Emergency rail replacements

[sharksmith]

I'm curious to know how emergency rail replacement work is arranged.

For instance with today's overhead line damage between Leeds & Shipley. I assume someone has a look at the problem and decides it's going to be a problem for a few hours over rush hour. What happens next...?

Surely it can't be just ringing coach companies to ask if they can provide X amount of coaches? I would think that would take too long to arrange with firms having to locate drivers and get them back to the depot before confirming what they can provide.

Does it work more like late night pharmacies with companies on standby on a rota system. So for example, today on the Airedale Line it's Ross Coaches, but tomorrow it would be Tetleys and the next day J&B etc. I assume that way at least a company can have drivers and vehicles on standby?

Anyone know how it actually works?

[kendall17]

Nope, because having a rota would mean they're paid for being on standby.

It's a case of phoning round, you know who your regular companies are and how likely they are to provide the cover you need.

Same with airport diversions.

[sharksmith]

May 18, 2021 21:31:12 GMT 1 kendall17 said:

Nope, because having a rota would mean they're paid for being on standby.

It's a case of phoning round, you know who your regular companies are and how likely they are to provide the cover you need.

Same with airport diversions.

Thanks for the confirmation, it must be a long job, I remember duty managers running around drivers trying to get them to do overtime when they were right there in the bus station, never mind trying to coax drivers back from home.

I can just imagine them getting a good way down the list of companies before they have success, having to wait for callbacks, I assume they approach a few companies at once rather than waiting for a reply before moving onto the next one.

Surely a rota with a small retainer and only full payment if needed would be a more efficient way of covering this work.

[kendall17]

May 18, 2021 21:42:03 GMT 1 sharksmith said:

May 18, 2021 21:31:12 GMT 1 kendall17 said:

Nope, because having a rota would mean they're paid for being on standby.

It's a case of phoning round, you know who your regular companies are and how likely they are to provide the cover you need.

Same with airport diversions.

Thanks for the confirmation, it must be a long job, I remember duty managers running around drivers trying to get them to do overtime when they were right there in the bus station, never mind trying to coax drivers back from home.

I can just imagine them getting a good way down the list of companies before they have success, having to wait for callbacks, I assume they approach a few companies at once rather than waiting for a reply before moving onto the next one.

Surely a rota with a small retainer and only full payment if needed would be a more efficient way of covering this work.

Small retainer, is going to be high as you'll factor in a driver on standby, vehicle out of use for the day. Even at 50%, you're looking at £500.

If an issue arises during the day, you'll get a lot of success as drivers and vehicles are readily available. School times can be a struggle however.

Like I say, there will be companies like J&B that are reliable and will be near the top of the list. It's partly why TOCs use external companies to arrange

[adam]

Northern phone a company who have an approved list of bus and coach companies who they call and they confirm how many they can provide and at what time and locations