Plymouth Depot Roads Signed

[blighty]

Can any Western drivers advise which roads they sign at Plymouth depot? Also earliest starts/latest finishes?

Thanks

 

[irish_rail]

Right, we have most route and traction knowledge on the western.

TRACTION - HST, class 57, Class 150, class 153, 08 Shunter, Voyagers (on depot only)

ROUTES -
Plymouth to London via Westbury, and via Bristol incl diversions via Melksham and Bradford on Avon

Plymouth - Penzance, incl Newquay

Paignton branch
Gunnislake branch
Laira depot

Current earliest start is 04.50 , however rumour is there will be a 02.46 book on from May
Latest finish is approx. 00.25, however we do have several night turns finishing between about 3 and 7.

Good variety of work, good depot with friendly drivers and TMs.

Currently everyone signs everything, however it is possible in the future they might introduce a starter link to cope with the influx of new drivers coming in, and I would guess that that might not sign London, however, we do have additional London work coming our way in May I am led to believe.....

Not uncommon to do nearly 4 hours in the seat none stop Plymouth to London and vice versa, so something to think about if you get bored easily!!!

Good luck!

 

[blighty]

Thanks mate, fantastic reply, just the info I was after!

Im currently a suburban driver in London, looking for a change very soon. Sounds like Plymouth has some variety.

Do you find it easy to swap the nights if need be?

 

[irish_rail]

Well you can usually swap some nights, but it generally works out approximately a week of nights every 6 weeks or so.
To be honest, there are plenty who try to swap away nights, with varying degrees of success. But if you have a strict aversion to nights, id certainly think carefully about coming down here.

However, it is possible our nights MIGHT be reduced come 2018 when the IEPs come in and there will be less shunting to be done, but that is just theory at present.

 

[blighty]

Not a strict aversion, just not my favourite turn!

Whats your roster pattern? Strict 4 day week, or average?

Thanks for the info mate

 

[Rich McLean]

Not a strict aversion, just not my favourite turn!

Whats your roster pattern? Strict 4 day week, or average?

Thanks for the info mate

4 Day working week, with Sundays outside of the working week, but sometimes you can work 5-6 days in a row, especially coming off nights, where normally you will have 5 Rest Days following nights. Where I work I recently have done the below Sunday to Saturday

off,L,L,off,off,L,L,
N,N,N,N,N,off,off,
off,off,off,UE,UE,UE,UE,
off,off, E, E, off, E, E
M,M, etc

Week 1 - Uber Earlies,
Week 2, Earlies,
Week 3 Mids,
Week 4 Afternoons,
Week 5 Lates,
Week 6 Nights, (followed by 5 off)

No idea what the Sunday situation is at Plymouth, but I work 1 to 2 Sundays out of 4

Hope that gives you an idea

 

[irish_rail]

Re the above post, some of this is true, but at Plymouth, there is currently a choice of two links, one is 4 day week, but the main link is 5 day week with a week off every 5th week.

Re sundays, if you don't want to work em, you don't have to, regardless of whether or not they can cover them....

 

[Scotrail84]

Re the above post, some of this is true, but at Plymouth, there is currently a choice of two links, one is 4 day week, but the main link is 5 day week with a week off every 5th week.

Re sundays, if you don't want to work em, you don't have to, regardless of whether or not they can cover them....

Really? That's some agreement!

 

[plastictaffy]

Same for those older hands at my place!! I don't have to work them if the DTCM's can cover them, but I am obliged to if they cannot. This came in as part of our T's &C's for a payrise a while ago. However, drivers have the same agreement as at Laira. Get up Sunday, sun's out and you don't fancy it, don't go..........

 

[causton]

However, drivers have the same agreement as at Laira. Get up Sunday, sun's out and you don't fancy it, don't go..........

Is that as literally as you are saying it? I understand not having to work Sundays (as I am the same, if I don't want to I simply put down that I'm not available) but I thought you would at least tell the bosses first

 

[Scotrail84]

Same for those older hands at my place!! I don't have to work them if the DTCM's can cover them, but I am obliged to if they cannot. This came in as part of our T's &C's for a payrise a while ago. However, drivers have the same agreement as at Laira. Get up Sunday, sun's out and you don't fancy it, don't go..........

Surely there must be a time limit on call offs for non availability! That would mean not a train would run on Sunday's if nobody fancied it, if that's the attitude.

 

[SkinnyDave]

FGW High Speed Driver conditions are that a driver does not have to work Sundays regardless of whether cover is available or not..
Hence talks to try and bring Sunday inside working week
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Surely there must be a time limit on call offs for non availability! That would mean not a train would run on Sunday's if nobody fancied it, if that's the attitude.

5 Days for us on West conditions but not sure how it works with HSS but I'm sure the driver do not have to find cover

 

[irish_rail]

On HSS it varies depot to depot. On some depots, you need to find cover. At Plymouth, you do not, you just need to give I think a weeks notice.

 

[A-driver]

Really? That's some agreement!

Someone senior at FCC (who 'left' shortly after) agreed the exact same thing with drivers there. Voluntary Sunday's are the one thing we desperately cling on to at every pay negotiation now...the company have been desperate to abolish it since it was 'accidentally' agreed!

 

[plastictaffy]

Is that as literally as you are saying it? I understand not having to work Sundays (as I am the same, if I don't want to I simply put down that I'm not available) but I thought you would at least tell the bosses first

Drivers are automatically opted out of sundays. They could get a rostered sunday and not show for it if that's what they choose. Some NEVER do theirs and show permanently "ZS" on the mark up. (ZS= Zero Sunday) For drivers to work Sundays, they have to make themselves available. Us guards on newer contracts, however, are automatically opted IN to Sundays.

If our guys are taking unofficial action, they all throw in their Sundays and there is sod-all the company can do about it. For us (even Guards) sundays are NOT part of the working week, that's why they pay an incremented rate. If you want to make yourself unavailable for a sunday, you have to do it pre-48hr mark-up, so that would be on the friday. However, like I said, it wouldn't be the first time a driver got up on a sunday and decided to go fishing instead. Problem of course then is that there are some drivers who wouldn't even make the courtesy call to the DTCM to say they won't be in, and if they get a phonecall asking them where they are, they'll claim a day's pay.
ASLEF and the RMT at my depot are very strong and generally WILL NOT back down. Our drivers say that although the pay isn't as good as others, they have better terms and conditions. Virgin pay a lot better, but they have "committed" Sundays, where you agree to work a certain amount a year, or cover them if you don't want them. Most depots have a sunday monster that will take them off your hands.

 

[berneyarms]

Out of curiosity, who signs the Looe and Newquay branches?

 

[PHILIPE]

Out of curiosity, who signs the Looe and Newquay branches?

Par Depot

 

[berneyarms]

Par Depot

How does that work on weekdays, given the set on Looe comes down from Laira?

 

[PHILIPE]

How does that work on weekdays, given the set on Looe comes down from Laira?

No idea, I'm afraid. There are many ways to diagram movements.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

How does that work on weekdays, given the set on Looe comes down from Laira?

No idea, I'm sorry. There are many ways to diagram movements.

 

[berneyarms]

No idea, I'm afraid. There are many ways to diagram movements.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


No idea, I'm sorry. There are many ways to diagram movements.

I know that - that's why I'm asking, given there are no movements from Par northwards in time for the first branch service.

 

[PHILIPE]

I know that - that's why I'm asking, given there are no movements from Par northwards in time for the first branch service.

Taxis are often used early morning to convey train crews or a different driver may work the first Looe than the one working the ECS. Perhaps someone who knows may reply.

 

[hello]

xc are advertising for qualified drivers at plymouth, what is there route and traction knowledge

 

[irish_rail]

Par drivers sign Laira depot, and I think one of them brings sprinters which spend the night there down for the early Looe.

Re the Looe and Newquay branches, Plymouth HSS also do sign the Newquay line, not the Looe (yet!)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

xc are advertising for qualified drivers at plymouth, what is there route and traction knowledge

On XC, they sign Voyagers and HST, though I believe at Plymouth only the top link sign HSTs , though I could be wrong on that.....

Routes, are Plym to Penzance and Newquay, and Plym to Birmingham via Bristol, plus lots of diversions, incl Westbury and Worcester, plus the Paignton branch.

 

[berneyarms]

Par drivers sign Laira depot, and I think one of them brings sprinters which spend the night there down for the early Looe.

Re the Looe and Newquay branches, Plymouth HSS also do sign the Newquay line, not the Looe (yet!)

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated.

 

[Mintona]

Par drivers sign Laira depot, and I think one of them brings sprinters which spend the night there down for the early Looe.

Re the Looe and Newquay branches, Plymouth HSS also do sign the Newquay line, not the Looe (yet!)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


On XC, they sign Voyagers and HST, though I believe at Plymouth only the top link sign HSTs , though I could be wrong on that.....

Routes, are Plym to Penzance and Newquay, and Plym to Birmingham via Bristol, plus lots of diversions, incl Westbury and Worcester, plus the Paignton branch.

I was route learning with a Plymouth driver recently and he said they no longer sign Worcester and Kidderminster as they couldn't get route refreshing done in one day and the company were fed up with paying for hotels, for a route which is very rarely needed.