Southern Trainee Drivers - Victoria & London Bridge

[Vicpaul]

Yeah, laying dets/tcoc, identifying the track etc. It's all very basic stuff

 

[carriageline]

I would find that quite enjoyable if anything!

To be honest, anyone who knows a bit about the railway, should be able to do that to a high standard anyway, and a few hours learning how to pass the practical.

 

[springer]

Any one had trouble with southerns website recruitment page. 3 times got to the end 3 times lost the lot.

 

[carriageline]

Any one had trouble with southerns website recruitment page. 3 times got to the end 3 times lost the lot.

Worked fine for me

 

[TDK]

I would find that quite enjoyable if anything!

To be honest, anyone who knows a bit about the railway, should be able to do that to a high standard anyway, and a few hours learning how to pass the practical.

So could anyone who knows nothing about the railway could also with the training supplied
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You'd be surprised how many people can't do the practical Sid of PTS. Under the new training programme it took one candidate 3 1/2 days to complete PTS which is ridiculous for what you need to know.

If that is the case they should have never got the job in the first place

 

[Stuart-h]

I highly, highly doubt you could get to any of the depots advertising in 30 minutes.

Worth applying-they can only say no-if you can get in in reasonable time you may be ok. Southern have drivers living all over-Wellingborough is fairly local! Clacton, Ipswich, peterbourgh, Southend, Milton Keynes, reading etc all have southern drivers in residence.

Just the small matter of jumping in the car

Does any one know what PTS is?

 

[A-driver]

Just the small matter of jumping in the car

Does any one know what PTS is?

PTS is personal track safety. You don't need it to get the job, its badly worded on the application. It's a 2 day course you will do before you start the driver training.

It's basically common sense interspersed with technical names for things and the phonetic alphabet.

 

[Vicpaul]

So could anyone who knows nothing about the railway could also with the training supplied
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If that is the case they should have never got the job in the first place

All part of southerns new ipad self learning course (which if the mess room chatter is right has been stopped)

 

[TDK]

All part of southerns new ipad self learning course (which if the mess room chatter is right has been stopped)

Self learning is a cheap and non productive method. Some external companies charge over £1k per candidate for PTS, it is always much better to use an in house trainer or a DI. I have taken many PTS courses and never had a failure, the course I designed was 2 days (usually finished by 14.00 on the 2nd day), this course was for trainee drivers off the street with no knowledge including DC and OHLE lines.

 

[Degsi00]

the course I designed was 2 days (usually finished by 14.00 on the 2nd day), this course was for trainee drivers off the street with no knowledge including DC and OHLE lines.

Where is this course held and how much does it cost please?

 

[Vicpaul]

Self learning is a cheap and non productive method. Some external companies charge over £1k per candidate for PTS, it is always much better to use an in house trainer or a DI. I have taken many PTS courses and never had a failure, the course I designed was 2 days (usually finished by 14.00 on the 2nd day), this course was for trainee drivers off the street with no knowledge including DC and OHLE lines.

You and I know that

 

[TDK]

Where is this course held and how much does it cost please?

This was a course I designed myself and remaind the property of the company I worked for so therefore it is used for a TOC. If you want a PTS course all depending for what role you will need to go to a private company like Acorn or CCL

 

[JB25]

All part of southerns new ipad self learning course (which if the mess room chatter is right has been stopped)

Yes but don't forget someone on our course isn't allowed near OHL because they didn't pass that part of his PTS.

PTS is simple in all honesty... If you can't pass PTS you are really going to struggle with the rest of a trainee drivers course, a Hell of a lot of stuff to take in.

 

[A-driver]

Yes but don't forget someone on our course isn't allowed near OHL because they didn't pass that part of his PTS.

Well all of Southerns starter links stay far enough away from OHLE so he should be fine-but perhaps they should tell him he isn't allowed any nearer than 9' to the OHLE, then they can pass him on it aswell!

 

[JB25]

Well all of Southerns starter links stay far enough away from OHLE so he should be fine-but perhaps they should tell him he isn't allowed any nearer than 9' to the OHLE, then they can pass him on it aswell!

The only depot who deal with OHLE is Norwood anyway and he's not based there anyway.

I loved the training I must admit, I just want to get passed out now, I feel ready.

 

[carriageline]

Has anyone heard anything back yet? Long shot I know!

 

[A-driver]

The only depot who deal with OHLE is Norwood anyway and he's not based there anyway.

I loved the training I must admit, I just want to get passed out now, I feel ready.

I know, it was a joke. And no noorwood trainees will get anywhere near Milton Keynes for the first decade or so of their career anyway!

 

[JB25]

I know, it was a joke. And no noorwood trainees will get anywhere near Milton Keynes for the first decade or so of their career anyway!

Sorry, I didn't explain myself... I know they wouldn't, was merely stating Norwood is the only Southern depot to deal with Overheads.

It's weird, when I applied for my position I was in and on a course within 6 weeks. The group before ours had to wait 6-7 months from their medical to find out they were on a course.

At the moment Southern seem to be running courses every two months (Sept 12, Nov 12, Jan 13, Mar 13, May 13, & Jul 13 that I know of), so you should all hear soon. They do seem to be running out of trainers for the school though. hock:

 

[Vicpaul]

It's all a bit hit and miss as has been stated. It was three weeks from applying to starting for me however when I applied for FCC it was a year till I heard a thing.

Wish everyone who applied the very best of luck

 

[pendolino]

And no noorwood trainees will get anywhere near Milton Keynes for the first decade or so of their career anyway!

All Norwood (note the spelling!) DIs are Link 1 which means that any trainee at Norwood is likely to spend more time going to and from Milton Keynes than anywhere else as it is only Link 1 who go there.

 

[A-driver]

All Norwood (note the spelling!) DIs are Link 1 which means that any trainee at Norwood is likely to spend more time going to and from Milton Keynes than anywhere else as it is only Link 1 who go there.

But that won't be a problem with no AC PTS as you are under supervision.

 

[Vicpaul]

But that won't be a problem with no AC PTS as you are under supervision.

I agree but the point of doing PTS first was so that we could go out on the front (that's what we were told back me up JB) I did argue your exact point at the time

 

[TDK]

I agree but the point of doing PTS first was so that we could go out on the front (that's what we were told back me up JB) I did argue your exact point at the time

The point of doing PTS is that it is a train drivers requirement whether or not you go out on front end turns.
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I know, it was a joke. And no noorwood trainees will get anywhere near Milton Keynes for the first decade or so of their career anyway!

The thing is, if you have PTS with the OHLE element it is good to have if you decide to move companies.

 

[wanabedriver]

Has anyone heard anything back yet? Long shot I know!

Hello Mate,

Not heard anything yet, I just hope they are quicker to respond then FGW. Which depot have you applied for as I've applied for Victoria.

Anyone out there know what the route is for drivers out of Victoria.

Good luck to everyone

 

[A-driver]

Hello Mate,

Not heard anything yet, I just hope they are quicker to respond then FGW. Which depot have you applied for as I've applied for Victoria.

Anyone out there know what the route is for drivers out of Victoria.

Good luck to everyone

If it hasn't changed in the last few years then core routes for vic are:

Vic-east grinstead via Selhurst
Balham-Sutton via crystal palace
Selhurst-west Croydon via the spur/gloucester road junction
Streatham hill depot

The bottom link then sign:

Balham-dorking via the Portsmouth (Mitcham) line
Sutton-Epsom downs
London bridge-east Croydon and crystal palace
London bridge-Streatham common via Peckham, dulwich and Streatham
Crystal palace-beckenham
Selhurst depot.

Traction is 455,456&377.

After 10 years or so you get into the top link which sign Brighton, Bognor, littlehmnpton, Arun valley, Eastbourne, ore and dorking-Horsham.

 

[Vicpaul]

If it hasn't changed in the last few years then core routes for vic are:

Vic-east grinstead via Selhurst
Balham-Sutton via crystal palace
Selhurst-west Croydon via the spur/gloucester road junction
Streatham hill depot

The bottom link then sign:

Balham-dorking via the Portsmouth (Mitcham) line
Sutton-Epsom downs
London bridge-east Croydon and crystal palace
London bridge-Streatham common via Peckham, dulwich and Streatham
Crystal palace-beckenham
Selhurst depot.

Traction is 455,456&377.

After 10 years or so you get into the top link which sign Brighton, Bognor, littlehmnpton, Arun valley, Eastbourne, ore and dorking-Horsham.

You will initially sign;

Streatham Hill
Epsom Downs (via palace and via norbury)
East Grinstead

The furthest you will sign as link to will be dorking.

Doubt they will sign 456 as they will be going soon enough

 

[Darksoul27]

Not heard yet but had to wait a year to hear back from FCC so hoping this one doesn't take as long lol and I applied for London bridge aswell.

 

[A-driver]

Not heard yet but had to wait a year to hear back from FCC so hoping this one doesn't take as long lol and I applied for London bridge aswell.

London bridge is the same routes/traction as vic plus they also sign tattenham,caterham and the Wimbledon loop. London bridge trainees don't initially sign London bridge either-core routes are same as Victoria's (see my previous post) as it is a satellite depot of vic.

London bridge is a fairly happy depot compared to vic (or at least it was when I was at southern) but they only have one link. They lost all their mainline work in the 80s for various political reasons.

 

[wanabedriver]

You will initially sign;

Streatham Hill
Epsom Downs (via palace and via norbury)
East Grinstead

The furthest you will sign as link to will be dorking.

Doubt they will sign 456 as they will be going soon enough

Thanks Guys

 

[JB25]

Got told my routes today in a very long winded way...

London Bridge to East Croydon
Victoria to East Croydon
East Croydon to Caterham
Selhurst Depot

Surely just easier to say Vic and Bridge to Caterham?

Depending how it goes could learn to West Croydon from both Selhurst and Norwood Jct and the Sydenham Spurs.