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Trainee Depot Driver East Midlands Trains

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Gemz91

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1 Feb 2013
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Garden Shed
At the moment the wait is about 2 - 2.5 years for Derby, probably quicker at Notts. Things could speed up or slow down. A lot depends on how many external qualified drivers the company takes on. This year they took on a lot of qualified drivers (quite a few from freight) which really slowed things down. That’s why some depot drivers are leaving for freight and vacancies have arisen at the depots. Depot driving is a great job and a good grounding for eventual mainline duties; of course, you’ll actually be driving on the mainline on every shift, just not very far! The course is a full mainline course just without a massive load of route learning. And yes, it is true as well that some drivers are happy to stay as depot drivers - it’s good money without as much pressure as full mainline duties. You don’t have to make a song and dance about it though. When the mainline (internal) slots are advertised (which are allocated by seniority), you just don’t apply, thus keeping your seniority if you want to go for it next time. Obviously any safety of the line, disciplinary issues or excessive sick leave WILL hold you back.

Is there any chance of getting to anther EMT depot, such as Boston or Norwich if you're a depot driver at Nottingham or Derby? Or do they only take on fully qualified drivers for those depots?
 
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Is there any chance of getting to anther EMT depot, such as Boston or Norwich if you're a depot driver at Nottingham or Derby? Or do they only take on fully qualified drivers for those depots?

Good question, in theory, post depot driving the only training would be 240hrs mentor driving and route learning?? Almost as quick as them poaching someone from greater anglia or somewhere. I get the impression Boston is "dead man's shoes", like Peterborough on the great northern. Norwich and Lincoln both recruited qualifieds this year. A load of depot drivers have left or are leaving for qualified positions with freight companies apparently depot drivers are considered "qualified" in some places clearly.
Personally, if i spend two years coupling up Liverpools I am going to want to drive it too.
 

Dynamonic

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10 Jan 2013
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Building a newspaper tower and speed dating!! It was all about how you interact with your colleagues and a quick interview at the end. Fingers crossed!!

Looking back now, Stage 2 really wasn’t all that bad.
It’s all about effective communication with your team, and demonstrating how you think.
Also,wouldn’t get too worked up about the ‘Speed Dating’. Its ‘bark is worse than it’s bite’, so to speak.

Still, for me personally, I have no idea how I have done. :) We should all know within the week if we're going to the Stage 3 DMI's.
 
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Urobach

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26 Jun 2007
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Is there any chance of getting to anther EMT depot, such as Boston or Norwich if you're a depot driver at Nottingham or Derby? Or do they only take on fully qualified drivers for those depots?

Certainly not unheard of for depot drivers to move on to mainline positions there. One on my course went to Boston.
 

Tomnick

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There was a trainee vacancy at Lincoln advertised this summer, open to existing shed drivers only - so yes, it can happen.
 

ExMover

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Work's shared out in a similar manner at Notts, but also with an eye on getting everyone home at a decent time (the bulk of the work - setting up the station, where most of the units are stabled overnight, ready for the morning - is done by about 0200 normally, with start/finish times reflecting that).

Rest day pattern: long weekend (Fri-Tues incl.) every third weekend, Wed/Thu (and one extra Fri every 24 weeks!) off in between, and a few extra Sundays off too (as well as every third Sunday off as part of the long weekends, that is).

(and we spend most of our working life up and around the station, not shoved in a grotty cabin down the sidings and forgotten about ;) )
It’s not that grotty mate, the toilets are separated by a wall and at least most of our cabs are bigger than those closets!
 

Tomnick

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It’s not that grotty mate, the toilets are separated by a wall and at least most of our cabs are bigger than those closets!
Sophisticated indeed! Agreed that the small end of a dogbox is a definite downside...
 

TrainBotherer

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To those already working as a depot driver, how long after your training do you drive completely alone and are completely left to it?
 

Bafferty

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22 Nov 2010
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As long as everyone who took part communicated with everyone in group, weren't too outspoken, put forward ideas then you'll pass it. That's the time when clipboards come out and they watch you problem solve.
 

Dynamonic

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Yeah harder bit to call was the speed interviews though!

Dan

I thought the interviews were my strongest, but I feel like I chucked answers out at speed, and ended up having pauses whilst I tried to think of something else to say, then ran out of time when I came up with an answer. :lol: Mind blank galore when you’re under that time pressure.

I hope I’ve done enough, but we’ll have to wait and see.
The Managers weren't giving anything away were they with their reactions? o_O (Okay, I suppose they did give us a lovely cake ;):lol:)
 
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Raul_Duke

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29 Mar 2014
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To those already working as a depot driver, how long after your training do you drive completely alone and are completely left to it?

Roughly 5 months from induction to passout. But it depends on lots of things and may be 1 or 2 weeks shorter or longer.
 

spanspoon

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24 Nov 2012
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how many speed interviews did you sit? how long did they last?

any intel out there on when the stage one assessment will come up in Jan?
 

Dynamonic

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how many speed interviews did you sit? how long did they last?

any intel out there on when the stage one assessment will come up in Jan?


The speed interviews were short enough to put you under pressure, but long enough for you to answer the questions. They’re all over before you know it.
The key is to approach them like you would a normal job interview, by doing your homework. :)

I hope you will get to hear about your turn soon!
 
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For those sitting in Jan don't expect the same questions we just had. The speed interviews that took place for the qualified jobs advertised a few months ago were completely different questions.
 

spanspoon

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24 Nov 2012
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For those sitting in Jan don't expect the same questions we just had. The speed interviews that took place for the qualified jobs advertised a few months ago were completely different questions.

no doubt they will! any snippets of info all help with the prep though.

gotta get through stage 1 first!
 

Wantacab

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13 Nov 2017
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Arrrrgggh the frustration of getting the death email! Contributed to the group tasks and didn't pause on any of the speed questions and it just wasn't good enough!

I've seen reference on here that they are testing again in the new year, will a fail this time prevent me from trying again then does anybody know?
 

Dynamonic

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Nottinghamshire
Arrrrgggh the frustration of getting the death email! Contributed to the group tasks and didn't pause on any of the speed questions and it just wasn't good enough!

I've seen reference on here that they are testing again in the new year, will a fail this time prevent me from trying again then does anybody know?


Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that Wantacab. :( I've not heard anything just yet myself. (I was in the PM session. Which were you in?)

The tests being conducted in the new year will be for the other group of people, who are currently waiting to sit their Stage 1 assessments, so you will need to wait for the next recruitment drive and apply again. (These are typically annually)
Luckily, you shouldn't need to do your Stage 1 again next time. (If you apply within 2 years)
 

Wantacab

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13 Nov 2017
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Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that Wantacab. :( I've not heard anything just yet myself. (I was in the PM session. Which were you in?)

The tests being conducted in the new year will be for the other group of people, who are currently waiting to sit their Stage 1 assessments, so you will need to wait for the next recruitment drive and apply again. (These are typically annually)
Luckily, you shouldn't need to do your Stage 1 again next time. (If you apply within 2 years)


I was afternoon too so perhaps you've made the grade. Clearly I need to practise my paper tower building skills, they must be far more safety critical than I realised (not that I'm bitter) ;)
 

Max287

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6 Oct 2016
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Sorry to hear that Wantacab. Did you get any specific feedback at least?

And don’t worry about feeing bitter, it’s human nature and you have every right to in my opinion as this stage seems ridiculous for driver positions quite frankly! So to be rejected at this stage must be a bitter pill to swallow!
 

Wantacab

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Sorry to hear that Wantacab. Did you get any specific feedback at least?

And don’t worry about feeing bitter, it’s human nature and you have every right to in my opinion as this stage seems ridiculous for driver positions quite frankly! So to be rejected at this stage must be a bitter pill to swallow!


I think the frustration is exasabated because I reached the dmi two years ago. I demonstrated in my CV and the initial questions that I have worked in a team environment for many years which is also very safety critical. The group interview is not an exact science at all as many people could be unlucky that the managers weren't watching at the times they were contributing. It seems a crazy additional stage that isn't required but I've got to bite the bullet I suppose. By the way I said all this before I was rejected as well
 

EastMidsMatt

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24 Oct 2017
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I think the frustration is exasabated because I reached the dmi two years ago. I demonstrated in my CV and the initial questions that I have worked in a team environment for many years which is also very safety critical. The group interview is not an exact science at all as many people could be unlucky that the managers weren't watching at the times they were contributing. It seems a crazy additional stage that isn't required but I've got to bite the bullet I suppose. By the way I said all this before I was rejected as well
So sorry to hear that.
Wow, I am soooo nervous right now. I can't help but think this is the end of my dream.
 

Dynamonic

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10 Jan 2013
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648
Location
Nottinghamshire
I'm also really nervous right now! I have no idea what to expect!
They've clearly started the process of getting back to us, so shouldn't be too long to wait now, hopefully.

Best of luck to you all, everyone! :)
 

Dan Smith

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26 Oct 2017
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25
Strange how some have found out today and most of us on here haven't- maybe they're sifting through and will carry on tomorrow?

Dan
 
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