GWR Paddington Routes

[on track]

Hi, This is a question for drivers currently based at Paddington or anyone else 'in the know'

I was just wondering what the different routes a driver based at Paddington for GWR would drive, and what the link progression is like?. Specifically, if a Qualified driver from another TOC secured a drivers position for GWR based at Paddington, how long could they typically expect to wait before progressing from the first link they went into to a high speed link?.

In addition, where specifically is the book on point for Paddington GWR drivers? (ie. The station itself or some other location?)

Thanks!

 

[irish_rail]

They book on at the station .
Link progression is very fast about 2 or 3 years you'll be in the top link (although there is no longer any progression to high speed side) however the "local drivers" do drive the IETs .
Think the top link go as far as Worcester whilst the other 2 links do oxford , Bedwyn, greenford, Windsor.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Pad hss drivers do go to Bristol too or were you specifiying gwr drivers Irish rail?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Pad hss drivers do go to Bristol too or were you specifiying gwr drivers Irish rail?

GWR I assume - no new joiner can become part of the HSS grade at any point in their career. One would assume that eventually the GWR links will start to gain "HSS" work

 

[irish_rail]

Yes padd HSS go bristol swansea Exeter Cheltenham etc but you have no chance of going HSS now. However in the fullness of time I expect work to gravitate towards the "local" drivers and away from HSS

 

[on track]

Yes padd HSS go bristol swansea Exeter Cheltenham etc but you have no chance of going HSS now. However in the fullness of time I expect work to gravitate towards the "local" drivers and away from HSS

Thanks for your reply. Forgive my ignorance but I was just wondering why it is impossible for a GWR new joiner at Paddington to ever be able drive high speed routes to (for example) Bristol & Swansea ?

As vacancies naturally arise in the driver link that currently cover this work (as a result the usual reasons of people moving companies, retiring, leaving for medical or other reasons, dying, etc), how are these vacancies covered now ?.

Are you saying they are currently covered by existing drivers moving from lower links but this will no longer be the case in 2-3 years (ie. by the time a new starter would progress to the top link) as this current progression into the HSS link will no longer happen ? (and instead the HSS work will slowly move into the 'local driver' links and the separate HSS link will eventually disappear and be no more?

I was just trying to understand what the changes will be in a few years and why ?(and not sure if my assumption above is correct or I've totally misunderstood you?), thanks!

 

[tiptoptaff]

We didn't say that you wouldn't drive those routes, but that you would not become a HSS driver.

 

[tlionhart]

Irish rail has it spot on. The changes are due to harmonisation. It’s not impossible that you wouldn’t sign long distance work. It’s just not possible to join the HSS side. (Due to harmonisation)
As you say, as HSS Padd gets smaller the work will increase on the GWR driver side of things.
The IETs are on all top links across the once LTV region. - For now these are operated as DOO from Oxford, with Bedwyn hopefully coming soon. They also operate the rogue West service from Reading-Padd-Reading (with guard) There’s a lot of changes coming. (Especially with Crossrail)
At the moment, a Padd HSS Driver would be happy to see somewhere further than North Pole depot