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I've had a conversation with a guard and another member of GA staff (sitting with me going home) and we invited the guard to sit down for a bit as it was between stops and we were chatting. She refused and said she wasn't allowed to sit in passenger seats while working, instead standing in front of the rear cab door for the journey until the next stop. At the next stop she scooted between the seat and table to make space for people to leave the seats across the aisle, but still didn't sit down. Maybe it's a "rule" that is taught to new guards but isn't really enforced. I've certainly seen a few GA guards sit in passenger seats though.
I'll leave it here though, I think it's going a bit too off-topic for this thread and it should be split if someone wants to continue.
I've had a conversation with a guard and another member of GA staff (sitting with me going home) and we invited the guard to sit down for a bit as it was between stops and we were chatting. She refused and said she wasn't allowed to sit in passenger seats while working, instead standing in front of the rear cab door for the journey until the next stop. At the next stop she scooted between the seat and table to make space for people to leave the seats across the aisle, but still didn't sit down. Maybe it's a "rule" that is taught to new guards but isn't really enforced. I've certainly seen a few GA guards sit in passenger seats though.
I'll leave it here though, I think it's going a bit too off-topic for this thread and it should be split if someone wants to continue.
After 23 years of inadequate capacity, XC finally gets longer trains. It's just that 44% / 50 /56% of the train is carried around as a deadweight for a significant number of journeys. Fuel consumption significantly increased, number of usable platforms reduced, passenger dissatisfaction also significantly increased. Plenty of operational disadvantages with none of the benefits over just sending a single 220 out to play.
I've said before that XC is the invisible franchise - not used by MPs as it doesn't serve London, not championed by regional politicians as it isn't perceived to belong to any particular region. Consequently it lacks any powerful or influential champions.
However, the problem before was that no suitable trains were available to increase capacity. Now they are available, but working practices see them locked out of use. It might therefore be worth raising this with MPs or with the press to draw attention to the situation. It seems like a relatively easy situation for political gain - you can show that 'something must be done' where the solution appears easy (note 'appears', not 'is'), and then take the credit if anything changes. Just what politicians like doing.
Have there been any instances yet of CrossCountry having the rear set locked out of use on both arrival to and departure from Birmingham New Street, on a service which reversed there?
Although I've had a couple cases on a morning service towards Manchester where the front set was locked out of use for Southampton - Reading which became the rear set on reversal due to lack of staff.
Causing a bit of chaos at Oxford as one day the weather was awfully wet and the part of the train which was under the canopy wasn't available for use
I'm sure it's already been answered but as a working train manager for XC - It is now policy that each set must have a TM, so on double sets with only one TM the rear set is locked out of use.
I'm sure it's already been answered but as a working train manager for XC - It is now policy that each set must have a TM, so on double sets with only one TM the rear set is locked out of use.
Yes, and thanks, but the real question is why this has changed all of a sudden. Has there been an incident after which RSMs/drivers are no longer considered competent? After all it’s been ok for the last few years…
Yes, and thanks, but the real question is why this has changed all of a sudden. Has there been an incident after which RSMs/drivers are no longer considered competent? After all it’s been ok for the last few years…
XC decided to stop RSMs taking responsibility for a set, and offered an overtime agreement to all grades apart from RSMs and FCHs.
They did this while removing catering from a large number of services, so understandably questioned have been asked of the long term catering plan on XC and no appropriate answers were forthcoming.
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I'll also add that as a driver I've driven units in multiple and worked DOO and guarded services. Having at least one member of competent staff in each unit is a godsend to reduce delays as so many things can be dealt with on the move.
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Or what if nobody on the other end speaks to the driver?
Currently, a member of staff can investigate without stopping the train. If there's nobody in the unit and nobody talking to me, I'm treating it as an emergency until proven otherwise and we are stopping ASAP.
Or at least we want a train to run with competent people running it and the full capacity of that train to be available to use. Isn’t it actually more expensive to run a train with 2 TMs than have a RSM in charge of one unit.
Is there a rush of RSMs leaving the company because they’ve effectively just had a £5ph pay cut?
It almost looks like an attempt to sabotage the introduction of the additional stock. is the company that stupid it would consider this, or are they actually just the fall guys here for DfT cuts. Or another possibility is XC taking a swipe at catering because they don’t value it and would rather it disappear quietly. I assume the RSMs are not XC employees so XC don’t care too much about upsetting them, after all what’s a strike going to achieve, no coffee or warm beer on the 1215 to Plymouth.
I wouldn’t even trust XC or DfT to run a bath right now, and definitely not a rail company that serves the full length of the country, shocking anti passenger stance.
Drivers cannot reset passcoms or egresses from the cab. They can merely override them temporarily. Hence there is still likely going to be a need for someone to walk back along the ballast which introduces risk and disruption if a line block is required.
Well I wish they would treat you well, allow you to do a good job, give you the potential to earn a good Living, give you the opportunity to progress into other grades if you have what it takes and desire that, increase your numbers so we know catering will be available and not have to bring our own because it’s a bit of a lottery these days, and most importantly fix the fridges so no more warm beer.
Thanks to the RSMs for being friendly and working hard in packed trains where you can’t do your jugs properly.
Have you been affected by this, have you lost take home pay? Sorry if that’s too personal to an answer on here.
That only works on multiple sets if there are cab end gangways.
Though in the case of a voyager running with a set locked out of use there's probably so many passengers standing in them that nobody can get through the front unit anyway.
. I assume the RSMs are not XC employees so XC don’t care too much about upsetting them, after all what’s a strike going to achieve, no coffee or warm beer on the 1215 to Plymouth.
What is this obsession with purely resetting? You have to investigate and establish the nature of the emergency if there is one, or if you get nobody talking to you (normally everyone ignores me when I answer a passcom)
Well I wish they would treat you well, allow you to do a good job, give you the potential to earn a good Living, give you the opportunity to progress into other grades if you have what it takes and desire that, increase your numbers so we know catering will be available and not have to bring our own because it’s a bit of a lottery these days, and most importantly fix the fridges so no more warm beer.
Thanks to the RSMs for being friendly and working hard in packed trains where you can’t do your jugs properly.
Have you been affected by this, have you lost take home pay? Sorry if that’s too personal to an answer on here.
It’s not affected me as I don’t work Rest Days… I value my time away from work
In all seriousness, I do miss the odd daily enhancement for being the competent person - it wasn’t often but it paid an extra bill here and there and was always welcome.
I am currently worried about the future of my role as it does seem that the company are hell bent on reducing headcount - although I do notice today that RMT are balloting GWR gate line staff as the company want to impose single person working at ticket gates - naturally there’s ‘ell up!!
With that in mind, maybe it’s more the DfT’s doing than the TOC’s?
On the topic of staffing and XC Voyagers, does anyone know why they have been appearing on the odd few Leicester services these past few days, instead of the usual 170s? Particularly in the evenings? Is there a shortage of Senior Conductors?
On the topic of staffing and XC Voyagers, does anyone know why they have been appearing on the odd few Leicester services these past few days, instead of the usual 170s? Particularly in the evenings? Is there a shortage of Senior Conductors?
Likely some route refreshing for upcoming diverts in play as well. They have been known to go that way when the XC through Tamworth & Burton has been closed and the Crosscity diversion won't cut it.
On the topic of staffing and XC Voyagers, does anyone know why they have been appearing on the odd few Leicester services these past few days, instead of the usual 170s? Particularly in the evenings? Is there a shortage of Senior Conductors?
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