FGW Bristol Guard

[Fincra5]

Hi, just a quick question, does a Guard based at Bristol do a mix of Commuter and Intercity workings?

Cheers.

 

[turbo mick]

i would think conductors do the local services and train managers do the HSS services at bristol



cheers

mick

 

[Fincra5]

Ahh ok, cheers bud.

 

[Twoonthebuzzer]

Not the case!! Recently, through the new harmonisation terms, Train Managers are starting to learn and works units now, and this will become ever more common in the coming months!

Train Managers will be able to work HST and units, as long as they still have the required route knowledge!

So for example, a Train Manager could work a HST to Padd and back, then a unit to WSM and back, as they have the required route knowledge!!

Conductors, however, are not currently learning HST's and so work units only still!!

HSS drivers work both HST and units ( most do anyway ), but west drivers work units only! It's a bit different at Gloucester, where some west drivers are starting to learn HST's!!

FGW want all Drivers and Guards to sign all FGW traction eventually, but whether this will ever be achieved is another matter!

 

[TEW]

Some West crew are moving over to high speed where a station has both West and High Speed crew with the High Speed depot picking up the West depots work.

 

[BestWestern]

Hi, just a quick question, does a Guard based at Bristol do a mix of Commuter and Intercity workings?

Cheers.

To refer to the original query, a Train Conductor based at Bristol will work:

Avonmouth & Severn Beach
Weston Super Mare & Taunton
Cardiff Central
Gloucester & Cheltenham Spa
Swindon to Gloucester via Kemble, Stroud & Stonehouse
Portsmouth Harbour
Weymouth

The trains you would work would be Classes 143, 150/1, 150/2, 153 and 158. There are various service patterns over these routes, some stopping more than others, but all would be local/commuter trains, operated by the above Sprinter or Pacer units. The trains to Portsmouth are classed as 'Express Passenger' services and run fast for large parts of the journey, but they aren't regarded as being Intercity. Weymouth is a long run, but the service stops everywhere.

At the moment, all HST (Intercity) workings are dealt with by the Train Managers. There are plans for a limited number of Bristol-based Conductors to learn these trains and their routes, but it is unlikely to concern any new entrants for a very long time. The idea for future recruitment now is that all new entrants will come in at Conductor grade, with Train Manager vacancies being filled by Conductors. Sadly, there remains a difference in pay between these grades, but generally the FGW operation is now fairly well synchronised. Being a Conductor is certainly not a bad job, even if it is slightly unfortunate that FGW chooses to apply this distinction when the staff across both grades are in fact simply 'Guards'. Anyhow, if you plan to apply at Bristol, go for it and very best of luck

 

[Fincra5]

Yeah you're right being a Guard isn't a bad job, which I am now, I'd just much rather be a train manager

I'd much rather work those DMUs than my current 3 EMUS...

 

[BestWestern]

Hey careful, do your EMU's have air-con lol?! I wish our trusty Sprinters & Pacers did!!

I think in some ways, certainly on FGW, Conductor is possibly the better gig, in my humble opinion. Yes the salary is a tad lower, but it's still pretty generous really, we don't have elitist idiots in First Class to talk down to us, and we don't have the regular headache of slam doors on MK3 coaches casting doubts over people's job security! So don't let the job title put you off

 

[Fincra5]

2 of 3 have Air-con, one of which isn't the best

 

[BestWestern]

2 of 3 have Air-con, one of which isn't the best

Well two (or maybe one and a half?!) out of three isn't bad I guess really! We have just the 158's, whose air-con is of course notoriously useless :roll: Except in the driving cabs of any of our units (except a 150/1) where the Driver gets the luxury of his own private air-con system, which sadly isn't of any use to us lowly Guards as it'll only work with a key in the desk! Bistards!

 

[Fincra5]

Well two (or maybe one and a half?!) out of three isn't bad I guess really! We have just the 158's, whose air-con is of course notoriously useless :roll: Except in the driving cabs of any of our units (except a 150/1) where the Driver gets the luxury of his own private air-con system, which sadly isn't of any use to us lowly Guards as it'll only work with a key in the desk! Bistards!

Yes they did that to the 313 refurb, so its like an oven in the back, you have to open all the windows but its still not cool enough

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Conductors, however, are not currently learning HST's and so work units only still!!

How does this work in relation to the occasional use of HST's on Taunton-Cardiff's? I'm sure they've been crewed by conductors rather than train managers when I've seen this happen.

 

[Scotrail84]

Hey careful, do your EMU's have air-con lol?! I wish our trusty Sprinters & Pacers did!!

I think in some ways, certainly on FGW, Conductor is possibly the better gig, in my humble opinion. Yes the salary is a tad lower, but it's still pretty generous really, we don't have elitist idiots in First Class to talk down to us, and we don't have the regular headache of slam doors on MK3 coaches casting doubts over people's job security! So don't let the job title put you off

I much prefer working units 156,158,170s,322s and soon to be 380s. When i speak to Inter City guards they always go on how we have an easy life relating to the above

 

[Bellwater]

I get asked if i want to be a Train Manager as if it's something to progress to. no thanks.

Not sure of the Link Structures at BRI but i would think you start on Severn Beach/Taunton/Weston SM/Cardiff/Gloucester, and learn Weymouth, Swindon-Gloucester and Pompey Harbour when you move up the links as there are other depots which cover these(Weymouth/Gloucester).

The Beach is a good commission job i've heard.

 

[BestWestern]

How does this work in relation to the occasional use of HST's on Taunton-Cardiff's? I'm sure they've been crewed by conductors rather than train managers when I've seen this happen.

There are currently no Conductors who would work an HST, however on some routes where the Train Manager doesn't have the required route knowledge (i.e. Portsmouth or Weymouth) the train will also have a Conductor, acting as 'Pilot' or Route Condcutor. On Cardiff - Taunton this isn't required as the TM would sign all of the required routes. The recent working of an HST over that route, two weekends ago I if I remember, had a Conductor assisting, to help out with revenue and act as another pair of eyes regarding closing doors at stops etc, so it may have been that you saw, but the Conductor wouldn't have been in charge of the train.
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I get asked if i want to be a Train Manager as if it's something to progress to. no thanks.

Not sure of the Link Structures at BRI but i would think you start on Severn Beach/Taunton/Weston SM/Cardiff/Gloucester, and learn Weymouth, Swindon-Gloucester and Pompey Harbour when you move up the links as there are other depots which cover these(Weymouth/Gloucester).

The Beach is a good commission job i've heard.

Bristol currently has just three main links, earlies, lates and mixed, which contain all of the routes signed; there isn't any pecking order to which routes are worked. For a while there was a backlog of Bristol Guards who still had to sign Portsmouth and/or Weymouth, as there isn't a great deal of work over these routes, but that is now resolved I believe.