cravensdmufan Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 (edited) Yes, just 20 years. Gone are the days of 40 years dedicated service by professional railway staff! Long Service Awards for how many years nowadays? - five?! Edit: Thinking about it that last sentence was a bit cutting and unfair. My apologies. Make that ten. Edited October 19, 2015 by cravensdmufan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Yes, just 20 years. Gone are the days of 40 years dedicated service by professional railway staff! Not really,especially in the case of train crew, and other 'front line' staff, although such figures are routinely amazed at by each successive new management! As you'll have seen in my previous post I talked of driving HSTs when they said InterCity on the side (and those days you certainly didn't start on InterCity)..... and still am 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 That's interesting - I'm glad to hear the situation is not as I had perceived. My apologies again. My comments were based on information from my brother-in-law who was a HST driver at OOC on the WR. He took redundancy after 40 years at the very end of BR as he didn't fancy a few more years with a private operator. He told me many of his colleagues (even younger ones) got out as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Although we have a lot of new staff, not many leave, unless for a promotion (or they had little choice ) I've been a guard for 8 years now, there's over 40 people with more seniority than me. That in a depot of around 100. There are quite a few who've stayed on beyond retirement age, not all long serving either. There is one chap who left about 12 years ago to be a holiday rep, he was on the same induction course as me, 11 years ago, when I got a proper railway job (I started out self employed with a catering trolley). He was then made redundant in a management cull about 5 years ago, now he's back again as a guard, started earlier this year Our most senior man has just completed 50 years Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Although we have a lot of new staff, not many leave, unless for a promotion (or they had little choice ) I've been a guard for 8 years now, there's over 40 people with more seniority than me. That in a depot of around 100. Am now probably in top 10 seniority in a depot of 100.... only taken 38 years Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Am now probably in top 10 seniority in a depot of 100.... only taken 38 years That's excellent. You probably won't want to answer this question publicly on the forum and we'll understand if you don't comment. Briefly, how does the job now compare with that in BR days overall? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 That's excellent. You probably won't want to answer this question publicly on the forum and we'll understand if you don't comment. Briefly, how does the job now compare with that in BR days overall? Briefly, it doesn't 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 My main impression of ECML in recent years has been of trips from Peterborough to London for Institute meetings, returning late at night. There's a very tatty set of 125 stock that often appears on such occasions, complete with staff who appear to have escaped from a rejected sketch on the Katherine Tate Show - embarrassingly poor service. I have few memories of my eight years or so commuting to London in the 80s and early 90s, it was just tedious and crowded with far too much time spent at the increasingly run-down Kings X and some very negative memories of the early period, when many services were composed of near-unserviceable carriage stock with incessant delays and frequent heating failures. I mainly remember being flush enough at one time to hold a First Class season, wouldn't care to pay for that now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 (edited) "There's a very tatty set of 125 stock that often appears on such occasions". Would that be the East Midlands set that keeps appearing on the KX - Leeds service? Kenw - I expect you know it well! I wonder why that set has never been refurbished as it seems to have been on for a while now even back in East Coast days? (Edited for spelling) Edited October 19, 2015 by cravensdmufan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 Would that be the East Midlands set that keeps appearing on the KX - Leeds service? Kenw - I expect you know it well! I wonder why that set has never been refurbished as it seems to have been on for a while now even back in East Coast days? Yes, only too well. I used to call it the East Midlands Coast when still in EMT colours but with 'East Coast' over it. I believe that it was originally meant to be temporary, to cover while EC sets were refurbished, but was later made a permanent transfer for the increased services in the new timetable. Doubt it'll be refurbished due to the limited time HSTs are now planned to be with us. And no doubt, EMT for some reason, wouldn't want to give away one of their best sets! It used to be a real pain to work, as it's (original) PA isn't compatible with the new one on EC sets, which meant for several months the driver / guard buzzer didn't work, and every stop you had to look out for a green flag from the guard. And with different refurbishments, several auxiliary controls are somewhere else! I've seen another EMT set in on hire recently too, could be that one being referred too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 My comments were based on information from my brother-in-law who was a HST driver at OOC on the WR. He took redundancy after 40 years at the very end of BR as he didn't fancy a few more years with a private operator. He told me many of his colleagues (even younger ones) got out as well. To be fair, we had a lot of that on the ER too, especially when it came to restructuring and the likes of single manning at 125, but of coarse this was mostly the older drivers with only 5 or so years left to do anyway. Nearly all the younger drivers at the time are still there - I may be top 10 seniority with 38 years, but around half the depot are within two or three years behind! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 You probably won't want to answer this question publicly on the forum and we'll understand if you don't comment. Briefly, how does the job now compare with that in BR days overall? Well, we all get to wear a new shirt tomorrow! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted October 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 20, 2015 One shirt between you all - I knew times were supposed to be hard but .... Or is that one shirt each for the week? In either case I hope they provide strong deodorant - ah, forgot, they can't avoid complaints about smelly brakes so they are going to mask that another way. Almost as bad as a Pendolino then. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomag Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) "There's a very tatty set of 125 stock that often appears on such occasions". Would that be the East Midlands set that keeps appearing on the KX - Leeds service? Kenw - I expect you know it well! I wonder why that set has never been refurbished as it seems to have been on for a while now even back in East Coast days? (Edited for spelling) I was on a EMT HST forming the 7:20 Leeds to KX. An older lady (who had obvious used EC/VEC quite a bit) was talking to guard OL - this is a different train than normal, this is going to London? G - yes its going to London, but its not our normal stock. OL - I heard that your trains were going to be improved - this is very much better with proper tables and more comfortable seats. G - no this is not our train, we have hired it from East Midlands trains and our other trains won't end up like this. OL - pity. Apart from the smelly brakes and dodgy 1970s colour combination its been a race to the bottom for comfort (only partially ofset by power sockets). PS Last month I had to do London to Reading in stearage on a FGW HST. It was so awful I elected to travel back in a turbostar on a Slough only stop service. Edited October 20, 2015 by Bomag Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted October 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 20, 2015 It isn't just working the Leeds run, I've used it on York-KGX services as well. It is a welcome change from the claustrophobia of a 225. At one time coach B was very odd on one of the hired in sets having original HST seating one side of the aisle and the 'airline' seating of the refurbished 125/standard 225 on the other side. Really looked quite strange looking down the carriage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purley Oaks Posted October 20, 2015 Author Share Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) The East Midlands set is used KX-Edinburgh, too. One good thing about it is that standard class seats and tables are matched to the windows; the problem for VTEC (or EC) is that with fewer seats the reservations don't match-up. The lack of headrests makes the coach much more light and airy, but can be uncomfortable for longer trips. Can't have everything eh? Mal Edited to add that the seat numbers are differently sequenced to the ECML HST sets. Edited October 20, 2015 by Purley Oaks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Accord Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 The EM set also makes irritatingly regular visits to Aberdeen, far prefer the Mallard sets. One thing it does have in common with an increasing number of EC HST sets is the number of non working power points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 The East Midlands set is used KX-Edinburgh, too. Depends which EMT set's being discussed. The hired-in one recently (so in full EMT livery) has been meant to be kept to KX - Yorkshire services, and I believe had a specific diagram. The original hired in set, since permanently transferred in and now in EC grey (and the only HST to be so) but still with original interior, is like all EC HSTs based at Craigentinny, so does need to work to Edinburgh I believe its avoided running it further north when possible Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Can you give us a clue please Ken? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Can you give us a clue please Ken? Yes, it's behind me. I was referring to post #203 and the discussion on length of service, above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Safe driving..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Ken. Congratualations on your length of service - you look too young to have done all those years! Hope those HST's and 91's keep going well for you - let us know what you think about the new units when they arrive. Will keep an eye open for you on my frequent travels on the ECML. Best wishes. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2015 Can you give us a clue please Ken? He works for the NRM? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 He works for the NRM? That made me laugh Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2015 That made me laugh Mike I hope Ken sees the joke as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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