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Sort of. The classroom training part of the course is the same for mainline and valleys, and you may find guards for both on the same course. It's what comes after that takes longer. You go back to your depot afterwards to learn the routes and traction that is specific to it. Obviously the...

The issue with the 769s was that the cab was a serious downgrade from what the Reading drivers were used to on Turbos and 387s. Why would anyone happily agree to making their work place worse? That isn't likely to happen here: a 175 cab is a very comfortable place to be, and a big improvement...

Their use on Blaneau and Crewe - Chester was only ever meant to be temporary. It was always the plan that once the 197s arrived the 230s on those routes would be cascaded to join the others on Bidstons and the service would go from hourly to half hourly. In the end that phase was skipped for...

Indeed. As far as things the casual passenger will see, they're still holding up ok. But mechanically they're knackered.

Just to add (as it varies between TOCs) you'll be on the trainee rate until you get your golden handshake and drive a train solo. You are then on the post qualified rate for 2 years from that date, before you finally go up to the full 100%.

On the Valleys, yes. Most of the improvements planned for the rest of the network have been postponed however.

Thanks, duly updated Must be wishful thinking! ;)

This is the drivers thread. You can find guards info here , although I'm not sure how up to date it is

Can still drive with the window open - you just need to remember to close it again before you try opening the door Those are very conservative times. 18 minutes is easily achievable, but there are many variables like platforms and running brake tests, and lately the biggest variable of all...

It will presumably need to be whichever 22000s are fitted with TPWS & AWS. They will employ more. Even if they ran DOO south of Dundalk (which is of limited use anyway when the 5 original guards are all Dublin based) there is no way they have enough to triple the amount of diagrams they need to...

The biggest issue is overcoming the parking brake. It's automatic, the driver has no control over it - you just apply power and the unit works it out itself when there's enough power to avoid rolling back and it releases the brakes. It's pretty instant when all 3 engines are running, but if one...

Assuming you're talking about the 1630 Manchester - Swansea; that service is indeed worked by the same driver from Shrewsbury to Swansea, but it's a Cardiff driver.

Am I right in thinking (based off info supplied for the driver route knowledge thread) that it's not just Belfast and Dublin crews involved, but for drivers at least also Portadown and Dundalk? Curious as to how that is worked out.... With regards to the concerns about guards - an hourly...

I use the same braking points for 75mph in a 150/153 as from 90 in a 175/197. There's a lot to be said for disk brakes/engine brakes over brake blocks! 67, 68 and 88 are all exempt - as far as I know they're the only ones. 197s acceleration at a low speed is fantastic, but that tails off as...

To be fair, even a 3 car 175 would keep to time on 2 engines - just about, if you thrashed it. A 3 car 197 will keep to time on 2 engines quite easily - except for as Western52 says, they are more liable to slip. 197s are already quite light on their feet and can be a handful in slippy season -...

I was referring to the stops that TfW call at to make it simple. The exact start and stop points of the 110 make little difference anyway - northbound 110 isn't normally achieved until beyond Holmes Chapel, and southbound from a Wilmslow call it's usually between Chelford loop and Joddrell Bank...

Still the original EBAC system, which is still as unreliable as ever. It's nothing new. They're due for imminent replacement. If they do have a future long term career (and I'm not entirely convinced they do, they're pretty knackered), it's not at TfW.

I was thinking that despite the fact TfW can and do run via Styal, they probably won't for pre planned work like this. That said, there has been a big push lately to get their crews up to date with Crewe - Manchester via Warrington, knowledge of which lapsed for most drivers during COVID....

The brakes on a 197 are phenomenal. Never known anything like it. Had a lot of fun on training runs leaving the braking for stations ridiculously late and didn't come close to missing anything. 67s - not so much. To be fair, the brakes themselves are pretty strong - there's a reason they're...

110mph is the limit. Individually both the locos and stock are designed for higher speeds, but in this particular formation together the limit is 110. It's a moot point as there is nowhere on the TfW network with a higher linespeed anyway. The speed can only be achieved between Wilmslow and...