davethebus002@
On Moderation
Why are trains allowed to skip past stations when they are less than 5 minutes late
Probably because they don't often get that farNever seen SWR skip Cranbrook even though it's not a major station
The train was the 1012 Shepperton to waterloo today 29th January15 minutes maybe - but 5 minutes is gross incompetence.Or Merseyrail.
5 minutes could be a single wheelchair assist.
Perhaps they shouldn't make these decisions until they know the train is actually late not pre determine that it might be. The passengers are deemed to be a nuisance it seemsOnce a decision has been made, its usually better to run with it. Trying to change it at short notice causes confusion and may lead to an incident. Whoever made the decision may not be aware the delay was only 5 minutes either, they may be busy dealing with lots of incidents
Again, making a last minute decision may cause an incident. Its not ideal, scheduling shouldn't be so tight as to need an intervention if a train is only a few minutes late.Perhaps they shouldn't make these decisions until they know the train is actually late not pre determine that it might be. The passengers are deemed to be a nuisance it seems
Maybe not challenge it but could say don't think it's necessary for a 2 minute late departureProbably the decision was made, and that’s that. Train crew generally aren’t allowed to challenge what control tell them to do.
Surely 3 minutes could have been recovered on the journeyAgain, making a last minute decision may cause an incident. Its not ideal, scheduling shouldn't be so tight as to need an intervention if a train is only a few minutes late.
Don't forget there's an overtime ban on, so maybe the decision was made to prevent avoidable overtime being worked
Which the two minute delay turns into a five minute delay while you wait for someone to answer the phone so you can challenge it. Its one of those arguments that can go round in circlesMaybe not challenge it but could say don't think it's necessary for a 2 minute late departure
Maybe not challenge it but could say don't think it's necessary for a 2 minute late departure
Unless RTT is wildly wrong the stops were reinstated and the following train was not cancelled. Do you have other information?Probably because they don't often get that far
The train was the 1012 Shepperton to waterloo today 29th January
Maybe not challenge it but could say don't think it's necessary for a 2 minute late departure
I once had a situation where train staff had been told to run fast during disruption but no one else so train station boards were not updated.Again, making a last minute decision may cause an incident. Its not ideal, scheduling shouldn't be so tight as to need an intervention if a train is only a few minutes late.
Don't forget there's an overtime ban on, so maybe the decision was made to prevent avoidable overtime being worked
The thing is, don't the government take the revenue risk?SWR up to their usual tricks of ripping out stops to pay out less money?
Unless NRE is wrong, the stops were not reinstated. The following train was eirher, as you say, not cancelled, or it was cancelled but then reinstated.Unless RTT is wildly wrong the stops were reinstated and the following train was not cancelled. Do you have other information?
It's not necessarily the case that crew can't politely challenge control, it's perfectly reasonable to make suggestions if we think the decision is not ideal. Control have the overall insight of what is happening on the network, but it's crew that can see directly what is happening on the ground, and the impact the decision may have. Whether or not Control would listen is another matter, but it helps to have both perspectives when making a final decision. That being said, Control are usually very busy and there can be a wait to get hold of them. Equally, in a busy situation, train crew may not be readily available to answer their phones. So, as you say, it can take time to reverse a decision once made, and that's one of the reasons they often aren't.Probably the decision was made, and that’s that. Train crew generally aren’t allowed to challenge what control tell them to do.
Why are trains allowed to skip past stations when they are less than 5 minutes late
Skipping stations after the journey has started is a major hzard for disabled people. They may well be content that they can manage their planned stations independently and so have not arranged assistance , but to find that they now have negotiate an unfamiliar station and change trains is a different ask entirely.
Worse still is a driver being told to skip stops then being held at a signal in a platform the train was meant to be skipping. Happened to me once heading London-Horley and having resigned myself to doubling back via Gatwick then spent 5 minutes at Horley unable to get off.
It's not necessarily the case that crew can't politely challenge control, it's perfectly reasonable to make suggestions if we think the decision is not ideal. Control have the overall insight of what is happening on the network, but it's crew that can see directly what is happening on the ground, and the impact the decision may have. Whether or not Control would listen is another matter, but it helps to have both perspectives when making a final decision. That being said, Control are usually very busy and there can be a wait to get hold of them. Equally, in a busy situation, train crew may not be readily available to answer their phones. So, as you say, it can take time to reverse a decision once made, and that's one of the reasons they often aren't.
A lot of drivers will wait off the end of the platform until the signal clears in this situation. Waiting in the platform is just asking for someone to pull an egress!
Out of interest - would it be permitted to stop short of a repeater and take its output as 'gospel' in this sort of scenario? Thinking somewhere (like Bedford P4 to use an example local to me) which is on a curve and you can't see the signal until you're platformed.
I’ve had the opposite, again with SWR. My train had been terminated at Twickenham due to a signal failure at Feltham*, with subsequent services diverted via Weybridge. Once the issue cleared the first one through was initially showing as stopping as normal, then came up as cancelled and running fast. Train then arrived, stopped and doors opened.I once had a situation where train staff had been told to run fast during disruption but no one else so train station boards were not updated.
It was something like the 7:34 Guildford to Waterloo via the New Line Guildford. I wanted to alight at New Malden but that stop was cancelled. So I got out at Surbtion and when I helpfully informed a member of platform staff, they weren't impressed by the situation.
Yes ... but none of this excess caution seems to apply when the train shortly before departure is non-stopped differently to the timetable in the first placeOnce a decision has been made, its usually better to run with it. Trying to change it at short notice causes confusion and may lead to an incident.