Latest Rail News

Jerry Alderson   10/06/2016 at 17:07

I think RTM really needs to be much clearer about these two disputes as I'm finding the articles really confusing and I can't be alone. One dispute is about changing DOO rolling-stock and the other is about introducing DCO. They are similar in that both put the driver in charge of the operation of the train and the other person exclusively on passenger-related duties. DOO (Driver ONLY Operation) was basically a cost-cutting measure by BR in the 1980s whereby it replaced two people on the train (driver and guard) with one person. There was a second person only occasionally, just enough to deter ticketless travel, e.g. one in five trains. In fact there are often two people doing this together, hopping on trains at one station and off at a later station after having gone from end-to-end on the train. DCO (Driver CONTROLLED Operation), which is also being introduced by Northern (it has a franchise commitment to implement it on 50% of its trains), is about keeping the second person on all trains at all times, but dedicating them to serving customers. This article relates to the introduction of DCO. That's one dispute. There is a separate dispute about DOO on Gatwick Express where a ten-car train is being replaced by a 12-car train - similar length of train but four extra doors to be monitored.

Alan   23/07/2016 at 18:51

Southern are an utter disgrace. I was on Clapham junction Wednesday night 21.08 so 21.38 well on time for but the service failed to stop??? I contacted customer care and recieved a pack of lies accusing me of not enough information?? Simply check time/station for service failures and bingo but oh no just utter abuse from this 3rd rate company of utter failures. Utter trailer trash