Questions for any Northern Drivers at Leeds

[ChooChoo11]

Hi, please can anyone help with a couple of questions, let's say from the perspective of a trainee driver at Leeds about to finish training and start working shifts.

How do the shifts work? Is it a three week block, five week block, week of lates followed by week of earlies, something else?

Can you plan well in advance using the shift pattern and figure out what you'll be working in a couple of months?

How many weekend days does a newbie work? Is it generally one in two, two in three etc. I know it may not be set in stone but what is the rough ratio of weekend days worked versus not worked?

What is the general start time of an early turn and end time of a late turn? I appreciate this may vary a bit but is there a ball park/rough figure?

If you're working an early or late and have to drive in, is there staff parking or is it a case of pay and display somewhere in the city?

The training is apparently at Neville Hill, can you park there?

Thanks in advance for any help or pointers people can provide, it's greatly appreciated.

 

[Osian85]

The one bit of that I can help you with is the parking at Neville Hill, when you arrive theres a very small carpark on the right which you go through to go around the right hand side of the building where there is more/main parking.

 

[RBSN]

Hi, please can anyone help with a couple of questions, let's say from the perspective of a trainee driver at Leeds about to finish training and start working shifts.

How do the shifts work? Is it a three week block, five week block, week of lates followed by week of earlies, something else?

Can you plan well in advance using the shift pattern and figure out what you'll be working in a couple of months?

How many weekend days does a newbie work? Is it generally one in two, two in three etc. I know it may not be set in stone but what is the rough ratio of weekend days worked versus not worked?

What is the general start time of an early turn and end time of a late turn? I appreciate this may vary a bit but is there a ball park/rough figure?

If you're working an early or late and have to drive in, is there staff parking or is it a case of pay and display somewhere in the city?

The training is apparently at Neville Hill, can you park there?

Thanks in advance for any help or pointers people can provide, it's greatly appreciated.

The shifts are basically 3-4 days at a total of 35 hours per week. Some days could be 9-10 hours. Some can be a little as 5.

You get a 24-week shift rota so you can plan very easily.

Earlies are approx 5am starts and late's are approx 2-6am finishes (pending if you're working up at Neville Hill during the night.

Training for the first 16 weeks is mostly done in Leeds city centre (classroom based). You do go to Neville Hill for your PTS and Tracktion training. But it's mostly in Leeds.

You also do start your driving at your own station whilst with a minder or DTM.