Trainee Train Driver GWR Oxford Depot

[DiMarco]

Good afternoon All,

Hope you are all well and staying safe during these strange times.

I had some amazing news last week that i have been put on the training course for late Feb 2021. Being over the moon is an understatement and what amazing news to get just before Christmas .

I was wondering if there was any drivers from the GWR Oxford depot that could tell me what the current shift pattern is? and is there anyone that can give me a some info on the training course. I really can't wait to start training.

Take care all.

 

[jacey]

Good afternoon All,

Hope you are all well and staying safe during these strange times.

I had some amazing news last week that i have been put on the training course for late Feb 2021. Being over the moon is an understatement and what amazing news to get just before Christmas .

I was wondering if there was any drivers from the GWR Oxford depot that could tell me what the current shift pattern is? and is there anyone that can give me a some info on the training course. I really can't wait to start training.

Take care all.

congratulations mate bet your buzzing a nice early Christmas present! were you in a talent pool ?

 

[DiMarco]

congratulations mate bet your buzzing a nice early Christmas present! were you in a talent pool ?

Hi Jacey,

Thank you so much. Mate i am totally buzzing and i really can't wait to get into the training and start the career that i have been waiting for for so long.

I was in a talent pool it was for 2018 to 2019 .

 

[jacey]

Hi Jacey,

Thank you so much. Mate i am totally buzzing and i really can't wait to get into the training and start the career that i have been waiting for for so long.

I was in a talent pool it was for 2018 to 2019 .

great news mate sounds like you was in the pool a while with it being 2018/2019 so makes it even more satisifying.

 

[DiMarco]

Thank you very much buddy it was a long talentpool but was so worth the wait
.

 

[JunnyT]

.

 

[DogDays]

Thank you very much buddy it was a long talentpool but was so worth the wait
.

Congratulations mate, really pleased for you.
Do you know what depots the others on your course are going for?

 

[ST]

Well done!

 

[class ep-09]

Good afternoon All,

Hope you are all well and staying safe during these strange times.

I had some amazing news last week that i have been put on the training course for late Feb 2021. Being over the moon is an understatement and what amazing news to get just before Christmas .

I was wondering if there was any drivers from the GWR Oxford depot that could tell me what the current shift pattern is? and is there anyone that can give me a some info on the training course. I really can't wait to start training.

Take care all.

First of all congratulations - I suppose your job offer is the best Christmas present you could get.

I am not based at Oxford and not GWR ( HSS) but we work over some of the routes / traction that they do ( plus there are quite few ex Oxford drivers I know personally ).

The roster is , in simplest words - all over the place - from very early starts to very late finishes . It is typical to pretty much all depots .
There may also be a night turn involved .

I think it is 4 days week , with long , 5 days weekend ( Friday to Tuesday ) every 3 weeks .

Tractions : 387’s, Turbos and 800 / 802 ( ( not sure if new starters learn them ).

Routes : Banbury - Oxford - Didcot ( avoider , station , West Curve / Foxall Jn) - Reading + Reading TCD - Paddington .
I think higher links ( may be just link 1) also sign Oxford - Worcester - Hereford .

I suppose new starters will do quite lot on Didcot - Padd stoppers (387) and some Turbo work like Banbury - Oxford - Didcot ( some may go to Reading).

If you sign the 800’s from the outset, then fasts to Paddington as well ( normally stoping at Reading and Slough but Didcot may be thrown in to that as well especially on Sundays ).

I can’t help with more detailed answer in relation to the Roster but as I said : early starts , through the middles to lates you will get pretty at every depot .

 

[tlionhart]

New starters do sign 800s, however getting trained up on them has been challenging. You’ll most likely do Didcot-padd on the 387 and Didcot to Oxford turbo shuttles until you sign 800. This has been the case for the year. Although things change so you may go straight into signing everything. All will be revealed in training.
In the LTV area it’s certainly one of the best depots in terms of traction, shift times and work loads.
Nights are good, you act as a ‘ferry man’. Taking trains from the station and shunting into one of the sidings.

It’s a good little depot and link promotions are fairly quick. Signing Banbury and Wor doesn’t take long in terms of progression. Only downside is compared to Paddington or Reading those depots sign more in terms of routes and soon to be traction. The 769 at Reading and 387/HX - Which Reading and Padd sign which are currently being rolled out with full operation from next week. (So lots of ECS from W.Ealing and TCD to Padd. However Oxford don’t sign them)

If you like to do a permanent shift, such as perm late or perm early this is possible. It’s ideal to arrange this with someone on your course. (Won’t be possible until you both qualify) but the plans can be arranged with you and a fellow newbie. Earlies are popular but hard to find a swap. If you want lates, that’s easy as there is a demand for earlies. (Hence why I recommend chatting to others on your course)

At the moment, earlies start at 0300 and latest finish is 0200. Not sure on night turns. Shift times change all the time in line with timetable changes.

Training takes place in Reading, however it is possible to train in Swindon and Bristol SPM. Core traction at Oxford is 800. They do get 387 and turbo work, but not much. Congratulations with the job offer

 

[DiMarco]

First of all congratulations - I suppose your job offer is the best Christmas present you could get.

I am not based at Oxford and not GWR ( HSS) but we work over some of the routes / traction that they do ( plus there are quite few ex Oxford drivers I know personally ).

The roster is , in simplest words - all over the place - from very early starts to very late finishes . It is typical to pretty much all depots .
There may also be a night turn involved .

I think it is 4 days week , with long , 5 days weekend ( Friday to Tuesday ) every 3 weeks .

Tractions : 387’s, Turbos and 800 / 802 ( ( not sure if new starters learn them ).

Routes : Banbury - Oxford - Didcot ( avoider , station , West Curve / Foxall Jn) - Reading + Reading TCD - Paddington .
I think higher links ( may be just link 1) also sign Oxford - Worcester - Hereford .

I suppose new starters will do quite lot on Didcot - Padd stoppers (387) and some Turbo work like Banbury - Oxford - Didcot ( some may go to Reading).

If you sign the 800’s from the outset, then fasts to Paddington as well ( normally stoping at Reading and Slough but Didcot may be thrown in to that as well especially on Sundays ).

I can’t help with more detailed answer in relation to the Roster but as I said : early starts , through the middles to lates you will get pretty at every depot .

Thank you very much for the info EP that is very helpful. I am very new to the train driver life so i have no clue at the moment what 800, 802, Turbos are exactly i take it they are trains but no idea what style or what not. Role on the training . Thank you also for the congrads it was an amazing Christmas present 7 years i have been waiting for this job and i am so so glad that i was able to make it.

New starters do sign 800s, however getting trained up on them has been challenging. You’ll most likely do Didcot-padd on the 387 and Didcot to Oxford turbo shuttles until you sign 800. This has been the case for the year. Although things change so you may go straight into signing everything. All will be revealed in training.
In the LTV area it’s certainly one of the best depots in terms of traction, shift times and work loads.
Nights are good, you act as a ‘ferry man’. Taking trains from the station and shunting into one of the sidings.

It’s a good little depot and link promotions are fairly quick. Signing Banbury and Wor doesn’t take long in terms of progression. Only downside is compared to Paddington or Reading those depots sign more in terms of routes and soon to be traction. The 769 at Reading and 387/HX - Which Reading and Padd sign which are currently being rolled out with full operation from next week. (So lots of ECS from W.Ealing and TCD to Padd. However Oxford don’t sign them)

If you like to do a permanent shift, such as perm late or perm early this is possible. It’s ideal to arrange this with someone on your course. (Won’t be possible until you both qualify) but the plans can be arranged with you and a fellow newbie. Earlies are popular but hard to find a swap. If you want lates, that’s easy as there is a demand for earlies. (Hence why I recommend chatting to others on your course)

At the moment, earlies start at 0300 and latest finish is 0200. Not sure on night turns. Shift times change all the time in line with timetable changes.

Training takes place in Reading, however it is possible to train in Swindon and Bristol SPM. Core traction at Oxford is 800. They do get 387 and turbo work, but not much. Congratulations with the job offer

Thank you so much tlion this is massively helpful. You mentioned about link promotions what do you mean by this?

Thank you for the info on the shifts and with regards to keeping them at permanent lates or earlies this is something to definitely look at when i start my training.

That's also good to know about where the training is based as i can always get to Didcot and take the train down to Reading .

All you guys have been great thank you so much.

 

[tlionhart]

Thank you very much for the info EP that is very helpful. I am very new to the train driver life so i have no clue at the moment what 800, 802, Turbos are exactly i take it they are trains but no idea what style or what not. Role on the training . Thank you also for the congrads it was an amazing Christmas present 7 years i have been waiting for this job and i am so so glad that i was able to make it.


Thank you so much tlion this is massively helpful. You mentioned about link promotions what do you mean by this?

Thank you for the info on the shifts and with regards to keeping them at permanent lates or earlies this is something to definitely look at when i start my training.

That's also good to know about where the training is based as i can always get to Didcot and take the train down to Reading .

All you guys have been great thank you so much.

Link promotions are simply based on filling on vacant lines in a link. For example you could start in say link 3 (bottom of the pile) then be promoted into link 2 when your time comes round in seniority. Link 1 is the highest link for a majority of depots. To add, link 1 usually comes with some benefits. No nights or better early/late turns, signs more routes/traction or all, can remove certain routes from a route card, etc

You get a car park permit for 2 locations. For example you could have Oxford and Didcot. This can be arranged prior to your start.
Furthermore you get travelling time from Oxford to the training school. This includes your taxi from Reading Station to the academy. Those times will be arranged by your trainer. The start and finish times are generally down to them.
The trainer will say something like: “taxi will leave Reading at 09:00 for a 09:30 start”. So it will be down to you to get to the taxi point for 09:00. (For example)

 

[TheGoldfish]

Never bothered with the taxi for Reading academy ... they tell you it’s a 25 min walk but it’s actually only about 10, and I believe the taxi actually takes longer?

 

[tlionhart]

You can walk fast if you can do it in 10!
I would say door to door it’s a good 20-25min walk. The old walking route was around 10mins. The taxi can take longer, but when you’re new that isn’t a bother considering the amount of exams you’re going through.
The other thing people do is get the train to Reading West and walk from there. To the OP, when you get to know your trainer you’ll work out your own plans. They are flexible and more bothered that you turn up for the start time. Usually when they say “To Start” it’s in the classroom, cup of coffee done, tablets on at that time.

 

[Stigy]

Never bothered with the taxi for Reading academy ... they tell you it’s a 25 min walk but it’s actually only about 10, and I believe the taxi actually takes longer?

Our group did the same for SPM to be honest. It’s a good mile and a bit walk I’d say (or a 20 minute brisk walk....it was nearer 30 at a comfortable pace for those with short legs like me), but it was a mostly nice walk. Having said that, we were a July course so the weather was decent 90% of the time. Not sure I’d want to walk in the rain every day. When we went back for interim weeks it wasn’t as pleasant admittedly.

 

[TheGoldfish]

Our group did the same for SPM to be honest. It’s a good mile and a bit walk I’d say (or a 20 minute brisk walk....it was nearer 30 at a comfortable pace for those with short legs like me), but it was a mostly nice walk. Having said that, we were a July course so the weather was decent 90% of the time. Not sure I’d want to walk in the rain every day. When we went back for interim weeks it wasn’t as pleasant admittedly.

We only went SPM once and waited for a taxi at 8:45 temple meads as we didn’t know the way ... but they forgot to book it and then they only booked 1 ( can’t share cos of covid) .. by the time we messed about and got it all sorted we ended up arriving at about 10am ...! Next time I think I’ll try walking that too.

 

[tiptoptaff]

We only went SPM once and waited for a taxi at 8:45 temple meads as we didn’t know the way ... but they forgot to book it and then they only booked 1 ( can’t share cos of covid) .. by the time we messed about and got it all sorted we ended up arriving at about 10am ...! Next time I think I’ll try walking that too.

The taxis were a clusterf*** even before Covid! Which is why the majority of Stigy and I's group walked.

 

[DiMarco]

Did the course book the taxis or did you have to pay for it and claim it back?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Did the course book the taxis or did you have to pay for it and claim it back?

They're booked for you

 

[TheGoldfish]

Did the course book the taxis or did you have to pay for it and claim it back?

Well no ... nobody booked them ..that was the problem lol!

no it’s usually all done for you and paid for by the toc

 

[Xapoz]

Little late to this thread.
Congratulations on the course offer.
I too have been waiting over 2 years now and after a failed offer due to Covid am on the course late Feb based at Bristol Parkway.

Can’t wait to get going now ✌

 

[DiMarco]

Hello Xapoz,

Thats great i know someone on my course brilliant so you are starting your training as of the 22.02.2021.congrads on the course also bud, I am the same mate i really cant wait to start my training.

 

[Aj1]

For those that recently started training, how's it going?

 

[DiMarco]

Hello mate,

Its going great thank you. have a great bunch in my group.

 

[DogDays]

Is everybody in your group training for Oxford depot?

 

[DiMarco]

No only 2 including myself the rest are from Reading and Paddington.

 

[DogDays]

No only 2 including myself the rest are from Reading and Paddington.

OK, thanks