Smallest traincrew depots

[Old Hill Bank]

I know it's a relatively small depot, but how many people are assigned to Worcester?

My understanding is that Worcester is no small operation and provides 50% of the Snow Hill crews and all of the New Street Hereford staff.

 

[CallySleeper]

Not sure about numbers , was told they sign the triangle of boredom, leicester- Birmingham- derby - leicester.

Not sure about Derby - Leicester but definitely Nottingham - Leicester.

 

[Tomnick]

XC don't even operate between Derby and Leicester, so a third of their route knowedge isn't even used.

Drivers certainly work trains over it, with various ECS movements to and from both Notts and Derby at both ends of the service. Not sure whether guards still sign it, but I suspect that they do, given that trains have been diverted that way at short notice recently, with no problems. It's not all that long since there was an early Leicester - Derby passenger train though, which was approximately formed by what's now an ECS move.

 

[Class 170101]

I would be surprised if Leicester didn't sign Derby to Leicester as they do sign Castle Donnington. ECS moves go that way apparently.

 

[patstonuk]

(I was 50:50 about whether it belonged here or in Jobs & Careers, so mods move as you see fit.)

I was having a browse of the HOWL improvements thread and someone mentioned Pwllheli depot is the base for only six drivers and six guards. It got me thinking about which depots in the UK are the smallest by crew number based there: Stranraer and Wick I can't imagine have many, nor places like Workington on Northern. Does anybody have any other suggestions?

Workington is a good shout. Until 2001 I was one of the very few guards and drivers there and I don't think it's much different now.

 

[BestWestern]

One of the smallest must be the FGW depot at Weymouth, which consists of 7 or 8 Guards, no drivers (admittedly it shares the facilities of the larger SWT depot, but they are of course separate operations).

 

[Philip Elliott]

VT @ Holyhead? Also, who services the first/last EM trains from/to Crewe?

Holyhead is nearly 15 times bigger than Chester. Okay I'm cheating as Chester is a sub depot of Holyhead. Then there is International...

 

[craigybagel]

Holyhead is nearly 15 times bigger than Chester. Okay I'm cheating as Chester is a sub depot of Holyhead. Then there is International...

Chester and International are both catering staff only depots mind, at least Holyhead has Train Managers as well, quite a few in fact since every VT service west of Chester has to have a HHD TM on board. 3 CSA's at Chester, and about 7 or 8 at International (a sub depot of Wolves) isn't it?

6 guards and drivers at Pwllheli as I've pointed out in other threads and as was mentioned by the OP, covering 2 booked jobs and 2 spares each day. We've also got relatively small depots at Treherbert and Rhymney, 16 and 18 guards (and presumably drivers) respectively.

 

[tsr]

How many FGW guards are there at Redhill? I've seen one or two adverts for positions there fairly recently. AFAIK, the Southern depot - at least for guards - isn't especially large, but still not as small as some on here.

 

[Matt Taylor]

I think Strawberry Hill (SWT) and Watford (LM) are examples of small traincrew depots, not sure of the numbers of Guards/Drivers though but I've heard they're small depots!

Strawberry Hill had a complement of 26 guards and around 50 drivers approx two years ago. The smallest depot on SWT is Weymouth.

 

[Dieseldriver]

Northam depot probably smallest on SWT in terms of traincrew? No guards, just drivers based there.

 

[CallySleeper]

Also out of interest, how big's TP at Scarborough?

 

[TDK]

Chester and International are both catering staff only depots mind, at least Holyhead has Train Managers as well, quite a few in fact since every VT service west of Chester has to have a HHD TM on board. 3 CSA's at Chester, and about 7 or 8 at International (a sub depot of Wolves) isn't it?

6 guards and drivers at Pwllheli as I've pointed out in other threads and as was mentioned by the OP, covering 2 booked jobs and 2 spares each day. We've also got relatively small depots at Treherbert and Rhymney, 16 and 18 guards (and presumably drivers) respectively.

There used to be a depot at Wrexham for FNW with 5 guards and 5 drivers but this was absorbed by Chester about 10 years ago

 

[craigybagel]

There used to be a depot at Wrexham for FNW with 5 guards and 5 drivers but this was absorbed by Chester about 10 years ago

Permanent Bidstons? Bet that was popular

Just realised my figures were slightly out, 18 and 20 for Treherbert and Rhymney, but Llandudno Junction is smaller at 16. Supposed to be a case of Dead Man's Shoes if you ever want a job there.......

 

[sprinterguy]

I know it's a relatively small depot, but how many people are assigned to Worcester?

Worcester is the biggest depot on the Snow Hill side: Nearly 120 traincrew, when you consider both Drivers and Conductors.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

XC don't even operate between Derby and Leicester, so a third of their route knowedge isn't even used.

It is used fairly regularly by XC for weekend diversions, though.

 

[A-driver]

Out of interest, what is the biggest depot whilst on this topic? Bedford has about 200 and I think new cross gate has around 300-any larger than that?

 

[Class172]

Worcester is the biggest depot on the Snow Hill side: Nearly 120 traincrew, when you consider both Drivers and Conductors.

I significantly underestimated its size then!

 

[Philip Elliott]

Out of interest, what is the biggest depot whilst on this topic? Bedford has about 200 and I think new cross gate has around 300-any larger than that?

Euston has well over 300...all those caterers

 

[Qwerty133]

How many train crew do Island line employ?

 

[TDK]

I think New Street must be quite a big depot?

 

[Cherry_Picker]

250+ blokes, but they are split between messrooms these days. Do you count the overall number of drivers and guards based at the station or break it down by TOC?

 

[A-driver]

250+ blokes, but they are split between messrooms these days. Do you count the overall number of drivers and guards based at the station or break it down by TOC?

I was thinking TOC specific as they are technically different depots now but I suppose if you go by location then many London terminals will have a high number.

 

[PHILIPE]

We appear to discussing the larger now rather than the smaller Depots.

 

[the sniper]

250+ blokes, but they are split between messrooms these days.

I'm 99% sure just LM has over 250 train crew at New Street. I'm certain there are over 100 Guards alone, and there are more drivers than Guards.

I'd guess the other largest single TOC depots will be the likes of Manchester Pic, Waterloo (due to having Guards and Drivers) or Glasgow Central.

 

[craigybagel]

200 ATW guards at Cardiff (plus I believe a similar if not slightly higher amount of drivers), split 110/90 between Valleys and Mainline. They're treated as two different depots (you have to apply to move from Valleys to Mainline, it's not just a case of different links), but they're based in the same office and share management and resource staff.

 

[hello]

how about fort william? do they have a traincrew depot?

 

[Bigfoot]

Strawberry Hill had a complement of 26 guards and around 50 drivers approx two years ago. The smallest depot on SWT is Weymouth.

Strawberry is just shy of 100 in total now.

 

[306024]

I was thinking TOC specific as they are technically different depots now but I suppose if you go by location then many London terminals will have a high number.

Liverpool Street only has about 20 drivers and 8 conductors, mostly for Norwich InterCity work and a few DOO class 321 diagrams. Nearly all the other EMU work is based at the locations where the units are stabled.

 

[scotsman]

how about fort william? do they have a traincrew depot?

Yup, but it's not a big one. I believe the smallest traincrew depot may be Fort William (West Coast Railways).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'd guess the other largest single TOC depots will be the likes of Manchester Pic, Waterloo (due to having Guards and Drivers) or Glasgow Central.

Not too sure, some of those drivers are from Ayr, Motherwell, Edinburgh. Some crew also come from Queen Street.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Waterloo has around 220 guards and 220 drivers, total crew of just under 450 all for SWT.