[NSE]

I must say that seems a bit odd not to have the full quota of drivers and rely on overtime :L but there we go. Are London Midland quite often useless?

 

[Pumbaa]

The reason rhey have 8 coach trains to Tring etc. is that they then work other (or have worked previous) services and it is easier to leave them like that than run into a depot to split.

Yes - elaborating on this, for the benefit of IPT as well, the New St workings are interworked with Tring workings. Only the Milton Keynes runs are isolated off-peak, and everything goes everywhere during Peak.

Also, the New St trains run seperately from Crewe M-F as otherwise passengers from Watford, Hemel, Berkhamsted have 0tph to Northampton. The New St service is an amalgamation of the existing New St to Northampton and Northampton to Euston service, creating a lot of new journey opportunities.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

ie, management have failed to recruit enough traincrews to run a full service. At present they are about 10% short of having enough drivers.

Yes - and to make a point the drivers are working 'to rule', ie not doing last minute favours or cheeky extra half shifts to keep the management happy. They are doing what is required and thats it. Incidentally, the guards don't check for revenue either for much of the same reason.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

. Are London Midland quite often useless?

All the f*cking time.

 

[IanPooleTrains]

As for the train from Wolves if the passengers are to dumb to move down without being told then they deserve what they got.

It was actually from New Street to get me back to Rugeley but people were moving down, people were crowding the aisles and cramming in the doorways

Are London Midland quite often useless?

All the f*cking time.

Speaks for itself really!

 

[87015]

Pumbaa, new journey oops intermediates to New St? Wash your mouth out!! It was half hourly from Hemel, Leighton etc before Virgin objected and saw off the silverlink through services.

LM are, of course, incompetent from top to bottom operationally. Bring back SL/CT, Natex all is forgiven..... Good god!!

 

[TomJ93]

I think all at LM would be fine if more drivers were hired/the current drivers got higher pay to run the services needed, a few little niggles like /2s turning up on long distance journeys but overall I think they're doing a better job than CT/ST

 

[bnsf734]

I have just got home to Nuneaton after a day out in London with a Great Escape ticket. I saw some posters mentioning the work to rule. There is also a section on their website with trains "likely" to be cancelled.

Worst experience today was getting to Euston for the 18:46 to Crewe (Normally 2 sets which split at Northampton). When the train ran in, it was only formed of 1 unit, which was rapidly filled by the people on the platform and was extremely wedged by the time it left. I think most Escapees went to London today!

The Birmingham train subesequently started at Northampton tonight.

I presume a train was cancelled earlier which prevented the other 350 reaching Euston.

 

[Ibex]

The dispute with ASLEF is all drivers, not just ex Silverlink. The ex-Silverlink drivers get higher wages but less holiday entitlement, and the ex-Central drivers get the opposite. The Silverlink drivers want the holiday entitlement the CT drivers have, and the CT drivers want the wages the Silverlink drives get. If that makes any sense.

London Midland have said many a time that this isn't an affordable option in the current economic climate, so ASLEF have instructed all the drivers to work to rule and decline overtime. There are generally enough drivers to cover the service but LM are relying on drivers doing overtime in order to cover holiday, sickness and training.

As for 350/2 units being diagrammed incorrectly, I have long given up hope that this will be sorted. It's operationally convenient for the company to diagram the units how they currently run and that's all that will matter to them. As long as it squeels, and has the numbers 350 on the front, it will go wherever they like.

 

[Pumbaa]

Pumbaa, new journey oops intermediates to New St? Wash your mouth out!! It was half hourly from Hemel, Leighton etc before Virgin objected and saw off the silverlink through services.

Apologies - I forgot that brief period. It was shameful of me to attribute forward thinking and innovation to LM.