Temporary Timetable 13th Dec - 7th Jan

[Bletchleyite]

PDFs will no doubt be the future on that one.

There's still a role for physical magazines and books - Amazon still sell the latter by the bucketload, not everyone likes Kindles. But few people care about the exact day on which Modern Railways shows up. If it used to come on a Wednesday but it arrived the following Monday instead as that was the next weekly letter delivery to your house, I bet you'd not notice - I wouldn't.

 

[Ex-controller]

Would this proposed emergency timetable apply in Scotland?

 

[zwk500]

On the contrary, I was under the impression that a lot of these on line businesses use the traditional postie to complete the final delivery. Infact, I get railway magazines delivered in this way.

Many people now get the magazine delivered digitally, either by logging onto a website or an e-book/pdf. Physical copies are usually an option, sometimes with an additional charge. When I was talking about 'official' business I was meaning HMRC or other Govt business, where I normally receive a confirmation email straight away. Often the physical letter takes several weeks to follow up.

 

[bramling]

A physical parking permit? How quaint. Increasingly you just register the car's registration number against the permit online, or if you don't do online by telephone.

Indeed. However it does show that not everything is in the digital age.

I’ve been getting a mountain of mail from building societies recently, due to the amount of ISA transfers I’ve been doing to chase the constantly changing interest rates. All straight to the shredder.

 

[zwk500]

However I don’t think we’re quite at the point where everything is geared up for this. For example, I’m awaiting a CPZ parking permit to replace one which a builder managed to lose, which should have arrived at the beginning of the week, and so far hasn’t. To get rid of daily postal deliveries that sort of thing needs to be set up so it can be printed at home, for example.

This absolutely is the way things are going. It costs a lot more money to send things by post, rather than by email

Oh please, no !

You'll probably still be able to order the physical copy, but may be charged extra for it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’ve been getting a mountain of mail from building societies recently, due to the amount of ISA transfers I’ve been doing to chase the constantly changing interest rates. All straight to the shredder.

I've been getting interest rate change letters from my mortgage company, same, I already know the effect.

 

[mike57]

This government is a pub covers band version of Thatcherism and they want their Scargill moment.

I have been saying this for a while, I think certain people in the government have been relishing the opportunity use the dispute for wider ends. Hence the tieing the hands of the TOCs while pulling the strings behind the scenes, to deflect anger on to the TOCs.

The difference in this case is that Mr Scargill had already stored up a lot trouble because of events during the 1974 strike, he was seen as trying to bring the government down, and once Mrs Thatcher came to power there was always going to be a day of reckoning, the final showdown was planned well in advance, and I think it was obvious that it was a dispute the miners could not win. I dont think the RMT have 'stood on as many toes', they may not be as popular in Government circles, but its a different level I think.

The learning from this is that the RMT need to avoid making it a showdown with the goverment as a political statement, and keep to the issues to those directly related to railways.

 

[zwk500]

The difference in this case is that Mr Scargill had already stored up a lot trouble because of events during the 1974 strike, he was seen as trying to bring the government down, and once Mrs Thatcher came to power there was always going to be a day of reckoning, the final showdown was planned well in advance, and I think it was obvious that it was a dispute the miners could not win. I dont think the RMT have 'stood on as many toes', they may not be as popular in Government circles, but its a different level I think.

The other difference in this case is that the current Government don't have Mrs T's determination, ability or luck. A 'pub covers band' is the perfect description of them.

 

[Bald Rick]

I've been getting interest rate change letters from my mortgage company, same, I already know the effect.

You want a fixed rate. Preferably sub 1%

 

[Goldfish62]

How did we move from the original topic to deciding that daily postal deliveries are no longer required?

 

[Deepgreen]

IF this is true (a big 'if'), then it will accelerate the death of the railways hugely - if people can't travel anywhere after 1800 (i.e. starting journeys in time to arrive by 1800, which will rule out a large proportion of commuting runs!) they will simply give up with rail and find another way and may not return when longer traffic days do. Again, IF this is true.

 

[HSTEd]

Just seams crazy that long stretches of line are to be closed due to one signal box being shut down, just shows how well managed the railway is at at the moment.

No, it just shows what happens when you have obsolete plant equipment being used to run an obstensibly modern railway.

If a signal box controlling something important is out of action the entire line is out of action, that is just the way it is with this sort of equipment

This is why modernisation of signalling is such an important thing, and why the railways continuous failures in this respect are going to cause serious problems moving forward.

 

[nedchester]

IF this is true (a big 'if'), then it will accelerate the death of the railways hugely - if people can't travel anywhere after 1800 (i.e. starting journeys in time to arrive by 1800, which will rule out a large proportion of commuting runs!) they will simply give up with rail and find another way and may not return when longer traffic days do. Again, IF this is true.

It does seem odd that this story is only making traction on this forum………

 

[Bletchleyite]

IF this is true (a big 'if'), then it will accelerate the death of the railways hugely - if people can't travel anywhere after 1800 (i.e. starting journeys in time to arrive by 1800, which will rule out a large proportion of commuting runs!) they will simply give up with rail and find another way and may not return when longer traffic days do. Again, IF this is true.

Nobody is going to "find another way" to commute to London, because there isn't really a viable one, and people who can WFH largely already are.

This effectively all-out might actually be helpful in bringing the matter to a head.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed. Given the recent focus of the mainstream news outlets on the railways woes, I'm surprised that this development hasn't been picked up as a scoop (if there is anything to it).

 

[Jonny]

Indeed. Given the recent focus of the mainstream news outlets on the railways woes, I'm surprised that this development hasn't been picked up as a scoop (if there is anything to it).

I think they are worried about going with it and then it doesn't happen.

 

[zwk500]

How did we move from the original topic to deciding that daily postal deliveries are no longer required?

Because a significant part of the industrial dispute is about reforms of working practices, but point taken!

 

[yorksrob]

I think they are worried about going with it and then it doesn't happen.

Fair point.

 

[Deepgreen]

Nobody is going to "find another way" to commute to London, because there isn't really a viable one, and people who can WFH largely already are.

This effectively all-out might actually be helpful in bringing the matter to a head.

Not London so much as elsewhere perhaps, but the national network's longer-term ridership could suffer horribly. The trouble is it's not "all-out", it's just a serious restriction, meaning that the idiots in power can claim the network is still running, while actually being useless for huge numbers of people.

 

[Falcon1200]

Would this proposed emergency timetable apply in Scotland?

If the reports are correct, presumably yes, because all NR signallers will be involved. But I do find it hard to understand why an overtime ban would have such devastating consequences; Trains between 0600 and 1800 only for nearly four weeks, and some lines with no trains at all? Of course, overtime is necessary, for reasons both within and outwith the railway's control, but surely not to this extent? But if the reports are true, this is just another nail in the railway's coffin.

 

[bramling]

How did we move from the original topic to deciding that daily postal deliveries are no longer required?

I would say that this is simply a reflection of what’s going on in the country as a whole. Few seem happy, and everything seems to be managed decline.

 

[Revilo]

Back on topic, this is what GWR are saying on their website:

Train services could also be disrupted from 18 December 2022 to 2 January 2023 as Network Rail may only be able to provide a reduced window of operation. This means a reduced timetable would be in operation, with train services not starting until 07:30 and all journeys being completed before 18:30.

 

[Bletchleyite]

With regard to this posting I've just seen, on a FB group, the attached poster which is on display at Lancaster. Without retyping the whole lengthy thing, it seems to suggest issues (potentially no service at all) between 11th-18th Dec (reduced service on 18th) and 1st-9th Jan (reduced service on 1st, normal on 2nd, reduced on 9th).

Back on topic, this is what GWR are saying on their website:

Train services could also be disrupted from 18 December 2022 to 2 January 2023 as Network Rail may only be able to provide a reduced window of operation. This means a reduced timetable would be in operation, with train services not starting until 07:30 and all journeys being completed before 18:30.

Where does it say that on the website, do you have a link?

 

[Deepgreen]

Back on topic, this is what GWR are saying on their website:

Train services could also be disrupted from 18 December 2022 to 2 January 2023 as Network Rail may only be able to provide a reduced window of operation. This means a reduced timetable would be in operation, with train services not starting until 07:30 and all journeys being completed before 18:30.

It may well be there somewhere, but I've just looked at the GWR web site and couldn't find this anywhere on their home page or directly-linked pages. It should be prominent on their home page not hidden away beneath several layers. Meanwhile, they cheerfully urge people to visit Christmas markets, etc., on the home page!

 

[bramling]

It may well be there somewhere, but I've just looked at the GWR web site and couldn't find this anywhere on their home page or directly-linked pages. It should be prominent on their home page not hidden away beneath several layers. Meanwhile, they cheerfully urge people to visit Christmas markets, etc., on the home page!

It’s on their Twitter feed.

 

[Deepgreen]

It’s on their Twitter feed.

Thanks. That's not what I would call their 'web site', but perhaps it counts for some people. If they can do it on Twitter they could also provide it prominently on their web site, I feel.

 

[zwk500]

I would say that this is simply a reflection of what’s going on in the country as a whole. Few seem happy, and everything seems to be managed decline.

I wouldn't say so much managed as chucked off a cliff, but then I'm not 'on the ground' to get an accurate reading.

 

[Kite159]

On the bright side if the railway does go into severely limited hours during that period it will save me money on not having days out during the week between Christmas & New Year and will cost Travelodge £150 with cancelled hotel bookings.

Probably the same for some others who have time off work that week and would have had a day trip with the kids somewhere (ie London).

No doubt the TOCs will still be wanting people to pay the anytime fares during that week if they want to travel in the 'evening peak'

 

[bramling]

Thanks. That's not what I would call their 'web site', but perhaps it counts for some people. If they can do it on Twitter they could also provide it prominently on their web site, I feel.

Most of the TOCs seem to provide more up to date info on Twitter these days.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If all trains have to have completed their journey by 1830 there won't really be an evening peak.