CrossCountry's Driver Shortage

[GoneSouth]

I had a 4+4 yesterday and had a chat with the catering staff. They said that coaches A to F are always packed because that is where the reservations are, and they prioritise that for catering. In contrast, the other half, be that G to L or whatever, doesn’t have reservations and may not end up with catering, but you are much more likely to find it comfortably loaded.

Play the XC lottery every time you board!

 

[duffield]

I had a 4+4 yesterday and had a chat with the catering staff. They said that coaches A to F are always packed because that is where the reservations are, and they prioritise that for catering. In contrast, the other half, be that G to L or whatever, doesn’t have reservations and may not end up with catering, but you are much more likely to find it comfortably loaded.

Play the XC lottery every time you board!

Then there's another lottery aspect - you're comfortably settled in the half empty rear unit initially, enjoying the space, but it gets locked out (and maybe detached) en-route, sometimes as scheduled, but sometimes not, and you're punted into the full-and-standing front unit (if you can even board it).

 

[GordonT]

Then there's another lottery aspect - you're comfortably settled in the half empty rear unit initially, enjoying the space, but it gets locked out (and maybe detached) en-route, sometimes as scheduled, but sometimes not, and you're punted into the full-and-standing front unit (if you can even board it).

Perhaps not an ideal way to attract repeat business.

 

[GoneSouth]

Perhaps not an ideal way to attract repeat business.

I think most of us are repeat punters because we have no other option. I certainly wouldn’t if there was a choice.

 

[NEDdrv]

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.

Newcastle have recruited about 7 TM’s in the last six months or so, at various stages of training with first couple out working trains now but they have come from catering grade so that is having to recruit to fill vacancies with full times contracts being offered.

 

[MikeWM]

The last Cambridge to Birmingham service yesterday only ran to Peterborough (due to 'shortage of train crew'), with a bus service advertised as taking passengers onwards from there. That doesn't sound like it would have been a lot of fun, I wonder at what time people finally got to Birmingham?

 

[43055]

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.

I have had the same for a non traincrew role. They have in the last month advertised for TM's at Manchester, Bristol and Reading.

 

[Wolvercoter]

I think most of us are repeat punters because we have no other option. I certainly wouldn’t if there was a choice.

Indeed. I'm always banging on about lack of capacity to XC, DfT and now my MP. I don't have much of a choice but a friend does who recently had a normal XC journey (packed and late) and vowed 'never again!'.

I just alighted at Exeter from a 9 coach Voyager... only 4 coaches available for use west of Bristol.

 

[diffident]

Indeed. I'm always banging on about lack of capacity to XC, DfT and now my MP. I don't have much of a choice but a friend does who recently had a normal XC journey (packed and late) and vowed 'never again!'.

I just alighted at Exeter from a 9 coach Voyager... only 4 coaches available for use west of Bristol.

A nine car train with only four in use.... I miss the pre-XC days of a 7 or 8 car HST running all the way down to Penzance, a much nicer way to travel.

 

[ValentaFan1974]

There is currently a spend freeze on all staff, recruitment-wise, except Train Managers and Senior Conductors. The money spent on recruiting into these grades is at the detriment of all other grades, so expect catering services to reduce as a result. For example, from May there will be quite a few Reading-Newcastle services with no catering whatsoever… and that’s just the start.

 

[Harpo]

For example, from May there will be quite a few Reading-Newcastle services with no catering whatsoever… and that’s just the start.

Just last week my single set train to the North East had no catering after Birmingham.

Sadly, XC is such an impoverished offering that it won’t be a big change.

 

[Krokodil]

There is currently a spend freeze on all staff, recruitment-wise, except Train Managers and Senior Conductors. The money spent on recruiting into these grades is at the detriment of all other grades, so expect catering services to reduce as a result. For example, from May there will be quite a few Reading-Newcastle services with no catering whatsoever… and that’s just the start.

No point in having catering if there's no way they'd get through the train

 

[ValentaFan1974]

You’d be surprised how many people can get through if the caterer trades static from their end of the train. You may not get to them but they may get to you…

 

[AJDesiro]

A nine car train with only four in use....

Can someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Avanti was able to have both sets in use with just one TM on their voyagers (and the 805s). What makes XC different?

 

[GoneSouth]

You’d be surprised how many people can get through if the caterer trades static from their end of the train. You may not get to them but they may get to you…

Unless they are a wheelchair user, blind or have some other reason for not being able to walk very easily through the train.

Even when the train is lightly loaded some of the catering staff don’t bother to come through which is a little lazy. Don’t get me wrong, most of them are the most helpful and friendly staff on the railway and I’ve had a good chat with a few of them, but there are some (like in every business) who just don’t want to be there.

 

[43066]

There is currently a spend freeze on all staff, recruitment-wise, except Train Managers and Senior Conductors. The money spent on recruiting into these grades is at the detriment of all other grades, so expect catering services to reduce as a result. For example, from May there will be quite a few Reading-Newcastle services with no catering whatsoever… and that’s just the start.

Presumably (and relevantly to the thread title) that also doesn’t extend to drivers as they’ve been recruiting quite heavily recently.

 

[Krokodil]

Can someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Avanti was able to have both sets in use with just one TM on their voyagers (and the 805s). What makes XC different?

As far as I know XC never used to have this issue either.

Unless they are a wheelchair user, blind or have some other reason for not being able to walk very easily through the train.

Even when the train is lightly loaded some of the catering staff don’t bother to come through which is a little lazy. Don’t get me wrong, most of them are the most helpful and friendly staff on the railway and I’ve had a good chat with a few of them, but there are some (like in every business) who just don’t want to be there.

And of course anyone in the wrong set is stuffed. Something which wasn't an issue in HST/LHCS days.

 

[Llandudno]

Little point in relying on catering on board trains as it’s hit and miss whether any of the advertised catering provision will be offered. Just get stocked up at the station or better still in its environs before getting on board.

I wouldn’t even bother with TfW’s first class offering on the Mark IV service as seemingly virtually every day a number of them are operated by Class 197 units…

 

[TravelDream]

XC has essentially has given up on Cardiff-Nottingham today.

Instead of their usual 'Passengers with advance or 'XC only' tickets may travel using the two CrossCountry services operating before and after this service at no additional cost without changing your original ticket. Passengers with flexible tickets may also have other journey options using other operators services' message , they are now saying the following for the whole day:

East Midlands Railway are conveying passengers between Derby and Nottingham in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for CrossCountry rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Transport for Wales are conveying passengers between Cheltenham Spa and Cardiff Central in both directions until further notice.

Great Western Railway are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for CrossCountry rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

East Midlands Railway are conveying passengers between Nottingham and Leicester in both directions until further notice.

West Midlands Railway / London Northwestern Railway are conveying passengers between Birmingham New Street and Tamworth Hl via Lichfield Trent Valley Hl in both directions until further notice.

I wonder if this is now going to be routine. A big improvement in terms of passenger information if so.

The route between Gloucester and Chepstow is closed from tomorrow to Friday meaning basically a week without services.