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Is Monday to Friday still when South Western Railway needs to run the most trains?

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infobleep

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For the second weekend running at least, South Western Railway is having to replace some weekend train services with buses, due to staff isolating.

That is perfectly understandable to me but on another thread, I'm sure it was stated that Saturday was more popular for leisure travel than during the week. I can't remember which thread off hand.

So overall, taking into account commuting, is Monday to Friday still the busiest period for travel and when the most services are required?

This isn't a complaint. It just got me wondering which days require the most intensive timetable still.
 
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Bald Rick

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Monday to Friday is busier in absolute terms, on average.

But, weekends are proportionally busier, when compared to pre-Covid loadings. And certain weekend days are busier in absolute terms.
 

HST43257

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I sometimes wonder if small amounts of work are best done on Monday to Fridays between about 11 and 3 during the day, as long as a decent enough diversion is in place.
 

infobleep

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Monday to Friday is busier in absolute terms, on average.

But, weekends are proportionally busier, when compared to pre-Covid loadings. And certain weekend days are busier in absolute terms.
Thanks.
I sometimes wonder if small amounts of work are best done on Monday to Fridays between about 11 and 3 during the day, as long as a decent enough diversion is in place.
That is an interesting idea but I imagine the gap is too short.

If it could be shown that weekends were busier than two consecutive weekdays, I guess one could shift engineering to the weekdays but I can't see that being the case yet, if ever. One weekday might also work if the engineering works is just for one day but then it would need to be less busy than a Sunday.
 

Ken H

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Thanks.

That is an interesting idea but I imagine the gap is too short.

If it could be shown that weekends were busier than two consecutive weekdays, I guess one could shift engineering to the weekdays but I can't see that being the case yet, if ever. One weekday might also work if the engineering works is just for one day but then it would need to be less busy than a Sunday.
If, as I suspect will happen, that WFH becomes mainstream and commuting falls off by a fair bit, the railway will have to look more and more to leisure travel for revenue. And that will mean weekends and evenings.

Big challenge for the railway in terms of ticketing, maintenance schedules and staffing.

but we will have to wait and see what the social changes that fall out from COVID are.
 
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JonathanH

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I sometimes wonder if small amounts of work are best done on Monday to Fridays between about 11 and 3 during the day, as long as a decent enough diversion is in place.
That already happens with daylight patrolling and urgent work. Any substantial work isn't going to get done in four hours on a weekday. Does demand generally drop at that time?
 

30907

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Going back to the original point which was AIUI about staff shortages not engineering works - it will always be more difficult to cover weekends with rest day working, because people value their weekend rest days highly.
 

infobleep

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Going back to the original point which was AIUI about staff shortages not engineering works - it will always be more difficult to cover weekends with rest day working, because people value their weekend rest days highly.
That makes sense.
 

D6975

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Going back to the original point which was AIUI about staff shortages not engineering works - it will always be more difficult to cover weekends with rest day working, because people value their weekend rest days highly.
Especially during the school holidays if they have kids.
 
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