Route 177/PD Rosters

[Alex]

Just a quick question about route 177: Does it use an all day PVR of 18 buses, or does it run with a lower off peak PVR with extras coming out in rush hours? From what I can see, and the fact the PVR is 19 on a Saturday, I'm guessing at the former.......

The 18 bus all day idea gives a 21 minute stand at Peckham and at Thamesmead during the daytime (according to my workings out), but from what I've seen of Selkent's times the stands seem more generous across the board compared to some other operators, so makes sense.

Also while I'm here, does anyone know the rosters at PD? I have heard 51/96 are together, 177/472 are together, and 291/469 are together also. I've also been told each rota does a bit of the 53 too.....is this right? Guessing 99, 122 and 386 are by themselves.......

Sorry if this seems a bit random but I moved to PDs stamping ground a few months ago and it is all very interesting. Not to mention the BX crews (LC1 and Egg on here?) that come this way on the 422

[eggmiester]

a good mate of mine works at PD so I might be able to get more concrete info from him but as far as I know from some ex BX colleagues now at PD:

The 177 and 472 share a rota and duty schedule (i.e. some duties work both routes others will work one of the routes)

The 99 and 122 share a rota

The 51, 53 and 96 have single rotas

the school buses work duties off the 51/177 and 472

the 386has a separate rota and the 291/469 are shared

but this is based on old info.

[Paul]

That sounds about right Egg. If I remember the next time I see him I'll ask my dad since he works at Plumstead but from memory of glancing through the rotas when I've been over there that does sound right. I do know, however, that while my dad is on the 53 rota he does have scheduled duties on the 122 and 177 (at least!). Indeed, I'm pretty sure he's told me once before that first bus on the 122s is actually on the 53 rota!

Like I say, I'll ask the old man next time I see him, unless Egg beats me to it with his mate!

[beaver14uk]

Well I know the 177/472 share a common rota as suggested as my father in law works at PD on these routes. I know friends who are on the 96 so as described they must be separate.

[Alex]

Thanks for the replies all, the thing about the rotas being slightly mixed up (as first 122 on 53 rota) ties in with what I'd heard previously. Also, chatting to a roadside inspector yesterday it seems that indeed all 18 177 buses are out all day, it seems the 21 min stands at either end are needed as so much time can be lost on the route (same with the long stands on the 96 at Bluewater). Was also told the longer routes tend to do three rounders a day, but in the case of the 291 it's not uncommon for nine/ten rounders in a shift

Doing two back-to-back 122s seems a tall order though. It's a fair old trek, but according to the London Bus Routes site it gets 32 mins stand at PD garage, so probably balances out that way. Anyhow, thanks again for the replies, interesting stuff indeed

[Paul]

Spoke to the old man and he pretty much confirmed Egg's post with the addendum that school bus drivers also work 53 duties and the further addendum that he doesn't take any notice ot the single deck routes so can't really confirm that

[lc1]

Aug 13, 2013 19:22:10 GMT Paul said:

That sounds about right Egg. If I remember the next time I see him I'll ask my dad since he works at Plumstead but from memory of glancing through the rotas when I've been over there that does sound right. I do know, however, that while my dad is on the 53 rota he does have scheduled duties on the 122 and 177 (at least!). Indeed, I'm pretty sure he's told me once before that first bus on the 122s is actually on the 53 rota!

Like I say, I'll ask the old man next time I see him, unless Egg beats me to it with his mate!

Bit like at BX where I'm on 89's but have weeks of 422 on the rota (which I normally get rid of because I don't like it)

[goaheadswvlrbest]

This is quite an interesting post about rotas ive often wondered how different garages rota different crews. Do garages who cover quite a few routes get the drivers to work them all evenly? do they cover a few different routes in a working day? then again if you work at Metroline West Hays (HS) you would spend all your life going up and down the Uxbridge Road on 207s and 427s with the odd 195 thrown in.

[Alex]

Aug 14, 2013 13:10:58 GMT Paul said:

Spoke to the old man and he pretty much confirmed Egg's post with the addendum that school bus drivers also work 53 duties and the further addendum that he doesn't take any notice ot the single deck routes so can't really confirm that

Cheers Paul, thanks for asking the question The thought of the schools had crossed my mind, one day doing a bit of afternoon shopping at Thamesmead (having Aldi, Iceland and Morrisons next to each other is pretty handy there!) I saw the three 601 buses zoom round the bus turnaround and disappear running light off into the distance, I did wonder where they went to next..........

Saying that about the Hayes garage and Uxbridge Road, the 177/472 roster must be a bit like that with trips up the Woolwich Road and traversing Crossway

[eggmiester]

Aug 13, 2013 19:22:10 GMT Paul said:

That sounds about right Egg. If I remember the next time I see him I'll ask my dad since he works at Plumstead but from memory of glancing through the rotas when I've been over there that does sound right. I do know, however, that while my dad is on the 53 rota he does have scheduled duties on the 122 and 177 (at least!). Indeed, I'm pretty sure he's told me once before that first bus on the 122s is actually on the 53 rota!

Like I say, I'll ask the old man next time I see him, unless Egg beats me to it with his mate!

Yea some rota's do other routes too, we have a similar thing at BX like lc1 said, some lines on the 89 rota will work duties on the 422, and currently the first 422 is on the 229/401 Monday to Friday rota!!

I don't know if its still the case but there was a 229 duty on the B11/B16 rota and the 132 rota had a sunday 89 duty on it for a short while, but this changed with the recent rota changes..

So it seems the schedulers at Stagecoach and Go-Ahead are singing from the same books.....lol

[sw11simon]

Think of garages I worked at:
Camberwell: 68/468/X68 and are mixed and duties can possibly work all three routes in a day (rarely though, only earlies). 360 and P5 are a mixed rota but duties will stay on the same route all day. 12, 45, 185, 345 & 360 all separate rotas. There are also some separate early and late rotas which generally mix 45/68/360/468/P5/X68, but these rotas are small.
Stockwell: 11 will be long winded. There are two main rotas, 5 day and 7 day, which only work the 11. Weekend duties are also worked by Waterloo based drivers, plus drivers off the 87/88/170 rotas (plus maybe 196/315/333, not 100%). This will no doubt all change in September with NB4L. 87 rota also has duties on 11 and 88, plus Waterloo based drivers at the weekend. 88 as above, might still have a small number of 87 duties. 170, 196 & 333 as above. 315 has some 196 duties on it. 19/ 249/ 337 on their own.
Merton: Everything is generally separate now except 163/164, which are a common rota. Traditionally the 44/77 and 219/270 were completely interworked in those pairs but I understand they were separated out at the last tender. The Sunday 22's work from the 163/164 rota. There may be odd minor mixes - for instance I have a feeling route 200 drivers do work odd duties on the 155.
Sutton: All rotas are separate. The Sunday 164's work off the 151 rota.
Waterloo: 507/521 completely intermixed with some driver also working 11/87 at Stockwell at weekends.

As I left a year ago it is possible some of that lot has changed or I've forgotten something!

[slr]

Rotas at NX before I left were as follows, all routes had their own Rotas, apart from 36/171 were mixed, and late 321 rota did 108D journeys. I believe the 21 rota had the odd 225 duty on a Saturday. Night routes i'm not too sure if they were mixed, although I know N108 was a seperate rota.

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2013 1:19:29 GMT eggmiester said:

a good mate of mine works at PD so I might be able to get more concrete info from him but as far as I know from some ex BX colleagues now at PD:

The 177 and 472 share a rota and duty schedule (i.e. some duties work both routes others will work one of the routes)

The 99 and 122 share a rota

The 51, 53 and 96 have single rotas

the school buses work duties off the 51/177 and 472

the 386has a separate rota and the 291/469 are shared

but this is based on old info.

As others said thats about right from what I've been told by a PD driver that I know, apparently the 99/122 rota is regarded as the best and the 'Thamesmeads' (177/472) the worst but opinions may vary between drivers.