• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Trainee Train Driver - Virgin Trains East Coast

Status
Not open for further replies.

156484

Member
Joined
30 Jan 2010
Messages
81
So they'll take 78 trainees while 117 drivers are apt of work, makes sense

This round of recruitment was planned before the freight job loses were announced. These trainees are for the future, they don't need 78 drivers now.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Hopeful2015

Member
Joined
26 Oct 2015
Messages
266
Location
Yorkshire
I think if they were Gonna do that they wouldn't have advertised. Im sure Virgin knew there was going to redundancies before advertising.
 

156484

Member
Joined
30 Jan 2010
Messages
81
Ok, when are they due to start training?

There's courses next year in January and March, there is also more vacancies becoming available in January so the freight lads might get some help with that round. It takes the trainees 12 month to get through due to the extended hours driving they need to do, and with the new trains coming in summer 18 they'll be ready shortly before that.
 

trevzx6

Member
Joined
9 Sep 2014
Messages
20
There's courses next year in January and March, there is also more vacancies becoming available in January so the freight lads might get some help with that round. It takes the trainees 12 month to get through due to the extended hours driving they need to do, and with the new trains coming in summer 18 they'll be ready shortly before that.

Thanks for the info
 
Last edited:

E&W Lucas

Established Member
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Messages
1,358
Is that a fact?

Mess Room "Fact"
Anyone that was privy to that information, wouldn't be discussing it on social media.

if you're applying for these or any other trainee posts, don't stress about things you cannot affect. Just relax and concentrate on whatever tests and interviews you are invited to. Remember - there only has to be one vacancy - the one for YOU!
 

xtradj

Member
Joined
24 Jul 2006
Messages
542
Whilst on the subject of qualified drivers are vtec running extra services from 2018 because surely all the qualified drivers running vtec services now will move to the new trains too?
 

156484

Member
Joined
30 Jan 2010
Messages
81
Mess Room "Fact"
Anyone that was privy to that information, wouldn't be discussing it on social media.

Alrighty then
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Whilst on the subject of qualified drivers are vtec running extra services from 2018 because surely all the qualified drivers running vtec services now will move to the new trains too?

Yes they are, but that is just a Messroom 'fact':D
 

xtradj

Member
Joined
24 Jul 2006
Messages
542
Alrighty then
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Yes they are, but that is just a Messroom 'fact':D

So they are keeping most of the current stock too? Amazes me they need so many new drivers, surely there is only so much new capacity?
 

156484

Member
Joined
30 Jan 2010
Messages
81
So they are keeping most of the current stock too? Amazes me they need so many new drivers, surely there is only so much new capacity?

They are only keeping a few short formed 91's but they're getting more new stock than they currently have.
 

SkinnyDave

Established Member
Joined
11 Mar 2012
Messages
1,242
So they'll take 78 trainees while 117 qualified drivers are out of work, makes sense

Scotrail agreed to Interview shed loads of DB Cargo drivers facing redundancy and took On a grand total of three!!

Not a guarantee ( rightly or wrongly) that any of the 100 to 300 odd drivers made redundant are guaranteed a job.
 
Last edited:

E&W Lucas

Established Member
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Messages
1,358
Scotrail agreed to Interview shed loads of DB Cargo drivers facing redundancy and took On a grand total of three!!

Not a guarantee ( rightly or wrongly) that any of the 100 to 300 odd drivers made redundant are guaranteed a job.

A lot of these drivers will not have had a job interview, since they were appointed as Traction Trainees, back in 198X. One thing our Union should be doing, is equipping them to approach modern selection processes.
 
Joined
7 Oct 2015
Messages
590
So they'll take 78 trainees while 117 qualified drivers are out of work, makes sense

To Virgin (and dft) marketeers it makes perfect sense; fresh new drivers for the sparkly new choo choos.

I think the clues are there in the advert, when they say they want people with a different approach or whatever the wording was, they don't mean to the actual process of driving a train for that is a very prescribed environment, no Virgin mean they don't want people with tonnes of BR T's and C's or raging lefty trade unionists!
 

SkinnyDave

Established Member
Joined
11 Mar 2012
Messages
1,242
To Virgin (and dft) marketeers it makes perfect sense; fresh new drivers for the sparkly new choo choos.

I think the clues are there in the advert, when they say they want people with a different approach or whatever the wording was, they don't mean to the actual process of driving a train for that is a very prescribed environment, no Virgin mean they don't want people with tonnes of BR T's and C's or raging lefty trade unionists!

There is so much wrong with your presumptive statement, its laughable!
"Raging Lefties" Is a particular favourite what and idiotic statement! If you walked into a Mess room with that patter I would love to be there!
Virgin drivers are part of ASLEF too.
Do you not think if their T&Cs are in doubt they would take industrial action? The millenium drivers who came in off the street would not hesitate.
 

trevzx6

Member
Joined
9 Sep 2014
Messages
20
A lot of these drivers will not have had a job interview, since they were appointed as Traction Trainees, back in 198X. One thing our Union should be doing, is equipping them to approach modern selection processes.

The majority of the redundant drivers will be junior hands, with only 2-10 years service. Many are also former passenger drivers with low seniority at Dbc.
 
Last edited:

SkinnyDave

Established Member
Joined
11 Mar 2012
Messages
1,242
A lot of these drivers will not have had a job interview, since they were appointed as Traction Trainees, back in 198X. One thing our Union should be doing, is equipping them to approach modern selection processes.

Strongly agree.
In this instance they were told if they had a decent interview they would be fine :|
One of the lads I spoke to went in and said to the two (graduate managers) that interview should not last long as he has been on job for 20 years :roll:
If Virgin do offer drivers interviews I would hope the Union is on the ball this time.
But has been said up thread these vacancies are for Trainees and fair play to Virgin for bringing in New Drivers just like they did back in early noughties over on West.
 

Hopeful2015

Member
Joined
26 Oct 2015
Messages
266
Location
Yorkshire

Webby

Member
Joined
6 Sep 2016
Messages
137
Apparently they've still got 5000 to sift so we've still got hope. good luck.
 

mark3021

Member
Joined
29 Oct 2016
Messages
6
I've applied for Newcastle, haven't heard yet. I'm thinking a rejection is on its way....
 

WCMLaddict

Member
Joined
20 Mar 2012
Messages
417
Strongly agree.
In this instance they were told if they had a decent interview they would be fine :|
One of the lads I spoke to went in and said to the two (graduate managers) that interview should not last long as he has been on job for 20 years :roll:
If Virgin do offer drivers interviews I would hope the Union is on the ball this time.

But has been said up thread these vacancies are for Trainees and fair play to Virgin for bringing in New Drivers just like they did back in early noughties over on West.

I've been driving for 20 years so I can tell managers how they should be doing their job attitude?

I'm the first one to tell off a unexperienced/graduate manager when they teach me how to drive a train 'properly' but that also works the other way.

Sorry for a bit of off topic.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top