ATW train conductor chester

[Sirennif]

Hello,
Would there be any chester based conductors on here that would be able to give me an idea of the shift pattern please? What is the earliest start and latest finish and how many days off etc.
Thanks

 

[craigybagel]

Not Chester based but I'm at a nearby depot. 4 day week, with a 5 day weekend every 3 weeks. Rostered 1 Sunday in 3 as overtime, but if you can find someone else to do it you don't have to do it yourself.

As far as I'm aware their earliest start is around 0330, last finish somewhere after 1am
1am. Don't think they've got any nights any more.

 

[Sirennif]

Thanks, that's a big help, do you know how often you have to do the 03.30 starts?
How many hours a week is the contract?

 

[craigybagel]

Thanks, that's a big help, do you know how often you have to do the 03.30 starts?
How many hours a week is the contract?

35 hour week. Some weeks you'll do more,some less, but it will average out across the length of your roster. As I said before you're also rostered 1 in 3 Sundays and if you can't find someone else to do it then it ends up being compulsory overtime.

I think it's a 52 week roster so any particular job you're going to get rostered to 6 times in 52 weeks (one for each day of the week). They'll probably have a few jobs that start between 4 and 6, that's pretty normal for any guards depot and its something you have to learn to live with. My depot has its earliest start at 0253, and 6 jobs in total (out of about 16) that start before 6am.

I don't think we have any Chester guards on here but we do have one or more Chester drivers who might be able to confirm the actual figures better.
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Have you actually got a job or are you inquiring for the future? They've only just don't a recruitment for Chester.

 

[TDK]

Thanks, that's a big help, do you know how often you have to do the 03.30 starts?
How many hours a week is the contract?

Chester has a lot of starts before 5am with a few before 4am, you could end up with quite a few as you can get these early shifts off spare, the contract is a 35 hour week averaged out in a link of about 80 I think so some weeks can be well over 45 hours and some under 30 hours however the average will be 35 over the link period.

The rest day pattern is the usual 4 day week pattern where one week you get Mon/Tue off, the next week Wed/Thu off and the 3rd week Fri/Sat off with a guaranteed Sunday so every 3 weeks you get a long weekend from Fri/Wed.

Sundays are committed and this means if you have a rostered Sunday you work it unless you can get someone to cover it for you, you do get what is called a golden ticket that entitles you to one guaranteed Sunday off a year.

Chester is a good depot to work at with a good variety of routes but it isn't the depot for the feint hearted both for drivers and guards.

 

[66737]

Chester has a lot of starts before 5am with a few before 4am, you could end up with quite a few as you can get these early shifts off spare, the contract is a 35 hour week averaged out in a link of about 80 I think so some weeks can be well over 45 hours and some under 30 hours however the average will be 35 over the link period.

The rest day pattern is the usual 4 day week pattern where one week you get Mon/Tue off, the next week Wed/Thu off and the 3rd week Fri/Sat off with a guaranteed Sunday so every 3 weeks you get a long weekend from Fri/Wed.

Sundays are committed and this means if you have a rostered Sunday you work it unless you can get someone to cover it for you, you do get what is called a golden ticket that entitles you to one guaranteed Sunday off a year.

Chester is a good depot to work at with a good variety of routes but it isn't the depot for the feint hearted both for drivers and guards.

What do you mean by its not for the feint hearted?

 

[185]

Don't mention the fruit machine

 

[TDK]

What do you mean by its not for the feint hearted?

The shifts are quite intense with many early starts and late finishes

 

[craigybagel]

The shifts are quite intense with many early starts and late finishes

According to those who work there at least. Others depots may beg to differ!

That said,the nature of their work is pretty challenging. North Wales coast and Wrexham-Bidston have a lot of social issues.

In common with most other ATW depots, Chester also has to worry about multiple request stops and/or short platforms so the work can be pretty challenging compared to some other companies.

 

[TDK]

According to those who work there at least. Others depots may beg to differ!

That said,the nature of their work is pretty challenging. North Wales coast and Wrexham-Bidston have a lot of social issues.

In common with most other ATW depots, Chester also has to worry about multiple request stops and/or short platforms so the work can be pretty challenging compared to some other companies.

Other depots will always beg to differ - look at the roster, the length of the spare turns, the amount of starts before 5am and then compare it to any other north depot and it is clear that at Chester the work is more challenging, it is more so for the driving grade to be fair. However in comparison Chester do have more breaks from working trains than some other depots.

 

[craigybagel]

Other depots will always beg to differ - look at the roster, the length of the spare turns, the amount of starts before 5am and then compare it to any other north depot and it is clear that at Chester the work is more challenging, it is more so for the driving grade to be fair. However in comparison Chester do have more breaks from working trains than some other depots.

From what I've seen of the drivers diagrams I'd definitely agree with you for their grade. Chesters night turns for drivers are the stuff of legend, along with the triple Bidstons. Though as you say you do get better breaks. But for guards I'd happily take Chester's hours over ours any day (not to mention their comission!) and I'm sure the depot on the third side of the triangle would say the same as well. Route wise they work more challenging routes than we do, but their hours and breaks are far better, despite what some of them may say. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Bottom line is being a guard at ATW, at any depot, is a pretty fantastic job.

 

[TDK]

From what I've seen of the drivers diagrams I'd definitely agree with you for their grade. Chesters night turns for drivers are the stuff of legend, along with the triple Bidstons. Though as you say you do get better breaks. But for guards I'd happily take Chester's hours over ours any day (not to mention their comission!) and I'm sure the depot on the third side of the triangle would say the same as well. Route wise they work more challenging routes than we do, but their hours and breaks are far better, despite what some of them may say. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Bottom line is being a guard at ATW, at any depot, is a pretty fantastic job.

Of course, you probably know me, in the driving grade However I listen to the whining on a daily basis LOL. It is normality for one depot to say their work is more challenging however I do feel that Chester have a lot more early starts than any ATW depot except for Cardiff I have worked for many companies and have no complaints about any of them, they always look after their staff, listen to any suggestions and also pay up on time

 

[red2005]

Of course, you probably know me, in the driving grade However I listen to the whining on a daily basis LOL. It is normality for one depot to say their work is more challenging however I do feel that Chester have a lot more early starts than any ATW depot except for Cardiff I have worked for many companies and have no complaints about any of them, they always look after their staff, listen to any suggestions and also pay up on time

last time your link saw an early start was when the bin men made too much noise outside their house in the morning!!!! lol

 

[craigybagel]

Of course, you probably know me, in the driving grade

One day I'll work out which one you are!

However I listen to the whining on a daily basis LOL. It is normality for one depot to say their work is more challenging however I do feel that Chester have a lot more early starts than any ATW depot except for Cardiff

I always laugh at the whining in every newsroom, especially in depots that have a reputation for being a holiday camp! Can't speak authoritively for drivers, but I think most who take the time to be balanced about it would accept my own depot is worst for conductors hours, but we have other advantages that make up for it.

I have worked for many companies and have no complaints about any of them, they always look after their staff, listen to any suggestions and also pay up on time

Agreed. And the nice thing for the OP here, or anyone else joining, is that if they like the job but don't like Chester depot, as we were discussing on another thread recently they can always transfer! 3 other depots within an hours drive after all.
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last time your link saw an early start was when the bin men made too much noise outside their house in the morning!!!! lol

An, is TDK in the old man link? That might explain why I haven't identified him yet. And why he's very happy sounding for a Chester man

 

[TDK]

One day I'll work out which one you are!



I always laugh at the whining in every newsroom, especially in depots that have a reputation for being a holiday camp! Can't speak authoritively for drivers, but I think most who take the time to be balanced about it would accept my own depot is worst for conductors hours, but we have other advantages that make up for it.



Agreed. And the nice thing for the OP here, or anyone else joining, is that if they like the job but don't like Chester depot, as we were discussing on another thread recently they can always transfer! 3 other depots within an hours drive after all.
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An, is TDK in the old man link? That might explain why I haven't identified him yet. And why he's very happy sounding for a Chester man

I am in the working link not the old man link, was in the starter link with 15 years experience for 18 months as I have told you previously Red you can have all my early shifts when you move up, bin men? They are all at home by the time I start it's called progression I think

 

[craigybagel]

I am in the working link not the old man link, was in the starter link with 15 years experience for 18 months as I have told you previously Red you can have all my early shifts when you move up, bin men? They are all at home by the time I start it's called progression I think

You in the Stafford link now? Almost certainly know you if so....

And I thought all the early shifts already were in the starter link

 

[red2005]

I am in the working link not the old man link, was in the starter link with 15 years experience for 18 months as I have told you previously Red you can have all my early shifts when you move up, bin men? They are all at home by the time I start it's called progression I think

Hey u be careful I will take u up on that and leave you to all the loons who come out after dark lol!!!!
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One day I'll work out which one you are!



I always laugh at the whining in every newsroom, especially in depots that have a reputation for being a holiday camp! Can't speak authoritively for drivers, but I think most who take the time to be balanced about it would accept my own depot is worst for conductors hours, but we have other advantages that make up for it.



Agreed. And the nice thing for the OP here, or anyone else joining, is that if they like the job but don't like Chester depot, as we were discussing on another thread recently they can always transfer! 3 other depots within an hours drive after all.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


An, is TDK in the old man link? That might explain why I haven't identified him yet. And why he's very happy sounding for a Chester man

Yeah he's in the Zimmer frame link lol!! Ahhhh chester guys are tip top! Loads of happy drivers there