On Board Supervisor - Southern

[Nev the novice]

Hi folks,
I have recently applied for the post of On Board Supervisor with Southern at Eastbourne/ Barnham and have a couple of questions if I may:

1) What sort of shift patterns does the work involve?( Think it might be 4 on, 3 off but not too sure)

2) Taking into account the current dispute over conductors and DOO, Am I likely to be applying for an "unpopular" position i.e. shunned by existing conductors or is it more a case of everyone evolving into a supervisor role?
Any advice would be most welcome.

 

[ZFE95]

The shift pattern is a rotation over 3 weeks which is typically 7 on, 2 off, 7 on, 5 off. That's the pattern I've always had. I've never encountered any friction between anyone and if there ever was any hard feelings they've definitely blown over now. Good luck with your application.

 

[cseasy1984]

Hi the shifts will be earlys 1 week and lates the next and will rotate like that and every so often depending on your roster you may have to work nights every 6 weeks or so, but that may be different at each depot.
You will be guaranteed a minimum 2 days off each week and the working week starts on a Sunday and runs to Saturday. Every 3 weeks you will have 5 days in a row off, to compensate for that 1 week in those 3 you will work from say a Thursday all the way to the following Wednesday, so 7 days in a row.

You are applying for an unpopular position however the ex conductors should not treat you any differently and nor should you be worried about it. I hope this helps.

 

[Nev the novice]

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate that there is still problems regarding DOO and Conductors and was also thinking about if the Supervisor Role will be dispensed with as DOO gathers momentum so to speak.

 

[Nev the novice]

Further question - what is the pass rates for the online assessments and those at Croydon?

 

[J4mes]

Responding as a "full fat" guard, I can fully appreciate you're just after a job and I'm sure my brothers and sisters within the RMT appreciate that and shouldn't give you any grief for doing that job. There is, as you've already noted, some ill feeling towards the role from the on-board grades as Govia as a company are the scapegoat to try and water down the role of the guard, at the detriment of passenger safety, and the reputation of the UK rail network as one of the safest around. See if you can speak to some of them already doing the role and they will tell you exactly what it's like etc.

However, I wouldn't bank on it being a long term role as Southern are already running services without an OBS, even though they said it wouldn't be a regular thing. My advice: take the role if you so wish but use it as a stepping stone to something more permanent.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Responding as a "full fat" guard, I can fully appreciate you're just after a job and I'm sure my brothers and sisters within the RMT appreciate that and shouldn't give you any grief for doing that job. There is, as you've already noted, some ill feeling towards the role from the on-board grades as Govia as a company are the scapegoat to try and water down the role of the guard, at the detriment of passenger safety, and the reputation of the UK rail network as one of the safest around. See if you can speak to some of them already doing the role and they will tell you exactly what it's like etc.

However, I wouldn't bank on it being a long term role as Southern are already running services without an OBS, even though they said it wouldn't be a regular thing. My advice: take the role if you so wish but use it as a stepping stone to something more permanent.

Sorry to sound stupid but do Govia still recruit Conductors or only OBSs now?

 

[Nev the novice]

J4mes,
Thank you for your comments - much appreciated. Have done my online assessment today (had fun with percentages!) and will be told on the 29th if I have got through to the day assessment. If the online assessment pass rate is 100% Then it's game over for me as I'm pretty sure I slipped up on a couple of answers!

 

[ZFE95]

Sorry to sound stupid but do Govia still recruit Conductors or only OBSs now?

Southern still have conductors on the 171/313/455 stocks, so if necessary conductor recruitment would take place, there was an intake not so long ago at Selhurst depot. But it is mainly OBS' now.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Southern still have conductors on the 171/313/455 stocks, so if necessary conductor recruitment would take place, there was an intake not so long ago at Selhurst depot. But it is mainly OBS' now.

Thanks for the information. I haven't seen them recruit Conductors for some time (I must have missed the Selhurst depot) so I wasn't sure if they were still recruiting.

 

[tsr]

Conductors have not been recruited for Selhurst for a little while - the last to "pass out" (complete their training) was over a year ago. Some new conductors for other depots (mainly Victoria) were recruited slightly after that time, but quickly became OBSs, either part way through training or just after.

GTR would be likely to offer new conductor positions at Selhurst, or anywhere else, to OBSs who used to be conductors. Indeed, I believe one of their letters to the RMT sketchily suggested this. If nobody wanted to apply, recruitment could end up opened to the public. Conductors can still theoretically be trained up by GTR/Southern.

Selhurst has to be retained as a conductor depot for Class 171 units which do not have the door technology or necessarily route clearance to run DOO; for the 377s/455s on the route between Leatherhead and Guildford; for 455s only between Dorking and Horsham; for the route between Clapham Jn and Milton Keynes Ctl; and for those 377s which operate on Southern routes with Southeastern drivers, who are not trained to use the bodyside cameras. They also retain various other bits and pieces. So there's definitely a need for them, as it stands.

Selhurst therefore does not have OBSs because they would not be able to perform traditional conductor duties on those routes.

There are also conductors at Barnham and Brighton - who mainly work Class 313s, which can't operate DOO on the South Coast - and Eastbourne - who work 313s and 171s. Those depots also have OBSs for 377 routes, so any conductor vacancies would likely be filled by OBSs transferring between grades within their depots.

OBS vacancies are often available on the Southern website.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Conductors have not been recruited for Selhurst for a little while - the last to "pass out" (complete their training) was over a year ago. Some new conductors for other depots (mainly Victoria) were recruited slightly after that time, but quickly became OBSs, either part way through training or just after.

GTR would be likely to offer new conductor positions at Selhurst, or anywhere else, to OBSs who used to be conductors. Indeed, I believe one of their letters to the RMT sketchily suggested this. If nobody wanted to apply, recruitment could end up opened to the public. Conductors can still theoretically be trained up by GTR/Southern.

Selhurst has to be retained as a conductor depot for Class 171 units which do not have the door technology or necessarily route clearance to run DOO; for the 377s/455s on the route between Leatherhead and Guildford; for 455s only between Dorking and Horsham; for the route between Clapham Jn and Milton Keynes Ctl; and for those 377s which operate on Southern routes with Southeastern drivers, who are not trained to use the bodyside cameras. They also retain various other bits and pieces. So there's definitely a need for them, as it stands.

Selhurst therefore does not have OBSs because they would not be able to perform traditional conductor duties on those routes.

There are also conductors at Barnham and Brighton - who mainly work Class 313s, which can't operate DOO on the South Coast - and Eastbourne - who work 313s and 171s. Those depots also have OBSs for 377 routes, so any conductor vacancies would likely be filled by OBSs transferring between grades within their depots.

OBS vacancies are often available on the Southern website.

Thanks for the detailed information.

 

[WarJan]

I work for Gtr But saw that myself and was tempted to apply,Does anyone know at all if you have to sit a SCAAT test for this role. With southern that is. I understand VT EMT GWR you do but then again that's mainline?

 

[PudseyBearHST]

I work for Gtr But saw that myself and was tempted to apply,Does anyone know at all if you have to sit a SCAAT test for this role. With southern that is. I understand VT EMT GWR you do but then again that's mainline?

Someone else can confirm but I wouldn't have thought you would have to do it for an OBS as they are not safety critical but rather purely customer service.

 

[Nev the novice]

Had an email today saying I've passed the online assessments and have now been invited to Assessments at Croydon next Monday which will also include role play.
Can anyone tell me if the assessments are the same as what was online (ticket prices,working out prices with percentage discount,journey times etc)? Presumably the role play is "customer service situations". My biggest fear is that my maths skills (or lack of) will let me down. Any info would be much appreciated!

 

[Lurefish]

Hi Nev the Novice.

Interested to know what people say regarding this.

I am attending the assessment on tuesday and like you, slightly worried about my maths letting me down.

 

[Lurefish]

How did your assessment day go Nev...? Hope you did well...

 

[Nev the novice]

Got mine this afternoon!
any tips?

 

[tommo]

Hi I have a platform assistant assessment coming up soon and they mention role play anyone got any idea what sort of scenarios they run.

 

[Shaknur]

Got mine this afternoon!
any tips?

Hi Nev, how did the assessment go? I wanted to ask for any advice or tips and what goes on? How long does the whole assessment last ? Do they medical screen you also ? Let me know thanks and happy New year!