Which depot should I choose

[new driver199]

Hi
I have just got a job as a trainee train driver for first capital connect at brighton but have have an option to choose blackfriars or kings cross.
Which one would be the better choice and what rosters do they work 4 or 5 day week

Thanks

 

[cfc2013]

Hi,
have u just been called by them to offer the trainee driver position or just finished ur training?

 

[new driver199]

Been offered trainee position

 

[cfc2013]

Well done is it the january start?

 

[new driver199]

Thanks mate
Did not say said will confirm by email and get bacck to me next week
How did u get on

 

[cfc2013]

Got a call saying passed everything so well done, that they would get back to me within a week to let me know if I am in the 4 places for January if not I'd be in the talent pool for future starts so still a bit unsure really

 

[new driver199]

Well done hopefully see u there
They did not give me any date's just said sorting out which course to put me on as I think there is more than one

 

[Anthonyekwe]

Hi all and congratulations on the job
I just wanted to ask where you both contacted by phone today

 

[cfc2013]

Hi new driver hopefully will see u there mate,
Anthony yes recieved a call today but still a bit unsure as signal was bad but they said I passed everything and well done so I'm still a bit unsure as read some people in talent pools still never get it so will wait and see mate did u hear anything

 

[westcoaster]

Hi
I have just got a job as a trainee train driver for first capital connect at brighton but have have an option to choose blackfriars or kings cross.
Which one would be the better choice and what rosters do they work 4 or 5 day week

Thanks

On the tl side it's a 3 week Roster week 1 mon tues of, week 2 wed Thur of, week 3 fri sat of, then back to week 1

Gn side odd days of here and there not set as the tl side

On the tl side routes are Bedford to Brighton via London bridge/ crystal palace or Thornton Heath , blackfriars to Sutton via Wimbledon or mitcham. Selhurst depot, Norwood junction to Sutton via wallington, London bridge low level to tules hill via Peckham, all depots are just about to learn herne hill to Victoria (Eastern).

This then varies by depot blackfriars also sign blakfriars to Sevenoaks via catford or kent house plus Orpington to Sevenoaks (including via birbeck)


Brighton also sign Brighton to wivlesfield via lewes and lovers walk depot

Kings cross is kx to Peterborough/ Cambridge , moorgate via Hertford loop.

Work wise you can't beat Brighton followed by blackfriars, kx I can't speak of.

Any other q's just ask.

 

[welshjpc]

Many congratulations chap, envious position to be in, however surely you should just choose the depot nearest to you?

That would surely cut down on the stress of the daily commute - you would be fresher at your nearest checking on point. If after time you don't like your routes etc then maybe you could do an internal swap with someone in a similar position as you?

Or am I missing something?

 

[westcoaster]

Many congratulations chap, envious position to be in, however surely you should just choose the depot nearest to you?

That would surely cut down on the stress of the daily commute - you would be fresher at your nearest checking on point. If after time you don't like your routes etc then maybe you could do an internal swap with someone in a similar position as you?

Or am I missing something?

Internal swaps are no longer allowed until you have done 2 years, so make sure you have thought about traveling to work, parking and so on.

 

[new driver199]

I will be relocating for the job so I will near to whatever depot I pick just wanted to know which one would be best

 

[cfc2013]

R u currently in Scotland?

 

[westcoaster]

I will be relocating for the job so I will near to whatever depot I pick just wanted to know which one would be best

Unfortunately all 3 of those depots are in areas with high rent, London through the roof, Brighton on the pricey side?

 

[Class2ldn]

On the tl side it's a 3 week Roster week 1 mon tues of, week 2 wed Thur of, week 3 fri sat of, then back to week 1

Gn side odd days of here and there not set as the tl side

On the tl side routes are Bedford to Brighton via London bridge/ crystal palace or Thornton Heath , blackfriars to Sutton via Wimbledon or mitcham. Selhurst depot, Norwood junction to Sutton via wallington, London bridge low level to tules hill via Peckham, all depots are just about to learn herne hill to Victoria (Eastern).

This then varies by depot blackfriars also sign blakfriars to Sevenoaks via catford or kent house plus Orpington to Sevenoaks (including via birbeck)


Brighton also sign Brighton to wivlesfield via lewes and lovers walk depot

Kings cross is kx to Peterborough/ Cambridge , moorgate via Hertford loop.

Work wise you can't beat Brighton followed by blackfriars, kx I can't speak of.

Any other q's just ask.

You cant beat paradise park lol (blackfriars)
I know they say brighton has the best work but I think the nights are terrible.
The rumour is blackfriars and kings cross are going to merge sometime in the near future but we shall wait and see. Im waiting for this three bridges depot to open. That could make things at brighton interesting lol

 

[Tom C]

For anyone thinking of the GN side the routes are:

ALL (Kings Cross, Hitchin, Peterborough, Cambridge, Kings Lynn): Kings Cross/Moorgate-Hitchin, Hitchin to Cambridge.

KGX. HIT, PBO: As above + Hitchin to Peterborough
CBG & KLN: As all + Cambridge to Kings Lynn

 

[A-driver]

I can only talk for the GN side but from what people who have worked both sides have said, blackfriars is miles better in terms of work. Kings cross has some of the worst work on the company.

Rest day patterns in the GN are 4 week rest day pattern with a long weekend (fri-tue off) every 4 weeks. Roughly rostered to work 2in 4 Saturdays. It's a large depot but pretty friendly and currently no shortage of rest day work and extra Sundays should you be after overtime (obviously as they fill up with trainees it may become less but kings cross tends to always be short ).

Work wise you sign London to Cambridge via Hertford and Welwyn and also Hitchin-Peterbourgh plus all yards and sidings except for eastfields (although that may be changing soon as they are looking at closing the nene yard down and building a new depot at eastfields).

Work tends to be mainly 313s with lots and lots of moorgates which can be very intense although kings cross also have a good handful of mainline jobs with a fair bit if variety-a large number if Cambridge cruisers and fast peterbourghs as well as semi fast and stoppers to cambs, Royston and pbo. Earlies start at 0500 but the earlier starts tend to be shorter jobs as they appreciate most kings cross drivers don't live locally. A lot of kings cross drivers live on the mainline to Peterbourgh so travel in on the 0325 & 0410 Peterbourgh-kings x trains.

The roster and diagrams are changing, possibly very dramatically, in December and I have heard kings cross are rather unhappy with the new work as there are far more morning jobs meaning that the roster may become 2 weeks if earlies followed by a week of lates rather than alternating every week as it currently does.

 

[W230]

I can only talk for the GN side but from what people who have worked both sides have said, blackfriars is miles better in terms of work. Kings cross has some of the worst work on the company.

Drivers I've spoken to who are now on the TL side but were on GN all say that GN is more varied!

Blackfriars involves a lot of Sutton loop work (double loops if you're really lucky). Brighton has more Bedford- Brighton work with Bedford being somewhere between the two.

I'm surprised they offered you King's Cross, Blackfriars or Brighton - if you're starting in January my guess is you'll be on the TL side (so not KGX).

Rest day patterns in the GN are 4 week rest day pattern with a long weekend (fri-tue off) every 4 weeks. Roughly rostered to work 2in 4 Saturdays. It's a large depot but pretty friendly and currently no shortage of rest day work and extra Sundays should you be after overtime (obviously as they fill up with trainees it may become less but kings cross tends to always be short ).

I'd thought about a transfer to the GN myself in time (probably KGX) but not sure how the shifts work in comparison to TL. I'm assuming they have links there as it's a big depot?

 

[A-driver]

No links at all at any GN depots, every one signs the same routes and traction and does the same work which is a big plus as far as I'm concerned. Basically all depots sign to Cambridge and then additionally either do Peterbourgh or kings Lynn.

The main problem with the work on the GN is that it's far more repetitive short trips. At least you can do Luton-Luton or bed-bri without getting out the cab for a couple of hours which can be (not always but can be) better than something like 5 hours of 45min trips with 5 mins to change ends doing all stations from Moorgate or even back to back 45min Cambridge cruisers. The longest end to end trips we do are stoppers to pbo or cambs which are about 90mins.

Kings cross is still very short of drivers so no surprise that they are offering trainee jobs there. It's certainly not unheard of for them to change your depot and swap you from TL to GN whilst you are training so it's irrelevant which course you are on. A colleague of mine did front end turns on the TL with a Bedford driver and started 319 traction before being asked to move onto the GN at kings x so obviously had to re-train on parts of the course he had already done.

I have heard that blackfriars is a pretty happy depot, not that the GN ones arnt, but the GN drivers who moved across from blackfriars all seem to say that they miss that place as it was very friendly and pretty much ran itself. Appreciate that is second hand info but if true is a big plus for blackfriars.

 

[W230]

No links at all at any GN depots, every one signs the same routes and traction and does the same work which is a big plus as far as I'm concerned. Basically all depots sign to Cambridge and then additionally either do Peterbourgh or kings Lynn.

A definite plus. I agree!

The main problem with the work on the GN is that it's far more repetitive short trips. At least you can do Luton-Luton or bed-bri without getting out the cab for a couple of hours which can be (not always but can be) better than something like 5 hours of 45min trips with 5 mins to change ends doing all stations from Moorgate or even back to back 45min Cambridge cruisers. The longest end to end trips we do are stoppers to pbo or cambs which are about 90mins.

Makes sense. I actually like a change of ends (excuse for a bit of fresh air) but many don't - and I can certainly see your point about repeating the same short journeys several times each day. The most we generally get is a double Sutton (although that's not popular ). All stations Luton - Sutton - St Albans is the most common long run which is just over 3hrs in the same seat obviously. Bedford - Brighton can be the same, although I much prefer it many don't, because of the commonplace of delays.