CrossCountry's Driver Shortage

[Krokodil]

Why do that now though? Why not wait until XC falls under GBR and then - "Look how much better things are! Look at the improvement bringing these train companies under state control has made!"

I suppose that it would depend upon how much the powers-that-be care about the passengers.

Your pessimism is therefore justified.

 

[M60lad]

Noticed a couple of XC Voyagers in Piccadilly at about 18:50 tonight not going anywhere and one left towards Longsight about 18:53, from what I overheard staff were trying to sort out Coaches for services to Stafford not to sure about Birmingham.

Some services from the South were terminating at Stafford for some reason, although I've heard a rumour that some XC staff allegedly don't sign via Styal how true this is I don't know.

 

[1D74]

Only Manchester drivers sign the styal these days

 

[Class 170101]

Only Manchester drivers sign the styal these days

Madness. The railway is showing how inflexible it is these days not keeping up route knowledge like that.

 

[M60lad]

Out of interest in the opposite direction is there anything round West Midlands that Manchester based staff don't sign or do Manchester based staff sign all diversions?

 

[Wyrleybart]

Madness. The railway is showing how inflexible it is these days not keeping up route knowledge like that.

You are clouding the debate by using "the railway". Decisions are normally made by a person or a committee, whether it is ordering new trains, or painting something a different colour !!

 

[Harpo]

Madness. The railway is showing how inflexible it is these days not keeping up route knowledge like that.

‘The railway’ or the dead hand of the controlling mind of the DfT?

Contingency costs and somebody doesn’t want to pay for it.

 

[Krokodil]

Out of interest in the opposite direction is there anything round West Midlands that Manchester based staff don't sign or do Manchester based staff sign all diversions?

I would hope that Manchester crews sign Bescot at least.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

No drivers then no go. What other arrangements would be possible?

None but the real issue is XC know full well that under the current arrangements seducing to staff to volunteer is a challenge so just reduce the service and strengthen what's left then at least journey certainty for passengers is maintained.

 

[185]

Only Manchester drivers sign the styal these days

..which explains the ambiguous "due to a planning error" seen several times recently. The number of cancellations on the Manchesters are creeping up for a variety of excuses - something does need urgently doing with the XC contract.

 

[Meyrick]

Did Avanti run some Manchester > Birmingham services FOR XC or did they run INSTEAD of XC?

Avanti ran some services additionally, two were bespoke paths and one was in the path of a CrossCountry service which was confirmed to be cancelled.

They ran it on their own safety case, however accepted CrossCountry passengers on board.

 

[DarloRich]

Avanti ran some services additionally, two were bespoke paths and one was in the path of a CrossCountry service which was confirmed to be cancelled.

They ran it on their own safety case, however accepted CrossCountry passengers on board.

thanks!

 

[james60059]

three years after the pandemic, it’s depressing to see various TOCs (including Cross Country, this weekend) advising ‘essential travel only’.

Apologies for being late and off topic but how would one define "essential travel?". I was having this discussion the other week funnily enough. A particular journey may not seem essential to one person, but to another it could well be (mental health etc). I even know of several enthusiasts who took no notice of it even back in 2020, IIRC I think there was even a topic on this forum about it too.

 

[duffield]

Usual cancellations today, with a particularly bad period this afternoon (13:45-16:45) where only one out of four services from Cardiff will actually start there, the others starting from Birmingham or Gloucester.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Chime Whistle Publishing reporting on Twitter that a recent change in policy now requires double Voyager sets to have a Train Manager in both halves, rather than a TM in one and member of catering crew in the other:

Chime Whistle Publishing - @ChimeWhistle
A lot of @CrossCountryUK double Voyager services have one set locked out of use. Staff tell me that this is a new directive from management, saying that both sets must now have a train manager - previously only one was required. Not looking good for May timetable change.

Is anyone able to shed a bit more light on this change and to why it has come about?
If true, it's going to lead to chaos during the busy summer season, as even when extra capacity is provided, there aren't enough TMs to allow it to be used.

 

[800001]

Chime Whistle Publishing reporting on Twitter that a recent change in policy now requires double Voyager sets to have a Train Manager in both halves, rather than a TM in one and member of catering crew in the other:


Is anyone able to shed a bit more light on this change and to why it has come about?
If true, it's going to lead to chaos during the busy summer season, as even when extra capacity is provided, there aren't enough TMs to allow it to be used.

Strangely I’ve always seen TM in both sets whenever I’ve been on a double set.

 

[GoneSouth]

Strangely I’ve always seen TM in both sets whenever I’ve been on a double set.

Not always the case unfortunately, I’ve witnessed empty single voyagers fly through stations they should stop at as well as doubles with nobody in the back portion when they do stop. Clearly there’s a driver so assume there is no TM for service or at least half of it.

Given the catering provision is completely unreliable anyway, this probably won’t make that much difference to the existing shambolic situation

 

[Russel]

Chime Whistle Publishing reporting on Twitter that a recent change in policy now requires double Voyager sets to have a Train Manager in both halves, rather than a TM in one and member of catering crew in the other:


Is anyone able to shed a bit more light on this change and to why it has come about?
If true, it's going to lead to chaos during the busy summer season, as even when extra capacity is provided, there aren't enough TMs to allow it to be used.

It's like the management at XC are actively trying to make things worse!

 

[PLY2AYS]

No, I mean the operator sending out a notice at least a month ahead to the effect of "Any staff booking on for duty on Sunday 20th will earn a bonus of £x in addition to their usual Sunday payment.

It's worked for my lot when the 24th/27th/31st of December have fallen on Sundays.

Everyone has their price. The more you increase the offer, the more people you will tempt.

As I understand it; signing on bonuses for Sundays are to become a thing of the past.
IIRC, the DfT (or TOCs) for whatever reason have decided they’re no longer an industry standard and are likely to vanish in further pay/RDW agreements…

 

[Trainman40083]

It's like the management at XC are actively trying to make things worse!

With one hand tied behind their backs, by the DfT

 

[duffield]

A remarkable day on XC today. At present, zero cancellations, also zero truncations due to driver or train crew shortage.

 

[Peterthegreat]

A remarkable day on XC today. At present, zero cancellations, also zero truncations due to driver or train crew shortage.

Not quite true.
The 08.35 Newcastle to Reading is starting at Derby (train defect)

 

[Russel]

With one hand tied behind their backs, by the DfT

The DfT state there needs to be a TM in both sets?

A few posts ago it was suggested it was the management at XC...

 

[duffield]

Not quite true.
The 08.35 Newcastle to Reading is starting at Derby (train defect)

Exactly as I said, "zero truncations due to driver or train crew shortage". It's a train defect.

 

[185]

With one hand tied behind their backs, by the DfT

So many people quick to blame the DfT for this... having briefly had the chance to see first hand the mess XC are in - whilst DfT involvement is there, I reckon it's minimal - perhaps 90% of this the management's own doing. I only hope the new MD intervenes and puts this mess right.

As for external influence, I'd say the biggest concern is Arriva Group's finance boss desperately trying to increase their return.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Exactly as I said, "zero truncations due to driver or train crew shortage". It's a train defect.

Oops. Apologies I need to learn how to read properly.

 

[Clarence Yard]

So many people quick to blame the DfT for this... having briefly had the chance to see first hand the mess XC are in - whilst DfT involvement is there, I reckon it's minimal - perhaps 90% of this the management's own doing. I only hope the new MD intervenes and puts this mess right.

As for external influence, I'd say the biggest concern is Arriva Group's finance boss desperately trying to increase their return.

The new MD can’t put this right - all changes to staff pay and conditions have to be approved by the DfT and currently they are clamping down on giving any more Sunday “appearance money” payments at their TOCs.

I’m not sure the Arriva FD has anything to do with this either. As XC are on management fees, not profit related earnings, there is no incentive to penny pinch expenditure any further than the DfT set business plan budget demands.

 

[83G/84D]

Chime Whistle Publishing reporting on Twitter that a recent change in policy now requires double Voyager sets to have a Train Manager in both halves, rather than a TM in one and member of catering crew in the other:


Is anyone able to shed a bit more light on this change and to why it has come about?
If true, it's going to lead to chaos during the busy summer season, as even when extra capacity is provided, there aren't enough TMs to allow it to be used.

I had the misfortune to travel cross country from Plymouth to Bristol and back yesterday, which was of course a bank holiday weekend. Both trains were formed of 2 x 4 car Voyagers with one set on each service locked out of use.
The up service to Edinburgh was due to have only 4 cars available from Plymouth to York according to on train staff.
Both services were full and standing with no at seat trolley service at all. No ticket checks were possible as the staff could not walk through.

There was football taking place in Bristol and cricket at Taunton so many people were using the services.

Has anyone heard of a recruitment freeze for on train staff by Cross Country ahead of GBR, or is it just a long standing staff shortage exacerbated by a Bank Holiday weekend?

 

[800001]

I had the misfortune to travel cross country from Plymouth to Bristol and back yesterday, which was of course a bank holiday weekend. Both trains were formed of 2 x 4 car Voyagers with one set on each service locked out of use.
The up service to Edinburgh was due to have only 4 cars available from Plymouth to York according to on train staff.
Both services were full and standing with no at seat trolley service at all. No ticket checks were possible as the staff could not walk through.

There was football taking place in Bristol and cricket at Taunton so many people were using the services.

Has anyone heard of a recruitment freeze for on train staff by Cross Country ahead of GBR, or is it just a long standing staff shortage exacerbated by a Bank Holiday weekend?

They advertised for Train Managers at Newcastle earlier in the year, apart from automatic reply to confirm application, zero response since. Application just says pending.

 

[Peterthegreat]

I had the misfortune to travel cross country from Plymouth to Bristol and back yesterday, which was of course a bank holiday weekend. Both trains were formed of 2 x 4 car Voyagers with one set on each service locked out of use.
The up service to Edinburgh was due to have only 4 cars available from Plymouth to York according to on train staff.
Both services were full and standing with no at seat trolley service at all. No ticket checks were possible as the staff could not walk through.

There was football taking place in Bristol and cricket at Taunton so many people were using the services.

Has anyone heard of a recruitment freeze for on train staff by Cross Country ahead of GBR, or is it just a long standing staff shortage exacerbated by a Bank Holiday weekend?

I was told by a XC train manager a couple of months ago that they were not allowed to give contracts to catering staff that went beyond of the franchise/management contract.