Great Northern Weekend Cancellations

[bramling]

Sunny weekend predicted for the past week. But agree with Father's Day comment.

Weekend coverage tends to be rubbish at the best of times, the moment there are factors like school holidays, bank holidays, good weather, events, etc, things tend to get even tighter.

Most railway operators find themselves in the same position, reality is rosters tend to be built on minimising weekend working because many people simply want to be off at weekends. Then you end up with bad turns (long and lots of work), so the incentive not to come is increased. Sometimes overtime is an incentive, but not always, plus some operators (eg London Underground) don't pay overtime. Good relations between staff and local management helps of course.

 

[Hadders]

GTR have had the franchise for nearly three years now so we really shouldn't be suffering from this sort of problem.

Their website that today that some trains between Royston and Cambridge might be replaced by buses (I assume they meant the village station calls so why not say that instead of giving the impression that their might not be any services between Royston and Cambridge). Naturally there was no mention of the decimated Moorgate service we had to put up with this evening.

Their website did say that they are introducing a new system soon to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future. Anyone know what it is or is it just more GTR wibble?

 

[Skimble19]

Their website did say that they are introducing a new system soon to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future. Anyone know what it is or is it just more GTR wibble?

That'll be the drivers new pay deal, comes into effect in a couple of weeks I believe. Large increase in money in exchange for changes to the terms and conditions, including some compulsory Sunday working (can't remember the exact details off the top of my head tho!).

 

[BestWestern]

I've had LM guards shut the doors and give two buzzes, and only then notice the absence of a driver.

It isn't uncommon if a crew change should have happened. A Guard isn't generally obliged to walk all the way to the other end of the train to check the Driver isn't AWOL. But occasionalluly they are

 

[evergreenadam]

Bank Holiday Saturday 0944 KX to King's Lynn cancelled. 1044 KX to King's Lynn left full and standing, only 8 coaches and arrived King's Lynn 20 minutes late.

Return journey was on time with 12 coaches from Cambridge so no overcrowding. Need more 12 coach trains in the morning towards Cambridge. At least there is now an x30min service from KX to Ely which avoids a two hour gap in direct service in event of a cancellation.

 

[Hadders]

I see GTR are advising cancellations today until the end of service due to shortage of drivers.

 

[A0wen]

I see GTR are advising cancellations today until the end of service due to shortage of drivers.

Yep. 2 consecutive KX stoppers were cancelled meaning no northbound trains from Potters Bar, Hatfield or WGC to points beyond WGC for 90 mins - funnily the fasts to Stevenage were OK......

 

[Hadders]

Doesn’t bode well for the ‘improved’ timetable.

 

[bramling]

Doesn’t bode well for the ‘improved’ timetable.

Weather nice and a major football fixture on? (lucky guess perhaps as I don’t do football at all!)

 

[jon0844]

Weather nice and a major football fixture on? (lucky guess perhaps as I don’t do football at all!)

Told it was two parties for Hitchin and King's Cross based drivers, due to changes for the new timetable.

 

[SPADTrap]

It was leave/not working rest days and overtime. The reasons are irrelevant.

 

[Failed Unit]

It was leave/not working rest days and overtime. The reasons are irrelevant.

But surely GTR know how many drivers have agreed to work so then can plan accordingly. Yes some may be sick on the day. But if they need to have 100 drivers and only 80 have agree to work if they should know before the day? This is GTR probably not....

 

[bramling]

But surely GTR know how many drivers have agreed to work so then can plan accordingly. Yes some may be sick on the day. But if they need to have 100 drivers and only 80 have agree to work if they should know before the day? This is GTR probably not....

With coverage one can plan to heart’s content, but all can be dashed when the desk phone rings two or three times on the day, an oversleep or two, et cetera.

People don’t like working weekends. So duties are often arranged to minimise, which means rough duties. Coverage is often poor so spares walk in to full duties or get booked up for same. If there’s cancellations this often mean those running get caught with extra moves like putting trains away when there’s no relief. Doesn’t take much incentive to phone in sick if the weather forecast is nice.

Realistically whatever arrangement is put in I doubt much would change, although no doubt if the price was right it might help. I know plenty of people who (after signing up to a job that they know involves shifts) then do literally anything and everything to get out of weekends, bank holidays, nights, Christmas, Monday’s and Fridays, and (in some cases) lates. But, funnily enough, the self-same individuals are often more than happy to do such duties if overtime is sloshing about.

 

[jon0844]

It was leave/not working rest days and overtime. The reasons are irrelevant.

Why irrelevant? There's no suggestion any driver is at fault for not wanting to work. It just explains why there's more drivers off than there might ordinarily be.

 

[700007]

I guessed all of today's cancellations where as a result of the new timetable because obviously different trains will be stabled in various places they weren't before? Or am I spewing a load of wobble?

 

[jon0844]

I guessed all of today's cancellations where as a result of the new timetable because obviously different trains will be stabled in various places they weren't before? Or am I spewing a load of wobble?

I think there are a load of factors. The chain of events you learn about on documentaries about plane crashes!

Drivers moving depots, a new timetable, FA Cup final, wedding (whether watching or not, it was an excuse for a party).

Nobody has to volunteer to work and we see the effects every year around summer holidays, Christmas etc. There just aren't enough spares to cover.

 

[bramling]

I guessed all of today's cancellations where as a result of the new timetable because obviously different trains will be stabled in various places they weren't before? Or am I spewing a load of wobble?

That *shouldn’t* make much difference. It’s just a case of getting the right stock balance in place. How many years have they had to plan for that? It should simply be a case of making the necessary adjustments to finish as much as possible in the right place, then some stock moves
to sort anything outstanding. Of course this won’t have been made easier if there are unrelated crewing issues - so one ends up with trains being taken off and stabled in the nearest siding or depot due to no driver, and thus stock in random unplanned locations. Maybe the stock balance for Monday might be regarded as more important than trying to run as much mileage as possible over the weekend?

 

[Failed Unit]

Doesn’t look much better this morning. Already a large number of cancellations

 

[jon0844]

Doesn’t look much better this morning. Already a large number of cancellations

Bad all day by the looks of it.

 

[Z12XE]

Yesterday they were advertising it as a shortage of train drivers, yet today although it's the same reason they advertise the issue as due to Multiple Operating Incidents??

 

[dk1]

Yesterday they were advertising it as a shortage of train drivers, yet today although it's the same reason they advertise the issue as due to Multiple Operating Incidents??

Would the multiple operating incidents be in regards to stock in the wrong place? Was going to take a week to put this plan into action & that was with a full compliment of drivers.

 

[radamfi]

There are hardly any trains running between St Pancras and Finsbury Park.

 

[FOH]

Technically not GN but I think the first through train from London Bridge to Cambridge today is cancelled due to an Operational Incident

 

[Z12XE]

This seems to have been reclassed as "Due to short term timetable amendments. "

 

[Hadders]

Technically not GN but I think the first through train from London Bridge to Cambridge today is cancelled due to an Operational Incident

Sounds about right for GTR...

 

[Megafuss]

I wonder if Charles Horton went to bed last night thinking "Least it will be a quiet start to the timetable with it being a Sunday..."

I was going to sample East Croydon to Stevenage.... but I don't have a direct train now for two hours

 

[FOH]

This seems to have been reclassed as "Due to short term timetable amendments. "

Yup, next one cancelled too

 

[LBOTG]

It seems that none of the Kentish Town-Plumstead services are running until 1500, oh dear

 

[Z12XE]

I still think its time to add a new reason into the system for things like this

"This is due to incompetence"

I suspect that would get more use than GA's more trains than usual needing repair excuse!

 

[700007]

At the rate this is going, those GTR managers coming to London King's Cross on Thursday morning to engage with the public may find themselves butchered, seasoned and roasted.