Job hunting - Midlands TOC's

[Davside84]

Hi There,

I'm starting the long process of trying to get a job on the rails and wondered if anyone could offer any advice on which companies are within my reach.

I live in Daventry, Northants and have signed up to the following TOC's employment portals:

GTR (Bedford)
Chiltern (Banbury)
London Midland (Northampton)
Virgin (Coventry, Rugby, Milton Keynes)

Is there anyone I'm missing? It's not the easiest information to find..

I realise GTR were recruiting recently, unfortunately I only found that they were advertising on the evening of their deadline and as I had to be driving my bus at 3am I just didn't have time and it would've been irresponsible for me to reduce my sleep in order to apply. I was not happy though :-x

 

[Dave1987]

What job are you looking for on the railways?

 

[Davside84]

Sorry, Train Driver.

 

[E&W Lucas]

How long does Daventry - Bedford take in the car?
Traffic in the latter can be a pig.

You've got the main three. Also worth registering with DBS, DRS, FL, GBRF, in case anything come up on the freight.

West Coast & East Coast (London depots) are worth registering with, but a rather long shot for trainee jobs.

 

[Davside84]

Thanks for your response Lucas! I'll definitely look at those Freight companies, the only one I've looked at so far is DBS, so that's useful information thanks.

Bedford is about 45-50 minutes so perfectly doable. I'd obviously have to make allowances if I ever had to be there for say 9am, but I'm guessing that wouldn't happen too often and I always make sure I get into work well before the sign on time anyway.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Chiltern are recruiting drivers for the next few years, the 2015 class is in full swing and I might be wrong but I think the 2016 class has already been filled but as far as I am aware classes will be going on for three or four years after that.

What I will say is that coming in as a driver isn't the easiest way into the industry as competition is fierce for trainee driver jobs. Every vacancy is massively oversubscribed and you need to have luck on your side to get in given the numbers involved. Don't rule out the possibility of getting in with some other role, there are plenty of other jobs and internal promotion to the driving grade is commonplace.

 

[whoosh]

London Midland have drivers depots at:

Coventry (but this is apparently a satellite depot of Birmingham new Street, meaning you'd have to go there first), Leamington, Bletchley and Northampton (which I believe is a satellite depot of Bletchley).


Virgin Trains nearest depots would be Wolverhampton and Euston, so they are no good.



Nearest Chiltern drivers depots are at Banbury and Aylesbury.


GTR nearest would be Bedford and Hitchin. Keep checking their website about twice a week - that last advert didn't get put up for very long at all. GTR are heavily recruiting Trainee Drivers over the next couple of years, so keep checking.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Coventry (but this is apparently a satellite depot of Birmingham new Street, meaning you'd have to go there first)

Not sure how true that is. I know a couple of people personally who went to Coventry depot as trainee drivers in recent years. They were internal LM staff which might make a difference but it might not.

 

[Davside84]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Cherry I am definitely considering applying for a non-driving job then moving internally as well, just got to be careful with wages etc.

Whoosh that's good information on the depots. It's so difficult to find where these companies actually operate from. I didn't realise London Midland operated out of Leamington, that's good for me too. But Virgin isn't going to be an option if what you say is true.

 

[wellwhatitis]

Not sure how true that is. I know a couple of people personally who went to Coventry depot as trainee drivers in recent years. They were internal LM staff which might make a difference but it might not.

There is no such rule. Coventry have newly trained drivers who joined LM and went straight to Coventry.

 

[TDK]

As long as you are within 1 hour using your own transport for an allocated depot you will have a chance of getting through the sift anything longer than that that it really isn't worth the bother

 

[whoosh]

I must have wrong info on Coventry then. Perhaps it used to be the case but has changed. Northampton definitely used to be a satellite depot of Bletchley, but again this may have changed.

 

[Dave1987]

I wish you luck in getting a trainee driver job in the Midlands. I moved from the Midlands to the East for a trainee post as there were none at all where I used to live. That was a few years back now though. I would highly recommend you consider moving though as there are definitely more trainee driver vacancies in towards London than there are in the Midlands.

 

[Davside84]

Unfortunately I can't relocate at the moment, if I was on my own then I would definitely do it as I don't really have any other major ties to Daventry, no kids yet etc.

Thanks a lot for all the great information everyone, I appreciate this isn't an easy line of work to get into but I'm in no mad rush, I really enjoy my job as a bus driver, this will be the next step as and when something becomes available.

Coming from a background in recruitment I have always felt that if you have the right credentials, getting the job you want is just a matter of pressure and time