Disruption due to poor weather

[SWT Driver]

Today's been yet another debacle on SWT with displaced crews, stock, on board BBQ's, trespassers etc.

The idiots have been trying to run a "normal" service in these conditions with rolling stock which isn't capable of running in this sort of weather.

Desiros are cheap, nasty little pieces of junk which only like nice temperate weather, not too hot or they put the brakes on!

Not too cold or they shutdown or try to incinerate themselves to keep warm.

I wonder what silly games we'll be playing tomorrow? :roll:

 

[royaloak]

Desiros are cheap, nasty little pieces of junk

I think I have heard you say that before
Got to agree though

 

[turbo mick]

i aint looking forward to tommorow being a fgw driver at reading we had a foot of snow iam on duty 0427 already told resources that iam coming in on the first train from tilehurst walking through the snow,my car is snowed in.

i dont think the public know what us staff have to do to get trains out of sdgs getting people 2 work etc

 

[royaloak]

i dont think the public know what us staff have to do to get trains out of sdgs getting people 2 work etc

And you will find 99% of them dont care either, they assume we live at or round the corner from the depot so we dont have to commute, we just magically appear at the depot.

 

[SWT Driver]

Let's be honest today is one of those days when it's been completely FUBAR'd from the start of service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And you will find 99% of them dont care either, they assume we live at or round the corner from the depot so we dont have to commute, we just magically appear at the depot.

Nah, we beam in via the transporter pad!

Beam me in Kaz!

 

[royaloak]

Beam me in Kaz!

In your dreams sunshine

 

[surreysprite]

Hello all,

Been watching a while so thought i would finally register so i can post.

I am in SWT land commuting from Woking to Waterloo and today certainly was an interesting day on SWT!

I got to Woking this morning and got on the 9.10 am, this was a delayed service but i was just pleased to get one, sat in the front coach of 12 and there must have been only 4 or 5 other people, certainly makes a change from the norm. Approaching Surbiton we diverted onto the up slow and then onto the up fast again at New Malden. Passed a stationary 444 and then a 450 which looked to be stuck on the fast line between Surbiton and Berrylands. There was a distinct smell of burning which i put down to someone having a bonfire or just berrylands in general but i later found out this was the unit which caughty fire.

Getting home, got to Waterloo and everything seemed to be in a right state, attempted a Basingstoke service which was 3o minutes late which had a driver but no guard. A helpful member of Platform staff then announced the one adjacent on platform 6, a stopper to Woking, would be leaving shortly so i opted for this one, at least i knew it was going to be leaving. Jounrey was then trouble free, the 450 at Berrylands had been moved by the time i went passed at 4.15 ish with no evidence of a fire.

As i walked down Platform 3 at Woking i heard an announcement saying an Alton service coming in was going be split and the rear 4 taken back to Waterloo. Are they having problems with lots of the Desiro units breaking down? Noticed a few with lights off in platforms at Waterloo.

Thanks to the staff who were helpful in very difficult circumstances, but what on earth were the management doing trying to run a full service today!

(Sorry for long post, got a bit carried away!)

 

[ukrob]

i dont think the public know what us staff have to do to get trains out of sdgs getting people 2 work etc

They don't know and don't care, why should they?

However, the same can be said about many service industries, the railways are not a special exception.

 

[Pumbaa]

I am in SWT land commuting from Woking to Waterloo and today certainly was an interesting day on SWT!

You've got a best friend on these forums already. You'll get along very well

 

[SWT Driver]

Hello all,

what on earth were the management doing trying to run a full service today!

Many, Many people have been asking the very same question!

The answer is that great god that must be fed & obeyed...

MONEY!

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

In your dreams sunshine

OK, Beam me up Councillor Troi!

 

[Daniel]

They don't know and don't care, why should they?

However, the same can be said about many service industries, the railways are not a special exception.

Just remember, that although some don't appreciate it -

Thanks to the staff who were helpful in very difficult circumstances, but what on earth were the management doing trying to run a full service today!

There are always those who do!!

 

[royaloak]

OK, Beam me up Councillor Troi!

I am unable to answer that question as i am being assimilated by 7 of 9

 

[trainfanatic]

As an ex railway signalman who travelled from my home in Newport to book on at Cardiff during the very severe Winter of 1962/63, may I offer my heartfelt congratulations to those members of all grades of railway staff who have pulled out all the stops to report in and run a service that bears absolutely no resemblance to the network in those days!

Naturally, steam was the major prme mover in those days and it seems to me that modern diesel/electric traction units are (to a large extent) not quite up the job. I guess thats the price of progress though!

Well done everybody!!

 

[Bill Badger]

what on earth were the management doing trying to run a full service today!

Same again tomorrow

South West Trains Services - Friday 8th January
South West Trains is planning to operate the normal timetable on the majority of its routes, with the exception of the following where no service is planned to run:

Guildford to Ascot
Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier
Virginia Water to Weybridge via Chertsey

Due to the continuing effects of snow, ice and low temperatures across the South West Trains region, a number of services may be subject to delays, cancellations and short notice alterations. Some trains will also consist of fewer carriages than normal.

 

[the sniper]

I know most TOC aren't in the business of spending money to ensure a good service, but do any TOC's pay for any of their drivers or guards to stay in hotels near to their depot's during severe weather, so they can get in easily for an early morning shift?

 

[GodAtum]

I noticed that a lot of the trains are full so at some stations no more passengers can get on. Do perople working for the emergency services or train crew get priority to get onto the trains?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

There is no pecking order as to who gets on first.

 

[surreysprite]

Nearly full service from SWT then....i wonder what's going to go wrong tomorrow.

With regards to SWT running a full service just for money, from what i saw today services wren't that busy and also would they not be risking higher maintenance costs by putting more rolling stock out there in these conditions?

On the plus side it might kill off the 450s

 

[SWT Driver]

Traincrew always get the best seats!

They're the rear or middle cabs or unoccupied Guards Offices!

 

[jon0844]

I know most TOC aren't in the business of spending money to ensure a good service, but do any TOC's pay for any of their drivers or guards to stay in hotels near to their depot's during severe weather, so they can get in easily for an early morning shift?

I'd bloody well hope they can do the sums and work out the benefit as a whole of putting a few people up in a hotel - even if it's just a Premier Inn (actually, I'd prefer that over many other more expensive hotels).

I don't know what get-out clauses there are for bad weather, but if a hotel stay for a member of staff saves a number of cancelled trains - it HAS to be worth it.

Not even the dumbest shareholder would be able to argue against that.

 

[SWT Driver]

With the weather forecasters saying that it was going to chuck it down with snow, how many spare hotel rooms do you think were available in the London & Home Counties area?

Not many, if any! Because all of the big companies will pay their employees hotel bills for them as long as they turn up for work.

 

[driver9000]

Transpenninexpress have cancelled ALL Manchester Airport - Glasgow Central/Newcastle services for tomorrow (Friday 8 January 2010). This is due a large number of the fleet being out of traffic feeling the effects of the winter.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/January_2010_Poor_Weather/TP.html

 

[Pumbaa]

Not many, if any! Because all of the big companies will pay their employees hotel bills for them as long as they turn up for work.

To be fair, mine has put me up for the last 10 days to avoid me travelling back to Liverpool, and has put up several other members in hotels that live in London suburbs.

However, with working hours of 1800 to 2300, and if we cancel a night, we risk having to fork out £k's for letting people who are mostly already in London down! It's a much safer option for the top guns to put us up in Hotels, and lose couple £00s a night, rather than thousands!

 

[jon0844]

All TOCs must have special arrangements with taxi firms, and I would expect them to have some form of arrangement with a company that block books hotel rooms. It only gets tricky if you want to book a specific hotel in a specific location. Admittedly, you pay a premium but at the same time, you're not phoning around every hotel in town.

One might also suggest that a really enterprising operator might even invest in its own sleeping facilities at key locations.

 

[SWT Driver]

It'd be a fat lot of good around our depot!

Nearest "cheap" hotels are Travelodge about a mile away, right next to the A3 bypass & railway.

Holiday Inn about 1½ miles away next to the RSCH & Tesco's, so if you have dodgy food at least you haven't got to go far for the A&E!

Premier Inn, Parkway, about 1½ miles away again next to the A3 bypass & the busy Stoke Crossroads!

Not exactly a peaceful nights sleep in Grotty Guildford...

 

[Kevitch]

Remember when.... In the days of old when most stations had an engine shed, a Railway Community built around the station, waiting rooms with real fires. Big heavy steam engines that didn't stop for snow. Hundreds of men out on the track freeing off points and signal cables, clearing snow from platforms and accesses. Railways staff walking to a driver, fireman or guard's house to call them in for a shift.
I can just remember it as my dad was a Rail Worker from the 50s till early 70s and this weather we're having just now was like one or two winters then. Him and his fellow workers just got on with it and the trains ran better than they do today.

Christ I'm starting to sound like him.... " in my day we didn't have heated points......" , " We didn't have phones and radios, we walked".... etc!

Kevitch

(My first posting as I just joined tonight. Stopping in tonight as its snowing!)

 

[ukrob]

Remember when.... In the days of old when most stations had an engine shed, a Railway Community built around the station, waiting rooms with real fires. Big heavy steam engines that didn't stop for snow. Hundreds of men out on the track freeing off points and signal cables, clearing snow from platforms and accesses. Railways staff walking to a driver, fireman or guard's house to call them in for a shift.
I can just remember it as my dad was a Rail Worker from the 50s till early 70s and this weather we're having just now was like one or two winters then. Him and his fellow workers just got on with it and the trains ran better than they do today.

Christ I'm starting to sound like him.... " in my day we didn't have heated points......" , " We didn't have phones and radios, we walked".... etc!

Kevitch

(My first posting as I just joined tonight. Stopping in tonight as its snowing!)

I believe that your glasses are a tad too rose-tinted I'm afraid

 

[Kevitch]

I believe that your glasses are a tad too rose-tinted I'm afraid

I should have added that my tongue is firmly wedged in cheek.

 

[ukrob]

I should have added that my tongue is firmly wedged in cheek.

Good good

 

[Metroland]

Bit cold everywhere chaps