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Best and worst jobs on the roster
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theageofthetra
Established Member
Adding to this thread with what is best & worse traction in your depot?
Best. Any 170, preferably a 2 car
Worst. 153, specifically 153314, the Swimming Scud
Haha :P I bet that and the Stourbridge Shuttle are up there with the worst of them.
ryan125hst
Established Member
But the Stourbridge Shuttle is worked by a separate company subcontracted by London Midland, so the drivers only drive the Class 139 (although the drivers and guards do both roles and swap throughout the day). I didn't know about this until I saw a thread with a link to a page about it. The crew must get bored through, surely? It's the shortest branch line in Europe!
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Pfft, Tring itself is really pretty. Just a shame the station is two miles from Tring, eh.
Berkhamsted and Hemel definitely need 3-4 trains an hour, and our stoppers at Apsley need to turn round somewhere!
The Dusty Bins really are awful inside these days, though. They've not been touched since Silverlink, and they did sod all. LM haven't even updated the tube map.
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trainplan1
Member
- Joined
- 6 Dec 2010
- Messages
- 115
Indeed, the only reason is because Tring has the space to do so. Saying that though people do seem to appear out of nowhere to the station. Same can't be said for Cheddington...
Can't speak for Kings Langley/Apsley but my local 2 Hemel and Berkhamsted definitely do need 3/4 per hour.
Unlike some people in the office I do my upmost to avoid them. I'll gladly wait for the next train if I'm in no rush!
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
My morning train, the 0813 from Apsley, is a 321. I'd rather catch it than the full 0758 because it's pretty much empty when it gets to us, as it doesn't stop at Berkhamsted or Hemel. I try and avoid the 321s on the way home though.
Yes I've done that walk before and the services seem well matched to demand, why shouldn't trains terminate at Tring where obviously the track layout is suitable?
plastictaffy
Member
That one is first stop Apsley from Tring - 0804 I think. I was marked to that job last week, but swapped out of it last minute, as I cannot stand working 321's.
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Or why not take the Tring's out and run the same stopping pattern to MKC??
Just have one or two trains in the morning that start and finish at Tring International.
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plastictaffy
Member
From what I understand, they were supposed to go to GA, so LM didn't bother updating them as they weren't sure which ones would and which ones wouldn't go. However, the destination indicators were updated with GA destinations. LM have said that they'll be keeping the Dusties til the end of the franchise in 2017 now. However, what's the point of wasting money refreshing them when GA will only do the same when they get hold of the horrid things.
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If we didnt have the bad jobs we wouldnt appreciate the good jobs!
True that!!!!
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Shortly arriving Cheddington, mind the Tumbleweed blowing along the platform.
Cheddington next stop.
aylesbury2
Member
- Joined
- 17 Feb 2014
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- 120
I understand that those who use Tring frequently are very lucky having a nice frequent train service! Sorry plastictaffy!
Still, 0.767 million used Tring last year, which isn't too poky for a small station that really is in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely no regular public transport connections - the only bus connection (the 500 between Aylesbury and Watford) requires a mile-long walk down Beggars Lane, although it's quite obvious that Tring is used mostly by those commuting by car (such as myself) from surrounding villages - most people I know who live in Tring use Chiltern from Aylesbury and don't even know of the existence of a station in Tring - it's poorly signposted from Tring centre and it is >3km out, and the station isn't technically in Tring, it's actually in the small village/hamlet of Aldbury! Although to be able to get into Euston, which has far better bus and tube connections than Marylebone, and a journey that can be done (at peak times) in 35-40 minutes, with nice, pretty new 350s with far quicker services and cheaper parking and fares than Aylesbury, makes it a no brainer for those like me who live close to a few stations, Aylesbury, Haddenham & Thame Parkway (an easy connection to Aylesbury via the 'Sapphire' 280 which is about the same combined as travelling from Aylesbury), Tring or Amersham (Tube).
We have a couple of nice jobs.
On sundays we have:
Book on: 07:04
Taxi to northampton
09:00 northampton-crewe 11:38
Finish
Book on 20:26
20:44 crewe-rugby
Pass back on 23:00ish virgin back to crewe
Finish
Also a horrible job (altho looking at other peoples its not that bad in comparison!)
Book on 12:19-22:19
12:37 crewe-northampton
15:02 northampton-crewe
17:37 crewe-rugby
Pnb
20:25 rugby-crewe.
In the week we have
(Good)
Book on 06:34-11:34
06:52 crewe-milton keynes
09:19 milton keynes-crewe
Finish
Book on 02:57 (not all like this one!)
Taxi to rugby
05:16 rugby-northampton
Pnb
06:35 northampton-crewe
(Bad)
Book on 11:01-20:53
11:17 crewe-new street
12:36 new street-liverpool
14:34 liverpool-birmingham
17:36 birmingham-crewe
19:04 crewe-liverpool
20:04 liverpool-crewe
And
Book on 14:16-00:01
14:32 crewe-liverpool
15:34 liverpool-birmingham
Pnb
18:36 birmingham-liverpool
20:34 liverpool-birmingham
22:38 birmingham-crewe all stations
On sundays we have:
Book on: 07:04
Taxi to northampton
09:00 northampton-crewe 11:38
Finish
Book on 20:26
20:44 crewe-rugby
Pass back on 23:00ish virgin back to crewe
Finish
Also a horrible job (altho looking at other peoples its not that bad in comparison!)
Book on 12:19-22:19
12:37 crewe-northampton
15:02 northampton-crewe
17:37 crewe-rugby
Pnb
20:25 rugby-crewe.
In the week we have
(Good)
Book on 06:34-11:34
06:52 crewe-milton keynes
09:19 milton keynes-crewe
Finish
Book on 02:57 (not all like this one!)
Taxi to rugby
05:16 rugby-northampton
Pnb
06:35 northampton-crewe
(Bad)
Book on 11:01-20:53
11:17 crewe-new street
12:36 new street-liverpool
14:34 liverpool-birmingham
17:36 birmingham-crewe
19:04 crewe-liverpool
20:04 liverpool-crewe
And
Book on 14:16-00:01
14:32 crewe-liverpool
15:34 liverpool-birmingham
Pnb
18:36 birmingham-liverpool
20:34 liverpool-birmingham
22:38 birmingham-crewe all stations
DarloRich
Veteran Member
That is completely unfair. I once saw 7 people get on one train at Cheddington!
How does the Marston Vale Line rank on the boredom scale. The 153 doesnt seem a popular vehicle!
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Starting at Tring must save a unit or five, that's the only thing I can think of, though I'm not sure how many people would use the stopper if they're going to Leighton Buzzard or further north. It'd be convenient when heading north to have them go to Milton Keynes.
dk1
Veteran Member
I would actually like that one. We have several similar such as...
11.43-20.42, 12.27-20.53 & 13.13-20.55. I think anything done by 21.00 is good for lates.
Do you ever get cut-out of the 19.04?
That's the one redeeming factor of that job, the reasonably sociable finish. Its unpopular as you get 5 hours to start on the same unit with no break and it usually seems to be one with no toilets on that job but compared to a suburban work depot I think we are spolt a bit!
Very rarely get out of any late turns, I can't actually remember the last time we had a spare to take anyone off.
SprinterMan
Established Member
Greater Anglia have a weird one that involves working 1K97 2240 Norwich to Cambridge, sleeping on the train at Cambridge then working 2K56 0605 Cambridge to Norwich the next morning. This arose from the breakup of Central trains, as 2K56 used to be worked by them, but neither XC or EMT serve the whole CBG-NRW route so AGA (then NXEA) had to pick up the slack. I bet the crew hope the 170 on this service is never subbed for a 153 or 156! :P
Adam
Adam
Cherry_Picker
Established Member
Sleeping on the train? Unlikely. PNB more like. Those sorts of diagrams are not uncommon.
dk1
Veteran Member
No, i can assure you it IS sleeping on the train. Both crew members take their sleeping bags etc & stay at opposite ends.
dk1
Veteran Member
Hyphen
Member
ATW have a similar diagram...
Book on 22.55-06.40
Staff shuttle bus to Canton depot
Prep unit and take it to Cardiff Central (5B01)
2B01 00.30 Cardiff to Hereford arriving 01.55
PNB
2Y07 05.26 Hereford to Cardiff arriving 06.40
Sadly for the staff though, it's booked a 150! Can't imagine that being much cop to sleep on! (I think ATW does have a driver mess at Hereford though)
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
A conductor used to take a sleeping bag on this job. No ATW Depot at Hereford and I doubt a mess room as this is about the only job with a break there. All trains have through crews.
plastictaffy
Member
If there's a booked PNB there, then there WILL be somewhere with a Messroom, assuming that the ASLEF and RMT reps are doing their jobs correctly. Every company has places that are recognised PNB points. For the route I sign, that would be Euston, Watford, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Rugby (in debate at the moment) and Coventry.
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That's because you're based at Crewe. Defect down south, come and work proper (by proper, I mean 12 cars) trains!!
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Three trips on there yesterday.
Anything that goes to Bedford is a crap job. Should have done four trips, to be fair, but managed to pull a three-way fiddle. Of the two options, 150 or 153, I'd rather work the 153. I'd rather go to the dentist than do anything on the 150.
ChrisTheRef
Established Member
Sleeping?! Surely it is studying the rule book?
That'd put you to sleep pretty quickly!
Sorry to throw a spanner in the works here, but don't anyone else's diagrams say "Private and not for publication"?
craigybagel
Established Member
- Joined
- 25 Oct 2012
- Messages
- 5,829
DBS have a booking on point and messroom at Hereford that ATW staff have access to if needed. It's part of our conditions like plastictaffy says, anywhere where there is a booked PNB, which officially happens at Hereford on that Cardiff turn and on one Crewe guards turn on a Saturday, there has to be faciliities away from the train.
Hyphen
Member
An ATW driver has confirmed to me that ATW have agreed mess facilities at:
Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Bath Spa,
Birmingham New St, Bridgend, Bristol Temple Meads,
Cardiff Canton Depot, Cardiff St David's House, Cardiff Central,
Cardiff Queen St, Carmarthen, Chester,
Crewe, Crewe Carriage Shed, Gloucester
Hereford, Holyhead, Llandrindod Wells,
Llandudno Junction, Llanelli, London Marylebone,
Machynlleth, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Rd,
Manchester Airport, Birmingham International, Manchester Longsight Depot,
Newport, Pantyffynon, Pontypridd,
Pwllheli, Rhymney, Shrewsbury,
Swansea, Treherbert, Westbury,
Wrexham and Wolverhampton.
All locations as a minimum provide seating, heat and light, hot drink provision, toilets, washing facilities and food heating.
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