LNR new WCML timetable, May 2019 (in open data feeds)

[RealTrains07]

Try the service via Stone.
SIX hour gap in service southbound today, SEVEN hour gap (and still counting) northbound.
And it doesn't even merit a mention on the LNW or NRE websites. You just get 'delayed' then 'cancelled', Hour, after hour, after hour. Day, after day, after day.

And yet LNR doesnt split up the services or increase the frequency

 

[BucksBones]

I can't find a similar list on LNR's. Is there

Of course not - that would be useful and LNR don't do 'useful'. They do 'inept' remarkably well though.

 

[RealTrains07]

Their hasnt been a train at stone since 18:34. Its a joke. Every day

 

[Bletchleyite]

Of course not - that would be useful and LNR don't do 'useful'. They do 'inept' remarkably well though.

To be fair they can't change the timetable until December, realistically.

What they could do is recruit more staff and change the staff diagrams, which are the main cause of it. Usually the unit is where it should be but with nobody to work it. However, they are too cheap to do this[1] so they won't.

[1] Or can't afford it because they underbid the franchise, but that is not my problem and is nobody's fault but theirs.

 

[The Planner]

To be fair they can't change the timetable until December, realistically.

What they could do is recruit more staff and change the staff diagrams, which are the main cause of it. Usually the unit is where it should be but with nobody to work it. However, they are too cheap to do this[1] so they won't.

[1] Or can't afford it because they underbid the franchise, but that is not my problem and is nobody's fault but theirs.

Considering May 2020 is offered in a months time, doing anything at this stage to December 19 will be mild tinkering at the edges. December 20 is the earliest you could do anything wholesale based on a re-write as TOCs are mandated to claim major change 55 weeks out to NR.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Considering May 2020 is offered in a months time, doing anything at this stage to December 19 will be mild tinkering at the edges. December 20 is the earliest you could do anything wholesale based on a re-write as TOCs are mandated to claim major change 55 weeks out to NR.

Do crew diagrams have to be done in this way? I thought that was just the (public and working) timetable i.e. where the units are at any given time as that's what NR need to concern themselves with?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

A Crewe to Stafford emergency timetable could be introduced, utilising existing timings, with convenient turnrounds at each end. Requires 2 units and 2 crews. The bay platform at Crewe is clearly bi-directional! It must also be possible at Stafford because they do it when they want to - last night for example.

Other services operate between Stafford and Birmingham for onward journeys.

There, I've saved two units and two Crews at a stroke, with no station left unserved.

A through train is more convenient than a connection, but a connection is better than no train at all for 6 hours.

As for the train being required to continue to Birmingham, to provide the onward service to London, well they abandon that when it suits anyway.

I can only assume that LNR simply don't give a monkeys.

 

[trentvalley]

This afternoon at Coventry was a disgrace from WMT. They blocked platform 3 and 4 with trains with no crew to move them meaning NOTHING could move northbound for over 30 mins until finally the unit in plat 4 was moved.

I understand there was issues on the WCML but a bit of forethought would have prevented this ridiculous situation.

 

[Bungle965]

This afternoon at Coventry was a disgrace from WMT. They blocked platform 3 and 4 with trains with no crew to move them meaning NOTHING could move northbound for over 30 mins until finally the unit in plat 4 was moved.

I understand there was issues on the WCML but a bit of forethought would have prevented this ridiculous situation.

I similar issue at Birmingham New Street the other day which caused massive issues.
Sam

 

[RealTrains07]

Its never gonna end. The december timetable will makes things worse by using platform 6 to work a regular service to and from stafford every day

 

[Bletchleyite]

Its never gonna end. The december timetable will makes things worse by using platform 6 to work a regular service to and from stafford every day

Platform 6 where, sorry?

 

[Nick Leverton]

A Crewe to Stafford emergency timetable could be introduced, utilising existing timings, with convenient turnrounds at each end. Requires 2 units and 2 crews. The bay platform at Crewe is clearly bi-directional! It must also be possible at Stafford because they do it when they want to - last night for example.

Other services operate between Stafford and Birmingham for onward journeys.

There, I've saved two units and two Crews at a stroke, with no station left unserved.

Yes that's pretty much the sort of thing I was thinking of for an emergency timetable, across the LNW network. Then TELL the passengers what trains are running where and when. Instead of the present situation where a unit sits in a platform for hours, neither staff on the platform nor passengers knowing a thing, until a crew turns up, and then goes with only about 10 minutes notice to those in the know. It has been as ludicrous as it was frustrating the last few days, to see units stacking up but standing idle or as you say turned short without warning.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes that's pretty much the sort of thing I was thinking of for an emergency timetable, across the LNW network. Then TELL the passengers what trains are running where and when. Instead of the present situation where a unit sits in a platform for hours, neither staff on the platform nor passengers knowing a thing, until a crew turns up, and then goes with only about 10 minutes notice to those in the know. It has been as ludicrous as it was frustrating the last few days, to see units stacking up but standing idle or as you say turned short without warning.

I've been calling for an emergency timetable for months, personally. Cut the service to what can be operated reliably and max out the train lengths using the units that releases.

 

[RealTrains07]

Platform 6 where, sorry?

Stafford

 

[RealTrains07]

Tonights issue:

Damaged to the overhead wires on stafford to crewe madeley line means trains are being delayed, cancelled and diverted via stoke

Makes a change

 

[pt_mad]

Out of interest, what was it at Northern that made bringing in an emergency timetable so quick? And is that ever likely to happen elsewhere or would literally every service have to be cancelled before that was an option?

 

[DavidGrain]

On BBC Midlands Today a spokesman for WMT admitted that this week had not been goof with 40% to 50% of trains delayed or cancelled. A bit of an understatement I think

 

[RealTrains07]

Day service hasn’t even started and an emergency timetable is in place

 

[sufian123]

Day service hasn’t even started and an emergency timetable is in place

Warned since yesterday 1/11

 

[Bletchleyite]

Funny how they've managed to make one now, and yet haven't managed to make one earlier despite it being evident that it was needed.

Even greater staff shortage?

 

[sufian123]

Staffs have walked out due to management are not listening. Worse is still to come. Front line staffs have had enough, just like the passengers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Staffs have walked out due to management are not listening. Worse is still to come. Front line staffs have had enough, just like the passengers.

The present formal dispute (upcoming Saturday strikes) relates to DOO. Do you have evidence that other action, perhaps action short of a strike, is taking place for other reasons? Is there an "overtime ban" on, causing the present shortages?

 

[sufian123]

The present formal dispute (upcoming Saturday strikes) relates to DOO. Do you have evidence that other action, perhaps action short of a strike, is taking place for other reasons? Is there an "overtime ban" on, causing the present shortages?

Today one they blaming on half term. It was posted last night by the them. I’m presuming staffs not happy then. So they looking at something to blame. Apparently they using all overtime and voluntary workers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Today one they blaming on half term

One assumes that took them by surprise despite it being published since well before the start of the school year.

They are truly, truly incompetent - seriously, we thought GTR was bad. I'd put them on a par with Northern, mainly due to both TOCs having made the same kinds of incompetent mistake.

 

[sufian123]

I agree, new timetable in May did this. They just looking somewhere to blame. CEO needs his head examine, something seriously wrong with him.

 

[Nick Leverton]

Day service hasn’t even started and an emergency timetable is in place

The emergency timetable only seems to cover Euston/Northampton, at least as far as their website
shows. What about the rest of the network, have they totally abandoned it ?

[edit] well the Trent Valley and Brum southwards at least have an advertised timetable at https://www.londonnorthwesternrailw...le-in-operation-reduced-service-tofrom-euston. Haven't found any clues to trains BHM-STA and points north yet ...

 

[RealTrains07]

Ironically RMT have confirmed strike action every Saturday mid November till the end of the year

 

[Nick Leverton]

Ironically RMT have confirmed strike action every Saturday mid November till the end of the year

[mode=dorothyparker]How will we tell the difference ?[/mode]

 

[Merle Haggard]

On a delayed service out of Northampton I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me, and I mentioned to her that it was odd that there was so much media attention, even nationally, when Southern were having problems; but no mention of the inability of LNR to run trains reliably between towns to the North of the capital. She had a simple and interesting possible explanation which I'll repeat for what it's worth (and I am only repeating what she told me, not expressing any opinion or political angle myself). She pointed out that, for Southern, the media could pin the blame (fairly or not) on the Unions, but for LNR, only incompetent management could be blamed. I should add that this was in the first class, and my fellow passenger did not appear to be one whose sympathies might be biased towards the left.

 

[BucksBones]

On a delayed service out of Northampton I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me, and I mentioned to her that it was odd that there was so much media attention, even nationally, when Southern were having problems; but no mention of the inability of LNR to run trains reliably between towns to the North of the capital. She had a simple and interesting possible explanation which I'll repeat for what it's worth (and I am only repeating what she told me, not expressing any opinion or political angle myself). She pointed out that, for Southern, the media could pin the blame (fairly or not) on the Unions, but for LNR, only incompetent management could be blamed. I should add that this was in the first class, and my fellow passenger did not appear to be one whose sympathies might be biased towards the left.

A couple of reasons in my opinion: firstly, Brexit and the constantly changing political landscape has pushed everything else down the agenda; secondly, this is far from the first franchisee to fail to provide a proper service in the recent past. I remember that in one of Douglas Adams' novels, the first spaceship to land provoked International hysteria, but the second barely made the local news....!