Island Line train crew

[N Levers]

Quick question about the SWT Island Line. Do the Island line drivers have a train crew depot on the isle of wight or do they belong to a portsmouth depot and pass over on the ferry?

 

[transportphoto]

As far as I know, they are based on the island.

 

[Birdbrain]

Yes they do! It's located at Ryde St Johns Road. I've attached a picture of 483008 outside the depot and a picture of 483004 arriving on platform one and the crew room is located in the buildings to the right

 

[317666]

I believe there are nine drivers based on the island.

 

[ryan125hst]

I believe there are nine drivers based on the island.

Do they only have nine drivers or are some drivers based in Portsmouth and also drive to London?

 

[317666]

Do they only have nine drivers or are some drivers based in Portsmouth and also drive to London?

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it is just a pool of drivers who only operate the Island Line. It might date back from the days when Island Line was a separate franchise to South West Trains.

 

[ainsworth74]

They only need two drivers to run the entire service so I'd imagine you could run the entire days service with only five/six drivers. Which would leave three or four spare. Don't think there's a need for any other drivers on the route.

 

[CatfordCat]

From a distant memory of a job advert, I have a feeling that job roles are more flexible on the Island than elsewhere, e.g. a person may be mainly employed as a driver in the summer season, but be based in the workshops during the winter.

 

[12CSVT]

They only need two drivers to run the entire service so I'd imagine you could run the entire days service with only five/six drivers. Which would leave three or four spare. Don't think there's a need for any other drivers on the route.

I presume you mean two drivers actually driving at any one time ? As trains run in passenger service 17 hours per day I would assume there are early and late shifts (possibly middle shifts as well ?). Then there are meal breaks, rest days and annual leave etc to consider.

 

[westcoaster]

From what I've read elsewhere the drivers are on a 39 hour 5 day week.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Here at Fratton we have no drivers or guards who work services on Island Line, they are entirely self sufficient in terms of train crew.

I'd love to have the 483s on my traction card though!

 

[ainsworth74]

I presume you mean two drivers actually driving at any one time ? As trains run in passenger service 17 hours per day I would assume there are early and late shifts (possibly middle shifts as well ?). Then there are meal breaks, rest days and annual leave etc to consider.

Yes that's what I said. Two drivers can run the service which probably means four or five are needed each day (minimum) to run the entire days service.

 

[jopsuk]

Presumably it makes sense to keep it as a self-contained service, as rough weather disrupting the ferries would cause needless disruption to train services were they inter-worked with mainland staff.

"we apologise for the cancellation of the service to Waterloo, this is due to the driver being stranded on the line"

Presumably there's a small Network Rail depot and team on the island?

 

[swt_passenger]

There is a different split of responsibilities between NR and the TOC on the island.

Someone will correct me if wrong, but I think NR only cover renewals and major maintenance. Day to day maintenance and operation (ie signalling) is with the TOC.

Whether that means NR have any permanent staff there I don't really know.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

There are some staff who are drivers and guards and do both roles. When I visited last year I was talking to a guard who said it made a change from driving every day. Sure enough 2 days later we saw the same chap who was our guard 2 days before driving instead.

 

[D1009]

It's not the smallest depot, Pwllheli springs to mind unless things have changed recently.

 

[High Dyke]

Presumably there's a small Network Rail depot and team on the island?

AFAIK Network Rail don't have any involvement on the Island.

 

[Chris125]

AFAIK Network Rail don't have any involvement on the Island.

Not day to day maintenance, but i believe they have responsibility for structures, earthworks and the like.

Chris

 

[AnonymousUser1]

They only need two drivers to run the entire service so I'd imagine you could run the entire days service with only five/six drivers. Which would leave three or four spare. Don't think there's a need for any other drivers on the route.

Don't forget to add in a uplift in establishment for leave / courses / sickness - iirc the NHS works at around 5.5 FTE (5.5 *37.5 = 206.5 hrs) to cover one slot 24/7 ( 168 hours) which needs 'just' 4.48 fte to cover...