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Guards Roster

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Train92

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Hi guys,

I hope you can help!

I've recently accepted an offer from South West Trains to become a guard, I've asked them for a sample roster but at this stage they are unable to provide one.

Does anyone know what my working week would look like? Or even better does anyone have a roster that they could forward me?

Regards

Robbie
 
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pompeyfan

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24 Jan 2012
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Hi guys,

I hope you can help!

I've recently accepted an offer from South West Trains to become a guard, I've asked them for a sample roster but at this stage they are unable to provide one.

Does anyone know what my working week would look like? Or even better does anyone have a roster that they could forward me?

Regards

Robbie

That's great, well done.

Depending on which depot would depend on shift pattern etc.

In general, shifts start as early as 0300 and finish as late as 0400.

Weekly average working is 42 hours, please not however that it's not 5 out of 7.

Some weeks you will work 6 days, others only 4 but on average 42 hours like I say. Could also be up to 9/10 days working straight.

Some rostering isn't great, on a long weekend you come in at 0330 on the Tuesday etc.

On the plus side, the extreme shifts tend to be minimum shift lengths, so 6 hours but PNB is at the end (so in effect 5:30), obviously short shifts are balanced out with long ones to build your 42.
 

TEW

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It varies from depot to depot. But working 7 days in a row a lot is common, but you get a long weekend (3/4 days) every couple of weekends. As others have stated it's an average of 42 hours a week, but that's an average across the course of the whole roster, so some weeks it could be 50 hours. Could be even more if you work some of your rest days too.
 

Train92

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22 Jun 2016
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Brilliant, thank you for your responses.

Sounds similar to my shift pattern at the moment. I'm yet to recieve my contract, should be in the next few days.
Do you know if SWT pay for more Sunday working, and as a guard , are there a lot of opportunities to work your rest days!

Could you be asked to cover shifts at different depots?

Thank you once again for your help guys!
 

Monty

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Nice little depot at Staines, I was based there for a few years before moving on to pastures new. Lots of friendly guys and gals based there, though it's been quite a while since I was last there. Get used to Hounslow rounders and Weybridge bays as it will be doing them a lot! ;)

As for cross cover you will get quite a bit of it at Staines which they can roster you without asking if you are spare and move you on the 36hr sheet (you will learn all about this when you are at the school), do not be suprised if you pick up work from either Waterloo, Wimbledon, Strawberry Hill or Woking depots.
 

TEW

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And as for Sunday working, that is paid at your normal rate. There is normally plenty of opportunity to work your rest days if you want, which is paid at 1.25 times the normal rate. The rest day working system is a bit strange and not very popular, you will have it explained to you at some point after you start.
 

pompeyfan

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is overtime at 1.25x?

I was led to believe it was 1.25 if the overtime was mandatory because of disruption. Rest day working was duty value unless it was organised on the day when you can negotiate for a dozen.
 
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TEW

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Other way round. Overtime (due to disruption, extended turns etc) is flat rate. Rest day working is 1.25 times normal pay.
 

pompeyfan

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Ah okay, haven't yet gone productive yet so haven't been able to work out fully what is what.
 

Monty

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is overtime at 1.25x?

I was led to believe it was 1.25 if the overtime was mandatory because of disruption. Rest day working was duty value unless it was organised on the day when you can negotiate for a dozen.

Don't get much of that anymore, you either elect to work your rest days and you get rostered to work as required or you don't. They'll only ever call you if their in a real jam nowadays.
 
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