Gourmet Rail

winks · 20th July 2009, 18:35

Just thinking, Is Gourmet Rail a good place to start if wanting to get into the rail industry? I dont have much customer service exp. so dont tend to pass the sifts with TOCs - for operational/platform roles.

Do train companies look favourably on Rail Gourment staff when looking through applications?

...There seems to be quite a few vacancies down here at the moment,presumbaly for SWT.

Also whats the pay rate?

Cheers

37401 · 20th July 2009, 18:42

sorry winks just adding my own Q and A: also do you have to be 18 to do this role?

Ta

winks · 20th July 2009, 19:03

Yes, you do have to be 18 for the role as you are serving alcohol.

So yes 18+ 37401...

37401 · 20th July 2009, 19:33

ahh damn i did wonder about the alcohol thing

Stacey · 22nd July 2009, 21:39

Hiya, I work for Rail Gourmet as a steward - you do have to be over 18 to do the job and as a steward I'm on just under £12000 per year (+ some commission on what is sold on the trolley). I started the job in June as a means to get experience and a 'foot in the door' as I want to be a Guard (maybe eventually a driver) at some stage. Rail jobs are rather tricky to get hold of and it took me from applying in December, to interview in February before getting the job started in June.
Personally, I'm happy with the job at the moment, despite you being paid a lot less than if you did the same job at a TOC - however, I wanted to be on board train crew and the guards I speak to reckon I'm going the right way about becoming a guard as a fair amount of them (and drivers) started their careers on the trolleys...
Hope that helps...

Traineeconductor · 6th August 2009, 18:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stacey

Hiya, I work for Rail Gourmet as a steward - you do have to be over 18 to do the job and as a steward I'm on just under £12000 per year (+ some commission on what is sold on the trolley). I started the job in June as a means to get experience and a 'foot in the door' as I want to be a Guard (maybe eventually a driver) at some stage. Rail jobs are rather tricky to get hold of and it took me from applying in December, to interview in February before getting the job started in June.
Personally, I'm happy with the job at the moment, despite you being paid a lot less than if you did the same job at a TOC - however, I wanted to be on board train crew and the guards I speak to reckon I'm going the right way about becoming a guard as a fair amount of them (and drivers) started their careers on the trolleys...
Hope that helps...

I applied to work for Rail Gormet 3 times Within the North of england and never had a reply back from the Catering Manager Im well ****ed off Doesn't Applying now 3 times for the job tell you that i want the job??

cawky22 · 7th August 2009, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traineeconductor

I applied to work for Rail Gormet 3 times Within the North of england and never had a reply back from the Catering Manager Im well ****ed off Doesn't Applying now 3 times for the job tell you that i want the job??

It does tell us you want the job , but with a f****ing attitude like that I would not employ you to wipe my arse....

Traineeconductor · 9th August 2009, 10:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by cawky22

It does tell us you want the job , but with a f****ing attitude like that I would not employ you to wipe my arse....

Well I actually don't have a attitude i just the way u see words on a screen and they way you read them to yourself im just purely fed up with applying and been knocked back several times.

martyn29 · 9th August 2009, 12:30

keep trying.... and good luck

Stacey · 9th August 2009, 21:39

I applied for the job in December, interview Feb, didn't get job til June - before that I'd been to an fgw and a XC interview as well as applying for umpteen jobs since I was 17 (I'm now 22) - you have to keep going I'm afraid.... alas, you get there in the end....

Ferret · 10th August 2009, 09:28

Remember, there's shedloads of people out of work at the moment. Employers can afford to be very selective who they employ.

Not to be disrespectful at all but if your application was littered with as many spelling errors as your post above and I had several immaculate application forms in front of me from others then yours would be the one that went in the bin. That's how they'll be sifting through applications in the current climate...

All you can do is keep trying, and if you think you need it, get help with filling in your application forms. After all, that's how they'll get a first impression of you and how they'll decide if you're worth interviewing... Good luck, and don't give in...

20th July 2009, 18:35	#1
winks Member Join Date: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 14	Gourmet Rail Just thinking, Is Gourmet Rail a good place to start if wanting to get into the rail industry? I dont have much customer service exp. so dont tend to pass the sifts with TOCs - for operational/platform roles. Do train companies look favourably on Rail Gourment staff when looking through applications? ...There seems to be quite a few vacancies down here at the moment,presumbaly for SWT. Also whats the pay rate? Cheers

20th July 2009, 18:42	#2
37401 Mr Bean Flailing.... Established Member Join Date: 12 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 3,281	sorry winks just adding my own Q and A: also do you have to be 18 to do this role? Ta __________________ Ian Morris Compass Tours Steward \| C50A Shareholder \| D400 Fund Member \| Videos \| Photos

20th July 2009, 19:33	#4
37401 Mr Bean Flailing.... Established Member Join Date: 12 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 3,281	ahh damn i did wonder about the alcohol thing __________________ Ian Morris Compass Tours Steward \| C50A Shareholder \| D400 Fund Member \| Videos \| Photos

10th August 2009, 09:28	#11
Ferret Tickets & excuses please! Established Member Join Date: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 3,892	Remember, there's shedloads of people out of work at the moment. Employers can afford to be very selective who they employ. Not to be disrespectful at all but if your application was littered with as many spelling errors as your post above and I had several immaculate application forms in front of me from others then yours would be the one that went in the bin. That's how they'll be sifting through applications in the current climate... All you can do is keep trying, and if you think you need it, get help with filling in your application forms. After all, that's how they'll get a first impression of you and how they'll decide if you're worth interviewing... Good luck, and don't give in... Last edited by Ferret; 10th August 2009 at 09:40.

20th July 2009, 19:03	#3
winks Member Join Date: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 14	Yes, you do have to be 18 for the role as you are serving alcohol. So yes 18+ 37401...

22nd July 2009, 21:39	#5
Stacey Member Join Date: 8 May 2009 Location: South West Posts: 283	Hiya, I work for Rail Gourmet as a steward - you do have to be over 18 to do the job and as a steward I'm on just under £12000 per year (+ some commission on what is sold on the trolley). I started the job in June as a means to get experience and a 'foot in the door' as I want to be a Guard (maybe eventually a driver) at some stage. Rail jobs are rather tricky to get hold of and it took me from applying in December, to interview in February before getting the job started in June. Personally, I'm happy with the job at the moment, despite you being paid a lot less than if you did the same job at a TOC - however, I wanted to be on board train crew and the guards I speak to reckon I'm going the right way about becoming a guard as a fair amount of them (and drivers) started their careers on the trolleys... Hope that helps...

9th August 2009, 12:30	#9
martyn29 HST MARTYN Member Join Date: 4 Apr 2007 Location: Leicester Posts: 802	keep trying.... and good luck

9th August 2009, 21:39	#10
Stacey Member Join Date: 8 May 2009 Location: South West Posts: 283	I applied for the job in December, interview Feb, didn't get job til June - before that I'd been to an fgw and a XC interview as well as applying for umpteen jobs since I was 17 (I'm now 22) - you have to keep going I'm afraid.... alas, you get there in the end....