Reading Station Train driver shift patterns and routes

[Elvina Chhabra]

Hi All,
This is for the Train drivers who work at Reading Station under GWR or SWR. Please could you advise me on the following:

Shift patterns - days on days off, shift types, day swap (are they allowed) /annual leave (is it a number system)

Routes - number of routes to learn, how long/ far are the routes 30mins , 1hr etc

This will help me out a lot thanks

 

[Driver2B]

Reading is not a traincrew depot for SWR, but a destination. Drivers who drive to Reading are based at Waterloo, Wimbledon, Staines, and probably the new Feltham depot, too.

 

[JonathanH]

Reading is not a traincrew depot for SWR, but a destination. Drivers who drive to Reading are based at Waterloo, Wimbledon, Staines, and probably the new Feltham depot, too.

Is there still some work for Basingstoke crews on the Waterloo to Reading line?

 

[Driver2B]

Is there still some work for Basingstoke crews on the Waterloo to Reading line?

According to https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/different-driver-depot-route-and-traction-cards.205085/, no.

I forgot, though, some Basingstoke and Salisbury drivers work between Basingstoke and Reading via Mortimer.

 

[Elvina Chhabra]

Reading is not a traincrew depot for SWR, but a destination. Drivers who drive to Reading are based at Waterloo, Wimbledon, Staines, and probably the new Feltham depot, too.

Oky so if your based in Reading you would not be driving SWR trains as their starting point or base as it were would be the places you mentioned above. So if you are based in Reading your start/end point or base is Reading Station would you be driving GWR trains? If so would you happen to know shift patterns routes etc as mentioned in my original question above?

 

[Driver2B]

Oky so if your based in Reading you would not be driving SWR trains as their starting point or base as it were would be the places you mentioned above. So if you are based in Reading your start/end point or base is Reading Station would you be driving GWR trains? If so would you happen to know shift patterns routes etc as mentioned in my original question above?

That's right, GWR drivers are based at Reading, not SWR, and I understand not Cross Country, either.

According to https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/different-driver-depot-route-and-traction-cards.205085/:

Reading
Traction:
16X, 387, 80X (Link Dependant)
Routes:
Reading - Paddington
Reading - Didcot Parkway
Didcot Parkway - Oxford (Link Dependant)
Didcot West End
Reading - Basingstoke
Reading - Newbury
Newbury - Bedwyn (Link Dependant)
Reading - Gatwick Airport (Link Dependant)
Twyford - Henley-on-Thames
Slough - Windsor & Eton Central
Maidenhead - Bourne End/Marlow

I'm sorry that I have no further information for you. Hopefully somebody else with more knowledge will be able to help you further.

 

[Elvina Chhabra]

That's right, GWR drivers are based at Reading, not SWR, and I understand not Cross Country, either.

According to https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/different-driver-depot-route-and-traction-cards.205085/:



I'm sorry that I have no further information for you. Hopefully somebody else with more knowledge will be able to help you further.

Oh gosh you have been super helpful thank you. So the list you sent above that is basically all the routes a GWR train driver based in Reading would take. I can look at train journeys and figure out how long each one is that's not a problem. Last question then in terms of shift pattern is it similar to GWR in London Paddington (used to be Heathrow expeess) 6 days on 4 days off and you can swap shifts and book annual leave with a number system...I heard somewhere that it varies sometimes 5 days on 1 day off or 7 days on 2 days off and that they give you set annual leave is that true

 

[Driver2B]

You're very welcome - thanks for the thanks! I'm glad that I was able to be helpful!

I can see that @tlionhart has provided you with some very detailed information on your other thread (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gwr-reading-station-shift-patterns-and-routes-2021.218974/), which answers much more than I would be able to.

Anyway, thanks for your kind message and good luck with any application you make!