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Caledonian Sleeper

Bletchleyite

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20 Oct 2014
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"Marston Vale mafia"
As the BBC quote the RMT:

Which given the careful wording suggests:
a) headcount isn't at establishment
b) serco estimates of staffing levels required (for the new stock) being to low
c) serco don't have the documentation on the new stock to do adequate training (CAF supplying minimal / inadequate)
d) they don't have the ability to run any training courses without cancelling trains due to staffing levels

I wonder if they might be trying to muddle through the summer, then they could do some targetted cancellations in winter when things are quieter?
 
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jagardner1984

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11 May 2008
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666
The short staffing point, which given 8 hosts on a fixed 1 year contract to be trained and then relieve other staff for their training, would have cost them about £200k, is particularly ludicrous in the context of a £100 million project.

Its interesting the RMT don't go in heavier on the topic of bits of the new trains which simply don't work as designed ....
 

hwl

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5 Feb 2012
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I wonder if they might be trying to muddle through the summer, then they could do some targetted cancellations in winter when things are quieter?
Fort William closure time would be ideal to addres d)

They still need to address a) - c)
 

Bletchleyite

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Fort William closure time would be ideal to addres d)

They still need to address a) - c)

If it was FW I'd do it around October-November time. Winter mountaineers etc use the FW too. That said, many will use the seats (climbers are notoriously tight and not particularly fearful of discomfort) so if they could contract ScotRail to run a connecting DMU that would do the job.

Or drop the Aberdeen for a period of time, that being quietest much of the time!
 

hwl

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If it was FW I'd do it around October-November time. Winter mountaineers etc use the FW too. That said, many will use the seats (climbers are notoriously tight and not particularly fearful of discomfort) so if they could contract ScotRail to run a connecting DMU that would do the job.

Or drop the Aberdeen for a period of time, that being quietest much of the time!
There is a Fort William line closure in the Autumn so that portion won't be running theoretically reducing staffing requirements. Would would provide a good window for FW and London based crew training.
 

DarloRich

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12 Oct 2010
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Fenny Stratford
Any more details on this? Was it someone being disruptive?

I suspect they had to lob a drunk of the train and needed to wait for the BTP to arrive to take him away.

Mind you a threat of stranding at Caristars at stupid o clock should be enough to calm any rowdy person!

And just what exactly is striking meant to achieve? Gaaah.

No idea.

Hang on yes I do: better working conditions, management taking the welfare of their staff seriously, management addressing what must be long standing concerns, ensuring there are enough staff on duty and making staff they are adequately supported in doing their jobs. Something like that. Or just causing trouble.
 

mralexn

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2 Nov 2010
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460
Well, it will certainly be the strike of a nighttime..

I'll get my coat on the way out <:D

Seriously though, I hope conditions improve for the staff and passengers on this service. It seems at least once a week the service is heavily delayed. Looking at recent reviews on Trip Advisory and their own twitter feed tell a story of passengers who are really not happy with the service and how CS are handing things in times of disruption.
 

Chrism20

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27 Feb 2013
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If the situation isn’t bad enough some fool has posted a picture on twitter of (an alleged) member of CS crew with their kid from Facebook when commenting about the service they have provided onboard.
 

FQTV

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27 Apr 2012
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I suspect they had to lob a drunk of the train and needed to wait for the BTP to arrive to take him away.

Mind you a threat of stranding at Caristars at stupid o clock should be enough to calm any rowdy person!



No idea.

Hang on yes I do: better working conditions, management taking the welfare of their staff seriously, management addressing what must be long standing concerns, ensuring there are enough staff on duty and making staff they are adequately supported in doing their jobs. Something like that. Or just causing trouble.

It occurred to me, following on from my experience last week, and the other reports here and elsewhere, to see whether Serco was perhaps trying address things by recruiting more staff.

Despite the Serco careers website not recognising the keyword 'Caledonian', I eventually managed to find a total of one job listed:

https://www.serco.com/uk/careers/jobs/10906093 - Sleeper Team Leader Edinburgh (although listed under Aberdeenshire)

Unless a recruitment campaign has recently ended, it does look to be the case that they're not publicly and proactively doing much to increase the headcount.

Subjectively and (reportedly) objectively, the headcount does seem to be far too low to deliver the basic service, let alone a premium one, so even from a corporate PR point of view, not making it look like they're doing anything is a bit of an open goal for critics to play into.
 

Iskra

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West Riding
Were the staff who fairly recently, err, left at very short noticereplace

Vacancies were posted on the website, so one can only assume so.

However, taking on a large number (for a small franchise) of new staff does not immediately solve your problems, in the short term it actually increases them as they will require training and more supervision until they gain in experience. This only adds to the workload for the already stretched staff. Add in all the stock problems, annoyed passengers and a lot of operational change and you can see why a strike is on the cards.

Adding a mass of newbies into a potentially toxic situation, is only going to fan the flames in the short term.
 
Joined
2 Jan 2009
Messages
516
Just had a text saying no lounge car on the Up Inverness tonight - happily I stocked up in Wick assuming that would happen. Also read on Twitter the Fort Bill portion is leaving 40 minutes late.

As long as I get to London on time I don't care much. Hopefully the big lightning storms are done now...
 
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2 Jan 2009
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Caledonian Sleeper twitter guy saying its loss of power in the Inverness Lounge Car but invites me to occupy it with my own supplies
 

GarethC

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22 Aug 2014
Messages
68
They've just tweeted the northbound Highlander won't be boarding until 21.00 approx. Due to late arrival this morning.

No announcement or info on the board at Euston that I've seen/heard. Stock appears to have not left Wembley yet.
 

Highland37

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29 Jun 2012
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A pal was on the London bound service last night, I think, and reported it being 2 hours late.

They must be losing a fortune.
 

jagardner1984

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11 May 2008
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666
It’s an interesting question, in terms of delay repay, given that night after night they are 100% refunding an entire train, whether the public knows or cares that this is a network rail issue or whatever.

I’d imagine to CS the damage financially and reputationally is much worse than say a northbound pendolino getting delayed at Carlisle for an hour, and having to refund the 100 or so passengers that remain on board, on 1 of 15-20 services that day. CS May receive immediate reimbursement from Network Rail, the Highlander old stock refunds would I assume come from CAF in some indirect way, the Loco failure refunds would I assume come from GBRF in some way - yet in fairness to them, for reasons entirely beyond their control, the damage to the CS brand and reputation is much more than these initial cash payments suggest.

The received wisdom on the sleepers seems to be this summer time is the time to fill the piggy bank with all that lucrative tourist trade to balance the dark months of winter, when you are down to a few regulars. Tripadvisor suggests there is a mountain to climb even to muddle along as they are. Basic issues like cleanliness and staff courtesy are being regularly commented on there. I don’t think a portal like Tripadvisor can be underestimated in the type of trade they are going for. Sad to see.
 
Joined
2 Jan 2009
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516
Morning! The delayed start to the Fort William portion held us up, so we're currently 38 late and not really making any more back - likely another delay repay bonanza but only at 50% "luckily" for CS.

Not sure about the other portions but my Inverness wasn't exactly fully loaded - they were able to move everyone (me included) out of Coach P which had no AC. I still passed a number of empty berths in the remaining coaches including one that was being used for storage of a double bass.

Actually had a pleasant evening on the lounge car chatting with several other refugees - no lights meant we were turfed out by Dunkeld, but also meant that we could see the mountains better than with the lights on...
 

paul1609

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Wittersham Kent
& bring you own Trangia :lol:
Back in the days of MK1 sleepers when the Fort William train was attached to the Glasgow train in some sidings I can remember somebody making tea with a Primus stove in the luggage van because there was no catering on the train.
 

Struner

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13 Dec 2018
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Ommelanden, EU
Back in the days of MK1 sleepers when the Fort William train was attached to the Glasgow train in some sidings I can remember somebody making tea with a Primus stove in the luggage van because there was no catering on the train.
That's the spirit! So bring your own mug & teabag.
 

Carlisle

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26 Aug 2012
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the damage to the CS brand and reputation is much more than these initial cash payments suggest.
.
In today’s world will too many in charge really be that bothered. If Serco (or any similar operation) aren’t loosing much money due to the multiple reimbursements from their various contractors whose equipment has either failed or haven’t been supplied in working order within the agreed timescale
 

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