But that was not necessarily caused by privatisation, or by government (of whatever hue; privatisation has been under long periods of both major administrations) decision. It was determined by railway staff. The government did not say "Go out and buy trains incompatible in controls and couplings with what those in the depot next door have"; it was railway staff who decided to buy them. They did not say "Don't train crews from Plymouth to know the way to London by both Westbury and Bristol". It was railway staff who decided to stop regular rostering across a range of routes there.Indeed, and this is part of the fragmentation brought on by privatisation. Introduced by the Government which now says the railways cost too much to run.