Southern Rail STRIKE details

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

The Government are trying this soon, or so I thought. I believe they are using Southern as the test run of it.

I cant wait. 2016 has provided me with £544 of genuine delay repays. Im also not claiming for fatalities or people hit by trains because I feel its morally ambiguous.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

I'm not sure how you measure the 'magnitude' of an industrial dispute. Working days lost? Arrests on picket lines? Consequent loss to GDP? How long it goes on? Nevertheless given that this one isn't even a national level dispute and is 'localised' it must be creeping up into the Premier League in terms of disruption and its sheer nastiness on both sides?

 

[ManOfSussex]

Is it safe to assume the club will have contingency measures in place for Friday night as happened after the Huddersfield Southern Rail debacle?

 

[Gazwag]

Is it safe to assume the club will have contingency measures in place for Friday night as happened after the Huddersfield Southern Rail debacle?

I would guess so, the club will assume with a sell out crowd that everybody to do with the railways will do their utmost to spoil another big public event. Just a shame all the new fans will get put off coming to evening games again.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling deliberately swerving the core issue of GTR/Southern piss-poor performance, as reported in the Argus today:

'Transport secretary vows to improve rail service reliability'

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1491...ove_rail_service_reliability/#comments-anchor

Bloke then goes on to lay the blame on the unions and the network i.e. anyone and everyone but GTR/Southern

'Mr Grayling told MPs: “We are making a whole range of substantial investments on the rail network in Sussex including longer platforms on the Uckfield line, a new Thamelink depot and upgraded power systems.

“But that said, I want to be clear, I am well aware of the frustration being felt by the passengers in her constituency. One of the key issues, quite apart from the disgraceful and unwarranted industrial action that is taking place at the moment, is that this network is not reliable enough.'

The level of protection this failing franchise shower of shit is receiving from the Government department responsible for maintaining the country's transport infrastructure beggars belief really. But then we've known that for very many months now. Would appear it's now all down the commuters' judicial review, because no other fvcker in power, other than the odd lone voice in the parliamentary wilderness, is able to do anything at all about it. Same as his predecessor, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is a major part of the problem. Poor sap probably has no idea how much of a deceitful wanker he sounds to anybody forced to use GTR/Southern's shitty services on any kind of a regular basis.

 

[Yoda]

Between 16:45 & 18:15 there was just ONE train that stopped at Durrington on the Eastbound line tonight. Would've been from 16:30 & 17:50 had those trains not been late.

All others cancelled due to lack of train crew.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling deliberately swerving the core issue of GTR/Southern piss-poor performance, as reported in the Argus today:

'Transport secretary vows to improve rail service reliability'

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1491...ove_rail_service_reliability/#comments-anchor

Bloke then goes on to lay the blame on the unions and the network i.e. anyone and everyone but GTR/Southern

'Mr Grayling told MPs: “We are making a whole range of substantial investments on the rail network in Sussex including longer platforms on the Uckfield line, a new Thamelink depot and upgraded power systems.

“But that said, I want to be clear, I am well aware of the frustration being felt by the passengers in her constituency. One of the key issues, quite apart from the disgraceful and unwarranted industrial action that is taking place at the moment, is that this network is not reliable enough.'

The level of protection this failing franchise shower of shit is receiving from the Government department responsible for maintaining the country's transport infrastructure beggars belief really. But then we've known that for very many months now. Would appear it's now all down the commuters' judicial review, because no other fvcker in power, other than the odd lone voice in the parliamentary wilderness, is able to do anything at all about it. Same as his predecessor, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is a major part of the problem.

It's so depressing. "Disgraceful and unwarranted action" - makes me want to vomit. The company are now pushing through DOO so hard and so quickly (new routes every week) that no one (drivers, guards, platform staff) has the foggiest idea what's happening. Already on services that should have had an OBS the company are breaking their own rules about "only in severe disruption can the train go without an OBS" (what a surprise!!), so, for example on trains that split there is often absolutely no one to help less frequent travellers/tourists etc and wheelchair passengers have been left behind. The changes are happening so fast that it is genuinely dangerous - the cameras in 377s are absolutely nowhere near good enough to be relied on for DOO working so trains are being cancelled or delayed as the driver cannot safely dispatch.
On board supervisors (when they are actually on trains) have now - believe it or not - been told that at every station stop they must get out on to the platform and check that there is no one who needs assistance so, if they are on the platform, why not just let them safely dispatch the train as they always have done? It's utter lunacy- the whole point in all these changes according to Southern was that they could walk through the train and assist passengers more but now that they have to get off at any stop even this can't happen.
I could go on and on - morale is at rock bottom amongst all railway workers and, make no mistake, if the guards lose this battle which seems likely, the entire railway network will be worse off in the future and infinitely less safe and it's soul destroying to see the abuse the guards receive on here for their WARRANTED action (but very nice to see the support some - who can see the bigger picture - are giving in spite of their own travelling woes). I can only hope that the latest drivers ballot goes through without any more legal blocks or the judicial review works and that may put a bit more pressure on GTR.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Between 16:45 & 18:15 there was just ONE train that stopped at Durrington on the Eastbound line tonight. Would've been from 16:30 & 17:50 had those trains not been late.

All others cancelled due to lack of train crew.

And yet it's not a strike day but I'm sure plenty will blame the guards anyway.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

And yet it's not a strike day but I'm sure plenty will blame the guards anyway.

Was waiting to meet a mate this evening off a train at Haywards Heath. Looking at the Southern website, the reasons given on their cancellations page are either lack of drivers (not guards or crew) or lack of rolling stock. No guards to blame this time but still poor organisation. It all goes back to the press release from 11 months ago where they admitted they didn't have enough staff to deliver the timetable.

For those who did have a service, those on the Brighton Mainline were all delayed due to "slippery rails" according to the website.

Good luck to those travelling to and from the Villa match tomorrow by train. I'm glad I am using Seagull Travel instead.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Was waiting to meet a mate this evening off a train at Haywards Heath. Looking at the Southern website, the reasons given on their cancellations page are either lack of drivers (not guards or crew) or lack of rolling stock. No guards to blame this time but still poor organisation. It all goes back to the press release from 11 months ago where they admitted they didn't have enough staff to deliver the timetable.

For those who did have a service, those on the Brighton Mainline were all delayed due to "slippery rails" according to the website.

Good luck to those travelling to and from the Villa match tomorrow by train. I'm glad I am using Seagull Travel instead.

Poor organisation certainly - I wouldn't bank on a great service tomorrow night but you never know. Just as an aside the "slippery rails" or low adhesion today was some of the worst there's been - the perfect combination of loads of leaves and heavy rain making it very difficult to accelerate and even harder to stop, leading to loads of delays. As I've said before, there are always so many different ways for the Southern network in particular to go very wrong so you need an operator at the top of their game to make it even half work. Sadly that isn't GTR. And the solution is NEVER to get rid of as many staff as possible.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Poor organisation certainly - I wouldn't bank on a great service tomorrow night but you never know. Just as an aside the "slippery rails" or low adhesion today was some of the worst there's been - the perfect combination of loads of leaves and heavy rain making it very difficult to accelerate and even harder to stop, leading to loads of delays. As I've said before, there are always so many different ways for the Southern network in particular to go very wrong so you need an operator at the top of their game to make it even half work. Sadly that isn't GTR. And the solution is NEVER to get rid of as many staff as possible.

Perfect conditions for a nice set of flats....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

And yet it's not a strike day but I'm sure plenty will blame the guards anyway.

Probably the sniffles again. They have been "unofficially" on strike for months now...

 

[Ernest]

Probably the sniffles again. They have been "unofficially" on strike for months now...

Contagious with Christmas coming up

 

[dazzer6666]

Poor organisation certainly - I wouldn't bank on a great service tomorrow night but you never know. Just as an aside the "slippery rails" or low adhesion today was some of the worst there's been - the perfect combination of loads of leaves and heavy rain making it very difficult to accelerate and even harder to stop, leading to loads of delays. As I've said before, there are always so many different ways for the Southern network in particular to go very wrong so you need an operator at the top of their game to make it even half work. Sadly that isn't GTR. And the solution is NEVER to get rid of as many staff as possible.

Whenever I get the 06:04 these days the line-cleaning thingy always seems to go past while I'm waiting. Doesn't it work ??

 

[dazzer6666]

Contagious with Christmas coming up

How long before we get there dad ?

Don't know son. Guards are on strike, there's leaves on the line, half the staff are sick. Will probably take the contagious.

I know. Coat.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Whenever I get the 06:04 these days the line-cleaning thingy always seems to go past while I'm waiting. Doesn't it work ??

It works for a bit but there is an awful lot of track for it to cover and with the wind and rain yesterday the leaves were coming down very quickly.

 

[HantsSeagull]

sorry but can someone tell me if there is a strike tonight or is it the normal shit evening service?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

sorry but can someone tell me if there is a strike tonight or is it the normal shit evening service?

No strike - any disruption is down to SASTA this evening.

 

[HantsSeagull]

thanks

No strike - any disruption is down to SASTA this evening.

 

[Hotchilidog]

It's so depressing. "Disgraceful and unwarranted action" - makes me want to vomit. The company are now pushing through DOO so hard and so quickly (new routes every week) that no one (drivers, guards, platform staff) has the foggiest idea what's happening. Already on services that should have had an OBS the company are breaking their own rules about "only in severe disruption can the train go without an OBS" (what a surprise!!), so, for example on trains that split there is often absolutely no one to help less frequent travellers/tourists etc and wheelchair passengers have been left behind. The changes are happening so fast that it is genuinely dangerous - the cameras in 377s are absolutely nowhere near good enough to be relied on for DOO working so trains are being cancelled or delayed as the driver cannot safely dispatch.
On board supervisors (when they are actually on trains) have now - believe it or not - been told that at every station stop they must get out on to the platform and check that there is no one who needs assistance so, if they are on the platform, why not just let them safely dispatch the train as they always have done? It's utter lunacy- the whole point in all these changes according to Southern was that they could walk through the train and assist passengers more but now that they have to get off at any stop even this can't happen.
I could go on and on - morale is at rock bottom amongst all railway workers and, make no mistake, if the guards lose this battle which seems likely, the entire railway network will be worse off in the future and infinitely less safe and it's soul destroying to see the abuse the guards receive on here for their WARRANTED action (but very nice to see the support some - who can see the bigger picture - are giving in spite of their own travelling woes). I can only hope that the latest drivers ballot goes through without any more legal blocks or the judicial review works and that may put a bit more pressure on GTR.

In addition to that I have noticed with more frequency that the DOO GE trains have become more faulty with cameras not working that mean stops get missed out and whatever the train position locator thingy (as I believe it is known) also being faulty resulting in the doors not opening and the driver apparently having to reboot the system to get it going again. These things have happened on trains that I have been travelling on.

The only problem with the staff in this whole mess is that there arenot enough of them. The free pass that minister continues to give the company is quite frankly an utter disgrace. Thankfully the select committee is finally appying pressure and the ongoing FOI requests and court actions are also increasing the pressure.

My hunch is that rather like the US Govt finally jailing Al Capone for tax evasion rather than his gangster activities, GTR will get done for not complying with the equalities act and the access provided for disabled passengers.