An update from me:

We have sent GWR an agenda of six 'performance related' questions, relevant to their whole franchise area, which we hope will be of interest to our wider readership, and to which Daryn McCombe can prepare his initial reply. When those are posted, real-time on 3 October, you are all very welcome to reply, challenge or refute them (within our forum posting rules, obviously).

There are several other questions you have raised, which are all perfectly valid, but are more specific to local issues, such as individual branch lines, for example. We will pass all of those on to GWR, to be answered on the Coffee Shop forum after our 'live' debate.

We on the Administrator / Moderator team are looking forward to the event. 

 
I would like to know short-term options for rolling stock could GWR push the DFT to let them create a fleet of battery class 230s for use on the Thames Valley branches and maybe even some batter fitted class 350/2's fitted with 3rd rail shoes for the North Downs like that would free up quite a few class 165/166 units

 
I've submitted a couple of questions, one pretty general around the current rolling stock issues and the resulting cancelations and one pretty specific about timetabling so not really expecting the specifics to be answered but can hope!

I'm not actually sure if I'll be around at the time due to work, but will try. Need to hope for a quiet work day!

 

I apologise if you took offence at my comments.

 

II, I more than understand your very difficult position.
There are times with your experience and knowledge you know what is about to happen isn't right, but you can't speak out.
Yes sure, you/we have internal channels to voice our concerns, but to my mind they're a pointless 'get it off your chest' exercise.
It would be great if we could actually challenge a manager directly on something like this, but the after effects would result in demotion/cessation of employment for speaking out. Hendy anyone?

Please continue to post, I always appreciate them.
I do have a reason to be closer to your employment status, but like you, don't want to rock the boat too much.

 
That post by II is truly important and needs not really a "like" by an "appreciate", signed multiple times if I could.   And an "I understand" too - which I partially do having been in, and remain in, positions where I am looking after best positions of my - oh help, I am going to say "greater gods" but not want any religious context. 

The public transport industry is complex - highly complex - and sometimes things are done which are not in the best interests of all players - indeed there is very often a compromise involved and explaining and marketing then decision and its consequences is never going to be totally easy or comfortable.  There are times that we, with those "greater gods" have to defend what becomes a very difficult position, and indeed times we find ourselves in, perhaps swept into, defending the indefensible.   We need to understand and appreciate that and accept the occasions where dissgression is the best part of valour.

A couple more thoughts if I may

* We have boards here with limited access for discussions amongst friends, and I encourage you to use those where you feel appropriate. "The Rumour Mill", "Frequent Posters", "And Also" and "How Stuff Works". Not secret, but not frightening the greater public out of context, nor exposing our personal security or comfort.   And we have a personal message system too.

* Even where a message or view is not the one people want to hear, there is an appreciation of those who say it by those who hear it.  "Thank you for telling me - I don't agree but at least I now know". It tends to be a difficult path to follow, but it's a position I personally find myself in sometimes and the feedback of appreciation by some of those told indicates the importance.  In a political sphere, "I don't agree with you - but I will vote for you next time because at least you inform us".   And concluding here with a "thank you" and repeated appreciation of those in the public transport specification, maintenance, operation, planning, finance who help answer questions and inform here.

 

I think therein lies the problem, and thank you CfN.

I want to help the forum thrive, but I am very conscious my employer makes it clear I should not make any statements that are clearly negative of them.  I suspect most employment contracts have a similar social media policy, including yours TG?  If not, get ready for it.

So, I have to balance whether it is worth the ‘risk’.  In this case I don’t think it is, and, perhaps more importantly, I have internal channels in which to raise problems, so it is not as if I don’t have another option.

In two subsequent posts you have asked/suggested, in jest or otherwise, whether I’m scared or have subscribed to a communist ideology for not taking part in the debate.

Neither of those sit well with me, even if in jest, and it continues to make me wonder why I bother.

 
I know: it's just a good way of bumping this particular topic, if nothing else. 

 

I was joking.

 
Hmm. 

To be fair, TaplowGreen, we must respect IndustryInsider's reticence: he is active railway staff, while you and I are not.

I have previously been in PM contact with IndustryInsider and we have discussed his stance: it has no problem for me.

We already have many potential questions to put to Daryn McCombe, such that we may well have to edit / combine them, due only to time constraints.

We on the admin / moderator team continue to look forward to our online event on 3 October.

CfN. 

 

Your contract of employment prevents you from asking questions?

Do you work on North Korean railways? 

 

I wouldn’t say ‘afraid’, but perhaps ‘cautious’ and not wanting to blatantly disregard m my contract of employment.

 
Comments all noted, but we have to work within the parameters, very kindly offered, by Great Western Railway for the availability of one of their directors to answer our questions, live / real time.

For those who are unable to attend our live discussion, you will be able to 'read all about it' later on the evening, and post your points on the topic, to be answered later.

It's worth noting that Mark Hopwood is a member of the Coffee Shop forum, and in the past he has followed up points raised after his own live 'meet the manager' discussions.

 

................afraid of being "Hendied"? 

I will try to dip in but it's entirely work dependent.

If memory serves, these sessions used to be a 5pm start, that'd be much more likely to attract a healthy attendance I reckon.

 

That's a shame. 

The session will not be anywhere near as rewarding and productive unless most of the main membership can make it along.  Even if it's just dipping in quickly for 5 minutes at some point to read the responses to your own questions (if submitted) and ask a 'live' follow up.

Just for clarity I probably won't involve myself in it either, but that's because I don't think it is appropriate for those who work in the industry to be involved, other than Daryn himself of course.

 

I've sent you a couple Chris on the theme of staff shortages at weekends and also failing infrastructure.

I'm unlikely to make the session due to work commitments but look forward to reading the responses to these and other questions which have been submitted.

 
Indeed: thank you, broadgage, for sending in those two questions for consideration. 

If any other members of the Coffee Shop forum would like to ask Daryn McCombe a question, please see details in our calendar entry, at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=29085.0 

CfN. 

 

Well done for contributing.

 
I have submitted questions on both lack of catering and on the number of short formations.
I have no doubt that these questions will be answered, but little faith in train lengths or catering improving.

 

Ultimately whenever it is scheduled there will no doubt be someone unable to attend due to other priorities, at least getting a date and time agreed well in advance does give us all the best chance to be available

 

A Thursday afternoon it is, then ... which one and details to be announced at the start of September

 

Bumping this to bump the poll which close tomorrow morning.  We want to our best to suit as many people as possible.  If you haven't please vote!

 
Let's hope those that are working, but want to contribute, can structure their day so they can have an hour off during the session.

 

I am ... delighted ... that CfN answered on this one.  Good illustration of our TEAM here.  My poll was / is an early question for members because I didn't know if morning or afternoon was best - I could have guessed but far better to "ask the audience".   Looking purely to set the date, and too early to have precise format details that - I am delighted to see - ChrisB, you would like to have.

Poll is pointing to an afternoon event.  Making it worthwhile for all, whether attending or looking back later, and making it worthwhile for attendees and for the manager and GWR - and perhaps should they watch for others who will be setting frameworks and detail too for public transport in our area. 

 
The previous meet the manager sessions have gone well, at least from the coffee shop point of view, with questions submitted in advance, answered by the GWR manager, and then follow up questions and remarks added.

Unfortunately I do not recall FGW making any actual improvements as a result of previous sessions. Optimists will no doubt argue that things would otherwise have got even worse.

Has the half hearted trolley service got better or worse ? I would say worse, despite the various grand plans for the future.

Have half length trains become more frequent, or less frequent ?

Has train performance in bad weather at Dawlish got better or worse ?, better , but only by suspending the service during high tides.

 
Thanks Chris - that makes sense - and I alluded to it in my initial post, so I don't know why Graham then didn't elucidate & left it to you?

 

I support grahame on this one: it has worked very well in the past.

The basic premise here is that the Great Western Railway director (Daryn McCombe, Director of Performance, in this case) is given at least some idea of what he will be presented with, during the online discussion.

Once he's posted his initial reply, though, it's something of an 'open season' for any of our posters here to reply / challenge / refute his response.

We admins and moderators will be here to ensure 'fair play' - but we certainly won't be muffling any posts: it will indeed be 'real-time'. 

CfN. 

 

Hmm ... not quite what I thought I said.   Past form at these events has been to "seed" a question in a know area and then have follow up discussions based on the initial answer.  That's not changed, save that it will be able to be more interactive.

I have been to meetings before where there's a short statement based on what's come before, setting the scene (agenda item) and having the expert give an initial view, and then that turns into a discussion.  These sort of things can be quite effective.   But, yes, rolling out a question which takes the expert completely left field as a starter.

 
You indicated that by saying all questions to be asked in advance. Giving us nothing there to be interactive about - unless we can ask follow-up questions IF our question gets selected initially?

 
I haven't said that, Chris

You have made an assumption that's not the case.

 
But there isn't anything that those present can get interactive about either? So why bother is my question?

 

Thanks for your input, Chris.  It won't be "plasticy" I can assure you.  It will be useful for replay / viewing afterwards by those who can't make it, though not as good as them being interactive there.  What it will not be is a "spring obscure questions on an unprepared manager" event.

 
If you are running it that way, surely having a 'live' audience is rather plastic-y? Why not simply request questions, vote on selection, pass them to GWR & post the answers?

Unless there's going to be a chance to ask last-minute questions, that is....or maybe follow-up questions to the answers given?

 

It is planned as per previous Coffee Shop "Meet the Manager" sessions that question will be [predominantly] pre-selected and submitted to GWR a few days ahead so, yes, that won't be a problem. The intent is to get substantive answer rather that knee-jerk reactions to questions that come as a surprise, though I accept that such an approach does remove a spontaneity that may itself be informative.

 
For those of us who are working and/or unable to attend for other reasons, will we be able to submit questions via the moderators or those who are attending?

 

It WILL be online.  There will be a maximum of 2 admins / moderators there from the Coffee Shop team, and most likely just one.

These events ARE useful in my view, but usually as one step in a process. It is a 2 way one of us informing GWR of what is important to us, and GWR informing us and keeping us informed of what's happening.  There are occasions when the follow up from interactions has been rapid, though much more often any follow up activities from GWR take time and lots of parallel activities make it hard to know which tipped a balance.  Personal follow up from the customers?   Yes - both in the emotion of having been listened to, and also practically of being able to make better use of rail by learning about something.

There are a number of us on certain topics - you on catering, [name redacted] on accessibility, myself on service reliability who have concerns which are well know, and which we *do* need to bring up, but in measured and moderated volumes, to ensure that they are not lost off the radar.  For certain issues (there are a couple of others as well) you may get sympathy from the manager who, however, perhaps has their hands tied or perhaps has to say "no".  And it does us best if we move it on within the session rather than getting jammed on our passion.

 

I would consider taking part, on line, not in person.
However I have little faith in the usefulness of these events. As is well known, I have two significant concerns regarding GWR services.
Firstly, the effective absence of catering on GWR. I and many others have raised this in the past. I believe that the position may be summarised as follows.
Buffet cars-"no way" will these return despite the facility to retrofit a buffet being an "essential requirement" of the IETS.
"Greatly improved trolley services" sunk without trace.
"Hot food served in cattle class" also sunk without trace, after a brief trial that produced the expected result that it was not worthwhile.
Two trolleys on full length trains, and one in each portion of a 5+5  train. Very seldom achieved, indeed we are lucky to get a single trolley, usually static. Various promises have been made but little if anything achieved.

I could raise these issues yet again, but does anyone really expect any improvements to result ?

My other main concerns are the endless short formations, and consequent declassification of first class/ general overcrowding. Various promises have been made, but as with catering does anyone really expect any improvements to result.

 
i have voted for either, although my  attendance will depend on my being in the country at the time

 

We are taking steps to have a busy session - more than just "hope".

 
Let’s hope we get a few members able to attend this time.  It’s a great opportunity to ask directly for an explanation on the issues of importance to you.

The turnout last time with Mark was embarrassing frankly.

 

Yeah - I know. Yes, working with what we are offered AND setting up so that at least the session is recorded and the questions and answers are available afterwards - that (in my view) is paramount.

 
Could be interesting.

I have indicated Thursday afternoon but it's tentative - the timings are a bit difficult for those of us who work full time, but I get that you probably have to work round what you get offered!

 
I have been offered (and accepted in principle) a "Meet the Manager" session with a GWR Director to take place in a couple of months time.  Checking availability of the manager and also of our own team members who run this, we have two options - either a Thursday afternoon from around 14:30 or a Wednesday morning from around 10 a.m.

We are planning for the session to be much more interactive than in the past. That is subject to testing and making sure we're all happy with how it will work, and also to us being sure that a recording / log / archive will be available after the event for members who can't make  daytime session to read / observe the meeting.