DeparturesBeck
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Reduced weekend timetable commences this Saturday - roughly 5tph. Real Time Trains 23rd July
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Avanti West Coast cancellations
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
About time. Let's hope they can operate it reliably.
The really annoying thing about being turfed off the train at Preston was that I'd upgraded to Standard Premium so lost out on the benefit of it from Preston through to Penrith. I had a nice air conditoned seat with a good view and everything. Somewhat more comfortable than being crammed in the vestibule of train number 2 with my nose pressed against the window glass despite the opportunity of making friends with the other 27 people in the same vestibule. Probably not much in the great scheme of things but I've asked Avanti for a refund for that part of the journey. Every little helps and all that. 
Absolutely the right thing to do......and all other TOCs should be doing this as well. Get the promised services cut right back to a level that can be achieved reliably. Get shut of cheap advance tickets as well.
No the right thing to do would be to stop treating the staff with contempt.
I am staff. Though not with Avanti. Until the industrial relations are sorted
which won't be anytime soon) , then paring back to a reliable service is the rational thing to do.Robertj21a
On Moderation
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Surely, the only right thing to do - initially - is to ensure that the customer is kept happy and likely to remain using the trains ?
Staff industrial relations on the railways appear to be a never-ending problem, which can only deter those who can bring in the necessary income.
James90012
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Great, loads more revenue lost for the industry!
A total shambles for passengers, Avanti will need to relaunch themselves to win their customers back.
A total shambles for passengers, Avanti will need to relaunch themselves to win their customers back.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
They'll lose less revenue by operating a less frequent service that can be relied upon than a more frequent one with random cancellations. Though I fear these cuts may be inadequate, and going down to 0.5tph to Liverpool and 1tph to Manchester may be necessary.
Runningaround
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So the answer to a poor service is to increase the price?
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
If it won't they need to cut further until they have a timetable they can operate.
Bantamzen
Established Member
Reading through this thread really does demonstrate just what a poor situation Avanti are in. Bad planning & awful staff relationships are just leading to more and more issues (which are both mirrored in other TOCs too), which is now driving capacity down, potentially driving prices even further up, slap bang in the middle of an cost of living crisis, right before the start of the summer holidays & the Commonwealth Games, not to mention just over a week before the football season starts up. If it weren't so serious, it would be comical. Cutting back services to serve operational capacity is all well and good as a short term emergency solution, but it also risks becoming much more permanent given the current climate, which combined with higher prices and inflationary pressures could lead to a slow, terminal decline on what should be a flagship rail service. If Monty Python ran a TOC....
"Welcome aboard this Monty Python Rail service to somewhere. We're not sure yet where somewhere is, or when that might be as the Ministry of Silly Walks hasn't yet given us a timetable. So we'll be calling at some places, especially if they have some nice shrubberies & no rabbits, when we feel like it, if we feel like. And if you don't like it, well its those bloody Romans. What have they ever done for us....."
Pinus contorta
Member
I was stood on a platform one day last week. Probably best not to say where, and the Avanti member of staff was busy explai ing to a waiting passenger about the industrial action coming up and why they were doing it. I was stood nearby and it didn't sound like a happy ship at all.
footprints
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0847, 1147, 1247, 1347 and 1547 Liverpool to Euston services all cancelled today. 1447 is going to be fun!
diffident
Member
Liverpool always seems to be the first and most adversely affected whenever there is issues with Avanti. Is that to do with a smaller group of drivers and guards that sign the route?
I would certainly imagine so. Only Liverpool and some links at Euston sign the route; the former is only a small depot whilst the latter has had a lot of retirements recently.
Falcon1200
Established Member
Avanti's Glasgow/Euston service has today well and truly reached its nadir. Of the first six departures from Glasgow, only two ran, the other four being either cancelled throughout or between Glasgow and Preston:
1R20 0428 ran
1M06 0533 cancelled throughout
1M07 0630 ran
1M08 0737 started Preston
1M09 0836 started Preston
1M10 0940 started Preston
What conditions will be like on 1M11 1040 can only be imagined. Avanti are without doubt the worst long distance train operator the UK has ever known, and should be stripped of their franchise immediately.
1R20 0428 ran
1M06 0533 cancelled throughout
1M07 0630 ran
1M08 0737 started Preston
1M09 0836 started Preston
1M10 0940 started Preston
What conditions will be like on 1M11 1040 can only be imagined. Avanti are without doubt the worst long distance train operator the UK has ever known, and should be stripped of their franchise immediately.
And replaced with what? The same issues will still be apparent no matter whose name is on the side of the trains.
I think you mean all other TOCs that are unable to run their timetables. If anything, we have a surplus of staff here and would like to go from 80 to 100% of pre-covid service levels
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Perhaps a more professional operation would implement an emergency timetable they can actually operate? And deal with the industrial relations issue so the staff will be more flexible?
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Yes, of course TOCs who are fully staffed shouldn't need to cut services.
You could argue if it was a company that wanted to sort this out, they could even if it was through bonuses etc. Wouldn't be the first TOC to pay summer bonus to train crew....but then I guess it will depend how much of this is not resolved due to DfT involvement.
Indeed. The long arm of the DFT is no doubt hampering operations at the moment. Until someone comes along with a bit of vision and also the ability to loosen the purse strings a bit, then the outstanding issues are not going to be resolved.
irish_rail
On Moderation
DfT need to let them recruit drivers and TMs none stop in the same way they allowed it on GWR. Time they took the bull by the horns and stop tinkering by taking on a few apprentices here and there.
Is there anyone in charge at Avanti? Who allows this to happen, not just at the weekends but now on weekdays as well. This situation is quite appalling and nobody seems to take any responsibility for it. It could only happen and continue to happen for so long on the railways.
Avanti are a joke.
londonmidland
Established Member
Currently on 9S54. We were delayed at Preston for a while due to severe overcrowding, as the TransPennine Glasgow service was cancelled.
Our Pendolino has had tilt isolated due to the sheer weight onboard this service, so running at reduced speed. The TM says there’s around 1000 passengers on board.
Our Pendolino has had tilt isolated due to the sheer weight onboard this service, so running at reduced speed. The TM says there’s around 1000 passengers on board.
Why wasn't this implemented months ago when the problems with the weekend timetable became obvious?
If it doesn't work this weekend then reduce to 4 tph & if it does then maybe implement it on weekdays as well
All the passenger wants is a RELIABLE TIMETABLE !
FormerBritInMe
Member
I now have a mental picture of Michael Palin or John Cleese saying this over the Tannoy"Welcome aboard this Monty Python Rail service to somewhere. We're not sure yet where somewhere is, or when that might be as the Ministry of Silly Walks hasn't yet given us a timetable. So we'll be calling at some places, especially if they have some nice shrubberies & no rabbits, when we feel like it, if we feel like. And if you don't like it, well its those bloody Romans. What have they ever done for us....."
M&NEJ
Member
I absolutely agree with you about the need for a reliable timetable; but it's very definitely not the ONLY thing I want. I want a fair chance of getting a seat and at a fair price too. I don't want to pay ever-increasing fares for an ever-diminishing service.
diffident
Member
An emergency timetable is a great idea, however my concern is that any emergency timetable will become permanent and the this the railway becomes irreversibly unattractive to the travelling public.
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