Best driver depot

[Cheshire Scot]

Back in the 1970s I would have said Perth who signed:
Inverness
Aberdeen
Edinburgh - via Stirling and via Kirkcaldy
Glasgow Queen St - via Lenzie and via Cumbernauld (reverse at Cowlairs (pre construction of Cowlairs chord))
Carlisle - via Holytown and via Motherwell (post 1974 including traction change at Mossend)
plus the by then freight only line to Forfar

 

[craigybagel]

Back in the 1970s I would have said Perth who signed:
Inverness
Aberdeen
Edinburgh - via Stirling and via Kirkcaldy
Glasgow Queen St - via Lenzie and via Cumbernauld (reverse at Cowlairs (pre construction of Cowlairs chord))
Carlisle - via Holytown and via Motherwell (post 1974 including traction change at Mossend)
plus the by then freight only line to Forfar

Other then Carlisle and Forfar the ScotRail drivers at Perth still sign pretty much all of that AFAIK.

 

[LowLevel]

I've always thought EMR Lincoln would be a nice place to settle. Quite varied route card, not too big a depot but not too small either and a few different traction types.

They do Lincoln - Nottingham - Leicester, Peterborough - Lincoln - Doncaster, Newark - Lincoln - Cleethorpes so a mix of rural and urban work.

Traction is 153/156/158 with 170 starting soon and 153 finishing soon.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Oct 2020 ==

I do wonder at depots like EMR Norwich whether drivers get bored with lack of variety? Is it really "Oooo, Nottingham and back again"?

They do Norwich - Nottingham via Grantham or Oakham, Nottingham to Leicester locals and shunt work at Norwich around the station, sidings and Crown Point depot. They sign 156 and 158. If you're the right kind of person for that sort of work it is a pretty easygoing existence. If you get bored easily probably not so good.

 

[whoosh]

St Albans - no brainer!!

Clockwise or anti-clockwise today?

Talking of which, Glasgow Subway anyone?

 

[Class2ldn]

Clockwise or anti-clockwise today?

Probably both lol

 

[Robcuk]

Probably both lol

That’s the definition of a good job at SAC

 

[gbbub321]

Just for fun (so let's avoid getting into the DOO/which TOC pays the most debate) but if you could choose to work as a driver at any depot in the UK based on routes alone which one would you go for?

Being based in Kent I liked the idea of working out of Tonbridge which seems to have a decent mix of routes and stock. Barnham and Eastbourne on the Sussex coast also seem to have nice scenic routes.

This thread may help you pick: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/different-driver-depots-route-and-traction-cards.205085/.

Healey Mills, until the ldc closed it

 

[Jim Jehosofat]

I've always thought EMR Lincoln would be a nice place to settle. Quite varied route card, not too big a depot but not too small either and a few different traction types.

They do Lincoln - Nottingham - Leicester, Peterborough - Lincoln - Doncaster, Newark - Lincoln - Cleethorpes so a mix of rural and urban work.

Traction is 153/156/158 with 170 starting soon and 153 finishing soon.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Oct 2020 ==



They do Norwich - Nottingham via Grantham or Oakham, Nottingham to Leicester locals and shunt work at Norwich around the station, sidings and Crown Point depot. They sign 156 and 158. If you're the right kind of person for that sort of work it is a pretty easygoing existence. If you get bored easily probably not so good.

No more Worksops for Norwich?

 

[LowLevel]

No more Worksops for Norwich?

Drivers don't go to Worksop - only guards.

 

[Efini92]

If we can go back in time it would be Newton Heath in the late 60’s early 70’s

 

[whitby66078]

Tees valley FLHH and thornaby DB, sign a good variety of scenic routes.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

St Albans - no brainer!!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Oct 2020 ==

If it wasn’t for the IET, it would have to be York TPE. If you could do Manchester (especially with all the diversions), Scarborough, Middlesbrough and Newcastle and all with 185s and 68s I’d say you’d have a varied and enjoyable work life. Good mix of urban and rural driving to keep you sane, etc.

Then again, I always thought the idea of being a TfW driver at Carmarthen would be nice. Cardiff, Pembroke, Fishguard, Milford, bit of Heart of Wales. Fantastic part of the world, no?

And back in the day, I’d have probably bitten your hand off for TPE Barrow or Blackpool when they did all the silly stuff they did.

 

[20atthemagnet]

The one that has the best T&Cs..alot of colleugues who moved onto “greener pastures” for companies with exotic routes and loads of traction now finding that out the hard way....

Its always the first thing I wanna know about if I sniff around another company. Then diagraming etc

Ive driven higher speed stuff with decent trains/scenery but spent nearly 10 hrs at work only to get stuck and have to make some of my own way back.

But elsewhere Ive also driven 4 headcode days doing suburban DOO in a tin can on a padded 7hr diagram and spent 3hrs at work, and been paid an hr OT because my taxi back to depot was 15min late. Im taking the second one everyday of the week!

 

[43066]

If it wasn’t for the IET, it would have to be York TPE. If you could do Manchester (especially with all the diversions), Scarborough, Middlesbrough and Newcastle and all with 185s and 68s I’d say you’d have a varied and enjoyable work life. Good mix of urban and rural driving to keep you sane, etc.

If it’s anything like the 700s the cab will have a far better seat than the passenger accommodation (although, I must admit, I don’t find 800 passenger seats too bad).

Pretty much anything (including a 1970s HST) is better than a networker cab!

 

[heedfan]

If it’s anything like the 700s the cab will have a far better seat than the passenger accommodation (although, I must admit, I don’t find 800 passenger seats too bad).

I find the driving position and the seat of the 800s very comfortable. Much preferable to HSTs, though I am quite tall so might not be the same for everyone.

 

[irish_rail]

I find the driving position and the seat of the 800s very comfortable. Much preferable to HSTs, though I am quite tall so might not be the same for everyone.

Comfortable if one can get the seat in the right position. Half the time I find myself sitting almost at floor level struggling to peer over the dash board ! Also the bouncing can be quite annoying at times !

 

[Evolution]

I don’t mind the 800s at all, the seat and driving position is quite good. Prefer the 68 though, visibility is better.

The worst cabs from the BR era has got to be the 15X, if they have the vestibule door, they are horrendous. The seat bolted to the bulkhead with little or no lateral adjustment is so uncomfortable.

Just a cramped horrible cab layout, the 153 on the small end..