Chester driver depot

[Infomaniac]

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of applying for a role as a driver at Chester depot and wondered if anyone could give any information on the depot itself. IE. size of depot, shift patterns, management etc. I've seen info on here to say that there is two main links and a starter, just wondered if that had changed? also that there are two nightshifts; depot driver and Holyhead service?
Thanks in advance.

 

[craigybagel]

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of applying for a role as a driver at Chester depot and wondered if anyone could give any information on the depot itself. IE. size of depot, shift patterns, management etc. I've seen info on here to say that there is two main links and a starter, just wondered if that had changed? also that there are two nightshifts; depot driver and Holyhead service?
Thanks in advance.

Links are still the same. Start off in the starter link, and then when a vacancy comes up in one of the main links and you're next in line, off you go. Lately it's been taking about a year or two for that to happen.
Shift pattern is the common 3 week pattern - So Rest Days are Monday and Tuesday on week one, Wednesday and Thursday on week two, and Friday and Saturday on week three, giving a 5 day weekend every 3 weeks. Sundays are outside the working week - you're rostered to about one in 3, which if you work you'll get paid overtime for. Otherwise you can find someone else to do it, or ask resources to find someone. If no-one else wants it then you have to do it - bar one Sunday a year you can block off using a "golden ticket".
Not seen the links lately especially given the current situation but last I checked first start was around 0330, latest finish after 0100, plus the aforementioned night job.
Routes are available here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/different-driver-depots-route-and-traction-cards.205085/
Lots of drivers coming up for retirement, plus extra services bring introduced as part of the new franchise over the next few years so it's an exciting time to join. Good luck!

 

[sw1ller]

The “night Holyhead” has been given back to the coast depots, so it’s no where near as bad now. I wouldn’t worry about shift patterns at this time though, basically, you will get very early starts, you will get very late finishes and you will do your fair share of the night shed once qualified.

 

[Infomaniac]

Thanks for the replies so far, I assume that qualified drivers go into the starter link as well until a space becomes available? Also, has Chester got a maintenance/fuelling depot for night shunts, or is it just re-platforming the units ready for the morning?
thanks again

 

[craigybagel]

Thanks for the replies so far, I assume that qualified drivers go into the starter link as well until a space becomes available? Also, has Chester got a maintenance/fuelling depot for night shunts, or is it just re-platforming the units ready for the morning?
thanks again

I'm not sure if there have been any qualified drivers who've transferred to Chester since the current link setup was established, but certainly in the past they all went in the starter link regardless of previous experience.

Chester has a maintenance depot adjacent to the station. It mostly handles 175s though other units can be fuelled there if necessary. A few sprinters normally stable in the station or in the adjacent yard overnight, but most of the Sprinters for the area spend the night at Arriva Traincare in Crewe who perform maintenance work on them as well as fuelling. There are various moves both empty stock and in public service at the beginning and end of each day moving 175s and sprinters in opposite directions between Chester and Crewe.

 

[Eccles1983]

Qualified drivers don't go into the starter (pqa) link.

 

[craigybagel]

Qualified drivers don't go into the starter (pqa) link.

Ah that's a nice change. LDC at Chester must be going soft. They even put an ex DTM in there in the past.

 

[jettofab]

Deleted.

 

[Infomaniac]

Thanks again for your input, it’s much appreciated

 

[Manda2194]

Hi guys. So all link means is a specific route you do right. What is the entry-level link from Chester depot out of interest?

 

[sw1ller]

Entry level link is the starter one, Chester to Holyhead and Llandudno, Chester to Crewe, Chester to Manchester picc, Chester to Shrewsbury and Wrexham to bidston.

 

[craigybagel]

Hi guys. So all link means is a specific route you do right. What is the entry-level link from Chester depot out of interest?

A link is a roster really. All the people in each link make up their own roster. Within that roster you will only work the routes sw1ller mentioned above. There are as many weeks in the roster as there are drivers in the link, and when you get to the bottom you roll back up to the top again.

 

[Manda2194]

Entry level link is the starter one, Chester to Holyhead and Llandudno, Chester to Crewe, Chester to Manchester picc, Chester to Shrewsbury and Wrexham to bidston.

okay so there’s multiple starter links then. I assumed all new drivers would start on one route. Perhaps the one seniors didn’t want with lots of stops. Is that not the case?

 

[craigybagel]

okay so there’s multiple starter links then. I assumed all new drivers would start on one route. Perhaps the one seniors didn’t want with lots of stops. Is that not the case?

At some depots new drivers only sign one route, but at Chester new drivers sign all those routes listed above (bear in mind that some of those routes aren't very long). Over the course of the time it takes to work through the roster, or "link", drivers will work over all of those routes at least once, probably more.

Once you go into the main links at Chester, you will add Chester - Liverpool and Shrewsbury - Birmingham, and in addition depending on which of the two main links you go into either Chester - Manchester via Northwich & Manchester Piccadilly - Manchester Airport OR Crewe - Shrewsbury & Crewe to Wolverhampton via Stafford.

Don't worry too much about it though, if you're successful it will all be made very clear to you as you go along.

 

[TeaTrain]

I agree with Craigy. As someone who not long passed the application process I also started researching all the things you asked at the beginning. While it helps to make a decision on whether to apply I think it's best to concentrate on the tests and interview process itself first. It's a long journey no matter the TOC and it is easy to be distracted with the excitement of possibly being a driver.

I was a HHD guard and both drivers, guards, managers and everyone else is very nice at Chester. Everyone is helpful and while some of the trains are quite old the views will make up for them lol.

Good luck and I hope you get through!

 

[Infomaniac]

I agree with Craigy. As someone who not long passed the application process I also started researching all the things you asked at the beginning. While it helps to make a decision on whether to apply I think it's best to concentrate on the tests and interview process itself first. It's a long journey no matter the TOC and it is easy to be distracted with the excitement of possibly being a driver.

I was a HHD guard and both drivers, guards, managers and everyone else is very nice at Chester. Everyone is helpful and while some of the trains are quite old the views will make up for them lol.

Good luck and I hope you get through!

Thanks for all the replies, I had an interview yesterday but it didn’t go as well as I’d have liked, it was more of a “Tell me a time when...” interview and I’d prepared for a more rules based interview.
Just gotta cross my fingers and hope.
It was for a qualified driver position to avoid any confusion for people waiting to hear back for the trainee jobs advertised.
Cheers all

 

[Octopus28]

Thanks for all the replies, I had an interview yesterday but it didn’t go as well as I’d have liked, it was more of a “Tell me a time when...” interview and I’d prepared for a more rules based interview.
Just gotta cross my fingers and hope.
It was for a qualified driver position to avoid any confusion for people waiting to hear back for the trainee jobs advertised.
Cheers all

Did they say when you’re likely to hear back from them? My friend had hers last week and got told she’d hear within 1 week?

 

[Infomaniac]

Said the same, within a week.

 

[4F89]

Thanks for all the replies, I had an interview yesterday but it didn’t go as well as I’d have liked, it was more of a “Tell me a time when...” interview and I’d prepared for a more rules based interview.
Just gotta cross my fingers and hope.
It was for a qualified driver position to avoid any confusion for people waiting to hear back for the trainee jobs advertised.
Cheers all

An MMI for qualified??

 

[TeaTrain]

Apologies @Infomaniac I thought you were going in for a trainee position!! Of course it makes sense you want to know that kind of information then!