GWR Reading questions.

[WombleGuard]

Hi all,

Could you help with some questions please?

How many drivers based at Reading for GWR?

Is a Driver Standards Manager another name for Driver Manager?

Does all stock out of Reading have a safety critical Conductor aboard?

Thank you.

 

[FGW_DID]

Hi all,

Could you help with some questions please?

How many drivers based at Reading for GWR?

Is a Driver Standards Manager another name for Driver Manager?

Does all stock out of Reading have a safety critical Conductor aboard?

Thank you.

1. Don’t know.
2. No different beasts, Standards Managers look after the competencies, Driver Managers do all the other Admin bits etc.
3. No, some is DOO but it varies depending on the route.

 

[cactustwirly]

Hi all,

Could you help with some questions please?

How many drivers based at Reading for GWR?

Is a Driver Standards Manager another name for Driver Manager?

Does all stock out of Reading have a safety critical Conductor aboard?

Thank you.

Lots of stuff is without a guard.
Only North Downs, Marlow and Basingstoke is Guard operated.

 

[JonathanH]

Only North Downs, Marlow and Basingstoke is Guard operated.

Even Marlow is only guard operated because of the signalling arrangements at Bourne End. Maidenhead to Bourne End services can be run DOO.

https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional%20Appendix%20full%20PDFs/Western%20Sectional%20Appendix%20March%202022.pdf

 

[Horizon22]

Hi all,

Could you help with some questions please?

How many drivers based at Reading for GWR?

Is a Driver Standards Manager another name for Driver Manager?

Does all stock out of Reading have a safety critical Conductor aboard?

Thank you.

1. It's a big depot - somewhere between 250-300 drivers (including trainees). A lot of different links.
2. Not specifically - they are the operational competency people (who assess your ability to drive a train) whilst a Driver Manager is a pure "line manager" and deals with more administrative aspects
3. Nope - anything going to Didcot Parkway, Newbury, Oxford (depending on stopping at intermediates), Paddington (387 stoppers), Henley and Windsor are DOO.

 

[Watershed]

Does all stock out of Reading have a safety critical Conductor aboard?

Not all stock, but some does.

387s are entirely DOO, except on services that run west of Didcot.

Turbos run DOO between Banbury and Paddington, as well as on the Greenford, Windsor and Henley branches, and between Reading and Bedwyn. They can also run DOO between Maidenhead and Bourne End, but not to Marlow as a guard is required to operate the ground frame at Bourne End to allow the service to reverse.

80x can run DOO between Banbury and Paddington, but not if the service runs beyond Oxford towards Worcester, and only for drivers that are on LTV contracts. On services calling at stations where dispatch staff aren't available, a guard is required in order to dispatch the train at the relevant stations (but they needn't be onboard for the entire journey, except on Worcester/Hereford etc. services).

 

[Horizon22]

No, but it varies. 387s are entirely DOO, except on services that run west of Didcot. Turbos run DOO between Banbury and Paddington, as well as on the Greenford, Windsor and Henley branches, and between Reading and Bedwyn.

They can also run DOO between Maidenhead and Bourne End, but not to Marlow as a guard is required to operate the ground frame at Bourne End to allow the service to reverse.

80x can also run DOO between Banbury and Paddington, but not if the service runs beyond Oxford towards Worcester, and only for drivers that are on LTV contracts. On services calling at stations where dispatch staff aren't available, a guard is required in order to dispatch the train at the relevant stations (but they needn't be onboard for the entire journey, except on Worcester/Hereford etc. services).

They definitely don't run DOO all the way to Bedwyn.

Reading drivers can all run DOO Paddington-Reading, but certain other drivers can't dependent on being on different contracts, it's a bit of a minefield as you say.

 

[WombleGuard]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate it

 

[Watershed]

They definitely don't run DOO all the way to Bedwyn.

That's news to me! I thought it was just 80x that needed a guard to run to Bedwyn.

 

[Horizon22]

That's news to me! I thought it was just 80x that needed a guard to run to Bedwyn.

Well I was thinking about 80x through running specifically, but yes the little Turbo shuttle Newbury-Bedwyn doesn't.

 

[Stigy]

1. Don’t know.
2. No different beasts, Standards Managers look after the competencies, Driver Managers do all the other Admin bits etc.
3. No, some is DOO but it varies depending on the route.

Regarding question 2, as far as I was aware they’re the same as Driver Managers, it’s just that different TOCs call them different things. Some companies have Driver Managers who aren’t drivers, who are typically on a lot less money and don’t assess driver competencies as a rule (I believe GWR used to have these, alongside managers who held driver competencies).

Unless larger depots have both?

 

[WombleGuard]

Are the class 800s only the senior links?

 

[Stigy]

Are the class 800s only the senior links?

Depends on the depot as far as I’m aware. I know in the deepest west they’re not.

 

[FGW_DID]

Are the class 800s only the senior links?

Don’t know about Reading but Oxford drivers sign them more or less straight away.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Are the class 800s only the senior links?

The top 2 (of I think 4) links at Reading sign them

 

[TurboMan]

Almost exactly 250 drivers at Reading (including current trainees), core traction on passing out in 16x and 387, with plenty of DOO work.

Driver Standards Managers do both the competence management and HR.