Northern (manchester vic)

[Vicpaul]

Had a call out of the blue from the HR team asking if I would like to apply for Manchester Victoria.

Wondered if any current drivers could advise me on traction, routes and generally what the depot is like to work at.

Many thanks in advance

Paul

 

[302PS]

Presume your qualified already?

 

[Sunday_mornin]

Had a call out of the blue from the HR team asking if I would like to apply for Manchester Victoria.

Wondered if any current drivers could advise me on traction, routes and generally what the depot is like to work at.

Many thanks in advance

Paul

Seems like a no-brainer, you can continue to use VicPaul quite legitimately

I could have a stab at your questions but seeing as I've only been there a week I'll wait until someone more able comes along to give you a more comprehensive answer.

 

[Vicpaul]

Sorry yes I am a qualified driver

 

[8J]

"Wigan via Bolton and on to Southport
Wigan via Atherton and on to Kirkby
Liverpool via Chat Moss
Manchester Piccadilly to Airport
Manchester Piccadilly to Hazel Grove
Manchester Piccadilly to Stalybridge via Guide Bridge
Leeds via Bradford
Leeds via Brighouse
Clitheroe via Blackburn
Blackpool North to Preston
Preston to Liverpool via WCML
Huddersfield via Ashton.
Class 142 144 150/1 and /2 153 155 156 and 158."

Got this from an old conductor thread for man vic. Not sure if it is still the case. Do we know if Vic crews will be signing 319's for use on the Liverpool services?

 

[Llama]

Fairly accurate. Manchester Victoria drivers also sign Chester.

Three business links. 180ish drivers, about 40% sign Chester and 60% sign Leeds (no link does both).
Sundays out (committed), about 1-in-5 Sundays on average in each link. RDW sanction til end Sept 2014 as things stand, for covering training only.

 

[Vicpaul]

4 day week long weekend every third? Sounds like our roster.

Can you opt out of sundays or is it down to you doing a MCO?

 

[Llama]

You can opt out of whichever you want. 99% of the time there is cover, but if there wasn't cover you would still have to come in for a booked Sunday.
And yes, RD pattern is MT/WT/FS over three weeks. Earliest start 0315, latest finish 0225.
9 days floating AL, four block weeks (1 winter, 2 summer, 1 autumn).
Very friendly feel for a big depot, driver-wise anyway.

 

[Sunday_mornin]

You can opt out of your booked Sundays if you wish and yes, there is a 5 day weekend every third week.

 

[302PS]

That's Nice! It's every 6 on buses, I always thought picc drivers signed the 323's

 

[Vicpaul]

Exactly the same set up at southern. Thanks for the information

 

[Llama]

That's Nice! It's every 6 on buses, I always thought picc drivers signed the 323's

They do.

 

[Sunday_mornin]

That's Nice! It's every 6 on buses, I always thought picc drivers signed the 323's

Picc do, Vic don't as there are currently no EMUs operating out of Vic.

 

[302PS]

That's what I thought but I also thought the airports and hazel groves used them

 

[Llama]

No, the Airports that are 323s are Piccadilly men, same for Hazel Groves if any actually go that way any more, I suspect they don't.
Lime Street were meant to have one or two 323 airport diagrams earlier this year but I don't think that happened.

 

[302PS]

Bit off topic but noticed a 142 through urmston earlier on the Liverpool to Oxford rd... Don't see them often, usually 150/156

 

[Beveridges]

142s very common on the stoppers