TPE Driver Questions (Preston, Rosters, OT, Route Learning etc.)

[PlexiDriver]

Hey all

Just wanted to ask a couple of things about the conditions at TPE. I'm specifically looking for York but happy to hear other depots too!

1. Does anyone have a copy of the 802 link at York's roster that they would be able to share?
2. Is there much overtime going at the moment, I noticed there are a lot of spare shifts?
3. What does an average day look like, for example if you sign York to Liverpool, do you do that entire trip once, or is it cut into pieces?
4. How are company relations since First Group departed?
5. Do people prefer the 802s or 185s?
6. For new drivers (qualified) how long does TPE give to route learn and traction competency?
7. I've heard there are no permanent swaps - is this true? (So permanent earlies / lates etc.)
8. York specifically, do all drivers sign York - Manchester Airport and Scarborough?
9. Is there a like for like travel pass with other TOCs available?

I think that's everything - I've seen some of these answers before but couldn't find them again - so I'm keen to get more up to date answers and put them all in once place.

Thanks again everyone

 

[john349uk]

Hey all

Just wanted to ask a couple of things about the conditions at TPE. I'm specifically looking for York but happy to hear other depots too!

1. Does anyone have a copy of the 802 link at York's roster that they would be able to share?
2. Is there much overtime going at the moment, I noticed there are a lot of spare shifts?
3. What does an average day look like, for example if you sign York to Liverpool, do you do that entire trip once, or is it cut into pieces?
4. How are company relations since First Group departed?
5. Do people prefer the 802s or 185s?
6. For new drivers (qualified) how long does TPE give to route learn and traction competency?
7. I've heard there are no permanent swaps - is this true? (So permanent earlies / lates etc.)
8. York specifically, do all drivers sign York - Manchester Airport and Scarborough?
9. Is there a like for like travel pass with other TOCs available?

I think that's everything - I've seen some of these answers before but couldn't find them again - so I'm keen to get more up to date answers and put them all in once place.

Thanks again everyone

1. See attactment
2. Very little overtime right now, there's been a good bit over the last year but now most people sign all the routes so its very limited, may increase slightly from December time table change.
3. A big mix, could be a Liverpool and back, could be a Scarborough and a Newcastle, also a mix of stoppers and fasts, could be Doncaster if on nights, quite good for variety at the moment. Also lots of diversion work with the route upgrade.
4. Improved a lot under Chris Jackson but not perfect.
5. I don't know, both have pros and cons. Both are good in my opinion.
6. I don't know precisely but it seems pretty generous, plus you get a brief day when starting a new route and a consolidation day when you've signed it.
7. That's correct, no permanent swaps, it would affect the rest day pattern too much.
8. Yes all York drivers sign York - Airport and York - Scarborough
9. Not at the moment but there's talk of an arrangement with LNER and Northern. 99.9% of the time your ok with Northern if you show your TPE pass anyway.

 

[PlexiDriver]

1. See attactment
2. Very little overtime right now, there's been a good bit over the last year but now most people sign all the routes so its very limited, may increase slightly from December time table change.
3. A big mix, could be a Liverpool and back, could be a Scarborough and a Newcastle, also a mix of stoppers and fasts, could be Doncaster if on nights, quite good for variety at the moment. Also lots of diversion work with the route upgrade.
4. Improved a lot under Chris Jackson but not perfect.
5. I don't know, both have pros and cons. Both are good in my opinion.
6. I don't know precisely but it seems pretty generous, plus you get a brief day when starting a new route and a consolidation day when you've signed it.
7. That's correct, no permanent swaps, it would affect the rest day pattern too much.
8. Yes all York drivers sign York - Airport and York - Scarborough
9. Not at the moment but there's talk of an arrangement with LNER and Northern. 99.9% of the time your ok with Northern if you show your TPE pass anyway.

Thank you so much for all this info, it's exactly what I needed!

Just one more quick one, I see there are quite a few spare shifts, is it quite regular to pick up work on them or are you left sitting around a lot?

 

[john349uk]

Depends...if you only sign a couple of routes you'll probably stay spare quite a bit. I sign everywhere and I pick up work most of the time.

 

[PlexiDriver]

Is there any agreement on spares if you don't pick up work in terms of going home early? Like an hour before or anything like that?

 

[john349uk]

If you don't get any work you can ring up after 5 hours and they'll quite often let you go home, especially if there's other spares. This is not an official policy though and isn't written down anywhere, they've been known to refuse this when industrial relations are particually bad.

 

[PlexiDriver]

If you don't get any work you can ring up after 5 hours and they'll quite often let you go home, especially if there's other spares. This is not an official policy though and isn't written down anywhere, they've been known to refuse this when industrial relations are particually bad.

Thanks again for letting me pick your brain!

 

[PlexiDriver]

I noticed you said "a liverpool and back" would that be the total driving for an entire shift for example?

 

[PlexiDriver]

Does anyone happen to know which depots do the stoppers like the Huddersfield to Leeds stopper? Just curious if it's a depot specific thing or if all depots do it at some point or another?

 

[AverageJoe]

I thought you would have started with them by now? Did I not read that you had a start date?

 

[dodecahedron67]

Does anyone happen to know which depots do the stoppers like the Huddersfield to Leeds stopper? Just curious if it's a depot specific thing or if all depots do it at some point or another?

York 185 links, Piccadilly East link, Hull mainly for the Leeds - Hudds stoppers
York 185, Piccadilly East, Airport for the York - Picc via Wakefield stoppers
Sheffield and Liverpool also work some Manchester to Huddersfield stoppers
Sheffield also do the last Manchester to Wakefield Kirkgate which then goes onto Crofton Depot

 

[PlexiDriver]

I thought you would have started with them by now? Did I not read that you had a start date?

You did, but alas also had a 6 month notice period with previous TOC. So still a couple of months to go

 

[AverageJoe]

You did, but alas also had a 6 month notice period with previous TOC. So still a couple of months to go

That’s some notice

 

[Horizon22]

Reopened.

 

[PlexiDriver]

Hey all,

Just wanted to get some additional information on Preston depot. What the turns are like, primary work, how many drivers, links etc.

Cheers!

 

[jaybon92]

No idea how to read that rota

 

[RiverDon]

That looks almost identical to our rosters. Each row covers a week. The first column on the left shows the total hours worked for that week. Then four columns for each day. These are split into 1. start time (e.g. 03:59) 2. finish time (e.g. 12:09) 3. turn number (e.g. YK941) 4. hours worked that day (e.g. 08:10). There will be separate document(s) that tells you what each turn (e.g. YK941) actually does.

RD is a rest day and A/R is 'as required' also known as spare. I don't know what TD stands for - that one isn't used on our rosters.

 

[Anvil1984]

RD is a rest day and A/R is 'as required' also known as spare. I don't know what TD stands for - that one isn't used on our rosters.

Possibly “Training Day” for Safety Briefs and such like. Educated guess

 

[jaybon92]

That looks almost identical to our rosters. Each row covers a week. The first column on the left shows the total hours worked for that week. Then four columns for each day. These are split into 1. start time (e.g. 03:59) 2. finish time (e.g. 12:09) 3. turn number (e.g. YK941) 4. hours worked that day (e.g. 08:10). There will be separate document(s) that tells you what each turn (e.g. YK941) actually does.

RD is a rest day and A/R is 'as required' also known as spare. I don't know what TD stands for - that one isn't used on our rosters.

Brilliant makes alo more sense now cheers

 

[whoosh]

A/R - As required/spare - you can be allocated an uncovered turn of duty that starts +/- so many hours (usually two or three depending on TOC) either side of the A/R booking on time. E.g. If it's three hours spare movement A/R 15:53 can be allocated any job that starts between 12:53 and 18:53. This is usually with upto 48 hours notice. After that, if not allocated, then it's come in for the A/R hours and be given work that fits within those hours only.

 

[PlexiDriver]

Anyone got anything on Preston depot though?

 

[driver9000]

Anyone got anything on Preston depot though?

One link of 42 Drivers (excluding those on job share) and everyone does everything. Earliest on is 04:30 and latest off is 00:15 with turn length between 5 and 10 hours and you can cover a lot of miles in a day especially if you're working a turn which visits both Manchester and Scotland. Generally although with some variance the turns are double (or triple) Manchester Airport, double Liverpool, double Carlisle, Manchester Airport and Scotland or just a trip to Scotland and back. No nights currently but first and last turns prep and dispose in the yard at Preston.

 

[PlexiDriver]

One link of 42 Drivers (excluding those on job share) and everyone does everything. Earliest on is 04:30 and latest off is 00:15 with turn length between 5 and 10 hours and you can cover a lot of miles in a day especially if you're working a turn which visits both Manchester and Scotland. Generally although with some variance the turns are double (or triple) Manchester Airport, double Liverpool, double Carlisle, Manchester Airport and Scotland or just a trip to Scotland and back. No nights currently but first and last turns prep and dispose in the yard at Preston.

Thank you that's really helpful

 

[trains567]

Looks like a fairly good roster. Is there much swinging around from lates to earlies either side of rest days at Preston?

 

[driver9000]

Looks like a fairly good roster. Is there much swinging around from lates to earlies either side of rest days at Preston?

The rest day pattern at Preston doesn't match the link posted up thread as most TPE depots have their own patterns. Lates to earlies sandwiching rest days happens but it's not too bad for swinging between them plus they tend to be blocked together anyway and there's always minimum of 2 rest days together.

 

[PlexiDriver]

There is actually a job that's come up for qualified drivers for TPE in Preston (and Glasgow too!)

TPE Careers

www.tpexpresscareers.co.uk