The sheer hell of being stuck in Spain....

[Homesick]

I've been living in Spain now for more than 12 years, but things are going from bad to worse for my wife and I. The company I worked for closed down a few months ago owing me a lot of money in commissions and wages. I really want to go back to the UK but I cannot get near an interview and I know my address has something to do with this. My wife is without work too and we have no money coming in what so ever. There are no benefits or dole money here and we are now on the breadline.

Today I was bitten badly by a dog and the Doctor refused to treat me due to my NHS payments not being up to date. I can't pay any contributions as I don't have any money to do so. I have no family or friends that I could call on to help us, I really don't know what is going to happen.

Can anyone give me some advice, I sure could do with some. Thanks.

 

[Dave1987]

Go and see the UK embassy.

This a forum for ppl wanting jobs in the railways!

 

[Homesick]

Go and see the UK embassy.

This a forum for ppl wanting jobs in the railways!

Yes I know mate, I've been writing for jobs on the railways for months and can't get a job. Some people on here know me, hence my post, I keep saying that I will relocate, but I can't even get a trolley dolly job.

 

[ainsworth74]

The problem is that railway jobs get a lot of applicants (TPE recently put out for a couple of trainee drivers and got more than 3,000 applications). So I wouldn't be surprised if those doing the initial sift are seeing the Spanish address and just putting it straight in the bin as they're just about guaranteed to find someone who lives in the UK who's just as qualified (and probably someone who lives within thirty minutes or so of the depot they'd be based at).

 

[the stripler]

I've been living in Spain now for more than 12 years, but things are going from bad to worse for my wife and I. The company I worked for closed down a few months ago owing me a lot of money in commissions and wages. I really want to go back to the UK but I cannot get near an interview and I know my address has something to do with this. My wife is without work too and we have no money coming in what so ever. There are no benefits or dole money here and we are now on the breadline.

Today I was bitten badly by a dog and the Doctor refused to treat me due to my NHS payments not being up to date. I can't pay any contributions as I don't have any money to do so. I have no family or friends that I could call on to help us, I really don't know what is going to happen.

Can anyone give me some advice, I sure could do with some. Thanks.

Hi Mate,

Im sorry about your situation and really hope you get a turn of good luck soon....goodness knows you deserve it....

 

[Homesick]

Hi Mate,

Im sorry about your situation and really hope you get a turn of good luck soon....goodness knows you deserve it....

Cheers Stripler, I'm trying really hard. Still in for another 4 jobs with FIRST. Have been waiting for more than 7 weeks in all of them.

 

[CR1]

Probably no help, if you are desperate to get back to uk, is it worth trying for a different job to get you back here? Lots of trainee bus driver jobs going!

At least then you would be back in uk and working. You can then continue looking for. Job on railways

 

[Homesick]

Probably no help, if you are desperate to get back to uk, is it worth trying for a different job to get you back here? Lots of trainee bus driver jobs going!

At least then you would be back in uk and working. You can then continue looking for. Job on railways

Cheers CRI. Will be making the move shortly, probably to Scotland. Once there I'll probably need support until I'm on my feet as I don't have anyone to help me. Will keep posting on here until I finally get my life back in place. Thanks.

 

[the stripler]

Cheers CRI. Will be making the move shortly, probably to Scotland. Once there I'll probably need support until I'm on my feet as I don't have anyone to help me. Will keep posting on here until I finally get my life back in place. Thanks.

FSR have 3 trainee driver posts out at the moment...have you applied for these.. Glasgow, Stranraer and tweedbank....

 

[Beveridges]

Northern sometimes advertise for night shift Cleaners (Train Presentation Officers) at depots such as Newton Heath and Blackpool. Judging by the staff they sometimes take on it can't be too hard to get in. Or look at agencies such as ISS Cleaning or Carlisle Cleaning they are easier to get into who take on Night Cleaners for Northern, they took on a lot of Polish immigrants so it might be a way in. Of cause once in the company with a cleaning job (even agency) you can progress towards becoming a Driver, it has been done many, many times.

 

[BestWestern]

Probably no help, if you are desperate to get back to uk, is it worth trying for a different job to get you back here? Lots of trainee bus driver jobs going!

At least then you would be back in uk and working. You can then continue looking for. Job on railways

Despite the exclamation mark, this is actually very good advice.

All the big groups, (First, Stagecoach etc) are constantly recruiting PCV (bus) drivers, in most areas of the UK they struggle and so a job is not difficult to come by. Whilst it is nowhere near the level of pay you will find in the rail industry, it is none the less a steady job paying at least a half-decent wage, and there is far worse out there (you mentioned trolley dolly, I would far rather be driving a bus than working for some of the contractors who provide stewards at some locations! ).

So long as you have a valid UK licence and no major endorsements (drink drive bans in the past 10 years or so, etc), and can return a CRB check with no major offences, you will get a job driving. You then have your foot in the door should you wish to apply for jobs within the same group on their rail operations. If you are moving to Scotland, try and find somewhere with a First bus depot nearby, they currently run the Scotrail franchise.

I wish you the best of luck, and seriously, give it some thought.

Regards, BW.

 

[Homesick]

Despite the exclamation mark, this is actually very good advice.

All the big groups, (First, Stagecoach etc) are constantly recruiting PCV (bus) drivers, in most areas of the UK they struggle and so a job is not difficult to come by. Whilst it is nowhere near the level of pay you will find in the rail industry, it is none the less a steady job paying at least a half-decent wage, and there is far worse out there (you mentioned trolley dolly, I would far rather be driving a bus than working for some of the contractors who provide stewards at some locations! ).

So long as you have a valid UK licence and no major endorsements (drink drive bans in the past 10 years or so, etc), and can return a CRB check with no major offences, you will get a job driving. You then have your foot in the door should you wish to apply for jobs within the same group on their rail operations. If you are moving to Scotland, try and find somewhere with a First bus depot nearby, they currently run the Scotrail franchise.

I wish you the best of luck, and seriously, give it some thought.

Regards, BW.

Some great advice from you fellows, I really do appreciate it. I'm one of these people who value a job and I really want to work, but here in Spain, jobs are only given to the Spanish and us foreigners don't even get NHS treatment any more. I know my address here has stopped me from advancing and I have yet to be shortlisted for any application. I've pleaded with the bosses to give me a chance to relocate, but alas, nowt as yet. If I was offered a trainee bus drivers job in Bristol or in Chelmsford for example, I'd be there like a shot. It is looking like I am going to have to go homeless to return, I'm really not relishing that, but what else can i do? Damn this bloody recession, it's definitely spoiled my life .......Big time!

 

[CR1]

Despite the exclamation mark, this is actually very good advice.

All the big groups, (First, Stagecoach etc) are constantly recruiting PCV (bus) drivers, in most areas of the UK they struggle and so a job is not difficult to come by. Whilst it is nowhere near the level of pay you will find in the rail industry, it is none the less a steady job paying at least a half-decent wage, and there is far worse out there (you mentioned trolley dolly, I would far rather be driving a bus than working for some of the contractors who provide stewards at some locations! ).

So long as you have a valid UK licence and no major endorsements (drink drive bans in the past 10 years or so, etc), and can return a CRB check with no major offences, you will get a job driving. You then have your foot in the door should you wish to apply for jobs within the same group on their rail operations. If you are moving to Scotland, try and find somewhere with a First bus depot nearby, they currently run the Scotrail franchise.

I wish you the best of luck, and seriously, give it some thought.

Regards, BW.

Sorry if my post came across wrong, I was only trying to help, I am a bus driver and love the job, there is nothing wrong with it.

I just thought it way be an option, it may be worth looking on stagecoach careers page to see what is out there, same goes for first etc

There is also a few coach companies that will train you up to be a coach driver.

Good luck

 

[BestWestern]

Sorry if my post came across wrong, I was only trying to help, I am a bus driver and love the job, there is nothing wrong with it.

I just thought it way be an option, it may be worth looking on stagecoach careers page to see what is out there, same goes for first etc

There is also a few coach companies that will train you up to be a coach driver.

Good luck

No, seemed a pretty reasonable post to me! Sadly, as you will know, a lot of people are only on the buses because they can't get a job elsewhere, so 'desperate' probably does describe some, I know I came across a few

There lots of very decent drivers out there too though of course, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing it for a living. I loved it!

 

[Mix107]

I agree nothing wrong with bus driving. I've done it full time and more recently casually over the last 10 years, while running my own business. Only just giving it up now to take up my trainee driver job with Greater Anglia. Always been a great support for me and it is a highly skilled job, taken for granted in my opinion. It's the drivers with bad attitudes which give the job a bad reputation. Yes you should check out First Chelmsford depot, we share the same Ops Manager as I have been working out of Braintree depot for 9 years. First not a bad company to work for, just the lack of investment in vehicles and competition that gets frustrating.

 

[Homesick]

I applied for a trainee train driver position in Stranraer and got knocked out of the first sift within a few hours. Today I applied for a bus driver job in Bristol. I don't think First want anyone with an address abroad. I so want to be in the UK but have nowhere to go really. If only some depot would give me a chance, I could easily sort out accommodation. If only though.

 

[Mix107]

I can't imagine what a difficult situation your currently facing. A friend told me this week that he knew of someone in Spain that sold a villa with pool for £36k (well well bellow what it was worth) just to have enough money to get back to the UK. Tough times out there.

Do you not have any family, friends or old connections that could put you up for a few weeks why you apply for jobs within the UK or at least allow you to use their address while you apply from Spain. If not only other alternative is to pick an area where you have the most possible options for train and bus jobs and get back as soon as you can. A lot of employers may not be able to take on people without a UK based address and that is likely the main issue. Best of luck.

 

[tannedfrog]

You should be able to claim benefits in Spain?
You could use a friend's UK address on your CV..

 

[NI 271]

I applied for a trainee train driver position in Stranraer and got knocked out of the first sift within a few hours. Today I applied for a bus driver job in Bristol. I don't think First want anyone with an address abroad. I so want to be in the UK but have nowhere to go really. If only some depot would give me a chance, I could easily sort out accommodation. If only though.

If you are able to stomach the thought of living in the Pennines (approximately halfway between Leeds and Manchester) I know that First are advertising for drivers in Huddersfield, where I worked as a driver till 2004. TPE and Northern have depots well within an hour so an address nearby wouldn't be a problem for them (obv you could relocate nearer). Clicky. Not sure about that rate of pay, I was on more than that when I finished 8 years ago, I assume there's still progression to "A rate" which by now must be heading toward £11 an hour I'd have thought. Not brilliant but not bad at all for a job I always saw as "much better than working for a living".

Weather might be somewhat different to Spain, mind!

 

[Shrimper]

As a bus driver (also looking to get into rail!) the only downside I have found is that there is no 'internal' route from Stagecoach bus to their rail subsidiaries, so any moves would have to be done as an external candidate. However, I'd recommend the job - I never thought I'd do it, let alone enjoy it; and a PCV licence will almost always be in demand if you need a job.

 

[jadam35]

Some great advice from you fellows, I really do appreciate it. I'm one of these people who value a job and I really want to work, but here in Spain, jobs are only given to the Spanish and us foreigners don't even get NHS treatment any more. I know my address here has stopped me from advancing and I have yet to be shortlisted for any application. I've pleaded with the bosses to give me a chance to relocate, but alas, nowt as yet. If I was offered a trainee bus drivers job in Bristol or in Chelmsford for example, I'd be there like a shot. It is looking like I am going to have to go homeless to return, I'm really not relishing that, but what else can i do? Damn this bloody recession, it's definitely spoiled my life .......Big time!

Just a thought, but could you not give an address here in the UK on your applications. If you have an old mate or someone from your family who would'nt mind any correspondence being delivered there? And as most communication is by e-mail with the TOC's they would'nt have much anyway..
Good luck and keep on plugging away with your applications, eventually you will get somewhere..