Best and worst driver depots

bionic · 6 Mar 2019

Stemming from a conversation I had recently, I'd be interested to know which depots people consider the best and worst to work at.

I'm not just talking about pay and conditions here, I'm talking about the whole picture... camaraderie, morale, socialising, people helping each other out, union organisation, shift pattern, extremities of shifts, facilities, quality of management, quality of work content, turnover of staff and so on.

I would suggest that the worst depot is probably somewhere in the suburban London DOO area.

I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on this. And also what you consider the qualities of a "good" and "bad" depot.

RailUK Forums

Llama · 6 Mar 2019

Virgin WC Preston probably has to be one of the best depots, from an outsider's point of view!

As far as the worst depots go, there are places I visit where I consider myself glad I don't work there but I would be surprised if they were thought to be amongst the worst in the country taking everything into account. And I am too aware of all the problems at my own depot to give an opinion, it's certainly far from perfect!

RBSN · 6 Mar 2019

Leeds, Kings Cross and Preston are good.

Manchester Victoria isn’t the best at the moment.

irish_rail · 6 Mar 2019

Plymouth and Exeter high speed are very good both sign all of Penzance to London and people help each other out plus generally fairly laid back management. Good terms and conditions and pay is up there with the best ones now too.

slidingdoors · 6 Mar 2019

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but as an outsider - why does this matter? Is much time spent at depots? Do you not just arrive, jump in a train and go out to work? I appreciate some of the points mentioned above but they sound more company than depot specific.

irish_rail · 6 Mar 2019

slidingdoors said:
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but as an outsider - why does this matter? Is much time spent at depots? Do you not just arrive, jump in a train and go out to work? I appreciate some of the points mentioned above but they sound more company than depot specific.

I don't think the post refers to the actual depot building, more to what is it like to be a driver based at that location .

WCMLaddict · 6 Mar 2019

RBSN said:
Manchester Victoria isn’t the best at the moment.

Unfortunately current Northern management is bent on destroying this brilliant depot...

Llama · 6 Mar 2019

They have been trying that for a decade now and have given it their best attempt but management turnover has gone through the roof.

WCMLaddict · 6 Mar 2019

But before it wasn't about destroying it, only lowering down company's dependence and curbing militancy. Now it's a war.
Just my opinion.

8J · 6 Mar 2019

You only have to look at some of the people recently becoming drivers and guards at these depots in question to know that management have an agenda to break the depots up.

BTU · 13 Mar 2019

8J said:
You only have to look at some of the people recently becoming drivers and guards at these depots in question to know that management have an agenda to break the depots up.

To true we have the same issue they just employ a load of yes men straight out of school, these people are employed because the management want to run the show and have total control but how can you have any respect for a person who one day is managing a load of cleaners in a supermarket the next day they are telling you how to drive your train? or one day they are managing a chip shop then all of a sudden they are experts on all things train related.
These people are ruining the railway along with Chris Failing.

Best and worst driver depots

bionic

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RailUK Forums

Llama

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RBSN

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irish_rail

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slidingdoors

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irish_rail

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WCMLaddict

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Llama

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WCMLaddict

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8J

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BTU

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