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GWR Conductor vacancy Exeter

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michael74

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Hi, does anyone know how long roughly it takes to complete training as a conductor and where they 'sign' to? thanks in advance.
 
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tiptoptaff

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Exeter West sign Penzance to Cardiff and Westbury, but it's linked.

Conductors will sign Paignton, Exmouth, Barnstaple, Plymouth and Bristol, then either Penzance or Cardiff/Westbury after a few years. Can take up to 6months to pass out on all coure routes.

Traction is 143, 150, 153, 158/9 and 165/6
 

michael74

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Exeter West sign Penzance to Cardiff and Westbury, but it's linked.

Conductors will sign Paignton, Exmouth, Barnstaple, Plymouth and Bristol, then either Penzance or Cardiff/Westbury after a few years. Can take up to 6months to pass out on all coure routes.

Traction is 143, 150, 153, 158/9 and 165/6

Thank you very much, much appreciated.
 

Lmc1976

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Can take up to 6months to pass out on all coure routes.

Traction is 143, 150, 153, 158/9 and 165/6

I’ve applied for this job, does the above quote mean that I could potentially be on the training wage for 6 months?
 

tiptoptaff

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Ouch, I was expecting to take a financial hit while training, just wasn’t aware it was that long. Thanks.

Training is 6months, so you're paid that way for that length of time. If you pass out and become fully productive (signing ALL core routes and traction) sooner your pay goes up. but they will not rush to pass you out just so your pay can rise. You will not be examined until the Instructors and Managers are confident you are ready.
 

Lmc1976

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Training is 6months, so you're paid that way for that length of time. If you pass out and become fully productive (signing ALL core routes and traction) sooner your pay goes up. but they will not rush to pass you out just so your pay can rise. You will not be examined until the Instructors and Managers are confident you are ready.

Many thanks for this, I’m not doubting your knowledge at all as it does make perfect sense, I have however been told by a current GWR employee I know that it takes approx 10 weeks to be considered operational therefore attracting full pay. If any other GWR employees could give me further insight I would be most grateful as I’m booked for an assessment centre soon and would like to clear this up before I attend. Basically I couldn’t afford to last potentially 6 months or more on the training wage.
 

Gynster76

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I start with GWR in Jan, and have been told it will be 6 months training and if competent after 6 months of training then you will progress to your advertised wage. For me I am having to take a fairly big pay cut, but if money is your driver, it will be worth it after training, bigger picture and all that.
 

plymothian

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You will be looking at 10 - 14 weeks at Exeter.
From "outside", you will have 2 weeks corporate training (including corporate welcome, Great Experience makers, PIDD, conflict avoidance, fire & first aid training, PTS and fire evacuation), 4 weeks guards school plus 5 and 10 days shadowing, retail and STARmobile training. Then you will learn your routes for 2 weeks, followed by a written and ride over route assessment on each, then a day of rules assessment. After which you pass out as competent. Once you work your first train solo, you receive full pay.

This all depends on what courses are running and when at Swindon as to what order you do things in, you may have odd shadowing days to fill in gaps (which might string things out a bit).

Initially you will learn Exeter - Barnstaple/Paignton/Exmouth; then working solo on special diagrams before being released to learn Bristol TM and Plymouth.
You will sign 143, 150, 153, 158 and 165/6 traction.
 

Lmc1976

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I start with GWR in Jan, and have been told it will be 6 months training and if competent after 6 months of training then you will progress to your advertised wage. For me I am having to take a fairly big pay cut, but if money is your driver, it will be worth it after training, bigger picture and all that.
You will be looking at 10 - 14 weeks at Exeter.

Thanks again for the detailed replies but as before quite a contrast in the answers. Money is not my driver but being able to pay the bills is, I to will potentially be leaving a well paid job.

I think in my case I just need to go through the process, it may well be that GWR solve this conundrum for me if my upcoming assessment centre doesn’t go very well!

Any further information greatly appreciated.
 

paulwestwood

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Thanks again for the detailed replies but as before quite a contrast in the answers. Money is not my driver but being able to pay the bills is, I to will potentially be leaving a well paid job.

I think in my case I just need to go through the process, it may well be that GWR solve this conundrum for me if my upcoming assessment centre doesn’t go very well!

Any further information greatly appreciated.

Note whilst training your hours are based on a 35hr week filled in on a time sheet which has to be sent in each week. Also depending on travel extra hours may be included because of travel to and from home depot to training school if not put up in hotels. So basically you will end with a weekly wage over the 35hr basic. Please note they have recently also carried out some training at Newton Abbot.

There are trainees going through at the moment, and sometime successful applicant are put on hold awaiting places to become available. So please be patient it is worth it, its a good depot to be at everyone is really friendly and will help and guide you through.

Best of Luck, Exeter doesn't get advertised very often and going forward 2+4 training may also be included in west work.
 

tiptoptaff

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Note whilst training your hours are based on a 35hr week filled in on a time sheet which has to be sent in each week. Also depending on travel extra hours may be included because of travel to and from home depot to training school if not put up in hotels. So basically you will end with a weekly wage over the 35hr basic. Please note they have recently also carried out some training at Newton Abbot.

There are trainees going through at the moment, and sometime successful applicant are put on hold awaiting places to become available. So please be patient it is worth it, its a good depot to be at everyone is really friendly and will help and guide you through.

Best of Luck, Exeter doesn't get advertised very often and going forward 2+4 training may also be included in west work.


A handful of your learned colleagues have already been and done it
 

Lmc1976

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2 Aug 2017
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Note whilst training your hours are based on a 35hr week filled in on a time sheet which has to be sent in each week. Also depending on travel extra hours may be included because of travel to and from home depot to training school if not put up in hotels. So basically you will end with a weekly wage over the 35hr basic. Please note they have recently also carried out some training at Newton Abbot.

There are trainees going through at the moment, and sometime successful applicant are put on hold awaiting places to become available. So please be patient it is worth it, its a good depot to be at everyone is really friendly and will help and guide you through.

Best of Luck, Exeter doesn't get advertised very often and going forward 2+4 training may also be included in west work.

Thank you for this. Please excuse my ignorance though but what is 2+4 training?
 

tiptoptaff

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Reference 2+4 work - there is now a West Conductor diagram with Class 255 (2+4HST) work
 

tiptoptaff

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What would this mean for potential new starters?
You'll learn it down the line when you need to. You won't sign Penzance or Cardiff for a while after starting so won't need to sign it until then
 

paulwestwood

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11 Nov 2012
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Cardiff and Penzance are Links 1&2.
New starters normally go into Link 3.
That would all be discussed with your line manager.
 

paulwestwood

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But there will be in the duration of the LTP diagram

As the links are now fixed until timetable the 255 jobs need to be in there already for there actual arrival.

Sorry I meant to reply to the previous message about not being any 255 yet
 

tiptoptaff

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As the links are now fixed until timetable the 255 jobs need to be in there already for there actual arrival.

Sorry I meant to reply to the previous message about not being any 255 yet

What annoys me is why they haven't STP'd it out as the unit it will be for the next couple of weeks. Having to deliberately override traction knowledge failures on 1408 and 1420 because no one signs them yet but I know that its a 3car 150 as a vice. Would be nice of TPU to reflect that in the STP daily issue. Would stop work being created for us!!
 

paulwestwood

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I did notice this week that we are moved to A/R for that job just because of traction on diagram, but then dig deeper and as you say it will still be a unit as previously.
 

tiptoptaff

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But obviously Rosters can't allocate anyone to it. On paper, it's a turn that's impossible to cover!
 

michael74

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Some great info on here, thanks. Does anyone know what the shift patterns are for Exeter, is it 35 hours over 4 days etc, many thanks.
 

paulwestwood

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11 Nov 2012
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Some great info on here, thanks. Does anyone know what the shift patterns are for Exeter, is it 35 hours over 4 days etc, many thanks.

Exeter is a mix of Rest Day Weeks and 4 day week, New starters normally go into Link with Weeks of Rest Days.
35hrs is based on a working average over a roster period, ie links last for the duration of timetable being in place.
 

Jannerpower

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11 Jan 2018
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I applied for two roles with GWR at Exeter st David’s, I was rejected from one. I also applied for the role of conductor, I have heard nothing back yet, but I have completed the online assessment. It’s been nearly two weeks. Does anyone know if this is a good sign?
 

baz962

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I applied for two roles with GWR at Exeter st David’s, I was rejected from one. I also applied for the role of conductor, I have heard nothing back yet, but I have completed the online assessment. It’s been nearly two weeks. Does anyone know if this is a good sign?

I applied 2016 for trainee driver , cant remember how long exactly but was very Quick. I applied last year , eventually got an e mail saying we have not forgot about you, and we are hoping to review applications
In december. No results tho and been three months ish.
 
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