Southern OBS

[Mainsideman]

Recently applied for victoria/east croydon vacancy, can anyone help with some questions?

Is their plenty of overtime available? If so what is the rate of pay?

What does a normal day look like?

What is the shift pattern like?

Thanks.

 

[Horizon22]

Recently applied for victoria/east croydon vacancy, can anyone help with some questions?

Is their plenty of overtime available? If so what is the rate of pay?

Will defer to others on this. Probably some but not "plenty". Will depot on the depot and sickness / A/L / gaps on roster / training etc.

What does a normal day look like?

Seeing as how it is an on-board role the "normal" day probably doesn't exist! Ultimately you will book on at your relevant depot, read any notices and then start your 'diagram' for the day. This is effectively your duty and tells you what trains you be working, where and when, when your break is etc. etc.

The OBS role is not safety-critical so you won't be doing dispatch but you will be providing customer service, making announcements, patrolling the train, revenue inspection and to some extent collection and dealing with any other issues on-board. You may go all around the network but probably not the further reaches of the Southern network.

What is the shift pattern like?

Varied. You'll of course have a mix of earlies and lates which could start as early as 0400 or finish as late as 0100.

 

[Mainsideman]

Thank you, do you know if obs have set diagrams for a depot, so they know what they are doing in advance? Or is it a case of turn up on day and found out.

 

[Horizon22]

Thank you, do you know if obs have set diagrams for a depot, so they know what they are doing in advance? Or is it a case of turn up on day and found out.

Effectively, yes. So you’ll have a long-term roster which means you know if you’ll be on say 3 earlies, 2 RDs then 2 lates (purely hypothetical) next week. And it will be a long term pattern spread over X weeks before it repeats again.

And on day 1 you might be in Victoria diagram “7” then “4” then “12” etc. And that might start at 0542, then 0520 then 0604. Again, all purely hypothetical and representative.

So you’ll get to know your roster in advance but there’s always some potential for slight movement a few hours here or there, but again that would be depot specific.

 

[galwhv69]

Is their plenty of overtime available? If so what is the rate of pay?

What does a normal day look like?

Often yes, depends on time of year. Summer & Christmas time there is often quite a bit to fill.

Believe RDW rate is around £28 (once fully passed out) based off the advertised salary (divided by 52.166 weeks divided by 37 hours per week, then 1.25x for RDW)

Sign on, collect revenue equipment/diagram, check notices. Pass to first train (if required), handover (so things like any assists onboard, issues with train facilities, whether a ticket check has been done, any issues with passengers). Once onboard let the driver know you're ready, then start the routine of making announcements, walking through the train to check for lost property, security issues, doing a ticket check, making sure passengers know where they're going (checking they're in the correct part of the train if it splits anywhere). At stations, open the panel and key on, stepping onto the platform to do a visual check and assist passengers with ramp/helping hand etc.)

 

[Jim]

Often yes, depends on time of year. Summer & Christmas time there is often quite a bit to fill.

Believe RDW rate is around £28 (once fully passed out) based off the advertised salary (divided by 52.166 weeks divided by 37 hours per week, then 1.25x for RDW)

Sign on, collect revenue equipment/diagram, check notices. Pass to first train (if required), handover (so things like any assists onboard, issues with train facilities, whether a ticket check has been done, any issues with passengers). Once onboard let the driver know you're ready, then start the routine of making announcements, walking through the train to check for lost property, security issues, doing a ticket check, making sure passengers know where they're going (checking they're in the correct part of the train if it splits anywhere). At stations, open the panel and key on, stepping onto the platform to do a visual check and assist passengers with ramp/helping hand etc.)

OBS RDW and overtime is a flat rate I thought?

 

[pompeyfan]

I would imagine there will also be spare days built into the roster (where you cover sickness or annual leave) or jobs cancelled from engineering works (but new jobs created).

It’s not unheard of for a nice little 6 hour shift starting at 6am to suddenly becoming a 9am - 7pm shift at my old TOC due to engineering work.

 

[Horizon22]

OBS RDW and overtime is a flat rate I thought?

Surely his post doesn't suggest differently? Just that the flat rate is 1.25x the hourly rate, at all times/days.

 

[galwhv69]

OBS RDW and overtime is a flat rate I thought?

As far as I've been aware it's 1.25x the hourly rate but happy to be corrected

 

[ladytraingrey]

Recently applied for victoria/east croydon vacancy, can anyone help with some questions?

Is their plenty of overtime available? If so what is the rate of pay?

What does a normal day look like?

What is the shift pattern like?

Thanks.

Did you end up getting it?

 

[Mainsideman]

U

Did you end up getting it?

Unfortunatley not, always next time!

 

[whoosh]

I'm after some info on Southern OBS, if anyone can help.

Are Sundays in the working week with this role now, or committed overtime?

The Guards were a four day week with committed Sundays, but I think there's a possibility things we're changed when they became OBS's.

I understand it's the same rest day pattern it used to be with Mon/Tues, Wed/Thurs, Fri/Saturday as rest days in a three week pattern, but would like the status of Sundays clarified.


2 in 6 Sundays worked? (One in three average?)

35 hour week still, or 38-ish now if Sundays inside the week?

How many annual leave days are there in this role?

Any other info you can think of? I have a family member whose current industry is contracting, and I'm trying to steer them towards the railway as a possible future move! Looking at Barnham.

Job advert says £33,411, but I've seen a higher rate mentioned before on the forum. Is £33k the training rate, or has there been a restructuring with new starters on a lower rate?

 

[Jim]

I'm after some info on Southern OBS, if anyone can help.

Are Sundays in the working week with this role now, or committed overtime?

The Guards were a four day week with committed Sundays, but I think there's a possibility things we're changed when they became OBS's.

I understand it's the same rest day pattern it used to be with Mon/Tues, Wed/Thurs, Fri/Saturday as rest days in a

I'm after some info on Southern OBS, if anyone can help.

Are Sundays in the working week with this role now, or committed overtime?

The Guards were a four day week with committed Sundays, but I think there's a possibility things we're changed when they became OBS's.

I understand it's the same rest day pattern it used to be with Mon/Tues, Wed/Thurs, Fri/Saturday as rest days in a three week pattern, but would like the status of Sundays clarified.


2 in 6 Sundays worked? (One in three average?)

35 hour week still, or 38-ish now if Sundays inside the week?

How many annual leave days are there in this role?

Any other info you can think of? I have a family member whose current industry is contracting, and I'm trying to steer them towards the railway as a possible future move! Looking at Barnham.

Job advert says £33,411, but I've seen a higher rate mentioned before on the forum. Is £33k the training rate, or has there been a restructuring with new starters on a lower rate?

Sundays are committed, I believe 2 in 6 is correct but not evenly spread. Worst part of roster is every few weeks going late Saturday to Early Monday, apart from that is good. Long weekend every 3 weeks.

The money you mention is I believe first 6 months, then jumps by approx 10k.