I think the service would drop to a near hourly service if too many guiards and drivers all went off sick at the same time .
Only two lines could physically go Hourly with one train that would be New Brighton and Kirkby line , the others would need at least another unit or two.
(20/03/2020 09:39)313201 Wrote: [ -> ]If staff numbers are increasing in terms of those going off it seems that either merseyrail would end up recruiting people externally to do the jobs and keep liverpool and wirral moving or would just shut down completely.
I think ig I had chance to do the training to drive thdn I would certainly do it.
Never going to happen, it takes up to a year to train a new driver and also involves classroom activities close to other people as well as working closely with a leader driver, both not advisable with current restrictions.
Sundays will be the next day to see a reduction I'm afraid.
(20/03/2020 16:21)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]I think the service would drop to a near hourly service if too many guiards and drivers all went off sick at the same time .
Only two lines could physically go Hourly with one train that would be New Brighton and Kirkby line , the others would need at least another unit or two.
Remember it's not just sick people, some train crew members will need to self-isolate because of being in contact with someone who has had symptoms, others may need to in the future due to underlying medical conditions and those with children won't be volunteering for overtime with the schools being closed.
After the past few days since the reduced timetable was introduced composing of 6 car trains on all lines. Over the past few days, most services have now been reduced to 3 cars.
Comments on twitter showed services today (25th March) were 3 cars on at least the Ormskirk, Chester and New Brighton lines.
The main reason being, as quoted by Andy Heath in his message on social media "reduced output from the depot" meaning less unit availability.
Another consequence of the current situation with Coronavirus and also demonstrates the very high maintenance requirements of the current aging fleet.
(25/03/2020 23:56)508134 Wrote: [ -> ]After the past few days since the reduced timetable was introduced composing of 6 car trains on all lines. Over the past few days, most services have now been reduced to 3 cars.
Comments on twitter showed services today (25th March) were 3 cars on at least the Ormskirk, Chester and New Brighton lines.
The main reason being, as quoted by Andy Heath in his message on social media "reduced output from the depot" meaning less unit availability.
Another consequence of the current situation with Coronavirus and also demonstrates the very high maintenance requirements of the current aging fleet.
The staff availability at north depot has been decimated over the past week I'm afraid meaning the output has pretty much reduced to a trickle.
(26/03/2020 17:06)ls1911 Wrote: [ -> ]The staff availability at north depot has been decimated over the past week I'm afraid meaning the output has pretty much reduced to a trickle.
Could we see all services ran by Kirkdale? If they are running 3 car services, they could couple up services and run them through the stock exchange line then split them once in the right places.
(26/03/2020 17:11)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Could we see all services ran by Kirkdale? If they are running 3 car services, they could couple up services and run them through the stock exchange line then split them once in the right places.
Wouldnt make any difference, it's the maintenance programme that practically stopped at north depot due to a severe shortage of staff. Dont forget north does all the maintenance for the units regardless of where they're working on the network, kirkdale is mostly a stabling depot.
Cutting back to 3s now means they should be able to get more out of less units until maintenance levels come back up.
Traincrew wise all 3 depots are quite short but at the moment manageable. That may well be subject to change very soon though.
(26/03/2020 19:46)ls1911 Wrote: [ -> ]Wouldnt make any difference, it's the maintenance programme that practically stopped at north depot due to a severe shortage of staff. Dont forget north does all the maintenance for the units regardless of where they're working on the network, kirkdale is mostly a stabling depot.
I thought it was the other way round. I thought Kirkdale was the main depot with North used for light maintenance.
(26/03/2020 20:14)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]I thought it was the other way round. I thought Kirkdale was the main depot with North used for light maintenance.
Birkenhead North looks after the 507/8 with only stabling and wheel lathe work done at kirkdale.
It all changes with the 777 units with stabling of wirral units at birkenhead north , but all maintainence done at Kirkdale.
I would suspect that more 507/8 units would be required now to stay on that little bit longer as units being built will be slowed down severely now by the coronavirus outbreak on the continent.
The end game will probably be a lot later now.
Sunday timetables on the Wirral Line will change this Sunday (29th March). Details as follows
Chester line: every 30 mins to Liverpool calling at all stations
Ellesmere Port line: hourly shuttle will operate between Ellesmere Port and Hooton.
West Kirby and New Brighton lines: services on both lines reduced to one train every 45 mins
No further changes to Monday-Saturday timetable at present and Northern Line is unaffected at the moment