TPE Conductor

[tiptoptaff]

Hello,

New to the forum and I am thinking of applying for the role of Trainee Conductor with TransPennine Express at Blackpool, and wanted to ask a couple of questions.

Do they just sign to Manchester, or do they sign routes out of Preston? Also is it worth applying to, as I read somewhere the trains to Blackpool are due to go to Northern in a few months?

Cheers in advance!

 

[driver9000]

Current route card is

Blackpool Nth to Manchester Airport via Chorley, Westhoughton and Chat Moss. Also includes Manchester Victoria.
Preston to Edinburgh and Glasgow Central
Oxenholme to Windermere
Barrow in Furness.

156, 185 and 350.

Yes it is still worth applying as any staff will TUPE over.

 

[tiptoptaff]

A fairly varied route card then, thanks for the info. Put my application in so here's to hoping!

I take it there's a lot of travelling pax to at least Preston then if they are the routes? As obviously services to the North of Preston don't go via Blackpool....

 

[PeteBR]

I used to be based at the airport and signed Barrow to Manchester, Windermere to Manchester, Crewe to Manchester via Wilmslow & Styal, Blackpool, Liverpool and back then also down to Birmingham.

 

[ajmatts]

We do a fair bit of travelling to Preston probably 50/50 if you are working a Scottish service, however Manchester Airport is our core route. We are due to go over to the new Northern Franchise in April, as that was always a Northern route that we'd agreed to operate until the end of this franchise period. You'd be TUPE'd over so no worries on that score

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hi thanks all for the replies.

So I take it when you're TUPE'd over you'll lose all of the other work? And just end up doing Manchesters?

Or are there TPE guys staying at BPN for the Scotland services? As I noticed these aren't going? I only ask because in all likelihood if I was successful I wouldn't have even started by the start of the new franchise so am a little confused about the timing of the advert, ie why would they be recruiting for a different TOC to take on those staff?

Also I read the ITT last night which mentioned that Northern must allow 1tph for the TPE franchise to operate MAN-BPN...is this now not happening?

 

[ajmatts]

As I understand it we will be doing Manchester Airport, Barrow and Windermere (which is exactly the same as when I started just over 10 years ago, just after TPE had started). Most likely we will be a separate link at the new 'Northern' franchise, as we have different terms and conditions now (although we would happily go back to our previous terms and conditions, which Northern at Blackpool operate under). We would not do any Scottish work however!
First were advertising for drivers for Scotrail, even though Abelio were already confirmed to take over the franchise. We simply have a vacant line in our link and TPE are obliged to be at full compliment, soon they will have to select at least one Conductor on behalf of the new 'Northern' franchise, as one Conductor is already confirmed to be going driving (Driver training starts on 1st April). It may well be that good performers from these applicants may be kept on file for the job/s that become available.