Which LM Birmingham depot is preferable?

[Jim88]

Hello all,

I appreciate that it may not be my choice when the time comes, but if I am asked to express any kind of preference of depot to be based at as a trainee with LM, which one would current drivers choose and why? Not having the ear of anyone on the inside I'm searching here for clues.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[SPADTrap]

Hello all,

I appreciate that it may not be my choice when the time comes, but if I am asked to express any kind of preference of depot to be based at as a trainee with LM, which one would current drivers choose and why? Not having the ear of anyone on the inside I'm searching here for clues.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

The one you live closest to?

 

[Jim88]

The one you live closest to?

Nothing in it really.

 

[David Goddard]

Does it not depend on the type of traction you want to work? Cant select 323s and Tyseley.......

 

[Jim88]

Does it not depend on the type of traction you want to work? Cant select 323s and Tyseley.......

I have no idea how it works, hence my asking. I would presume first of all that I would go where they need me, if I choose... how do I choose?! Is one type of traction better than others? Should I prioritise a better rota... which depot has the better rota?! Something I haven't thought about but thought I'd better before too long, just in case.

What did others do?

 

[craigybagel]

Wolverhampton probably have the most variety out of the West Midlands depots, with trips to Liverpool Rugely and Shrewsbury on top of the normal Birmingham local stuff. New Street do go to Liverpool as well but I believe it's only in the very top links. New starters there spend most of their time on the Cross City line.

 

[plastictaffy]

Anywhere but New Street. They're very cliquey there, and most of there work is 323's and Cross City. They sign Liverpool and Northampton as well, but only link 1 AIUI.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Jim88 - When you applied, you will have put a choice of three depots. They'll put you into whichever one they have vacancies at. I'm imagining, living in the People's Democratic Republic of Birmingham, you'll have selected Brum, Cov and Wolves??

 

[red2005]

depends what work u want!

if u want none stop cross city mixed with a lil bit of rugely and birmingham international go to new st and you'll sign more traction there i believe.....323...153...170...350

if u want a different kind of work out towards shirley, dorridge worcester and stratford upon avon go to moor st

 

[plastictaffy]

Like I said, the guys at Brum in my humble opinion are very cliquey, the RMT boys at Coventry have sold everything of value away to the company, and not signing as far as Wolves, I have no experience of the guys up there.

 

[30yearsadriver]

Hello all,

I appreciate that it may not be my choice when the time comes, but if I am asked to express any kind of preference of depot to be based at as a trainee with LM, which one would current drivers choose and why? Not having the ear of anyone on the inside I'm searching here for clues.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

In my experience always opt for the depot either nearest to your home, as everything else including the rosters will change from time to time. Some companies allow you to swap depots whilst in training or after a period of time as a qualified driver but you cannot rely on this happening. Generally speaking the pay and conditions tend to be identical where ever you work.

 

[wellwhatitis]

Like I said, the guys at Brum in my humble opinion are very cliquey, the RMT boys at Coventry have sold everything of value away to the company, and not signing as far as Wolves, I have no experience of the guys up there.

Care to explain?

 

[plastictaffy]

Explain what and why??
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Some companies allow you to swap depots whilst in training or after a period of time as a qualified driver but you cannot rely on this happening. Generally speaking the pay and conditions tend to be identical where ever you work.

We're allowed one lateral transfer (I believe it's every two years) after we pass out.

Don't you believe it!!

 

[wellwhatitis]

I don't know where you live but there are vast differences between the depots. Besides, if they don't have vacancies at your 1st choice you will be contacted regarding whatever they do have and threatened with a vast wait for your own depot if you don't take what they want to offer.

Don't forget also that you can apply for a lateral move to any depot once you've passed out at yours, this is standard practice. At my depot 2 drivers who passed out 3 months ago have already been granted a lateral move.

There is a big issue at the moment with DMU training courses so wherever you go the variety of traction won't be what it should be anyway as there is a long list of existing drivers still waiting to do DMU.

If you go to New St you will only sign 323's and you will do Cross City, Wolves to Walsall and maybe Coventry every now and then. The good thing about New St is there is a good variety of shifts (it's the only depot with a lot of middles and nights aswell as the usual earlies and lates), lots of spare turns and plenty of overtime if you want it.

At Wolverhampton you will probably sign 350's and 323's and cover all of the above but also get to do Liverpool as I think both links there cover it.

Coventry would be 323's and 350's on the same routes as New St but also Northampton is on both links. However at Cov and Wolves there are virtually no middles if you like those.

Worcester and Snow Hill are highly sought after and unlikely to have vacancies anyway as a lot of existing staff have lateral moves in particularly for Snow Hill.

It depends what is important to you. Shift pattern, variety, traction, distance to work etc etc...

 

[plastictaffy]

I don't know where you live but there are vast differences between the depots. Besides, if they don't have vacancies at your 1st choice you will be contacted regarding whatever they do have and threatened with a vast wait for your own depot if you don't take what they want to offer.

Nope. I didn't get my first choice, and was just slotted into my second. It's only now after 2 years that I'm getting into the depot I wanted in the first instance.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I've never met an unhappy Snow Hill man. New Street men call the Snow Hill lines "the dark side" for some weird reason, I've never understood why. Snow Hill might not have the largest route card. Off the top of my head they do Worcester - Stourbridge - Birmingham - Stratford (both ways) - Leamington, which is probably only about 75 miles in total when you factor in the North Warwick and the traction is all 172s but like I said, I've never met an unhappy Snow Hill man. I presume there are plenty of fiddles given the nature of the route but I don't know what LM's attitude to drivers doing fiddles is.

A question for those who do know, is Worcester the only depot which signs New Street and Snow Hill/Moor Street?

 

[craigybagel]

Do any of the Chiltern drivers sign new street for diversions? If so then yes!

I believe Snow Hill drivers go through to Malvern Link but Hereford-New Street is exclusively Worcester work so I can't see how any other LM depot would sign both the dark side and new street?

 

[plastictaffy]

I presume there are plenty of fiddles given the nature of the route but I don't know what LM's attitude to drivers doing fiddles is.

If the fiddle is there, and the job runs without people running out of hours and generally taking the ****, the Duty Train Crew Managers don't give a monkeys'. Certainly that's the case down my end of the line, both for drivers and Guards. We have all the fiddles written down every timetable change and pinned up in the messroom.

 

[leebuckley23]

I worked at tyseley and found it a great experience the people that work there are very knowledgeable and you have got the added bonus off the adjacent museum to expand your knowledge plus I believe you learn more on diesels rather than electric

 

[Sir Topham Hat]

Anywhere but New Street. They're very cliquey there, and most of there work is 323's and Cross City. They sign Liverpool and Northampton as well, but only link 1 AIUI.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Jim88 - When you applied, you will have put a choice of three depots. They'll put you into whichever one they have vacancies at. I'm imagining, living in the People's Democratic Republic of Birmingham, you'll have selected Brum, Cov and Wolves??

I started as a driver at New St recently and they're not remotely cliquey so I've no idea where you get that impression from! You will only do 323's to begin with and it is mainly cross city work. But there is basically unlimited overtime if you want it and varied shifts which you are usually always able to swap if required. I came in from another TOC not knowing anybody in Brum but I can safely say it's the friendliest place I've ever worked! You won't get in at Wolves as there's a long waiting list for lateral transfers so my guess is it'll be New St or Cov as the only options.

 

[Minilad]

Isn't the original question a bit like asking which method of execution you would prefer

 

[Jim88]

Thank you all. Some useful, if varied, responses!