WSMR to finish

[scotsman]

I feel it'd be nice to write a blogpost at the very least on the affection that this little TOC had. Anyone who was on the final train (1J84 1830 ex-Marylebone) or was involved with the TOC in some way, feel free to send me some comments on it and I might be able to do something with them.

 

[IanPooleTrains]

They were so professional and it is a shame that this all had to end for them

 

[barrykas]

Sadly, I'm told that TDK got told off after "whistling up" as he bought 1P23 into Marylebone this evening, so the departure of 1J84 was a much quieter affair.

RIP Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway. It was a pleasure having you around and I'll miss seeing the crew around during their layovers. ad: Hope someone sees sense to pick you all up real soon.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[b0b]

Sadly, I'm told that TDK got told off after "whistling up" as he bought 1P23 into Marylebone this evening

great job TDK

 

[scotsman]

Sadly, I'm told that TDK got told off after "whistling up" as he bought 1P23 into Marylebone this evening, so the departure of 1J84 was a much quieter affair.

What are they gonna do? Fire him?

 

[Crossover]

When I got to Marylebone there was a floral wreath on the buffer stops of platform 3. Rather poignant.

I think the messages on the PIS' (as shown on BBC News and - even more so - on the video by CampaignR) were rather poignant too

 

[barrykas]

What are they gonna do? Fire him?

It's not the company that are the problem, but the City of Westminster...

 

[will1337]

A few photos. I've just got in and edited them. Great journey up to Tame Bridge Parkway with everyone friendly. Took a Pendo back home to London afterwards.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58888477@N02/sets/72157625928082644/

 

[Invincibles]

MoC (Moderation of Competition) ends on 1st April 2012, with the restrictions being lifted somewhat in May 2011, which basically shifts the ORCATS modal values, ie LM and other franchised operators who previously had set values could apply to change them. This would have not helped WSMR as when the agreement was written up for protected flows, they didn't exist.

ORR have stated that MoC is detrimental to the railway model we have at current, and I think the DfT agreed not to use it again in any situation where the Govt shoulders risk and responsibility in line with the franchisee.

Reading between the lines, when this was written in 2006 and again in 2009, this basically means DfT won't write it into any future franchise commitments unless the franchisee is willing to take no subsidy from the Govt, in return for a potentially higher return for both Govt and franchisee through protected income flow.

From an economic theory perspective MoC makes a lot of sense, especially in the later example that you give about reduced government subsidy. It would not surprise me to see an amount of MoC on these grounds written into the new franchise model when the coalition propose that. While a project like SELRAP might not immediately be attractive to a TOC even with MoC (Northern do not have any competition on Leeds-Preston flows anyway) I am sure many of the aspirations seen on here could be delivered with some MoC.

Whether the legacy of WSMR is a reduction in the desire of firms to run open access operations or a realisation that the higher level of service is still attractive for certain trains I do not know.

What does appear to be clear is that high levels of service do not substitute for frequency and speed well enough for a company to run on the high service level model alone.

Ultimately it depends what the profit levels were, could you support a service but not contribute anything back to the overheads or was it much worse than that? If Chiltern feel that they could get sufficient return to have that level of service in house then maybe we will see it again. It is difficult to really know without the accounts.

Reading this thread it does sound like the company had a good send off, lets now hope today is the start of a bright new era for all concerned.

 

[sonic2009]

WSMR 2008 - 2011 RIP..

One day I hope someone brings this service back, its such a shame to see them go, I managed to do the 1830 on thursday night, and even tho the crew were losing their jobs all seemed upbeat, I do feel sorry for the first class host that night, who's sister and dad worked for the company too, that's a huge loss within family, but thoughts of course go out to all the WSMR crew, who throughout the 3 years of operation brought a cheerful,welcome approach to rail travel,the fresh food, the clean trains, friendly customer service, and most of all, a proper meal in first class, none of the mr branson microwave meals,WSMR will always live long in the memory, and maybe one day we will see a service running wrexham general to london via shrewsbury..

A joke a lady said to me onboard the service yesterday..

We won the war, but they got us in the end

Aimed at DB I think

WSMR 2008-2011

 

[merlodlliw]

Sadly, I'm told that TDK got told off after "whistling up" as he bought 1P23 into Marylebone this evening, so the departure of 1J84 was a much quieter affair.

RIP Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway. It was a pleasure having you around and I'll miss seeing the crew around during their layovers. ad: Hope someone sees sense to pick you all up real soon.

Cheers,

Barry

Told off by whom I wonder, they really are pathetic on such a day, but then there are miserable people everywhere,to eager to find fault.

 

[boboloco]

Its sad to see a good company and its staff go to the wall. But we all seem to forget the other casualties of the DB quest for profit at all cost! The staff at DBS who have endured 3 years of threats of redundancies, real redundancies, depot closures, pay cuts, the list goes on. They may not be noticed as much becaused they are not in the public gaze so much, but they too have endured and are indeed continuing to endure the new face of DB!

Lets not forget, every freight service cancelled or contract lost means staff out of the door, as has been happening all over the railfreight sector from DBS to Freightliner!

 

[merlodlliw]

Its sad to see a good company and its staff go to the wall. But we all seem to forget the other casualties of the DB quest for profit at all cost! The staff at DBS who have endured 3 years of threats of redundancies, real redundancies, depot closures, pay cuts, the list goes on. They may not be noticed as much becaused they are not in the public gaze so much, but they too have endured and are indeed continuing to endure the new face of DB!

Lets not forget, every freight service cancelled or contract lost means staff out of the door, as has been happening all over the railfreight sector from DBS to Freightliner!

Welcome to RF Bob.
The sad fact is, its freight companies everywhere going to the wall, but lets leave this thread to W/S.

Bob

 

[Crapper]

Its sad to see a good company and its staff go to the wall. But we all seem to forget the other casualties of the DB quest for profit at all cost! The staff at DBS who have endured 3 years of threats of redundancies, real redundancies, depot closures, pay cuts, the list goes on. They may not be noticed as much becaused they are not in the public gaze so much, but they too have endured and are indeed continuing to endure the new face of DB!

Lets not forget, every freight service cancelled or contract lost means staff out of the door, as has been happening all over the railfreight sector from DBS to Freightliner!

I get the gist of what you are saying and agree in the main. There's been no redundancy at Freightliner Intermodal though.

 

[TomJ93]

Well the 18:30 was sounding off everywhere, even through Coventry

 

[Striker]

To the people booked on the 1830:

Can I make a suggestion that someone prepares a speech and asks to get on that PA as say thankyou on behalf of RailUKforums & everyone else????
:cry:

Good grief. It's very sad for the staff but this is just taking it a tad too far. :roll:

 

[CallySleeperKid]

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, and if it will make any difference at all but here you go..... http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/wrexhamandshropshire

 

[tbtc]

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, and if it will make any difference at all but here you go..... http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/wrexhamandshropshire

1. Yes, twice before

2. No, no difference whatsoever

 

[scotsman]

I've just watched TDK's 'performance' on Youtube, not as many blasts as I had expected from the posts on here

 

[yorkie]

But, Chiltern don't run Clubmans from Wales to Marylebone? Hmm, maybe they will be in a few weeks...

I don't think they have; the furthest I recall them going from is Shrewsbury. But there probably wouldn't be anything stopping them going to Wrexham.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

1. Yes, twice before

2. No, no difference whatsoever

Cheers. Just thought I'd drop it in.

 

[tbtc]

I don't think they have; the furthest I recall them going from is Shrewsbury. But there probably wouldn't be anything stopping them going to Wrexham.

I think they ran some for a football play-off a year or two ago. Presumably 168s would be fine for the whole route (if a little long), but they may be clearance issues with 165s (?)

 

[TDK]

Told off by whom I wonder, they really are pathetic on such a day, but then there are miserable people everywhere,to eager to find fault.

No one told me off or even mentioned my use of the Horn
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Sadly Simon I heard staff saying they will have to fight each other for jobs within DB. Must be awful when they are such a tight knit bunch.

My opinion is we will help each other get jobs, well that is what I am doing as I have been on the railway a lot longer than the new starters from 1998 and know more people

 

[merlodlliw]

No one told me off or even mentioned my use of the Horn

excellent feedback from the very man, don't know why it was mentioned.

And just to clear it up a Chiltern 168 ran to Wrexham last year, to cover for a failed 67. There were pics of it on North Wales Rail newsboards.

Also in the jobs market, its who you know & this process as already started.

 

[TDK]

Good grief. It's very sad for the staff but this is just taking it a tad too far. :roll:

Roll your eyes as much as you like Pal, I have worked with these people for 3 years and to see nearly all of them in tears is a very moving time - and to be honest the tears or not because we are loosing our jobs but because OUR FAMILY has been split up - this is the reason why the staff are so emotionally upset - I had grown men crying on my shoulder - I think any help for the staff at Wrexham and Shropshire staff is welcomed - I personally have invited every single one of the - all 55 to my house for a Party tonight to celebrate the success of the company and so we can all be together for one last time, so don't knock what people are saying

 

[transportphoto]

Roll your eyes as much as you like Pal, I have worked with these people for 3 years and to see nearly all of them in tears is a very moving time - and to be honest the tears or not because we are loosing our jobs but because OUR FAMILY has been split up - this is the reason why the staff are so emotionally upset - I had grown men crying on my shoulder - I think any help for the staff at Wrexham and Shropshire staff is welcomed - I personally have invited every single one of the - all 55 to my house for a Party tonight to celebrate the success of the company and so we can all be together for one last time, so don't knock what people are saying

Thanks TDK... I knew what I said would support someone - I wouldnt say it if I felt that it was taking it to far...

Did anyone (any passenger) actually get a message over?

Also TDK were you at the helm of 1J84 last night?

 

[merlodlliw]

I've just watched TDK's 'performance' on Youtube, not as many blasts as I had expected from the posts on here

Well there were at Wrexham, it was like VE Day here with the sirens & horns on the 67 & DVT, ear shattering, what a brilliant send off.


Bob

 

[feliner]

just writing to convey my sadness at the loss of employment for the staff at WSMR, hope you all find jobs very soon. I am just about to start working for Grand Central at Bradford with some trepidation after the unfortunate folding of WSMR, and will be on pins for the next few years.

 

[thefab444]

just writing to convey my sadness at the loss of employment for the staff at WSMR, hope you all find jobs very soon. I am just about to start working for Grand Central at Bradford with some trepidation after the unfortunate folding of WSMR, and will be on pins for the next few years.

Grand Central's income is boosted by the lucrative OCRATS 'raid' at York, so you should be okay.

 

[daikilo]

Well there were at Wrexham, it was like VE Day here with the sirens & horns on the 67 & DVT, ear shattering, what a brilliant send off.
Bob

Very, very unfortunate reference to VE-day if you think about it ... I'll say nor more than I suggested earlier, this is only the first step of the master plan and it has started by assassination. I am not impressed and I hope the Welsh Authority conders the impact on local people (and electors).