Shunter driver.

[Nick_south01]

Hi everyone,

Got an interview for train shunter. Has anyone got any advise ?

 

[Stigy]

Hi everyone,

Got an interview for train shunter. Has anyone got any advise ?

Shunter or Depot Driver? If it's a depot driver you'll have a multi-model interview in the first instance which is competency based and quite technical (basically a train driver interview). If it's a shunter it'll be different and doesn't form part of the overall assessment as a driver one does.

 

[Nick_south01]

It's for shunter not depot driver. Thank you

 

[Stigy]

It's for shunter not depot driver. Thank you

As with all interviews, do some swatting up on the company as SWT are likely to ask you questions about parent company/sister companies etc. Also worth revising on specific items such as how many Train Care Depots the company has and which stock is stabled/serviced where. They may taylor some aspects if you're an internal/external candidate, for example an it would be pointless asking an internal candidate about parent company/sister company.

 

[Berries]

What is the difference between a shunter and depot driver?

 

[wills]

A shunter in the freight world is someone who deals with the groundstaff duties for a train. This means preparing a train, putting it together, brake testing it and checking it's fitness to run - i.e. making sure it's not out of gauge, nothing loose/hanging off. You use radios or handsignals and communicate with the driver to get the job done. That's the most basic, non-exhaustive explanation.

 

[Berries]

A shunter in the freight world is someone who deals with the groundstaff duties for a train. This means preparing a train, putting it together, brake testing it and checking it's fitness to run - i.e. making sure it's not out of gauge, nothing loose/hanging off. You use radios or handsignals and communicate with the driver to get the job done. That's the most basic, non-exhaustive explanation.

Thanks Wills, well explained.

 

[area 39]

Do all TOCs employ shunters ?

Anyone know what tocs employ shunters at Neville Hill in Leeds ?

 

[deltabravo]

Do all TOCs employ shunters ?

Anyone know what tocs employ shunters at Neville Hill in Leeds ?

Northern Rail and East Midlands Trains employ Depot Drivers at Neville Hill.

 

[Stigy]

What is the difference between a shunter and depot driver?

With passenger trains a Depot Driver moves trains round the depot himself (as in from the cab). The Shunter is God within the depot limits (No, I'm not a Shunter lol) and must be obeyed. Shunters are like signallers within depots to all intents and purposes and what they say goes with regard to train movements. They don't physically move trains themselves like a Depot Driver does, but are responsible for creating paths for trains within the depot using points etc. Where the salary of a Depot Driver is a driver grade salary and as such a much higher basic rate than that of a Shunter, one shouldn't be of the assumption that Depot Drivers are a superior grade.

Depending on company, some depot drivers do shunter duties too Believe. I think both grades are also responsible for prepping trains and carrying out brake tests etc.

 

[Berries]

With passenger trains a Depot Driver moves trains round the depot himself (as in from the cab). The Shunter is God within the depot limits (No, I'm not a Shunter lol) and must be obeyed. Shunters are like signallers within depots to all intents and purposes and what they say goes with regard to train movements. They don't physically move trains themselves like a Depot Driver does, but are responsible for creating paths for trains within the depot using points etc. Where the salary of a Depot Driver is a driver grade salary and as such a much higher basic rate than that of a Shunter, one shouldn't be of the assumption that Depot Drivers are a superior grade.

Depending on company, some depot drivers do shunter duties too Believe. I think both grades are also responsible for prepping trains and carrying out brake tests etc.

Cool, thanks. So a Shunter Driver would do a combination of both jobs then?

 

[Stigy]

Cool, thanks. So a Shunter Driver would do a combination of both jobs then?

Depends on the company, but I'd imagine a Depot Driver will always be trained as a shunter too...

 

[deltabravo]

Cool, thanks. So a Shunter Driver would do a combination of both jobs then?

Depot Drivers employed by Northern do a combination, yes.