Eurostar train manager

[notadriver]

Does anyone here work as on board staff on these trains ? Is there much overnight lodging ? I've seen the train-crews hang out together at St Pancras but rarely see drivers.

 

[Clip]

How would you know who was a driver or not? Do they wear a different uniform?

 

[notadriver]

I have a nose for it. Call it drivers intuition.

 

[flash]

Does anyone here work as on board staff on these trains ? Is there much overnight lodging ? I've seen the train-crews hang out together at St Pancras but rarely see drivers.

Depends on what staff you are talking about -

Catering crew lodge in Bourg St Maurice and Marseille (I don't think they lodge Paris or Brussels). Employed by a separate company.

Train Managers / Drivers have very much the same lodging requirements - one lodge in Paris & Brussels per link..... So under normal circumstances about once a year.

Crews you see at St Pancras may be train crew having a coffee or more normally the foreign based catering crews / train crews killing time before their return

 

[craigybagel]

What's it like being a train manager there? Is it just one round trip to Paris/Brussels a day? Does it need lots more training than a typical tm job (other than being able to speak French!). If I lived closer to London it might be a fun move!

 

[ComUtoR]

I have a nose for it. Call it drivers intuition.

Driverdar ?

I must admit there is a certain look to a Driver. I was passing the other day and got chatting to another uniformed staff member. Somehow I new he wasn't a Driver.

 

[grumblingalong]

Given its two hours to Paris a double London-Paris would be a feasible shift, being a TM/Conductor/Guard/Ticket Collector/Train Man that speaks French the idea has always enticed me

 

[dmncf]

What's it like being a train manager there? Is it just one round trip to Paris/Brussels a day? Does it need lots more training than a typical tm job (other than being able to speak French!). If I lived closer to London it might be a fun move!

If I may add to that question: I notice that when Eurostar goes through the Channel Tunnel the train manager goes to the rear cab - why is this and what training does this task require? Are they trained to drive the train in an emergency, e.g. if the trainset was split?

 

[Phil.]

Given its two hours to Paris a double London-Paris would be a feasible shift, being a TM/Conductor/Guard/Ticket Collector/Train Man that speaks French the idea has always enticed me

A double London - Paris/Brussels? They won't do a three trip shift (unless things have changed) let alone a four. I don't suppose London or Leeds crews lodge yet the journey time is the same.
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If I may add to that question: I notice that when Eurostar goes through the Channel Tunnel the train manager goes to the rear cab - why is this and what training does this task require? Are they trained to drive the train in an emergency, e.g. if the trainset was split?

The sets never have been split nor will they ever be. The T.M.s used to be trained to drive the rear half out of the tunnel in an emergency but as far as I'm aware nowadays they're not. I'm happy to be corrected by someone who really knows.

 

[flash]

Given its two hours to Paris a double London-Paris would be a feasible shift, being a TM/Conductor/Guard/Ticket Collector/Train Man that speaks French the idea has always enticed me

Hahahahaha..... As if!

Train prep / disposal, breaks, journey time and timetables etc and then try to diagram it all to fit in an average 8:45 day.....

 

[455driver]

Given its two hours to Paris a double London-Paris would be a feasible shift, being a TM/Conductor/Guard/Ticket Collector/Train Man that speaks French the idea has always enticed me

Yeah its not like they need to eat, drink or have a p+ss is it! :roll:

 

[A-driver]

Yeah its not like they need to eat, drink or have a p+ss is it! :roll:

Hahahahaha..... As if!

Train prep / disposal, breaks, journey time and timetables etc and then try to diagram it all to fit in an average 8:45 day.....

We have a number of ex Eurostar drivers on the GN who all left under the redundancy scheme because the move to st Pancras from Waterloo meant the jobs became double trips all over. Paris and back, break then Paris and back.

 

[Johncleesefan]

That sounds pretty monotonous, speaking earlier about the tm driving in emergency if the train splits, how much truth is there to that, aren't bogies articulated between coaches so you would be dragging your bottom if that happened

 

[notadriver]

They 373s are formed of 2 half sets.

 

[craigybagel]

That sounds pretty monotonous, speaking earlier about the tm driving in emergency if the train splits, how much truth is there to that, aren't bogies articulated between coaches so you would be dragging your bottom if that happened

Most of the train is articulated it's true - however the join between the middle two carriages isn't articulated, it uses two sets of bogies. It can be split, although I've heard it's not an easy job!

 

[Johncleesefan]

Ahh cheers for that, I'd be interested to see the channel tunnel emergency plan

 

[azz7008]

Ahh cheers for that, I'd be interested to see the channel tunnel emergency plan

And i'm sure a lot of other people would... not necessarily for the "right" reasons.

 

[Johncleesefan]

This is true, and I would never want it posted on here

 

[flash]

We have a number of ex Eurostar drivers on the GN who all left under the redundancy scheme because the move to st Pancras from Waterloo meant the jobs became double trips all over. Paris and back, break then Paris and back.

Piffle...... there are no 4 leg diagrams or 3 legs for that matter - out and backs with prehaps a trip to the depot is all that happens.

 

[A-driver]

Piffle...... there are no 4 leg diagrams or 3 legs for that matter - out and backs with prehaps a trip to the depot is all that happens.

Air enough. The drivers I know all preferred the work when based at Waterloo. More interesting apparently.

 

[flash]

Air enough. The drivers I know all preferred the work when based at Waterloo. More interesting apparently.

Most drivers I know prefer the yesteryears...... 'at my old depot......'

 

[tsr]

Piffle...... there are no 4 leg diagrams or 3 legs for that matter - out and backs with prehaps a trip to the depot is all that happens.

Is there much, if any, relieving of crew en-route (ie. handing over to a different driver or train manager at Ashford Intl, Calais etc.)?

 

[grumblingalong]

Hahahahaha..... As if!

Train prep / disposal, breaks, journey time and timetables etc and then try to diagram it all to fit in an average 8:45 day.....

You laugh but we do double Norwich-Londons in my part of the world also at about two hours, perfectly doable, they suck, but doable.

 

[Phil.]

Is there much, if any, relieving of crew en-route (ie. handing over to a different driver or train manager at Ashford Intl, Calais etc.)?

No, all of the Paris, Brussels and Disney diagrams are self-contained. It has been known for a crew change at Ashford or Lille but that's always following "disruption".

 

[grumblingalong]

As a slight aside anyone know what the salaries are like, if they only do a return trip each day might be worth it!

 

[flash]

Drivers £63kish
Train Managers £45kish