Preston and Newcastle Driver Routes.

[Up_Tilt_390]

We know that Newcastle is the station in which the crew change occurs on the trains from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, and that Preston is the station in which the crew change occurs on trains from London Euston to Glasgow Central. Considering these are depots for both train drivers and train guards, do these respective professions actually sign routes both north and south of their depot?

For example, does a Newcastle-based driver and guard actually sign routes to Edinburgh and to London, making it theoretically possible for them to a full and non-stop journey, and does a Preston-based driver and guard sign routes to Glasgow and London? In fact in the case of Preston they might even sign routes to the West Midlands because of the north-south services via Birmingham.

If anyone can give as much thorough and relevant information as they can, it would be very well appreciated, cause this is something I'd love to know. Thanks.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Newcastle have 3 links.

One only goes south. One only does Edinburgh. One does the highlands.

Preston Drivers sign the entire WCML

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Newcastle have 3 links.

One only goes south. One only does Edinburgh. One does the highlands.

Preston Drivers sign the entire WCML

That helped enormously even despite just three paragraphs. Thanks very much. Btw, when you say "entire WCML" that just refers to the core route between Euston and Glasgow doesn't it? Or is it literally the entire VT WCML network?

 

[tiptoptaff]

They sign Euston to Glasgow/Edinburgh with usual diversions and permetations, as well as Blackpool North - not sue if they sign Chester? Sign both Voyagers and Pendos.

Focus on getting in UpTilt, your mind is far to occupied with what might be one day a long way down the line.

 

[PHILIPE]

They sign Euston to Glasgow/Edinburgh with usual diversions and permetations, as well as Blackpool North - not sue if they sign Chester? Sign both Voyagers and Pendos.

Focus on getting in UpTilt, your mind is far to occupied with what might be one day a long way down the line.

Shrewsbury to Crewe also specially for Easter diversions.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Focus on getting in UpTilt, your mind is far to occupied with what might be one day a long way down the line.

Try not to misinterpret this post. At no point was I asking for advice or making any points on getting in. I was asking what routes were signed because it's not something I'm sure of. I am just seeking more general knowledge with this thread.

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So Preston crews sign Euston to Glasgow and Edinburgh, along with Blackpool. I take this to mean that Wolverhampton crews sign down to the West Midlands from Preston then? It seems like in contrast that the Newcastle crews are rostetered to specific links. It seems like one Newcastle crew would come from London being signed to just that route, and then get taken over by another Newcastle crew which are only signed up to Edinburgh/Highlands. Sound easier to roster but it must get boring for the staff doing the same routes all the time.

 

[furnessvale]

Sound easier to roster but it must get boring for the staff doing the same routes all the time.

I think boring could be 14 round trips Romford-Upminster as a friend of mine used to do in the mid 1970s.

 

[Rover]

I imagine there's many drivers around on "boring routes" who would love to swop to the ECML.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

I think boring could be 14 round trips Romford-Upminster as a friend of mine used to do in the mid 1970s.

Oh wow, that sounds a bit like the epitome of boring. Then again this is being spoken from someone who didn't drive it. After all, boring is in the eyes of the beholder. You might find it boring, some might find it tremendously fun.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I imagine there's many drivers around on "boring routes" who would love to swop to the ECML.

Not sure I said the route was boring, rather that it might sometimes get boring doing the same route over and over, but that's a matter of a person's individual perspective. Believe it or not, I would love to work on the East Coast Main Line. Unlike the west coast counterpart, the ECML doesn't seem like a misnomer and actually touches the coast for more than barely half a mile, and I love the route just as much as the WCML, and I've never been on it before (but it is definitely a must-do).

 

[465fan]

I know some Newcastle lot do Inverness; but don't some Edinburgh people also do it on Saturday night with the Sunday morning back working?

Newcastle have to do London to Newcastle via Durham, Hartlepool, the "Back Road" through Knottingley and Church Fenton. Do they sign for Doncaster to Peterborough / Newark via Lincoln / Gainsborough? Or Peterborough to Hitchin via Cambridge?

I imagine the Doncaster crowd have the most fun...

 

[driver9000]

VT Preston is in 2 links. One signs Glasgow/Blackpool the other link signs Edinburgh/Glasgow.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

VT Preston is in 2 links. One signs Glasgow/Blackpool the other link signs Edinburgh/Glasgow.

Both sign Euston as well don't they? One crew might sign Euston and the Glasgow/Blackpool link, another might sign Euston and the Edinburgh/Glasgow link?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Try not to misinterpret this post. At no point was I asking for advice or making any points on getting in. I was asking what routes were signed because it's not something I'm sure of. I am just seeking more general knowledge with this thread.

I haven't - you are asking what routes VT drivers sign, when, in numourous threads you've started yourself, have asked about and said you wanted to be, a VT driver. Including one entitled "Railway Job Hopping." Focus on getting in to one TOC/FOC in one job, get a few years under your bealt then start to worry about everything else.

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

I haven't - you are asking what routes VT drivers sign, when, in numourous threads you've started yourself, have asked about and said you wanted to be, a VT driver. Including one entitled "Railway Job Hopping." Focus on getting in to one TOC/FOC in one job, get a few years under your bealt then start to worry about everything else.

Yes, but this particular thread is purely self-interest. I have other things to worry about, and I've been given the advice several times. As a result most things I am posting nowadays is for self-interest. Rosters always confused me, and this is actually about crews, not just drivers.

I really should've made the title "Newcastle and Preston Crew Routes", if a moderator sees this can they rename the thread for us?

 

[neilb62]

Shrewsbury to Crewe also specially for Easter diversions.

Nope, that was cancelled. We all sign Chester from Crewe and Warrington 3 Link go Blackpool and No1 link go Edinburgh. Everyone signs Euston to Glasgow via Trent and Stour, Bescot Diversions, Glasgow Diversions Stoke, Manchester area via Bolton and Chat-Moss and some of us in No1 Link still sign the Settle-Carlisle.

 

[ManSignaller]

Nope, that was cancelled. We all sign Chester from Crewe and Warrington 3 Link go Blackpool and No1 link go Edinburgh. Everyone signs Euston to Glasgow via Trent and Stour, Bescot Diversions, Glasgow Diversions Stoke, Manchester area via Bolton and Chat-Moss and some of us in No1 Link still sign the Settle-Carlisle.

How do you stay competent in the SC line? DVD and questions or hitch a ride with the local FOC?

 

[craigybagel]

Newcastle have 3 links.

One only goes south. One only does Edinburgh. One does the highlands.

Preston Drivers sign the entire WCML

Are you really sure on that? I don't work for EC but that is contrary to everything I've ever heard in previous threads about Newcastle. I've heard of links that only go south but not only north? I'm sure the guys who go to Scotland also sign down to London.

How do you stay competent in the SC line? DVD and questions or hitch a ride with the local FOC?

The TMs used to get a joyride in a 57 but that might have changed since!

 

[neilb62]

How do you stay competent in the SC line? DVD and questions or hitch a ride with the local FOC?

A trip on the Route-refreshing loco twice a year. It was cancelled last year and with the route now closed I fear our knowledge will come to an end.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Mag_seven]

A trip on the Route-refreshing loco twice a year. It was cancelled last year and with the route now closed I fear our knowledge will come to an end.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Which will no doubt be used by VT as an excuse not to divert via tha S&C and force everyone onto a RBB.

 

[91104]

Are you really sure on that? I don't work for EC but that is contrary to everything I've ever heard in previous threads about Newcastle. I've heard of links that only go south but not only north? I'm sure the guys who go to Scotland also sign down to London.

There are 3 links at VTEC Newcastle. All new starters go in the South Link signing London (plus Heaton and diversions)
The North Link also sign to Edinburgh as well as London and cover the Thunderbird and the Lodge Link sign London to Aberdeen/Inverness which is some serious route knowledge.

 

[craigybagel]

There are 3 links at VTEC Newcastle. All new starters go in the South Link signing London (plus Heaton and diversions)
The North Link also sign to Edinburgh as well as London and cover the Thunderbird and the Lodge Link sign London to Aberdeen/Inverness which is some serious route knowledge.

Cheers, thought I remembered it being something like that.

 

[Shrimper]

Whilst we have people in the know; something I've wondered is whether the Manchester drivers sign anything north of Manchester? Or do they just stick to MAN-EUS via Crewe and Stoke?

 

[Pumbaa]

And North Wales coast.

 

[craigybagel]

They sign via the West Midlands too. There also used to be at least one link that signed Preston, I assume that's still the case. Bottom links are basically Manchester-Euston (both direct routes and via West Midlands ) only though - as opposed to Liverpool where everyone gets to do North Wales coast and Wrexham.

 

[Shrimper]

Thanks for that, another 'I've always wondered...' ticked off!

 

[neilb62]

Which will no doubt be used by VT as an excuse not to divert via tha S&C and force everyone onto a RBB.

It won't be an excuse, it'll be a reason.....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Whilst we have people in the know; something I've wondered is whether the Manchester drivers sign anything north of Manchester? Or do they just stick to MAN-EUS via Crewe and Stoke?

The top link at Picc sign as far as Preston via the WCML from Crewe and Chatt-Moss. Both Preston and Picc Drivers only sign via Chatt-Moss now, the Chorley and Westhoughton- Wigan routes having lapsed with no sign of refreshers. Picc and Liverpool Drivers do the Holyhead work too.