Intercity Fridays Only to/from Euston

[87015]

more freeloaders/stewards than paying passengers again, but big success for Snapp’s and his LSL mates

 

[XCTurbostar]

If it is a success, the firm will look to bid for more of Avanti’s routes, starting with a Monday morning service from Manchester to Euston, said Hosking.

I would be interested in how LSL will term "success", given the late notice, loadings of more than 70% are fairly unlikely.

 

[Iskra]

more freeloaders/stewards than paying passengers again, but big success for Snapp’s and his LSL mates

Well it's going to need a few weeks to gain a bit of traction, by which point it will end...

 

[87015]

I would be interested in how LSL will term "success", given the late notice, loadings of more than 70% are fairly unlikely.

It’s a Tory tax offset there is no success .

 

[Bertie the bus]

more freeloaders/stewards than paying passengers again, but big success for Snapp’s and his LSL mates

So my prediction of about 6 enthusiasts was pretty close then.

 

[Jim]

I wonder if Grant is offering some sort of money towards LSL for it too?

 

[nedchester]

I wonder if Grant is offering some sort of money towards LSL for it too?

Wouldn’t surprise me.

Him and Hosking have their fingerprints all over this.

 

[greatkingrat]

What exactly is the difference between a regular charter train like this and an open access operator?

 

[Iskra]

What exactly is the difference between a regular charter train like this and an open access operator?

LSL are an open access operator, running a charter train in this instance.

 

[Howardh]

Article in the Guardian (online at least) so the publicity will gain them a few more passengers!

 

[XCTurbostar]

I would be interested in how LSL will term "success", given the late notice, loadings of more than 70% are fairly unlikely.

By that logic.. the Monday path that was talked about must almost be a certainty?

Article in the Guardian (online at least) so the publicity will gain them a few more passengers!

That article also features typical media inaccuracies such as.. "Locomotive City"

 

[matt]

It looked very quiet passing me near Rugby. Maybe the newspaper articles will generate some more passengers next Friday

The Friday Charter - Week 1 by Matt Spencer, on Flickr

 

[embers25]

Given virtually no publicity until the last minute it's hardly surprising it's empty this week but fingers crossed for the next few weeks and anything that helps undermine the unions, which indirectly this does has to be a good thing for the travelling public. The problem is business travel over summer is reduced (even more than covid reduced it permanently) and so sadly this is likely going to fail.

 

[JamieL]

Given virtually no publicity until the last minute it's hardly surprising it's empty this week but fingers crossed for the next few weeks and anything that helps undermine the unions, which indirectly this does has to be a good thing for the travelling public. The problem is business travel over summer is reduced (even more than covid reduced it permanently) and so sadly this is likely going to fail.

Why do you want to undermine the Unions? Put the blame where it is deserved - this dreadful Tory Government.

 

[AlterEgo]

It's not undermining the unions at all - it's highlighting how appalling the service is on Avanti at the moment.

 

[Cowley]

It looked very quiet passing me near Rugby. Maybe the newspaper articles will generate some more passengers next Friday

The Friday Charter - Week 1 by Matt Spencer, on Flickr

Great photo.

 

[htafc]

90001 looking spendid!

 

[fgwrich]

So my prediction of about 6 enthusiasts was pretty close then.

How close do you think you were? Facebook reportage had an unofficial figure of… spoiler alert.

8

Him and Hosking have their fingerprints all over this.

Indeed.

I was somewhere between thinking is this a clever idea to back up Avanti or an almost desperate use to use the Mk3 + Electric Loco fleet which lets face it, apart from hauling a handful of ECS’s or Hoskins Personal train around, haven’t exactly had much use have they. And will probably have even less use when the 89 starts it’s eventual hire period with them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's not undermining the unions at all - it's highlighting how appalling the service is on Avanti at the moment.

Or rather, if it IS undermining the Unions (I have seen it called the Scabex), then what is going on at Avanti at the moment by definition IS industrial action as they were alleging. Only one or the other is possible. Either the rest day ban IS at the behest of the Union and it IS a Scabex, or the rest day ban is NOT at the behest of the Union and thus it cannot be a Scabex.

I suspect the low bookings are because it wasn't as of yesterday bookable online. Time pressed commuters or business travellers don't ring the office during working hours to book.

It's also a bit pricey if you just want Brum.

 

[nedchester]

Or rather, if it IS undermining the Unions (I have seen it called the Scabex), then what is going on at Avanti at the moment by definition IS industrial action as they were alleging. Only one or the other is possible. Either the rest day ban IS at the behest of the Union and it IS a Scabex, or the rest day ban is NOT at the behest of the Union and thus it cannot be a Scabex.

I suspect the low bookings are because it wasn't as of yesterday bookable online. Time pressed commuters or business travellers don't ring the office during working hours to book.

It's also a bit pricey if you just want Brum.

I think we are getting into technicalities here. It has been called the Scabex because some, probably rightly, think that the motivation behind this train is entirely political

 

[Bertie the bus]

Blethcleyite does make a very valid point and calling it a Scabex doesn’t reflect well on those using the term. We keep getting told that rail workers don’t deliberately try to or want to inconvenience passengers so if they object to a service that could be of use to passengers but neither Avanti nor the government get any revenue from that claim looks like a lie.

 

[AlterEgo]

I think we are getting into technicalities here. It has been called the Scabex because some, probably rightly, think that the motivation behind this train is entirely political

Scabbing is crossing picket lines to undermine workers.

This is doing the opposite.

It's one thing for industrial action to cripple a company. It's quite another for a rival company to step in and actually take away some of that company's business. It is increasing the hit on Avanti, even only slightly, by abstracting their market.

Remember that industrial action isn't about screwing the customer. They're about putting pressure on the wage setters and the people at the top.

 

[Martin222002]

While it could well be that Shapps has his fingers in this, I very my doubt that officials within the DfT and Treasury will be happy about it.

 

[py_megapixel]

How has this got past the "Not Primarily Abstractive" test? Is it permitted to abstract from an operator that isn't capable of running the advertised service?

And I'm not sure what's a worse user interface, the website for this service, or Avanti's...

 

[Bletchleyite]

How has this got past the "Not Primarily Abstractive" test?

Doesn't apply to a charter. In effect it's using a loophole.

It is really no different to the way Nat Ex, Megabus and Flix are beefing up their services, though at least with this Network Rail will still get their cut.

I think we are getting into technicalities here. It has been called the Scabex because some, probably rightly, think that the motivation behind this train is entirely political

"Scab" is not a nice term anyway as people have all manner of reasons to cross picket lines, sometimes e.g if they don't work they'll lose their home*, but if people must use it it would be good if they kept it to its traditional meaning, i.e. someone who acts to undermine a strike. As it is not running during a strike (is it?) the term is wrong.

I have no time for Shapps at all, whether he is involved or not, but better that talk about it is kept civil.

* Not so much modern day one day strikes, most people can take that hit by lopping something out of their life e.g. not taking a holiday perhaps. But we have had a traditional long term all out strike on Arriva buses on Merseyside, and not everyone would have been able to afford to continue that without becoming homeless.

 

[py_megapixel]

Doesn't apply to a charter.

Seems to be a fine line between a charter and an open access service then...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Seems to be a fine line between a charter and an open access service then...

It is clearly taking the mick out of the charter concept, e.g. by running a very unattractive outward journey included in the price that they don't actually anticipate anyone will use, but I suspect it is within the rules.

I don't know what those rules are off hand, but expect it will involve things like not running too often and for a timebound period.

TBH I think they have probably gone wrong with the concept in terms of making money out of it. I reckon, and I know everyone on here would hate it, they'd have done better doing it as a Saturday day out, outward from Manchester around 8am, return around 7pm, and sold by the bay to attract families.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Those vehicles look like Mk2E/Fs.
So rather elderly transport, on London-Birmingham BR circa 1995?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Those vehicles look like Mk2E/Fs.
So rather elderly transport, on London-Birmingham BR circa 1995?

They are Mk3s.

 

[Bill57p9]

What's next? (The aptly named) WCRC operating a Holyhead shuttle?!?

To be honest, I think that DfT should demand Avanti at least attempt to charter other operators to fill some of the gaps.