There are three types of road staff in the LAS (well, there is actually four, but they don't count in todays post). There are Core staff, Relief staff and Ghosting staff.
Core staff are the crews who have a fixed shift system and work with a regular crewmate.

Relief staff are moved around the complex (and occasionally off complex) to cover absences and leave. They often work with a different crewmate every shift.

Ghosting staff are temporarily allocated to a crewmate in order to cover a long term absence, for example if one person on a Core staff line is seconded to the Rapid Response Unit someone might 'ghost' that line for six months until they return. This 'Ghosting' can be ended at any time.

For the past couple of months I've been Ghosting a line with my crewmate, but just before Christmas, management decided to fill some of the Core lines that had become empty. One of these lines was the one that I was Ghosting. Because I like the station that I'm working at, I applied to fill any of the lines that were going free at the station. I'm 14th in line to fill a Core line, but because the shift rota at our station is poor, very few people want to work there.

So I was lucky, and got another Core line. This means I am now working permanently at this station. Unfortunately this Core line isn't with my old crewmate…

My old crewmate and I get on really well, at least in part due to us having similar outlooks on the job, and life in general. My new crewmate has a very different personality.

So it will be interesting to see how well we work together.

Yesterday then was the last time I would be working with my old crewmate. At the end of the shift, we were both extremely upset, there were tears, hugs, and declarations of undying loyalty…

…who am I kidding, I just told him to make sure he was in on time on Monday as he is relieving me on my new shift.