Maximum time a driver can drive without a stop

[whole diary]

[phile]

I can recall when a Train Planner in the 80s and secondmen were used, the maximum length of time a driver could drive single-manned was 3 hours.    We regularly had a Friday Relief frpm Paddington to the West of England and the running time to Exeter for a Class 47 loco vai the Berks and Hants and calling at Taunton was 3 hours and 2 minutes.  It was wised up eventually that if it didn't call at Taunton, it was 2 hours 58 minutes.    So, the obvious happened to avoid a secondman.

[ellendune]

Non stop trains are a luxury when capacity is short. 

The capacity of a line is maximised when all the trains move at the same speed and have the same stopping patterns.  If there are differences in speed then gaps have to be left in the timetable so that trains can pass at places where this is possible. 

If you want more trains then something has to give.   

[Sam290893]

All I know if GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers can have a maximum of 4 hours driving time then have a break as they can do a train from Plymouth via Bristol to Paddington, this is 3 hours 51.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, that's correct for the HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) drivers, but as 'insider' said earlier, LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) (and West) are different.  Other companies will also have different rules.  It does surprise me a little that ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) never seem to mind about these differences much and aren't campaigning hard for a national standard. 

There are national rules (which came about from the Hidden report after the Clapham crash) governing maximum shift length (12 hours), maximum number of days consecutively worked (13 days), maximum number of hours in a week (72 hours), and minimum rest period between shifts (12 hours).

[devon_metro]

One of the longest non stop runs must be Virgin East Coast 0540 Edinburgh - London. Running from Newcastle to London non-stop for 2 hours 36 minutes.

[JayMac]

One of the longest non stop runs must be Virgin East Coast 0540 Edinburgh - London. Running from Newcastle to London non-stop for 2 hours 36 minutes.

Lowland Sleeper does anything from  3 to 5 hours between Watford Junction and driver change at either Warrington Bank Quay, Preston or Carlise.

[Sam290893]

All I know GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers can only driver for a maximum of 4 hours!
One of the routes is Penzance via Bristol to Paddington! I think it's driver change at Plymouth! Am not 100% sure..

[eightf48544]

I remember an article in one of the comics, many moons ago in BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Cross Country days loco hauled Mark 2s etc., moaning that the Aberdeen Penzance train required so many drivers and they seemed to changed at every stop. Plus sa change.

Good job that we are not in France their provincial drivers don't seem to able to drive more than hour at a time!

[SandTEngineer]

All I know GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers can only driver for a maximum of 4 hours!
One of the routes is Penzance via Bristol to Paddington! I think it's driver change at Plymouth! Am not 100% sure..

As far as I am aware Penzance drivers (and crew) only go as far as Exeter. Plymouth and Exeter crews also cover Exeter and Plymouth to Penzance.  Plymouth, Exeter and Paddington crews cover Plymouth to Paddington via all routes.  This keeps all single runs to a maximum of about 3.75 hours.

An example is the driver and crew for the 0505 Penzance to Exeter St.Davids (arr 0751) who then work back the 0933 Exeter St.Davids to Penzance (arr 1237).

[Sam290893]

All I know GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers can only driver for a maximum of 4 hours!
One of the routes is Penzance via Bristol to Paddington! I think it's driver change at Plymouth! Am not 100% sure..

As far as I am aware Penzance drivers (and crew) only go as far as Exeter. Plymouth and Exeter crews also cover Exeter and Plymouth to Penzance.  Plymouth, Exeter and Paddington crews cover Plymouth to Paddington via all routes.  This keeps all single runs to a maximum of about 3.75 hours.

An example is the driver and crew for the 0505 Penzance to Exeter St.Davids (arr 0751) who then work back the 0933 Exeter St.Davids to Penzance (arr 1237).

When I've got the train at Plymouth I have seen the do a driver change there as well, but they go and have on and change at Exeter as well  

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, it can all be a bit of a mish-mash depending on the service in question.  For example there are a few trains from Hereford to Paddington that are crewed all the way through by Bristol HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) or Oxford LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) depots (between 3 and 3h15m with lots of stops), whereas there are others that have a driver change at Worcester and Oxford en-route.  Just depends how the shifts fit in at that time of day.