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WMR/LNWR Staff shortages

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Undiscovered

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A lot of the issues, as I see it, are to do with the diagrams.
The work is crammed in to the minute, which looks great on paper, when you add people, other trains etc. into it, it falls apart.
A tiny, tiny delay anywhere soon escalates into being held at a junction as you've missed your path by seconds. So now, you're at least two minutes behind, due to route setting, which means you're two minutes late for your only PNB of a 9hr shift, which is slotted exactly into the time between this and your next job.
Now the next service is two late off the station, behind the stopper when you're an express etc. etc.

Chuck a couple of charming passengers into the mix and...
 

atsf_fT

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Standing at the Hawthorns a moment ago ,an anoncmement came over ," sorry for the disruption to services this week this is due to short staff"
You can guarantee it happens every school holiday or some major football game or xmas time ,WHY you may ask , well a friend of mine who is a driver for WMR Tells me that the drivers get enough money that they like too take quick sick leave ,either to take there kids and wife out shopping or for the big match , it's gone on for years .
To hell with the passingers in there view
 

Nick Leverton

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It's not because of holidays - for all of this month there have been numerous daily cancellations blamed on lack of crew. Although I personally believe it's more likely that the traincrew are in the wrong place due to the incredibly fragile diagrams, which fall to pieces at the slightest incident.
 

ah-media

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Standing at the Hawthorns a moment ago ,an anoncmement came over ," sorry for the disruption to services this week this is due to short staff"

Clearly then, the problem is that they are employing midgets and dwarfs who cannot reach the buttons... They should change their T&C to say that only people over 4 foot 8 1/2 inches may apply :D
 

atsf_fT

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It's not because of holidays - for all of this month there have been numerous daily cancellations blamed on lack of crew. Although I personally believe it's more likely that the traincrew are in the wrong place due to the incredibly fragile diagrams, which fall to pieces at the slightest incident.

Wrong place ? Odd it's always school or public holiday times , carnt blame the weather either .
Bet you it's all ok when kids go back
 

SJN

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It is mainly down to displacement of staff due to problems with the infrastructure. It’s also because staff don’t want to work their rest days or overtime, partly because it’s school holidays.
 

jamesst

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Wrong place ? Odd it's always school or public holiday times , carnt blame the weather either .
Bet you it's all ok when kids go back

Here we go, the 'it's purely the lazy staff agenda'.
How much do you want on that bet?
You also seem to conveniently overlook the fact WMR/LNWR covers a wide area where the school holidays AREN'T all at the same time!!
 

HST43277

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Just wondered why they’d allow so many people off on annual leave if they knew they would have to cancel services?
 

sd0733

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Just wondered why they’d allow so many people off on annual leave if they knew they would have to cancel services?
There are quotas that are agreed with the union as to how many staff are off at any given time. Unfortunately if leave is declined certain individuals will take it on themselves to take the time off by other means.
 

221129

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There are quotas that are agreed with the union as to how many staff are off at any given time. Unfortunately if leave is declined certain individuals will take it on themselves to take the time off by other means.
They also cant decline leave if the quota hasn't been filled, even if people are off sick or training or they are generally short.
 

pt_mad

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They also cant decline leave if the quota hasn't been filled, even if people are off sick or training or they are generally short.
Which seems kind of understandable given that it wouldn't a person applying for holiday's fault if there were extra people off sick, or people say had left for other train companies.
 

sd0733

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Which seems kind of understandable given that it wouldn't a person applying for holiday's fault if there were extra people off sick, or people say had left for other train companies.
Another thing is that a lot who book leave can be on the same rest day pattern, more often than not lates with a Friday and Saturday. Therefore it's quite common where you can have a number of spares in a morning and uncovered jobs in the afternoon.
 

DarloRich

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Recorded apology announcements from Jonny Wiseman (?) Customer experience director apologising for the problems this week and the staff shortages

Lovely.
 

pt_mad

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A look at LNR website indicates special timetable for tomorrow (Sat 2nd November).
 
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Tom B

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Which seems kind of understandable given that it wouldn't a person applying for holiday's fault if there were extra people off sick, or people say had left for other train companies.

And is further understandable since, if you get into the habit of rejecting A/L requests because of a "temporary" shortage of staff, before you know it there's a huge swathe of people owed large amounts of A/L...
 

londonmidland

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The temporary timetable is holding up well(!)

Lots of delays, cancellations and cancelled stops on WMT services out of Birmingham New Street this evening.
 

atsf_fT

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Well the kids start going back to school today
so let's see if delays and cancellations decrease
a noticable amount on West midlands railways and other operator's
 
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