Most Challenging Route For Guards

[Parallel]

Taking a ride on the Severn Beach line a few weeks back, it appeared to be quite a tough one. Stations a few minutes apart and seemingly most people buying their tickets on the train makes for non-stop activity for the guard.

Indeed - there are no facilities to purchase tickets before boarding at any station other than Temple Meads. Redland and Clifton Down did have "parking meter" type ticket machines but these were vandalised and then not replaced.

In addition to the above, St. Andrews Road is a request stop on some services and not at all on others. Also, the turn around time at Severn Beach is very tight on a few services. Between 2 and 4 minutes I think, so if a train is 5 mins late arriving it will then be late for its next journey (& delay the next train that's waiting at Clifton Down)

 

[Crossover]

Regarding Ledbury; exactly as Plymothian says above. Also worth mentioning that, as Ledbury is a short platform requiring an SDO release of the front four carriages (towards H'ford, in correct formation), there is a mad dash down the train upon emerging from the tunnel and a resulting routine wait of a few moments before the doors are released.

That's pretty much what we were told - who knows, you could have been our guard :P

 

[Kite159]

Taking a ride on the Severn Beach line a few weeks back, it appeared to be quite a tough one. Stations a few minutes apart and seemingly most people buying their tickets on the train makes for non-stop activity for the guard.

Probably the same for Radyr/Coryton services, 6 stations inside 10 minutes on the Coryton part.

 

[cjp]

Indeed - there are no facilities to purchase tickets before boarding at any station other than Temple Meads. Redland and Clifton Down did have "parking meter" type ticket machines but these were vandalised and then not replaced.

In addition to the above, St. Andrews Road is a request stop on some services and not at all on others. Also, the turn around time at Severn Beach is very tight on a few services. Between 2 and 4 minutes I think, so if a train is 5 mins late arriving it will then be late for its next journey (& delay the next train that's waiting at Clifton Down)

Does a guard on the Seven Beach line get commission on all tickets sold?

 

[craigybagel]

Probably the same for Radyr/Coryton services, 6 stations inside 10 minutes on the Coryton part.

All of the valleys services are pretty intensive to be fair, but the City Line is probably the worst alright! Its also probably the quietest as well though, which might help.

Someone mentioned the Cardiff Bay shuttle as being easy - you might only have to do a dispatch every 6 minutes, but given there's no ticket office or barriers at the bay, travelling towards Queen Street you would have only 3 minutes to collect and issue tickets.

 

[headshot119]

All of the valleys services are pretty intensive to be fair, but the City Line is probably the worst alright! Its also probably the quietest as well though, which might help.

Someone mentioned the Cardiff Bay shuttle as being easy - you might only have to do a dispatch every 6 minutes, but given there's no ticket office or barriers at the bay, travelling towards Queen Street you would have only 3 minutes to collect and issue tickets.

Though I suspect the TVM they've finally put in at the bay may help somewhat. Then again iTS the model that always breaks so perhaps not.

 

[island]

All of the valleys services are pretty intensive to be fair, but the City Line is probably the worst alright! Its also probably the quietest as well though, which might help.

Someone mentioned the Cardiff Bay shuttle as being easy - you might only have to do a dispatch every 6 minutes, but given there's no ticket office or barriers at the bay, travelling towards Queen Street you would have only 3 minutes to collect and issue tickets.

I did specifically say towards Cardiff Bay Queen Street is gated so there should not be any sales from there for the most part.

 

[craigybagel]

I did specifically say towards Cardiff Bay Queen Street is gated so there should not be any sales from there for the most part.

Ah yes so you did, my apologies!

 

[dave87016]

I have had a guard help the host in first class on a Preston - Glasgow due to staff shortage and also several times on the HST from Nottingham to London and he/she checks tickets at same time

 

[30 common]

0505 WAT-RDG EVERY stop except Longcross
0745 WAT-PMS 12 car SDO special 10 SDO's
2110 WEY-WAT last train into WAT at night nearly all stops except a few and some suburban stations
0612 WAT-WEY 2h57m EVERY stop except some suburban stations. But a WAT Guard only works to SOU then a BMH Guard takes over.

Going to miss those workings

 

[Matt Taylor]

Micheldever - SDO4
Winchester - Full release
Shawford - SDO4 (if we actually stop there)
Eastleigh - Full release
Hedge End - SDO8
Botley - SDO4
Fareham - SDO8
Portchester - SDO4
Cosham - SDO8
Hilsea - SDO4 (with 12 car ONLY otherwise full release)
Fratton - SDO8
Portsmouth & Southsea - Full release
Portsmouth Harbour - Full release

The direct is easier as it's only Bedhampton, Rowlands Castle and Liss (down only) that are 4 car. But Fratton to Micheldever with a 12 is awful, 11 stops in less than an hour and 10 short platforms alternating between 4 and 8 coaches. Eastleigh p3 is also SDO(8).