I’m a driver with GWR with I can be any help to you?Evening all.
Are there any qualified drivers going through the process for application for GWR positions at all?
Or is there any gwr drivers on here to answer a few questions ?
Yeah I am at the moment , applied in May and only been told I've passed the online test. I did send an email and they said they are sifting at the moment so I'm not expecting to hear for a while
What does the average diagram look like at paddington? Earliest start and latest finish? How long does it take to progress up the links? How good is the union? Is metro work really intense or okay compared to other metro tocs?
What do these acronyms actually stand for? High Speed for HSS and Local Traffic for LTV perhaps?
I have applied to par as qualified, what traction and routes do par work?
Par
Traction:
2+4 HST, 158, 150
Routes
Par-Penzance
Par-Plymouth
Par-Newqauy
Plymouth-Gunnislake
Liskeard-Looe
Truro-Falmouth
St Erth-St Ives
Laira depot
What does the average diagram look like at paddington? Earliest start and latest finish? How long does it take to progress up the links? How good is the union? Is metro work really intense or okay compared to other metro tocs?
As ex-padd LTV driver, the Ex-LTV (now GWR ) earliest turns were around 2-3am , latest finished around 1-2 .
There were only few of these .
Not sure how it is now, likely similar but instead being taxied to Old Oak Common, you may be going to North Pole to pick up 8xx’s or West Ealing Sidings to pick up 387’s.
If you get to Paddington GWR that is where you will stay , you can’t move to HSS anymore ( since harmonisation ).
Essentially , with the time , the GWR drivers will be doing what HSS is doing now: Bristols, Exeter , Cardiff, Swansea etc ( + what will be left of ex- LTV).
I think there is already top GWR link , or shortly there will be or may be going to Bristol.
As for work content on GWR side - the worst will be West Ealing - Greenford shuttle and Slough to Windsor ( not sure if they do it , or it is left to Reading guys to do all of them).
Others will be Bedwyns, Oxfords , Didcot stoppers and perhaps Didcot -Oxford shuttle ( not sure about that).
I believe it’s three years minimum. I know SWR is the same, but they will consider drivers in their second qualified year in some circumstances.What do they look for in a qualified driver? Is it two years minimum as a qualified driver? Do many people actually get the job with less experience?
Yes I was still pqa year two when I sat and passed my interview. However by the time I started a few months later I was no longer pqaWhat do they look for in a qualified driver? Is it two years minimum as a qualified driver? Do many people actually get the job with less experience?
There's still plenty of branch line work in the LTV diagrams.