How do shift patterns for guards work, both in terms of days on and off, and, timings (early, late, day)

Hello Ben - good question and a varied answer! The shift patterns for guards depend on several factors; the depot location, the types of services covered (e.g. Intercity, local branch lines, or sleeper services), and the operational requirements specific to each depot.

Some depots operate on a four-day week, while others follow a five-day week. There is also a wide variety of shift start and finish times depending on the needs of the depot and the services they support.