GWR Strike Timetables

[infobleep]

Interesting GWR services are in but Govua ones are not updated yet.

Actually not sure if GWR are updated. It doesnt say they aren't but I think they are showing Monday to Friday times.

So one could see how a Sunday timetable would work with a weekday one across both TOCs if they were run like that. Fictional but interesting.

In my case, I'm checking Haywards Heath to Guildford via Dorking and the reverse.

Does anyone know if the Wednesday times for the North Downs Line are still being uploaded?

It shows trains from Redhill to Reading but nothing from Gatwick Aiport to Reading which seems odd as those run on Sundays too. I know more general GWR are keen on those not to be cancelled.

I've checked the GWR map.

Industrial Action | Great Western Railway

Updates on Industrial Action

www.gwr.com

It indeed shows no services to Gatwick Aiport. Does anyone know what barriers they face to running such a service? It usually runs on a Sunday, save engineering works and it's not as if they won't have staff available on non--strike days.

 

[LordCreed]

Can confirm there's no Gatwick services, just an hourly Redhill to Reading service.

 

[JN114]

Does anyone know what barriers they face to running such a service? It usually runs on a Sunday, save engineering works and it's not as if they won't have staff available on non--strike days.

There’ll be a severe shortage of rolling stock as limited staff to prep, service and maintain units on duty the night before.

 

[infobleep]

There’ll be a severe shortage of rolling stock as limited staff to prep, service and maintain units on duty the night before.

Thanks for confirming this. Makes sense now.

So does this mean nywhere that runs diesel services will struggle due to the need to prep some trains the night before?

 

[JN114]

Thanks for confirming this. Makes sense now.

So does this mean nywhere that runs diesel services will struggle due to the need to prep some trains the night before?

I wouldn’t call my answer confirmation - I run the timetables not write them. There may be other reasons it’s just an hourly Redhill on between strike days, but my best guess would be low unit availability.

The engineering capabilities should have been catered for in constructing the timetable - but it’s more of a problem in the east as east traincrew don’t do preps; they’re all done by engineering staff on Reading depot or at the various outstations (West Ealing, Cocklebury, Oxford etc).

 

[infobleep]

I wouldn’t call my answer confirmation - I run the timetables not write them. There may be other reasons it’s just an hourly Redhill on between strike days, but my best guess would be low unit availability.

The engineering capabilities should have been catered for in constructing the timetable - but it’s more of a problem in the east as east traincrew don’t do preps; they’re all done by engineering staff on Reading depot or at the various outstations (West Ealing, Cocklebury, Oxford etc).

Interesting. This led me to wonder the reason why it couldn't be done on Monday night in advance of Wednesday and again on Wednesday night in advance of Friday. I sont know what's required though. Maybe it's to far in advance.

The connection times from Haywards Heath to Guildford via Three Bridges and Redhill aren't that bad on the non-strike days. Only 4 minutes slower than the official weekday journey time.

The opposite direction is definitely slower though. That was my experience in the covid service months too.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Interesting. This led me to wonder the reason why it couldn't be done on Monday night in advance of Wednesday and again on Wednesday night in advance of Friday. I sont know what's required though. Maybe it's to far in advance.

The connection times from Haywards Heath to Guildford via Three Bridges and Redhill aren't that bad on the non-strike days. Only 4 minutes slower than the official weekday journey time.

The opposite direction is definitely slower though. That was my experience in the covid service months too.

Preparation of a train cannot be done that far in advance. Most trains are ‘prepared’ every 24 hours.

 

[infobleep]

The last train from Reading to Gatwick Airport won't be stopping at Gatwick Airport and terminating short at Redhill.

The train is currently delayed due to waiting for a train from the depot. It is a Working Timetable train as opposed to a variation.

Real Time Trains say the 23:33 will be going to Gatwick Airport. National Rail Enquiries now show it stopping at Redhill twice.

Realtime Trains | 2333 Reading to Gatwick Airport | 24/06/2022

Real-time train running information for 2333 departure from Reading to Gatwick Airport on 24/06/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The image below shows the live departure running times on the National Rail Enquiries app and Redhill appears twice. I think at one stage it said Gatwick Aiport.



Will the train run ECS back to Reading, given no trains are running tomorrow on this line?

 

[JonathanH]

Will the train run ECS back to Reading, given no trains are running tomorrow on this line?

No, it is in the loco sidings at Redhill until 0435 on Monday. (Engineering work closes all lines at Redhill on Sunday)

 

[REVUpminster]

Non strike days Paignton-Exmouth is hourly; not sure why?

 

[dk1]

Preparation of a train cannot be done that far in advance. Most trains are ‘prepared’ every 24 hours.

Yes same at my TOC. It last for 24hrs from time of prep.

 

[infobleep]

No, it is in the loco sidings at Redhill until 0435 on Monday. (Engineering work closes all lines at Redhill on Sunday)

I had thought there weren't sidings for the trains at Redhill anymore as, during some longer periods of engineering work, buses had been used in recent times.

 

[Minstral25]

I had thought there weren't sidings for the trains at Redhill anymore as, during some longer periods of engineering work, buses had been used in recent times.

Buses are often used but so are the sidings - this is the early morning service coming out of the sidings

Realtime Trains | 5G46 0435 Redhill L.H.S. to Redhill | 29/06/2022

Real-time train running information for 5G46 0435 departure from Redhill L.H.S. to Redhill on 29/06/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Non strike days Paignton-Exmouth is hourly; not sure why?

Possibly because engineering staff are also on strike and therefore there won't be enough units prepared to cover the full service?

 

[alf]

Indeed not entirely sure where the drivers are all meant to go, there isn't going to be space in most messrooms! And covid hasn't gone away yet either!

Drivers are usually allowed to go home if there is no work.

 

[ge-gn]

No Sleeper 26/27/29 July.

 

[infobleep]

Will they have had time to deal with the clashes at Reigate, with Southern branded services occupying the platform when GWR ones want to use it? I'm referring to the day after the strike day and assuming they are wishing to use emergency non-strike day timetables as before.

 

[JonathanH]

Will they have had time to deal with the clashes at Reigate, with Southern branded services occupying the platform when GWR ones want to use it? I'm referring to the day after the strike day and assuming they are wishing to use emergency non-strike day timetables as before.

No trains run to Reigate or on the North Downs Line on actual Network Rail strike days. The clashes were on the intermediate days - there isn't an "in-between day" this time.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Will they have had time to deal with the clashes at Reigate, with Southern branded services occupying the platform when GWR ones want to use it? I'm referring to the day after the strike day and assuming they are wishing to use emergency non-strike day timetables as before.

That was because Southern chose to run a Sunday timetable on the working day so clashed with the GWR paths.

 

[infobleep]

No trains run to Reigate or on the North Downs Line on actual Network Rail strike days. The clashes were on the intermediate days - there isn't an "in-between day" this time.

Whilst there isn't an in between day, won't they need to run a reduced timetable due to so many trains running in the morning peak on a normal day. That was I believe, the reason for the Sunday timetable on some TOCs last time.

 

[Minstral25]

Whilst there isn't an in between day, won't they need to run a reduced timetable due to so many trains running in the morning peak on a normal day. That was I believe, the reason for the Sunday timetable on some TOCs last time.

It will be Sunday Timetable for day after on GTR again (Both Southern and Thameslink) - just had a stakeholder message from GTR on this

 

[infobleep]

It will be Sunday Timetable for day after on GTR again (Both Southern and Thameslink) - just had a stakeholder message from GTR on this

So will GWR have a week day timetable and will there be a timetable clash or will there be time to deal with such things now they are aware of it?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

So will GWR have a week day timetable and will there be a timetable clash or will there be time to deal with such things now they are aware of it?

Network Rail should pick up this clash when processing Southern’s amended timetable but due to the short timescales involved and lack of planning resource I wouldn’t be surprised if the issue repeats itself this time around.

 

[infobleep]

Network Rail should pick up this clash when processing Southern’s amended timetable but due to the short timescales involved and lack of planning resource I wouldn’t be surprised if the issue repeats itself this time around.

So I take it there is too point in looking at it after the event, just in case there are no more strikes or simply no resources even idbtheyceantes to.

I know what it is like to have a lack of resources to do work, so I'm not criticising here, just interested.

 

[JonathanH]

The 'Reigate clash' has been fixed this time round with Southern trains departing from Reigate five to six minutes earlier than they would usually on a Sunday and having a longer dwell at Redhill.

GWR running Reading to Redhill only on Thursday (and of course not at all on the North Downs Line on Wednesday).

 

[alastair]

On Wednesday 27th, GWR website now stating no services west of Exeter "due to no contingency signallers". That's a considerable worsening (particularly at height of holiday season) from the previous strike days where trains ran through to Plymouth.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

On Wednesday 27th, GWR website now stating no services west of Exeter "due to no contingency signallers". That's a considerable worsening (particularly at height of holiday season) from the previous strike days where trains ran through to Plymouth.

Presumably the contingent signaller is unavailable!

 

[infobleep]

The 'Reigate clash' has been fixed this time around with Southern trains departing from Reigate five to six minutes earlier than they would usually on a Sunday and having a longer dwell at Redhill.

GWR running Reading to Redhill only on Thursday (and of course not at all on the North Downs Line on Wednesday).

Good news. Thanks, planners.

Are there any other lines with GWR diesel services, where train services are being reduced across the day, or is it just the services to Gatwick Airport?

On the same day, South Western Railway is going to attempt a Monday to Friday timetable once the signal boxes open and some of their services run using diesel trains

It will be interesting to see how they cope as even Govia Thameslink Railway is running a Sunday timetable.

 

[irish_rail]

On Wednesday 27th, GWR website now stating no services west of Exeter "due to no contingency signallers". That's a considerable worsening (particularly at height of holiday season) from the previous strike days where trains ran through to Plymouth.

This is really quite abysmal for somewhere of Plymouths size and importance. You'd think someone could be found from somewhere to cover Plymouth panel. Indeed this now means nothing coming on or off Laira depot which will have consequences across the rest of the western and id guess also for XC too??!!

 

[JonathanH]

Are there any other lines with GWR diesel services, where train services are being reduced across the day, or is it just the services to Gatwick Airport?

Yes, there are reductions across the GWR network.

Reading to Basingstoke runs once an hour. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW

The Marlow branch is hourly all day rather than stepping up to half-hourly with the Bourne End split during the peaks https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW

Not diesel, but the London Paddington to Didcot stopping service runs from Reading to Didcot only https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW

Only the Reading to Newbury stoppers run, not the London to Newbury service https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...8/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=GW