EMR @ Nottingham

[ChrisTheRef]

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I was wondering if anyone had information about the work content etc for Drivers based out of Nottingham for EMR?

I'm after things like routes and traction signed, size of depot, number of Drivers etc.
Do EMR still use their 'Service Driver' position as a stepping stone into Mainline Driver? Or do they recruit 'off the street'.

Any other info you have would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Tomnick]

Traction:
153,156,158,170 (soon!) and a handful with HST

Routes:

• Nottingham - Liverpool including diversions via Derby, via Toton Centre, via Beighton, via Dore South Curve, via Romiley and via Chat Moss
• Nottingham - Worksop including diversion via Pinxton, plus Worksop - Manton Wood colliery siding
• Nottingham - Lincoln including Newark Northgate
• Lincoln - Peterborough via Sleaford/Spalding
• Nottingham - Skegness
• Nottingham - Norwich including via Oakham and via Ely West Curve
• Nottingham - Leicester
• Nottingham - Matlock
• Derby - Crewe with a handful signing via Chellaston too, plus Crewe LNWR depot

Including the shed drivers in their own link, there’s the best part of 200 drivers with four non-progressive mainline links. Trainees come up through the shed grade although it’s not an absolutely guaranteed line of promotion, but vacancies for qualified drivers are advertised occasionally. It’s a cracking depot!

(to answer the other common question, earliest normal book-on in the mainline links approx 03:20, latest finish just before 01:00, no nights other than for shed men although it’s not uncommon for mainline drivers to pick up a shed turn either as RDW or off spare)

 

[43066]

Including the shed drivers in their own link, there’s the best part of 200 drivers with four non-progressive mainline links. Trainees come up through the shed grade although it’s not an absolutely guaranteed line of promotion, but vacancies for qualified drivers are advertised occasionally. It’s a cracking depot!

By shed drivers do you mean drivers based at Etches Park?

I know that depot feeds a lot of new mainline drivers into Derby after a couple of years on the shed.

Unless Nottingham also has its own shunter drivers?

 

[whoosh]

Nottingham also has Depot Drivers like Derby does at Etches Park. Nottingham's depot is called Eastcroft.

 

[Tomnick]

By shed drivers do you mean drivers based at Etches Park?

I know that depot feeds a lot of new mainline drivers into Derby after a couple of years on the shed.

Unless Nottingham also has its own shunter drivers?

^What the other chap said! There’s a shed link at Nottingham too (depot driver grade as at Derby), steadily feeding the mainline grade with trainees. On paper, they belong to their own driver depot (Eastcroft) but in practice it makes no difference - they book on at the same place as everyone else, use the same messroom etc.!

 

[craigybagel]

Traction:
153,156,158,170 (soon!) and a handful with HST

Routes:

• Nottingham - Liverpool including diversions via Derby, via Toton Centre, via Beighton, via Dore South Curve, via Romiley and via Chat Moss
• Nottingham - Worksop including diversion via Pinxton, plus Worksop - Manton Wood colliery siding
• Nottingham - Lincoln including Newark Northgate
• Lincoln - Peterborough via Sleaford/Spalding
• Nottingham - Skegness
• Nottingham - Norwich including via Oakham and via Ely West Curve
• Nottingham - Leicester
• Nottingham - Matlock
• Derby - Crewe with a handful signing via Chellaston too, plus Crewe LNWR depot

Including the shed drivers in their own link, there’s the best part of 200 drivers with four non-progressive mainline links. Trainees come up through the shed grade although it’s not an absolutely guaranteed line of promotion, but vacancies for qualified drivers are advertised occasionally. It’s a cracking depot!

(to answer the other common question, earliest normal book-on in the mainline links approx 03:20, latest finish just before 01:00, no nights other than for shed men although it’s not uncommon for mainline drivers to pick up a shed turn either as RDW or off spare)

Interesting. How do the 4 links work - since they're non progressive are they all pretty even in terms of work content?

 

[High Dyke]

Interesting. How do the 4 links work - since they're non progressive are they all pretty even in terms of work content?

Is it dead men's shoes'?

 

[Tomnick]

Interesting. How do the 4 links work - since they're non progressive are they all pretty even in terms of work content?

They're all pretty even, yup. One of the links is spare link which (in theory) signs everywhere - more variety of work but also an agreement that demands more flexibility. Each of the other three links signs all the core local routes (Worksop, Lincoln, Leicester, Matlock) plus two or three of the longer routes (Liverpool, Skeg, Norwich, Crewe). There's a waiting list if necessary for new starters choosing their preferred link or others wanting to change links, but demand's pretty well balanced anyway as plenty of folk prefer (e.g.) the variety of work in A link to the slightly more sociable hours in C link.

 

[43066]

Nottingham also has Depot Drivers like Derby does at Etches Park. Nottingham's depot is called Eastcroft.

^What the other chap said! There’s a shed link at Nottingham too (depot driver grade as at Derby), steadily feeding the mainline grade with trainees. On paper, they belong to their own driver depot (Eastcroft) but in practice it makes no difference - they book on at the same place as everyone else, use the same messroom etc.!

Many thanks both.

 

[Andy Pacer]

They're all pretty even, yup. One of the links is spare link which (in theory) signs everywhere - more variety of work but also an agreement that demands more flexibility. Each of the other three links signs all the core local routes (Worksop, Lincoln, Leicester, Matlock) plus two or three of the longer routes (Liverpool, Skeg, Norwich, Crewe). There's a waiting list if necessary for new starters choosing their preferred link or others wanting to change links, but demand's pretty well balanced anyway as plenty of folk prefer (e.g.) the variety of work in A link to the slightly more sociable hours in C link.

So, for instance, 'A link' might go almost everywhere, but have more late turns, but 'C link' could be more boring (more locals etc) but less late turns?

 

[43066]

They're all pretty even, yup. One of the links is spare link which (in theory) signs everywhere - more variety of work but also an agreement that demands more flexibility. Each of the other three links signs all the core local routes (Worksop, Lincoln, Leicester, Matlock) plus two or three of the longer routes (Liverpool, Skeg, Norwich, Crewe). There's a waiting list if necessary for new starters choosing their preferred link or others wanting to change links, but demand's pretty well balanced anyway as plenty of folk prefer (e.g.) the variety of work in A link to the slightly more sociable hours in C link.

An all spare link doesn’t sound great, I must say. What’s the max movement off spare, out of interest.

 

[Tomnick]

So, for instance, 'A link' might go almost everywhere, but have more late turns, but 'C link' could be more boring (more locals etc) but less late turns?

Pretty much the shape of it, yup. Each to their own and all that!

An all spare link doesn’t sound great, I must say. What’s the max movement off spare, out of interest.

Personally, I like it. Max movement off spare is 2.5 hours generally, but in spare link (and full weeks of spare in the shed link) they can move you a lot more as long as they do it before the previous Tuesday. They’re pretty good at keeping us close to our time though and the flexibility does work both ways to some extent. I do find that I end up with more dead earlies and dead lates, which suits me but obviously isn’t to everyone’s taste!