Has anyone here been a contingency guard ? How much / what sort of training do you get ? Is it true some are drafted in from the bus industry parts of the parent company that runs the trains - ie First and Abellio ?
Not personally, although I do someone who has been; they only knew 1 route although they were learning a 2nd before they moved into a new role. I was also considering it before changing roles myself. There was a contingency dispatch scheme on the same general premise too.
The assessments were exactly the same as a substantive guard. They had operational experience already from the role they were in, as did most others but not all. They had a brief interview with the responsible manager for the contingency program before being accepted. The on site, training was not as long but only because some elements were completed in your own time - but as I say the assessment criteria and competency framework were identical. Certain elements (i.e rules) were a carbon copy of the permanent guard training. You had to agree with your line manage for a day about every 6 weeks to keep up route knowledge and “go out on trains” as they would if a guard
I know nobody who was drafted from without the company and indeed don’t think that would have been possible on the competency management program.
It was a perfectly well managed and well run scheme from my experience, although others at individual TOCs may have differing opinions.
