An inauspicious start to Great British Railways

[Tryingtokeepgoing]

Well that’s started well 😂

As someone who remembers the shambles that was British Rail, and lives in an area with a frequent, cheap (off peak…) and reliable train service I’m not really looking forward to to a return to the past…

https://news.sky.com/story/first-renationalised-train-service-starts-today-but-not-how-youd-have-hoped-13373360?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4yqUqiXKGYrHWwwxr3aGjndE7_Dwne_aSFUXh36oUzkTLgtg_-d667KrKQfQ_aem_3U3IOXCGbr3cnN7bBh5bQA

Oh dear.

I remember British Rail as well but something has to be done because we lack effective regulation.

Our utilities are the most expensive in Europe and we're being completely ripped off.

Tbf it’s bank holiday weekend and the engineering works were scheduled.

Brilliant

I thought you meant another episode of Michael Portillo's Great Railway journeys.

Disgraceful coverage of an essential step. They should have compared it to the dire performance of the private operators over the years - with profits sucked out of the UK and not reinvested.

Although, the biggest issue in terms of reliability is engineering works. And they are Network Rails responsibility, which is already nationalised…

Well yes, but then why plan to start Great British Railways on a bank holiday weeks then. It doesn’t take much common sense, though clearly more than exists in government or the civil service, to chose a different day surely? As engineering works are planned way in advance.

Probably due to timing of contracts.

Because that was the date the MTR franchise ran out.

I’m sure there’s any number of reasons…but it wouldn’t have been beyond the whit of even a mid grade politician to run a train a few stops as the first service. As I’m sure the entire South West Train network and rolling stock were not out of action. Although, that would have upset the RMT ;)

You're obviously the person for the job. Submit your CV.

I’m more of a do things properly in the first place than clean up someone else’s mess. I’m not sure they be happy to pay my rates for that ;)

You seem to know better than everyone else and god knows the rail service could do with an expert. Go for it.

It's quite staggering that people think there is a magic wand that solves problems and improves services overnight.
It's a bank holiday, there are always engineering works which are well publicised. There was a rail replacement so people could still get to their destinations.
Give your head a wobble as MN is so fond of saying

This government has bigger issues than trains…and I’m retired so while I have time, I have neither the need or the inclination 😊

Who mentioned magic wands? I was just highlighting the political stupidity of launching the first nationalised rail service as a bus. The engineering works were indeed well known, as Network Rail is already a nationalised company and, one might argue, the cause of most of the delays on the network already :)

I was right, you're just crowing.

Engineering works are planned and scheduled and timetables adjusted. They are essential maintenance on the network. They do rarely overrun but they certainly aren't "the biggest issue in terms of reliability." They mean the track is safe to use, perhaps you think that's unimportant?

…but it wouldn’t have been beyond the whit of even a mid grade politician to run a train a few stops as the first service.

Good news then, because that first train ran from Woking to Surbiton, before the rail replacement bus.

They did. The first train ran, in time, a teal
train, from Woking to Surbiton.

Sorry to spoil your narrative….

Southwestern can’t get any worse. Last time I tried to get back from Winchester to Brockenhurst the trains pretty much weren’t running. Managed to get to Southampton. Where they said there wouldn’t be a train for 8 hours, they’re normally every 30 mins or something. They wouldn’t communicate, the only person trying to help was a cleaner. They refused to put buses on. I ended up getting an uber.

Oh and the train to Winchester was delayed an hour, we sat in the middle of nowhere not moving for an hour.

a replacement bus would have been an improvement.

My two local train lines have been nationalised - LNER and transpennine express and they are both miles better now than when they were privately owned. I can remember one day when I wanted to get the train the 50 minute journey to the next big town and every train from 6.54 through to 15.54 (hourly service) was cancelled. No engineering works, no problem in the line, just cancelled for no apparent reason. That doesn't happen any more now they're publicly owned.

I use LNER too and the improvement has been phenomenal since it was nationalised.

I remember British Rail. I remember it working and journeys not being too expensive. I remember ticketing that worked too. I remember when we had trains with adequate luggage facilities. GWR had proper buffet cars with restaurants.