Avanti Qualified Drivers - Euston, Wolves and Liverpool (06/03/2024)

[Bolero]

Interesting, those “terms” seem like a Dft’s dream. Does anyone know if the other ex Virgin TOCs such as XC/LNER have the same appalling terms, I think spare moment is the same but unsure about that floating spare week nonsense.

I'm also very curious to know how it compares to the likes of LNER or XC, if anyone can shed some light?

 

[dctraindriver]

I know someone who works there.

Yes it is an average four day week. Here's one of the links at Euston from a while ago, so will give a feel for it. There's four links there apparently, so quite a large depot. At Euston some weeks are 4 days and some 5, so the week of carried over rest days from the 5 day weeks give a week of rest days about every six to seven weeks.

I understand that other depots (apart from Polmadie mentioned above) are all 5 day weeks with a week of rest days every fifth week.

Yellow is 'weekly spare'. Can be given any other week to cover and get given the rest day* for that week - so the rest day on weekly spare is effectively meaningless as it will be moved.
*If you get given a four day week off weekly spare, you decide which rest day you are keeping and which day you'll be working 'daily spare' (presumably with a datum time of a surrounding day - with unlimited movement), as all the weekly spare weeks are five day weeks.

Blue is 'daily spare'. Unlimited movement, but can't finish later than 11 hours after datum time as mentioned in another post above.

Green is 'route refresh' or 'safety brief'.

Red is 'Bi-Di brief.


Rest days worked have a booking on allowance, I think it's £75 but I'm not 100% on that + flat rate hours worked.

Bank Holidays are treated as normal working days.

I think Sundays are flat rate, but can't remember if there was a booking on allowance similar to rest days worked or not.


There is an agreement that they can't do 'double trips' - so Birmingham and back twice can't be done. They either do an out and back; or go to Birmingham, pass to Preston, Preston to London in a sort of triangle.

The garbage terms and conditions, with a huge amount of being messed about with days off changed and massive movement of times at less than a week's notice, are what the rest of us are fighting not to have forced on us, but they have already been in from Virgin days.

Everything that's been sold, is an aspiration to 'get in' for other TOCs with less desirable work.

Thanks for the detail and roster. Think I’ll pass.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Anyone got a copy of the Liverpool roster?

 

[Efini92]

Thanks for the detail. I know a couple who’ve moved over and seem to be making it work. Also a couple who’ve moved back! I think for me these Ts and Cs, specifically the spare movement/lack of predictability and five day week, make it a non starter sadly.

I think I’m right in saying the “five day week” is still an average four day week once the week of rest days is taken into account?

Yeah it is essentially a 4 day week but an extra day is worked each week to give the week of rest days on week 5.

I'm also very curious to know how it compares to the likes of LNER or XC, if anyone can shed some light?

XC is more or less identical but they don’t have the no double tripping.

Is there a booking on payment for nights? I heard there is, but couldn't verify the source.

Also, if its BH, if youre rostered to work do you get a lieu day, enhanced BH payment rate? Both?
And if RD on a BH, im guessing you must get a Lieu day right?

As for Sunday working, its flat rate right? But whats the minimum payout (if one exists)? Is it 7 hours minimum? 6 hours minimum?
Would be pretty harsh coming in for a 5 hour Sunday turn.

Yeah i think it’s £20. I’ll dig out a payslip later and confirm it.
Bank holidays are just a normal day, same as most tocs I think. Certainly all the ones I’ve worked for. The floating days account for the bank holidays.
Sunday is normal rate and minimum 7 hours. Pretty poor compared to most other places these days.

Thanks for the detail and roster. Think I’ll pass.

I can’t speak for Euston depot, but it is rare to be messed about on spare days. I’d like to see the weekly spare go. But sometimes you do pick up a week with a Saturday rest day.
The rest day booking on payment was £125. But I believe the new deal won’t have this.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Yeah it is essentially a 4 day week but an extra day is worked each week to give the week of rest days on week 5.


XC is more or less identical but they don’t have the no double tripping.


Yeah i think it’s £20. I’ll dig out a payslip later and confirm it.
Bank holidays are just a normal day, same as most tocs I think. Certainly all the ones I’ve worked for. The floating days account for the bank holidays.
Sunday is normal rate and minimum 7 hours. Pretty poor compared to most other places these days.


I can’t speak for Euston depot, but it is rare to be messed about on spare days. I’d like to see the weekly spare go. But sometimes you do pick up a week with a Saturday rest day.
The rest day booking on payment was £125. But I believe the new deal won’t have this.

What depot you at mate?

 

[Efini92]

What depot you at mate?

Preston

 

[Jquarterz]

Just out of curiosity does anyone know what the overtime is like with avanti in general and particularly euston?

 

[PlexiDriver]

Does anyone have a schedule card or can tell me what it's like on a day to day? Like it seems a long day for one trip to Wolverhampton and back for newbies!

 

[DeparturesBeck]

Just out of curiosity does anyone know what the overtime is like with avanti in general and particularly euston?

There has been no rest day work agreement for several months.

 

[Horizon22]

Does anyone have a schedule card or can tell me what it's like on a day to day? Like it seems a long day for one trip to Wolverhampton and back for newbies!

2:15h there, break (possibly) and 2:15h back? That's maybe 5-6 hours in total, so not really.

Many TOCs run 3-4h journeys, break at destination and then back and that's a full job.

 

[Efini92]

Does anyone have a schedule card or can tell me what it's like on a day to day? Like it seems a long day for one trip to Wolverhampton and back for newbies!

They’ll carry on road learning after learning to wolves.

 

[PlexiDriver]

2:15h there, break (possibly) and 2:15h back? That's maybe 5-6 hours in total, so not really.

Many TOCs run 3-4h journeys, break at destination and then back and that's a full job.

Sorry that's what I meant it seems like there isn't much to the day when you consider the hours on the roster posted above!

 

[Jack67]

Hi. Does anyone know what times the taxi agreement cover at Euston?
Thanks

 

[Train_manager]

I know someone who works there.

Yes it is an average four day week. Here's one of the links at Euston from a while ago, so will give a feel for it. There's four links there apparently, so quite a large depot. At Euston some weeks are 4 days and some 5, so the week of carried over rest days from the 5 day weeks give a week of rest days about every six to seven weeks.

I understand that other depots (apart from Polmadie mentioned above) are all 5 day weeks with a week of rest days every fifth week.

Yellow is 'weekly spare'. Can be given any other week to cover and get given the rest day* for that week - so the rest day on weekly spare is effectively meaningless as it will be moved.
*If you get given a four day week off weekly spare, you decide which rest day you are keeping and which day you'll be working 'daily spare' (presumably with a datum time of a surrounding day - with unlimited movement), as all the weekly spare weeks are five day weeks.

Blue is 'daily spare'. Unlimited movement, but can't finish later than 11 hours after datum time as mentioned in another post above.

Green is 'route refresh' or 'safety brief'.

Red is 'Bi-Di brief.


Rest days worked have a booking on allowance, I think it's £75 but I'm not 100% on that + flat rate hours worked.

Bank Holidays are treated as normal working days.

I think Sundays are flat rate, but can't remember if there was a booking on allowance similar to rest days worked or not.


There is an agreement that they can't do 'double trips' - so Birmingham and back twice can't be done. They either do an out and back; or go to Birmingham, pass to Preston, Preston to London in a sort of triangle.

The garbage terms and conditions, with a huge amount of being messed about with days off changed and massive movement of times at less than a week's notice, are what the rest of us are fighting not to have forced on us, but they have already been in from Virgin days.

Everything that's been sold, is an aspiration to 'get in' for other TOCs with less desirable work.

So if I've read it right you have 9 weeks of AR aka weekly spare in a 19 week link? So almost half?

 

[Efini92]

So if I've read it right you have 9 weeks of AR aka weekly spare in a 19 week link? So almost half?

That seems excessive. We have 6 in 45 weeks link.

 

[Ses16]

Just out of curiosity does anyone know what the overtime is like with avanti in general and particularly euston?

Not even started yet and is already going after the overtime

 

[Jquarterz]

Not even started yet and is already going after the overtime

Haha don't want to tred on anyone's toes but I do love me abit of overtime!

 

[Harvinder]

Why is there no work agreement for rest day working? Forgive my ignorance. So overtime is not possible?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Why is there no work agreement for rest day working? Forgive my ignorance. So overtime is not possible?

Ongoing dispute

 

[Harvinder]

Thanks and I hope they come to a successful conclusion!

 

[Train_manager]

So if I've read it right you have 9 weeks of AR aka weekly spare in a 19 week link? So almost half?

Can anyone confirm if I'm right? Or have I read it wrong?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Can anyone confirm if I'm right? Or have I read it wrong?

9 in 39 lines of work

 

[Train_manager]

9 in 39 lines of work

Yep. 39 lines. Lol. Still a lot tho.

 

[BrokenSam]

Yep. 39 lines. Lol. Still a lot tho.

I wouldn't say it's that bad.

 

[Bolero]

Anyone know anything about the Holyhead depot?
I see they only sign to Crewe, I'm guessing it's quite a small driver establishment?

 

[PlexiDriver]

Is it possible to set up permanent lates / earlies as a driver, either with another driver doing swaps or whatever?

 

[BrokenSam]

Anyone know anything about the Holyhead depot?
I see they only sign to Crewe, I'm guessing it's quite a small driver establishment?

15 odd drivers I think? Very chilled work from what I'm told. Good for fatigue but could get boring.

 

[DA1]

Emails starting to come out, unsuccessful for Euston. Thought I’d chance it but sure there will be plenty more opportunities.

 

[DriverOvtrains]

Got an email today saying that they want me to do a rules and competency interview.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea of the payscales if successful. How long it takes to get through rules and traction then route learning etc. Trying to get an idea how much of a pay cut I would be on and for how long. Ta

 

[baz962]

Got an email today saying that they want me to do a rules and competency interview.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea of the payscales if successful. How long it takes to get through rules and traction then route learning etc. Trying to get an idea how much of a pay cut I would be on and for how long. Ta

Which depot. Euston apparently go up the pay scales quicker than other depots. Apparently you can do RDW while route learning too.