Unions at most depots would not permit this.How about people who've recently retired or otherwise left the industry, guaranteed work frequently enough to maintain their proficiency?
Finding drivers who can trundle up and down the Valleys or between Wrexham and Bidston in a 150 should be a doddle compared to that.
How about people who've recently retired or otherwise left the industry, guaranteed work frequently enough to maintain their proficiency?
So, Pride event in Cardiff & fine weather meant huge demand for travel. Once again, the railways just cannot deliver. As I said in another post about the GWR cancellations - including the westbound ‘Pembroke Coast Express’ terminating at Swansea due to lack of crew - best to use the car if you have one!I was out and about on the Valleys today, and another problem was that nearly EVERY service was formed of just 2 carriages (apart from a 2x Pacer combo on the Rhymney - Penarth circuit) from what I saw. Plenty of 14x working solo on the Valleys, and 153s on Maesteg to Cheltenham. Virtually all trains I went on (and I went on a lot) were severely overcrowded, and delays started to stack up, initially via Taffs Well, then on the Rhymney line resulting in some stations getting skipped and on time trains having to wait at passing loops for delayed trains, and then becoming delayed themselves. TFW have had lots of angry tweets today too (trains also busier than normal due to Pride event in Cardiff)
I don't mind seeing trains anytime & will use them as much if not more than I do now & have done since starting almost 35yrs ago. What I never want to do again is enter a driving cab.If you’d spent 40 yrs on the Valleys you’d not be strapped to a bed in a mental hospital !
God knows why anyone would want to come back to the industry after they’d served their time, once I’m done I never want to see a train again! 26 yes 3 months to go !
So, Pride event in Cardiff & fine weather meant huge demand for travel. Once again, the railways just cannot deliver. As I said in another post about the GWR cancellations - including the westbound ‘Pembroke Coast Express’ terminating at Swansea due to lack of crew - best to use the car if you have one!
Indeed. Someone complained about the use of 2 car units on the valleys on Twitter and was told, sorry, no extra capacity available - But they then pointed out that this was a reduction in capacity. I also used a 175 today that was packed, so was stood in the vestibule. The panels in the vestibule were 60 degrees centigrade (measured by a temperature sticker on them) - No idea what was going on behind them!
Unions at most depots would not permit this.
If I’d recently retired from 40 years of driving up and down the valleys I can think of better ways to spend my retirement than driving up and down the valleys.
Blimey that's going a bit deep. Everything has to be fair and above board. I doubt that poor old Bill is short of a few bob.They'd rather see trains cancelled than see Bill who retired a couple of months ago cover a duty nobody else wants to do and earn a few quid to treat his grandchildren?
They'd rather see trains cancelled than see Bill who retired a couple of months ago cover a duty nobody else wants to do and earn a few quid to treat his grandchildren?
Bill who retired a couple of months ago probably wouldn't want to come back to work a weekend instead of spending it with his grandson. Plus he will have lost all his certification to drive and his route knowledge in that time.
And I haven't even started on the problems the management and the roster clerk would be getting into.
Most TOCs allow job sharing, aimed at keeping qualified drivers in the industry longer. The take up however is low.Ok, maybe he's had has grandson all week while his son and daughter in law were at work and could do with a change. Or being with his wife 24/7 is becoming a strain. Do certifications and route knowledge expire that quickly? I thought it was more like six months? How do the railtour drivers manage?
Why should it be problematic to get a casual or agency driver in? It happens happen in other industries all the time.
Indeed. Someone complained about the use of 2 car units on the valleys on Twitter and was told, sorry, no extra capacity available - But they then pointed out that this was a reduction in capacity. I also used a 175 today that was packed, so was stood in the vestibule. The panels in the vestibule were 60 degrees centigrade (measured by a temperature sticker on them) - No idea what was going on behind them!
Talk about clutching at straws.Ok, maybe he's had has grandson all week while his son and daughter in law were at work and could do with a change. Or being with his wife 24/7 is becoming a strain. Do certifications and route knowledge expire that quickly? I thought it was more like six months? How do the railtour drivers manage?
Why should it be problematic to get a casual or agency driver in? It happens happen in other industries all the time.
Talk about clutching at straws.
As far as I understand it certification for a driver is 6 monthly, and if someone retires I doubt that they will have done anything about it during their last 5 months. Ergo, not allowed.
How is that agency driver or guard going to get his route and unit knowledge?
How is he going to keep it up to date?
As far as I know no TOC or FOC employs such people in those roles because it is just no feasible to do so.
How about people who've recently retired or otherwise left the industry, guaranteed work frequently enough to maintain their proficiency?
Think about how it could be done, rather than why it couldn't.
If they were thinking of doing some part time work after retiring they'd make sure they kept up their certification.
How ?
They are retired. They are no longer employed by the TOC and the TOC will no longer keep up their competencies or medical standards. They can't just walk back and drive a train when they wanted or just drive a route to keep competence.
By doing any of the above they are not retired. They would be part time/flexi time or in some way still contracted to work.
They'd rather see trains cancelled than see Bill who retired a couple of months ago cover a duty nobody else wants to do and earn a few quid to treat his grandchildren?
No. They (the unions) would rather the TOCs employed extra full-time, permanent staff, rather than use casual staff. (Which they can't anyway for the reasons pointed out by others.)
They are not reasons they are excuses to prevent someone from being a causal worker,please tell me why it would be so bad for someone to to just do a couple of shifts a month when they semi retire?No. They (the unions) would rather the TOCs employed extra full-time, permanent staff, rather than use casual staff. (Which they can't anyway for the reasons pointed out by others.)
See my post above yours.
Call it 'retired from full-time work' if you prefer.
Many people do work on a casual basis for their former employers. My father did, my stepfather and I did. Mum did similar work fir a different employer.
They are not reasons they are excuses to prevent someone from being a causal worker,please tell me why it would be so bad for someone to to just do a couple of shifts a month when they semi retire?
Fair enough once or twice a year could be an issue, but surely if someone was doing a couple of shifts a month and the toc was willing to swallow the costs of keeping someone up to date for a couple of shifts a month it surely could be done?They will need :
Regular medicals and a medical pretty much each time they returned to work.
Retain all uniform and equipment.
Keep up to date on rules, traction, operational notices etc.
Competency records
Safety of the line record
Attend safety briefings
Regular OTMR (black box) downloads and records.
Issued with all publications.
Effectively they remain an employee.
Imagine the fallout if there was a serious incident and it transpired the Driver had only driven a train twice that year and only turned up that day to book on a drive.
Fair enough once or twice a year could be an issue, but surely if someone was doing a couple of shifts a month and the toc was willing to swallow the costs of keeping someone up to date for a couple of shifts a month it surely could be done?
Edit*autocorrect error
Fair enough once or twice a year could be an issue,
but surely if someone was doing a couple of shifts a month
and the toc was willing to swallow the costs of keeping someone up to date for a couple of shifts a month it surely could be done?