What is a 'link'?

[RedZed]

I have seen this term used a lot throughout this forum. I asked what it meant in my interview with GTR but neither interviewers could say they had heard of this terminology.

Anyone explain please?

TVM

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Something in a metal chain I think

 

[GB]

Link probably refers to rosters and diagrammed work.

 

[TheNewNo2]

It really depends on the context.

This is a link

Or it's a single loop of a chain

Or it's 1/2200 of a mile

Or it's a part of a journey, as in "Glasgow Airport Rail Link"

Or or or or or

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link

 

[telstarbox]

I think the OP means as in the staff links at a depot.

 

[bolli]

Staff links are essentially a way of structuring a large depot where you have a lot of diagrams.

Each link has a certain number of diagrams, and each member of the link works their way all the way through them.

Not all links sign the same traction/routes as each other.
When you join the company, you join the lowest link, and work your way up: Link 1 is often quite revered.

Say a depot has 150 diagrams (some of the largest do!). You could have 5 links, and each link would have 30 diagrams.

 

[swt_passenger]

Within a large train crew depot not every driver will have the same traction or route knowledge. A link is a group of individuals who are all similarly qualified, or to put it another way a defined subgroup who can work certain services.

AIUI the 'top link' men traditionally had the widest experience and knowledge.

 

[DeparturesBeck]

Think of a spreadsheet or table, across the top are days of the week (Sunday to Saturday) and down the side are names of staff (one per row). In each cell of the table will be a particular job, or rest day, or spare day or whatever else that link contains.

Now give this table (link) a start date, normally either week commencing or week ending. So for the week you are looking at, the person in row 1 will work as per their row, and the person in row 2 will work as per their row and so on.

At the end of the week, everyone moves down one row, and whoever is in the last row goes up to the top. So the person who was in row 1 now works the jobs shown in row 2, and the person in row 2 works the jobs in row 3 and so on. It's the names that move down a row each week, the jobs stay where they are.

You can therefore determine what work you'll have for following weeks, until there's a timetable change, which will affect the individual jobs but not your position within the link (and therefore your rest days should stay the same).

Links can be of varying length and have varying work, generally the 'top link' will be the most desirable as it may have more favourable jobs, and therefore seniority is used to determine who goes in which link.

At my depot the work in all links are the same, as we all do the same work, however some links have different patterns of rest days.

 

[Pinza-C55]

In my days at Kings Cross as a guard Link 1 was guards who signed the route as far as Newcastle, same for drivers.
Link 2 was guards who signed York and Leeds.
Link 3 was guards who signed up to Peterborough and Cambridge. This was the "entry link" for new starters. It was pretty daunting to have to work a train to Peterborough fresh off the street !
Link 1 guards and drivers were restricted in how many Newcastle returns they could do in a week because they got Mileage Money and it was a large sum for Newcastle on top of their basic wage. I think they could do a maximum of 3 Newcastles in a week.

 

[Canonite]

Is t it what they call sausage in Scotland?

 

[mw1967]

Is t it what they call sausage in Scotland?

But not if it's a square one!!!

 

[Wallicio]

Am interested to hear the take on this 'Link 1' as it is not a term i am familiar with....

Link 1 is often quite revered.

Is this due to it being the hardest/most demanding Link, or a Link that is worked up to in seniority therefor (pardon the term) a cushty number?

generally the 'top link' will be the most desirable as it may have more favourable jobs,

Would these "favourable jobs" im guessing would be down to the fact you have done your time, worked your way up the links and now your 'top link'. This i would assume again being favourable, would mean you have a prefferable link.

the 'top link' men traditionally had the widest experience and knowledge.

So they get the easier link? Or have the hardest more demanding link due to having more XP/Knowledge.

Cheers guys.
Great topic
Wallicio

 

[Minilad]

I am just gobsmacked that neither interviewer had heard of links.
They are pretty much universal and have been around since the dawn of time

 

[DarloRich]

I am just gobsmacked that neither interviewer had heard of links.
They are pretty much universal and have been around since the dawn of time

its these new graduate managers - they haven't come up the hard way

 

[Minilad]

its these new graduate managers - they haven't come up the hard way

Ah yes. The ones that sit in the ivory towers and wouldn't know one end of a train from another. I know them well

 

[Shaggy]

Ah yes. The ones that sit in the ivory towers and wouldn't know one end of a train from another. I know them well

Granted I'm one of those favoured managers this forum loves, but I'm stunned that anyone allowed to be conducting an interview for a linked position didn't know what a link was.

I'm not doubting what the OP says but that seems highly unusual. Certainly in my TOC it wouldn't happen.

 

[swt_passenger]

Ah yes. The ones that sit in the ivory towers and wouldn't know one end of a train from another. I know them well

Qualified in completely random subjects such as Literature and Music.

Hence working from a Checkov Liszt most of the time...

 

[DarloRich]

Ah yes. The ones that sit in the ivory towers and wouldn't know one end of a train from another. I know them well

hey! my ivory tower comes with free tea!

(Although it is more of a death star than an ivory tower!)

 

[Shaggy]

Qualified in completely random subjects such as Literature and Music.

Hence working from a Checkov Liszt most of the time...

You mean in contrast to all those driver entrants who worked their way up from, err, the street.

Yawn.

 

[WCMLaddict]

Driver is an entry level job, you're trained on the job. Trainees don't tell instructors or trainers how to do their jobs.
Driver managers on other hand do and with all due respect if you've never driven one but read handbook and think you can tell me how to do my job, you can expect me to not give a f*** about what you say.

 

[Shaggy]

Driver is an entry level job, you're trained on the job. Trainees don't tell instructors or trainers how to do their jobs.
Driver managers on other hand do and with all due respect if you've never driven one but read handbook and think you can tell me how to do my job, you can expect me to not give a f*** about what you say.

I'm still yawning and can't be bothered to interact when you start to swear (even if starred out).

 

[ComUtoR]

I'm still yawning and can't be bothered to interact when you start to swear (even if starred out).

Isn't that the typical manager attitude that people tend not to like the most ? Yes he swore and was pretty negative but sarcasm and being dismissive is just as bad, if not worse.

Challenge his view and prove him wrong.

We have some DMs of whom I have the greatest respect. Others are, quite frankly, !"!$"£$£"%$£%$^%&$^&&'ers

 

[Shaggy]

Isn't that the typical manager attitude that people tend not to like the most ? Yes he swore and was pretty negative but sarcasm and being dismissive is just as bad, if not worse.

Challenge his view and prove him wrong.

We have some DMs of whom I have the greatest respect. Others are, quite frankly, !"!$"£$£"%$£%$^%&$^&&'ers

I'm on a forum for recreation/interest. I'm not at work.

If it comes to it though, that you feel it is acceptable for any worker to use foul language at another (regardless of seniority/position) in work related conversation speaks volumes.

 

[ComUtoR]

I'm on a forum for recreation/interest. I'm not at work.

So that justifies your posts ?

If it comes to it though, that you feel it is acceptable for any worker to use foul language at another (regardless of seniority/position) in work related conversation speaks volumes.

Where did i say it was acceptable ?

This is recreational remember. It isn't a colleague talking to another one or a Driver talking to a Manager it is forum members talking to each other. If you feel aggrieved then may I suggest hitting the report button.

 

[Shaggy]

So that justifies your posts ?



Where did i say it was acceptable ?

This is recreational remember. It isn't a colleague talking to another one or a Driver talking to a Manager it is forum members talking to each other. If you feel aggrieved then may I suggest hitting the report button.

So sarcasm is banned now on a forum like this?

Reading over your post again I can see you didn't actually say that so I apologise.

I appreciate this is recreation but all the more why I can't be bothered to deal with people who start to swear when talking to me. Some may not mind, but I do. I don't like it, I think it unnecessary and would rather not continue such a conversation.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Driver is an entry level job, you're trained on the job. Trainees don't tell instructors or trainers how to do their jobs.
Driver managers on other hand do and with all due respect if you've never driven one but read handbook and think you can tell me how to do my job, you can expect me to not give a f*** about what you say.

If an organisation pays you to do a job and pays someone else to be your manager then you are being paid to do what you are asked by that manager. That's basically what most employment contracts consist of. It is not necessary for your manager to know your job inside out in order to manage you successfully. In the case of a train driver, a manager who has not been a driver might bring other useful wider experience to the role. There obviously needs to be some oversight of your work by an experienced driver but that doesn't have to be from your manager.

 

[WCMLaddict]

Stop being a drama queen, I didn't swear at you.

Your attitude only shows how completely out of touch you are with people you're supposed to manage.
Have you ever been in a mess room?

 

[RedZed]

Granted I'm one of those favoured managers this forum loves, but I'm stunned that anyone allowed to be conducting an interview for a linked position didn't know what a link was.

I'm not doubting what the OP says but that seems highly unusual. Certainly in my TOC it wouldn't happen.

Yes it's true. In my DM interview it seemed like the ideal opportunity to ask the question and find out. I was a bit taken aback too that they couldn't answer my question, although maybe they genuinely didn't know. I was interviewed by HR (and IIRC) the other person was a Station Manager who was standing in for the DM.
Anyway, I believe I got the answer to my question via this forum, so thanks very much to those who proffered an answer.

 

[ComUtoR]

So sarcasm is banned now on a forum like this?

God no. I use it all the time. However; one is as bad as the other. Why should you be allowed to be sarcastic and someone else not be allowed to swear. Neither behavior can be condoned but neither can hypocrisy.

We are all as bad as each other and sometimes having the ability to walk away from an argument is a good trait to have but people (not specifically you) often use it to avoid discussion when viewpoints are called into question.

 

[WCMLaddict]

Michael, I have no trouble listening to my manager if his suggestions are doable.

To give you an example, I'm having a ride out with a manager. Driving a 153, after leaving a station he asks me why I'm not looking out of the window when moving off as per NROHB our operational handbook.
Anybody that ever driven one of our 153 would know that it's completely impossible to do ...