How would you solve LM's problems?

[IanPooleTrains]

My original plan was to be dropped off at Stafford and catch the 10:36 non-stop Virgin to Euston. However, it was easier for me to be dropped off at Rugeley Trent Valley where I was at the mercy of London Midland.

I was absolutely disgusted that the 10:33 service arrived on time. Well, it actually arrived 2 minutes early, and also 2 minutes early into Rugby, where I bailed out to get the 11:24 Virgin to London.

I was also disgusted that the 10:33 service was clean and tidy, and it was in a comfortable 2+2 configuration as opposed to 2+3.

Finally, I was totally disgusted that my ticket was checked shortly after departure from Rugeley. The guard was genuinely friendly and polite, engaging in conversation with customers whilst walking through the train checking tickets after every stop on the Trent Valley. How dare they act in this manner.

You would have seen me there yesterday then but many thanks for the sarcasticaness

 

[bengolding]

You would have seen me there yesterday then but many thanks for the sarcasticaness

You're most welcome .

Seriously though, I do agree with some of your sentiments. On my few London Midland journeys, I have found ticket checks on the Euston-Northampton leg to be non-existent but north of there they tend to be generally good. Just the other day, I travelled MKC to Euston, having just missed the fast Virgin. The guard announced that Virgin Trains tickets were not valid but he then made no attempt to check tickets - even in the "First Class" compartment that I was in.

 

[jaigee]

That Crewe - Euston service is doing nicely , and I have to say I have been impressed with the staff on the occasions I have used it. Planned to be hourly on Sundays from April 2012 as traffic is buoyant.

It had better not get too buoyant in the week or Virgin will start stopping at intermediate stations again to cream off the longer distance passengers/customers!

 

[DarloRich]

I have to say I have very few problems with LM. I use their most “appendix” like service and their “premier” service every day.

On the Marston Vale line intermediate stations we have no ticket selling facilities. The guard comes round between every station (often just a few minutes) to do tickets. Every one of them is friendly, professional and sets a good image for their company. They often have a chat with the passengers (regulars and randoms) and help out with connections at Bedford and Bletchley. They often telephone ahead and get the train diverted into platform 5 at Bletchley so passengers with buggies or wheel chairs can use the lift. I don’t really know the Chase line or the other lines referred to but I bet they are higher up the food chain than we are.

I also travel everyday to either MK or Euston from Bletchley. I travel at peak times. If I have to go to Euston I get the xx17 southern of Bletchley to the Buzzard (no tickets checked there either - mainly because it is 6 minutes) and change there for the xx34 non stop to Euston. The guard often doesn’t come through and do tickets......... mainly because it is sardines time and not worth it! However, apart from the Buzzard and Wolverton all stops on that service south of Northampton are barriered. No one can get out at Euston without having a ticket. However, if I miss that and get a stopper the guard will do tickets. My ticket is almost always checked if I manage to make the 0713 off Bletchley. This is formed of 2x321. Also the same if I get the 0726.

I find that LM communication on the Euston service is actually very good, even before I started to follow (?) their twitter feed. On the Marston Vale line it is not as good. But it is a rural branch with very few facilities making it difficult to get the message out. I raised several concerns directly with LM during the strike period and found them to be receptive and interested. Things have improved a little. Most people have a web enabled mobile these days so it is easy to get the information.

I am not sure what the OP has a problem with here. It does appear he has little understanding or experience of the operational problems incurred in running a railway. A whole range of problems can crop up meaning change shave to be made. I would rather they ran a service rather than cancelled it because of relatively minor issues. A four carriage train arrives instead of an 8 carriage train. Wow serious trouble. It could be that the incoming working was delayed and so rather than delay the Euston portion LM sent that train away. It is often the case that the other portion will be waiting at Northampton. It isn’t a big issue really. Agreed this information SHOULD be available to the staff “on the ground”, but it sometimes isn’t. Often the staff have little or no information. They are not omniscient and rely on control to forward what they know ASAP. If you were the guard and were rostered to take 2D57 14:56 Euston - Birmingham (as far as Northampton) and it turned up as 4 cars what can you do? I guess you ring control, log the issue and await their response. If you don’t get one, or you get little or no information what more can you do than apologise? The simple fact is that often, people don’t know exactly what or why something is happening. (At least not at the outset!)

I also know that LM have very robust “crisis management” plans to deal with major service issues. It is a very complicated system but means that they can, quickly (or at least quickly for the Railways!) alter services. Now this may mean that stopping patterns are changed at VERY short notice to ensure stock and crews are in place to do the most good.

As for staff making things up I am unsure what this is about. There is some wibble about trains leaving early. Could it be that the station clock and/or the OP's time piece is incorrect? Is 12:30 and 31 seconds really early on a 12:31 departure? I find the LM staff I have dealings with (and it is everyone from shop floor to board room) to be good decent people. They actually seem to want to help their passengers. I find the on train staff will take a great deal of time to sell the right ticket, explain connections and announce stations and check tickets where they can. It is hard on a frequent stop, high capacity, commuter service.

I do have issues with the communication on the Marston Vale service, and I can never get away from the fact that, in my opinion, LM would rather NOT run this service! However, practically what can they do? They use modern communication methods, very well, to get the message out. Short of staffing every shack I cant see how they can do more. However, as I said I find communication and staff interaction on the Euston services to be good.

 

[Mike395]

I do have issues with the communication on the Marston Vale service, and I can never get away from the fact that, in my opinion, LM would rather NOT run this service! However, practically what can they do? They use modern communication methods, very well, to get the message out.

I think with regards to Marston Vale services, their hands are tied to an extent - there aren't enough passengers really at intermediate stations between Bedford and Bletchley to warrant anything more than an info point - and they do fix them quickly when they dont work/are vandalised. Also, whilst the Marston Vale CRP do help organise extra services on Sundays where there are major events on e.g. the Bedford River Festival, no-one is prepared to put up the subsidy to make this service permanent.

I'm not sure its a case of LM not wanting it - it's actually not a bad little branch line - more that they can't do what they want with it (extending it to MKC excepted - I can't for the life of me work out why this hasnt been done, all the infrastructure for it is now in place as far as I am aware!)

 

[87015]

I also know that LM have very robust “crisis management” plans to deal with major service issues. It is a very complicated system but means that they can, quickly (or at least quickly for the Railways!) alter services. Now this may mean that stopping patterns are changed at VERY short notice to ensure stock and crews are in place to do the most good.

HAHAHAHA. Is that a wind up? They are totally, totally useless if the slightest thing goes wrong and think nothing of suspending the entire service across a massive area anywhere hear the problem. They might have plans left right and centre but their control melts every time and no-one on the ground has a clue and nothing happens.

But apparently as they answer personal queries on twitter, that makes everything OK.

 

[Greeby]

I think with regards to Marston Vale services, their hands are tied to an extent - there aren't enough passengers really at intermediate stations between Bedford and Bletchley to warrant anything more than an info point - and they do fix them quickly when they dont work/are vandalised. Also, whilst the Marston Vale CRP do help organise extra services on Sundays where there are major events on e.g. the Bedford River Festival, no-one is prepared to put up the subsidy to make this service permanent.

I'm not sure its a case of LM not wanting it - it's actually not a bad little branch line - more that they can't do what they want with it (extending it to MKC excepted - I can't for the life of me work out why this hasnt been done, all the infrastructure for it is now in place as far as I am aware!)

Unless there has been a major change in layout in the past two months. The problem is there's no way of crossing from platforms 5 and 6 to the Down Slow without moving on to it south of the station, then changing ends. This naturally would hold up traffic to an unacceptable degree

 

[DarloRich]

@ Mike 395 - I agree entirely. I am not advocating a super duper communication system for my little line! I just wish it could be better. Not sure how mind! I also agree the CRP do a good job at promoting the line and getting extra trains on when they can.

@87015 – there is a very good plan. Unfortunately it concentrates on keeping the Euston services running as best as they can,. That means they pull all the other services to get drivers and stock. However most of the revenue (and most vocal passengers) use the Euston service

@ Greeby - well you can go form 5 to the down slow but via the yard and carriage sidings neck Not practical but I have done it once! (when there was the explosion on a train at LBZ)

 

[The Planner]

We are using a combination of things

Certainly on the train we came back on Saturday, we were using two phone clocks, which are correct to GMT, and the clocks on the station destination boards, which were all correct to our phones

There is no automatic TRUST reporting on the Chase line, Bloxwich is done manually by the signaller. Bloxwich North, Landywood and Cannock don't report times in TRUST, Hednesford is by the signaller as is Rugeley Town. Rugeley Trent Valley is the only auto reporting point.

 

[Marvin]

Is 12:30 and 31 seconds really early on a 12:31 departure?

It is if you sprint on to the platform at 12:30:45 only to find the 12:31 service pulling out of the station.

 

[DarloRich]

It is if you sprint on to the platform at 12:30:45 only to find the 12:31 service pulling out of the station.

doors should be locked by then ( sorry)

 

[martinsh]

Maybe it's just coincidence, but for the 2 weeks after this diatribe first appeared there was a marked increase in ticket checking between Crewe and Stafford - up to around 80% [ Heck, I even had, my ticket checked on a Virgin train !!! ]

But you will be glad to know that normal service has now been resumed - ticket checking ta around 45%.

Also tonight the 1736 Stafford - Liverpool was formed of a 2 coach 170 instead of a 4 car 350 - needless to say it was incapable of keeping to time !

 

[LE Greys]

In general.

Merge it with Virgin at the next franchising round. Call it London and North Western (or stick with Virgin if Branson decides to keep it).

 

[Batman]

My plan for reducing the number of franchises would see a re-birth of the 'Central' franchise.

It would merge the whole of East Midlands trains with London Midland (less the Snow Hill lines) and the Birmingham - Stanstead and Nottingham - Cardiff routes from Cross Country.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Maybe it's just coincidence, but for the 2 weeks after this diatribe first appeared there was a marked increase in ticket checking between Crewe and Stafford - up to around 80% [ Heck, I even had, my ticket checked on a Virgin train !!! ]

I would suggest coincidence as I'm sure LM have no interest in an ill informed rant from Ian Poole.

 

[Greeby]

I would suggest coincidence as I'm sure LM have no interest in an ill informed rant from Ian Poole.

Wanna bet?

We're talking about a head office that thinks Twitter is an acceptable substitute for a proper complaints process (I found this out the hard way).