BrokenSam
Member
Looking for qualified drivers at the future depot a Holyhead.
If you want a quieter pace it may suit you.
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Avanti Holyhead qualified drivers
- Thread starter BrokenSam
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Looking for qualified drivers at the future depot a Holyhead.
If you want a quieter pace it may suit you.
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Trogladyte
Member
- Joined
- 2 Feb 2020
- Messages
- 69
When they say pass their probation does this mean someone who is no longer a PQA driver?
Westcoast221
Member
Interesting (and exciting) to see that Avanti are going ahead with opening the small driver depot at Holyhead. Be interesting to see what the core routes will be.
BrokenSam
Member
Would they be able to sign all the way to Euston with the Guards already stationed there? Unsure of the ins and outs of being in the chair
I believe it’s Holyhead to crewe
BrokenSam
Member
That'll be decent
class ep-09
Member
- Joined
- 5 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 558
Just wanted to ask , considering that Birmingham Curzon Street will be quite central location for West Coast / HS2 , is there any prospect for a drivers depot to open at that location ?
BrokenSam
Member
I've heard they are opening a depot in Crewe in 2022. Not sure on others
Tom Quinne
On Moderation
- Joined
- 8 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 2,225
I would of thought the HS2 depot would be separate to the domestic depot like South Eastern in HS1.
Surely Holyhead Avanti drivers won’t just go from Holyhead to Crewe and back. Its only takes 2hrs to get there so even with a 1hr MRB that’s a 5hr day!
Like a previous post has said Avanti will utilise the Holyhead drivers for the first and last trains not very appealing.
I personally don’t think there is a lot of incentive for TFW drivers in Holyhead/Llandudno Junction to jump ship. Currently salary at TFW is approx £52k with booked Sundays adding another £4k and then overtime on top, your not far from £60k.
TFW terms and conditions I think would be better than Avanti’s as well with not being messed around with spare shifts etc..
TFW also get to drive a variety of stock including the 67’s and have route knowledge of the Conwy Valley and also get to go to drive to Manchester Airport as well as Crewe.
But I think the biggest thing that would have to be considered is.. how long Avanti will keep a depot in Holyhead. They might after 6 months or so think that’s it’s not cost effective or productive enough and then close it down. What would happen to the drivers then? They would have to move to other Avanti depots and I think the closest then would be Liverpool. If you lived on Anglesey or the surrounding area that’s one big commute! A big risk to take for not much reward in my opinion!
But I guess driving around in nice brand new Hitatchi 805/807 might have its appeal!
OH hang on, aren’t TFW also getting brand new trains!!
Like a previous post has said Avanti will utilise the Holyhead drivers for the first and last trains not very appealing.
I personally don’t think there is a lot of incentive for TFW drivers in Holyhead/Llandudno Junction to jump ship. Currently salary at TFW is approx £52k with booked Sundays adding another £4k and then overtime on top, your not far from £60k.
TFW terms and conditions I think would be better than Avanti’s as well with not being messed around with spare shifts etc..
TFW also get to drive a variety of stock including the 67’s and have route knowledge of the Conwy Valley and also get to go to drive to Manchester Airport as well as Crewe.
But I think the biggest thing that would have to be considered is.. how long Avanti will keep a depot in Holyhead. They might after 6 months or so think that’s it’s not cost effective or productive enough and then close it down. What would happen to the drivers then? They would have to move to other Avanti depots and I think the closest then would be Liverpool. If you lived on Anglesey or the surrounding area that’s one big commute! A big risk to take for not much reward in my opinion!
But I guess driving around in nice brand new Hitatchi 805/807 might have its appeal!
OH hang on, aren’t TFW also getting brand new trains!!
irish_rail
On Moderation
I wouldnt be surprised if TFWs new trains are what pushes many TFW drivers into applying for Avanti. Driving an 80x for Avanti or driving a new 197 with virtually no view thanks to the enormous great big door in the middle of the driving cab. 175s may be good , but i can't see many TFW drivers seeing 197s as particularly appealing!!!Surely Holyhead Avanti drivers won’t just go from Holyhead to Crewe and back. Its only takes 2hrs to get there so even with a 1hr MRB that’s a 5hr day!
Like a previous post has said Avanti will utilise the Holyhead drivers for the first and last trains not very appealing.
I personally don’t think there is a lot of incentive for TFW drivers in Holyhead/Llandudno Junction to jump ship. Currently salary at TFW is approx £52k with booked Sundays adding another £4k and then overtime on top, your not far from £60k.
TFW terms and conditions I think would be better than Avanti’s as well with not being messed around with spare shifts etc..
TFW also get to drive a variety of stock including the 67’s and have route knowledge of the Conwy Valley and also get to go to drive to Manchester Airport as well as Crewe.
But I think the biggest thing that would have to be considered is.. how long Avanti will keep a depot in Holyhead. They might after 6 months or so think that’s it’s not cost effective or productive enough and then close it down. What would happen to the drivers then? They would have to move to other Avanti depots and I think the closest then would be Liverpool. If you lived on Anglesey or the surrounding area that’s one big commute! A big risk to take for not much reward in my opinion!
But I guess driving around in nice brand new Hitatchi 805/807 might have its appeal!
OH hang on, aren’t TFW also getting brand new trains!!
I think there will be a huge demand for these jobs, good luck to those that apply.
Cheshire Scot
Established Member
They might do one or two Crewe - Chester round trips before going back to Holyhead depending on how the timetable balances. If they go to Euston they would need to learn and more critically retain, diversionary routes.
dk1
Veteran Member
Will be interesting to see but isn't the likelihood they will only sign to Crewe & possibly Barton-under-Needwood/Birmingham or wherever new IEP depots are likely to be? I would have thought Euston would be pushing the limits for drivers being in the chair especially if the Trent V alley is closed for any reason. There is the possibility of PNBs at Chester then continuing but that will really push the length of the turn & the Avanti services west of there are very limited. I expect there's going to be a lot of travelling pass to/from Holyhead in the diagrams unless the North Wales service is increased with the new fleet.
LSWR Cavalier
Established Member
Maybe Holyhead drivers would have to be taxied to Liverpool, Crewe, Shrewsbury in the interests of flexibility %(
BrokenSam
Member
Theres a duty to Wrexham General they could sign. Also heard from one of there TMs that they are going to Llandudno at some point. Admittedly a small change but a bit more to sign nevertheless.
craigybagel
Established Member
- Joined
- 25 Oct 2012
- Messages
- 5,304
Avanti/Virgin have been taxiing crews to and from Holyhead for nearly 20 years (since the introduction of Voyagers I believe). You can rest assured they're very aware of what the costs of doing so are. Presumably they also know how much it costs to run a depot and already know what kind of diagrams the drivers will work and how productive they will be.Surely Holyhead Avanti drivers won’t just go from Holyhead to Crewe and back. Its only takes 2hrs to get there so even with a 1hr MRB that’s a 5hr day!
Like a previous post has said Avanti will utilise the Holyhead drivers for the first and last trains not very appealing.
I personally don’t think there is a lot of incentive for TFW drivers in Holyhead/Llandudno Junction to jump ship. Currently salary at TFW is approx £52k with booked Sundays adding another £4k and then overtime on top, your not far from £60k.
TFW terms and conditions I think would be better than Avanti’s as well with not being messed around with spare shifts etc..
TFW also get to drive a variety of stock including the 67’s and have route knowledge of the Conwy Valley and also get to go to drive to Manchester Airport as well as Crewe.
But I think the biggest thing that would have to be considered is.. how long Avanti will keep a depot in Holyhead. They might after 6 months or so think that’s it’s not cost effective or productive enough and then close it down. What would happen to the drivers then? They would have to move to other Avanti depots and I think the closest then would be Liverpool. If you lived on Anglesey or the surrounding area that’s one big commute! A big risk to take for not much reward in my opinion!
But I guess driving around in nice brand new Hitatchi 805/807 might have its appeal!
OH hang on, aren’t TFW also getting brand new trains!!
They're not stupid enough to throw away that kind of money blindly. Barring any kind of world changing crisis the chances of them opening a depot and then closing it 6 months later seem tiny.
As unproductive as it seems having a drivers day consist only of Holyhead to Crewe and back, it's still cheaper then a taxi from Manchester to Holyhead, drive from Holyhead to Crewe and pass home which is the kind of work they have at the moment!
There are plenty of reasons why TfW drivers may not want to jump ship, but I doubt job security is one of them.
Although nothing has been confirmed, I would suspect the Wrexham trip will either stay where it is (with Liverpool traincrew) or go to the new Crewe depot. IIRC the unit comes empty to and from LNWR Crewe anyway, and those depots are closer to Wrexham than Holyhead. Bear in mind there already is a TM depot at Holyhead but it's still Liverpool TMs who work to Wrexham (or at least they were the last I heard).
Plus the Wrexham service is due to be extended to Gobowen anyway.
Bradley_246
Member
Sorry if I’m posting in the wrong forum (first time posting on this site) but I wonder if anyone is aware of how the talent bank system works with Avanti. I’ve passed all the assessments and have secured a place as a train manager based at Holyhead, I’m now just waiting for a role to hopefully come up. Has anyone had experience of being in their talent bank and know what the chances of a role coming up within 12 months are??
also noticed that they could be pushing back the new driver depot in Holyhead - does anyone know how long they’re pushing it back?
Thanks in advance!
also noticed that they could be pushing back the new driver depot in Holyhead - does anyone know how long they’re pushing it back?
Thanks in advance!
BrokenSam
Member
I'm in the same bank mate. Have no idea how it goes but good luck. Spoke to Karen and she said she is hoping to hear on developments soon. Not heard anything on the drivers being pushed back though...
All depends on Llandudno is what I've been told by other TMs
Bradley_246
Member
Ahh really! Good luck to you too. Yes I spoke to Karen today she said she expects an update later this week. Have you got any idea how many are in the bank?
BrokenSam
Member
Think it might be 3 but dont quote me on that. I said no to part time so one position will be for that I expect as someone is retiring who is part time. All the info I have at the moment
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