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SWR Longest Strike - December 2019

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Socanxdis

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Sorry if I sound stupid to ask this question at this time - what are the possibilities of doubling the tracks (I assume it is single tracks in each direction) from Reading to Feltham such that “real” fast journeys can happen in the future up to waterloo?

I know my question has nothing to do with strikes but at least having double tracks would help speeding up the journeys causing no havoc and less frustration to the common people :( .

Not enough physical space and not enough money. Same goes for double decker trains. Not enough money to knock down all those bridges and probably physically impossible at certain locations. Also factor in local councils and residents objecting to everything.
 

Goldfish62

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Not enough physical space and not enough money. Same goes for double decker trains. Not enough money to knock down all those bridges and probably physically impossible at certain locations. Also factor in local councils and residents objecting to everything.
Indeed. Apart from a few short stretches of green belt the line is pretty urban the whole way, thus limiting potential for widening. Its urban nature of course is why there are also so many stations on the route.
 

hwl

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Indeed. Apart from a few short stretches of green belt the line is pretty urban the whole way, thus limiting potential for widening. Its urban nature of course is why there are also so many stations on the route.
And so much revenue hence stopping services!
 

pompeyfan

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According to Paul Clifton, SWR has informed him that 38% of guards will been working normally today. I’m not sure how they have worked that percentage out. There’s 485 jobs that need to be covered across the network each day during normal timetable, this doesn’t account for people who appear as AO on the roster but does include cover turns. 38% of that number is 184 which I personally don’t believe. Would be interesting to know how they’ve come to that percentage.
 

Goldfish62

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According to Paul Clifton, SWR has informed him that 38% of guards will been working normally today. I’m not sure how they have worked that percentage out. There’s 485 jobs that need to be covered across the network each day during normal timetable, this doesn’t account for people who appear as AO on the roster but does include cover turns. 38% of that number is 184 which I personally don’t believe. Would be interesting to know how they’ve come to that percentage.
Does anyone know how many guards aren't RMT members? Another point is that in the last ballot 50% of eligible staff either voted against action or didn't vote.
 

pompeyfan

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Does anyone know how many guards aren't RMT members? Another point is that in the last ballot 50% of eligible staff either voted against action or didn't vote.

only the RMT have access to how many of its members are guards at SWR. The remainder would either be non union or belong to ASLEF/ATCU/other unions.

for a completely fair assessment of turnout, you’d need to know how many guard were rostered to book on (so those not on leave/sick, but including those that should have been off track etc), compared to how many actually did.
 

Goldfish62

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only the RMT have access to how many of its members are guards at SWR. The remainder would either be non union or belong to ASLEF/ATCU/other unions.

for a completely fair assessment of turnout, you’d need to know how many guard were rostered to book on (so those not on leave/sick, but including those that should have been off track etc), compared to how many actually did.
Agreed. I've certainly seen a fair few non contingency guards working over the last week, but they may very well be non RMT anyway.
 

pompeyfan

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Agreed. I've certainly seen a fair few non contingency guards working over the last week, but they may very well be non RMT anyway.

I’m aware there is a few, but I very much doubt there’s at least 200 each day across the network. More statistics without explanation. The war of words between SWR and RMT continue.
 

RealTrains07

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If it's this article: https://www.independent.co.uk/trave...-cancelled-flight-exeter-london-a9238586.htmlthen the fact that there's a picture of a Flybe plane in the header along with a direct reference to Flybe suggests the Independent might have received a call from someone with an 'idea' for an article.

I suspect the number of people who 'commute' regularly to London from the four stations mentioned left with only a RRB service - Pinhoe, Cranbrook, Whimple and Feniton - is fewer than 10. Generally most passengers from Honiton westward needing to get to London quickly probably travel into Exeter St Davids or drive to Tiverton Parkway anyway to pick up the Paddington service, so their journeys aren't likely to be affected anyway.

Given also that the Independent acknowledges the early morning 1 way air fare on Monday was over £200, I doubt SWR will be losing too much sleep over this claim.

The Rail fares are not much better as mentioned in the article.
 

Goldfish62

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I’m aware there is a few, but I very much doubt there’s at least 200 each day across the network. More statistics without explanation. The war of words between SWR and RMT continue.
According to the last ballot result there were 796 staff eligible to vote. The question is how many of these are drivers and how many guards in total are employed by SWR? That should then provide the number of guards who are working normally as a minimum.
 

pompeyfan

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According to the last ballot result there were 796 staff eligible to vote. The question is how many of these are drivers and how many guards in total are employed by SWR? That should then provide the number of guards who are working normally as a minimum.

i can’t see either side providing us with accurate statistics annoyingly but then that’s life in general.

looks like contingency guards aren’t covering them in glory either

https://www.facebook.com/114450942417/posts/10157810335582418?d=n&sfns=mo

Horror as 22-month-old boy stuck on train with his mum panicking on Fratton platform

Danielle Bellinger put 22-month-old Freddie in his pushchair on board a train at Fratton station before stepping off to pick up his brother, two-year-old Charlie.

As she did so a whistle was blown and the doors shut and the London-bound train departed the platform.

Danielle, 23, from Fratton, said: ‘I was panicked and in a state of shock – I just didn’t expect it to happen.

‘I was literally halfway through getting my children on board when the train left. I still can’t believe what happened.’

(Story continues but requires each paragraph to be copy and pasted separately.)
 

Carlisle

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In other news, the Pope is Catholic, ursine faeces have been found in the woods, and scientists have found that water is wet.
Sad to say Mick Cash’s tenure as RMT leader gives the impression of being little more than a doormat to the most militant wing of the union, even more so since his recent re election .
 
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Journeyman

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i can’t see either side providing us with accurate statistics annoyingly but then that’s life in general.

looks like contingency guards aren’t covering them in glory either

https://www.facebook.com/114450942417/posts/10157810335582418?d=n&sfns=mo



(Story continues but requires each paragraph to be copy and pasted separately.)

To be honest, though, this sort of thing does happen quite regularly, and happened to my nephew when he was a kid. It's not necessarily down to contingency guards and competence. It just happens to make for a good headline.
 

RichardN

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There were an awful lot of 455+455 8 coach workings on Monday evening rush hour. It's almost like SWR are trying to make things worse than they need to be.
 

pompeyfan

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To be honest, though, this sort of thing does happen quite regularly, and happened to my nephew when he was a kid. It's not necessarily down to contingency guards and competence. It just happens to make for a good headline.

agreed it’s not immune to stand in staff, in the same way that RMT jump all over contingency staff when they give 2 on the red etc.
 

bb21

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There were an awful lot of 455+455 8 coach workings on Monday evening rush hour. It's almost like SWR are trying to make things worse than they need to be.
Charming.

That's because not everyone signs 456s AIUI so it is 455s or nothing in many cases.
 

bb21

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This looks like it would be an interesting read*

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/07/proud-breaking-rmts-strike-keep-trains-running/


**disclaimer : I haven't read the article, its behind a paywall, and I certainly wont be providing my money to this extreme pro-blue pro-brexit paper

See this link and scroll down to see the candidates list. I won't quote here for once in case of spoiling it for anyone.

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/1...confirmed-general-election-nominations-close/
 

pompeyfan

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Charming.

That's because not everyone signs 456s AIUI so it is 455s or nothing in many cases.

I don’t suppose you can share any light on this rumoured 38% and where those numbers come from?
 

bb21

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Please, no more Brexit results discussion here.
 

GarethW

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For what’s meant to be an all-out month long strike there’s a heck of a lot of trains running on SWR and that’s a fact.
 

winks

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What the union are basically saying is we’ve thrown the kitchen sink at this for December but there’s no money left to fund members beyond this ...?
 

Carlisle

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It is the union members, not Mike Cash, who decide to vote for industrial action.
Yes I appreciate that, my criticism of Mick Cash relates primarily to a continuous failure of any consistent leadership or direction throughout all of these related disputes given the significant disruption they’ve caused in total. This was relatively plain to see even as far back as the parliamentary select committee hearings he attended during the Southern strikes.where he came across as essentially being told what to say by his local rep
 
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DennisM

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For what’s meant to be an all-out month long strike there’s a heck of a lot of trains running on SWR and that’s a fact.
It’s an RMT strike, not all Guards are RMT members.

Of the basic service running they don’t seem to be managing to run things on time and still have sporadic cancellations, this seems to have been worse this week with SWRs PPM being in the gutter both days so far.
There have also been at least three serious medical incidents that I know of on trains since the strike started, I wonder if the people working on those trains still believe the presence of a guard on board is unnecessary.
 

hwl

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I don’t suppose you can share any light on this rumoured 38% and where those numbers come from?
SWR have been managing to run about 56% of the normal service level, @ the average of 3.7 turns per shift which suggests ~270 need. 38% is 184 as you say which leaves 86 management staff to covering so a 2.2:1 ratio - does this match what mk1 eyeball sees?
 
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