Diamond Jubilee Train Services

[IanXC]

As for "why cant more staff be rostered" etc, the rosters are worked out every May and December, on Sunday 20 May 12 I started work at 0810 and on Sunday 02 December 12 I will start work at 0730, that is how it works, extra staff cannot be forced to work just because there is some do or other going on in London.!

That's interesting, I had no idea that they would be done quite that far in advance, so that does explain how hard it must be to make amendments further down the line.

 

[455driver]

That's interesting, I had no idea that they would be done quite that far in advance, so that does explain how hard it must be to make amendments further down the line.

Yep its that far in advance, I have got a copy of my roster and I know what I am working on any given day up to and including Sat 08th Dec when the next change takes place on Sunday 09th Dec.
The roster also includes "spare" shifts which can alter (by up to 4 hours) to cover holidays, sickness etc or if there is nothing to cover then we sit spare which doesnt happen very often.

 

[scarby]

As an example look at the forward planning out of Liv St When Spurs are at home.
It is only recently that they are putting 8 car trains on...

When I was growing up in the 1970s, I remember Scarborough FC getting to the FA Trophy final at Wembley 3 times.

Each year that happened, there were 4-5 huge rakes of coaches in Scarborough station on the Friday before, ready to transport thousands of people early on the Saturday morning, the trains leaving at 15 minute intervals early on the Saturday morning, depositing them right at Wembley Central and back from Wembley the same day.

Why oh why was that kind of capacity to transport people to a one-off event possible then, including in logistic, stock and economic terms, but is impossible now?

 

[455driver]

Why oh why was that kind of capacity to transport people to a one-off event possible then, including in logistic, stock and economic terms, but is impossible now?

Because back then it was a railway SERVICE, now its a business to make money and having stock (of any description) sat in sidings for most of the year "just in case" its needed would have the accountants doing somersaults at the money wasted, even though that spare stock cost nothing to keep and only minimum expenditure was required to get them moving (and stopping), now because everything "has a value" it would be viewed as wasting your assets and so all the spare stock was scrapped.

 

[scarby]

Because back then it was a railway SERVICE, now its a business to make money and having stock (of any description) sat in sidings for most of the year "just in case" its needed would have the accountants doing somersaults at the money wasted, even though that spare stock cost nothing to keep and only minimum expenditure was required to get them moving (and stopping), now because everything "has a value" it would be viewed as wasting your assets and so all the spare stock was scrapped.

Thanks for the answer. I think you hit the nail on the head there!

 

[millemille]

7 day rosters are an essential part of running a railway and the vast majority of operational and maintenance staff work them.

If you hold a "Safety Critical" position within a railway undertaking (if you're role is not done correctly and this consequently imports additional risk into the railway undertaking then you are deemed Safety Critical - drivers, guards, signallers, platform despatch staff, Driver Managers, maintainers, planners etc etc) you're working hours are governed by "Hidden": you have to have 12 clear hours between booking off and booking on AND you are limited to working 13 consecutive shifts in a 14 day period, you have to take a minimum of 24hrs off every 14 days.

So if you need to bolster a service on a Sunday you are limited to staff who had finished their previous rostered shift at least 12 hrs before their extra Sunday shift would be due start AND who's extra Sunday shift will finish at least 12hrs before their next rostered shift will start AND who will not end up working more than 13 consecutive shifts as a result.

Rostering of train crew is bleeding nightmare with most driver centres having a dedicated roster clerk using specialist software to manage it.

 

[bb21]

We appear to be getting back into old territory which we have been through numerous time previously, such as Sunday working, etc. Many railway staff have explained the historical aspects, the pros and cons, the practicalities, and limitations of such a system.

In view of the fact that this thread has degenerated into arguments again, it is now locked.

I will emphasise the request for both sides to present their arguments in a mature and reasoned manner. Anyone who resorts to name-calling and finger-pointing will be dealt with appropriately, and this applies to all members, whatever your view.