• 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!

VTWC Euston Qualified Driver Talent Pool Open

Status
Not open for further replies.

Set_DRA

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
163
As The title suggests, it appears VTWC have finally realised with all their drivers retiring...they need more!
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Stevec101

Member
Joined
13 Jun 2018
Messages
73
Any form of incidents even if it was 10 yrs ago and minor like tpws trip once or one missed station they'll just rule you out. My mate has been on 19yrs missed a station and had a tpws in 09 and 2011 didn't even get an interview.
Depots are too far for me otherwise it would be ideal
 

bionic

Member
Joined
8 Nov 2013
Messages
883
Seeking applicants for Wolves too. Obviously the money is good on Virgin but I hear the conditions aren't so great and the start and finish times can be very extreme. I don't work for Virgin but I have heard this said time and again about working there. Can anyone who works for Virgin confirm or deny?
 

irish_rail

Established Member
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Messages
3,813
Location
Plymouth
I would think HS2 would be the biggest worry and barrier to wanting to move to Virgin, as your role will change greatly when it opens, probably be more like being an outer suburban driver doing class 350 or similar stoppers to London / Wolves. Even if pendos are retained the type of operation will change greatly in order to make the HS2 trains attractive. It's enough to put me off anyway. ..
 

Dieseldriver

Member
Joined
9 Apr 2012
Messages
971
Any form of incidents even if it was 10 yrs ago and minor like tpws trip once or one missed station they'll just rule you out. My mate has been on 19yrs missed a station and had a tpws in 09 and 2011 didn't even get an interview.
Depots are too far for me otherwise it would be ideal
With all due respect it may not be the incidents. There are many reasons why they may not have taken them on.
 

Set_DRA

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
163
I (believe!) Ioriginally got turned down because I had 2.5 years experience....not 3.
 

Stevec101

Member
Joined
13 Jun 2018
Messages
73
With all due respect it may not be the incidents. There are many reasons why they may not have taken them on.
He showed me the email which said and I quote. Despite the incidents being spread over a long career we've received so many applications we've decided not to interview anyone with any safety of the line incidents?
I said exactly what you just said so he showed me the email? I personally thought it very harsh. At one time it was just spads
 

ZNB12

Member
Joined
17 Nov 2017
Messages
40
What about CAT B SPaR or TPWS on Greens due to signal failure a or equipment failure. You can't be knocked back if Exonerated?
 

Dieseldriver

Member
Joined
9 Apr 2012
Messages
971
He showed me the email which said and I quote. Despite the incidents being spread over a long career we've received so many applications we've decided not to interview anyone with any safety of the line incidents?
I said exactly what you just said so he showed me the email? I personally thought it very harsh. At one time it was just spads
That does seem harsh then if that's the case. I suppose unfortunately it makes it an easy way for them to whittle down applicants.
I don't personally think a Driver with a spotless record is necessarily a better Driver. In fact, sometimes you could argue it can breed an unhealthy amount of complacency or even worse, arrogance.
I also don't think an SOL (or a few) on someone's record makes them a bad Driver at all depending on the circumstances. The main thing with an incident is the learning curve it gives the Driver in question and how they act on it.
Don't get me wrong, there are obviously some fantastic Drivers out there with good SOL records and some bad Drivers with bad records but it isn't as clear cut as that mainly. Ironically, a company who is averse to taking on Qualified Drivers with minor blemishes on their record could be passing up the opportunity to employ a well seasoned Driver who has adapted and learnt from their errors and moved forward in a hugely positive way from the experience.
 

bionic

Member
Joined
8 Nov 2013
Messages
883
That does seem harsh then if that's the case. I suppose unfortunately it makes it an easy way for them to whittle down applicants.
I don't personally think a Driver with a spotless record is necessarily a better Driver. In fact, sometimes you could argue it can breed an unhealthy amount of complacency or even worse, arrogance.
I also don't think an SOL (or a few) on someone's record makes them a bad Driver at all depending on the circumstances. The main thing with an incident is the learning curve it gives the Driver in question and how they act on it.
Don't get me wrong, there are obviously some fantastic Drivers out there with good SOL records and some bad Drivers with bad records but it isn't as clear cut as that mainly. Ironically, a company who is averse to taking on Qualified Drivers with minor blemishes on their record could be passing up the opportunity to employ a well seasoned Driver who has adapted and learnt from their errors and moved forward in a hugely positive way from the experience.

Totally agree with the above. I've been knocked back from virgin at the application stage in the past with a clean safety record and years of experience. I got no explanation as to why. I've also known people to get jobs there with numerous incidents, as well as hearing of people with only a few years driving. I don't know how they work it out to be honest. Perhaps it's purely down to how much of their red hot, awesome, dare to be different type lingo you can bring yourself to put down on the form while still maintaining your integrity!
 

Stevec101

Member
Joined
13 Jun 2018
Messages
73
I
That does seem harsh then if that's the case. I suppose unfortunately it makes it an easy way for them to whittle down applicants.
I don't personally think a Driver with a spotless record is necessarily a better Driver. In fact, sometimes you could argue it can breed an unhealthy amount of complacency or even worse, arrogance.
I also don't think an SOL (or a few) on someone's record makes them a bad Driver at all depending on the circumstances. The main thing with an incident is the learning curve it gives the Driver in question and how they act on it.
Don't get me wrong, there are obviously some fantastic Drivers out there with good SOL records and some bad Drivers with bad records but it isn't as clear cut as that mainly. Ironically, a company who is averse to taking on Qualified Drivers with minor blemishes on their record could be passing up the opportunity to employ a well seasoned Driver who has adapted and learnt from their errors and moved forward in a hugely positive way from the experience.
I agree entirely with you on everything you've said.
 

91104

Member
Joined
21 Jun 2013
Messages
116
Any form of incidents even if it was 10 yrs ago and minor like tpws trip once or one missed station they'll just rule you out. My mate has been on 19yrs missed a station and had a tpws in 09 and 2011 didn't even get an interview.
Depots are too far for me otherwise it would be ideal

VTEC/LNER have a similar policy of not taking on anyone with a safety of line incident on their record. As a result the qualified drivers they take on seem to be ex managers who are more likely to have a clean licence by virtue of hardly doing any driving to be involved in an incident or otherwise they take on people who have done a couple of years on the units and been fortunate enough to keep their noses clean again by not doing enough driving to be involved in an incident.
You could have a top quality applicant apply with 20 years under their belt who’s may of had an incident years ago and their application will be binned and I feel the company are missing out on good applicants with the right attitude towards the job as a result.
 

Stevec101

Member
Joined
13 Jun 2018
Messages
73
That
VTEC/LNER have a similar policy of not taking on anyone with a safety of line incident on their record. As a result the qualified drivers they take on seem to be ex managers who are more likely to have a clean licence by virtue of hardly doing any driving to be involved in an incident or otherwise they take on people who have done a couple of years on the units and been fortunate enough to keep their noses clean again by not doing enough driving to be involved in an incident.
You could have a top quality applicant apply with 20 years under their belt who’s may of had an incident years ago and their application will be binned and I feel the company are missing out on good applicants with the right attitude towards the job as a result.
That's exactly the situation with my colleague. He started with me in 99. He's a really good driver. The missed station was 09 and tpws a yr later or something like that. Seems ridiculous. Minor incidents which I consider they are and so long ago I think he deserved a chance. I'm certain someone with 19yrs on the job compared to someone with 2yrs who's not really yet proved themselves means they're missing out on good people
 

Set_DRA

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
163
What about CAT B SPaR or TPWS on Greens due to signal failure a or equipment failure. You can't be knocked back if Exonerated?


I’ve had 4 CAT Bs I honestly hope they’re not counted as that could happen to anybody.
 

tlionhart

Member
Joined
23 Dec 2011
Messages
346
Agree with that.
Even if someone has an incident, there’s a lot to learn from it.

No operational incident is good, but given the fact a lot of drivers that move to VT are looking to do long distance high speed work. They would be coming from an operator that has more stops, encounters more cautionary aspects and has the added risk from TPWS. Also a lot of these suburban operators require the driver to use their brain for the many station stops. Doesn’t VT have some sort of DAS that beeps when the driver is X miles away from the next station?

I think it’s very unfair that someone would be turned away over a TPWS os and a missed station. A SPAD I could understand more...
It’s clearly a way for VT to whittle the process down.
 

ZNB12

Member
Joined
17 Nov 2017
Messages
40
Fatality out of your control. That's still goes down as a safe of line incident. As it's deemed as a collision. Recorded on slims for ever more. VT can do one then if they want a 100% clean record. No driver has a 100% clean. Yes might be Exonerated from incidents but still held on record.
 

irish_rail

Established Member
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Messages
3,813
Location
Plymouth
Trust me plenty of drivers with 100 percent clean 10 year or more records get nowhere with Virgin so I really don't think safety of line record is looked at. So if they are turning down squeaky clean drivers its no surprise those who have had incidents should have no chance. Why would they employ someone who has had incidents (however minor ,above someone with a proven clean record?) And no, cat b spads and fatalities do not count to rule you out i dont know whoever told you they would. That stuff is 100 percent beyond the drivers control.
Those that have had incidents need to accept there is consequences for messing up and not being able to walk into your dream job easily, might just be one of them...
 

Set_DRA

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
163
Fatality out of your control. That's still goes down as a safe of line incident. As it's deemed as a collision. Recorded on slims for ever more. VT can do one then if they want a 100% clean record. No driver has a 100% clean. Yes might be Exonerated from incidents but still held on record.


I found out recently that even bear misses go on your SLIM at my TOC makes you wonder why you would call anything in.
 

Aivilo

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2014
Messages
646
Location
Surrey
nothing to do with incidents Ive interviewed with Virgin and at the time had two on my record
 

ZNB12

Member
Joined
17 Nov 2017
Messages
40
Your lucky. I've applied twice and didn't even get a response from them. So not holding my breath this time round.
 

Stevec101

Member
Joined
13 Jun 2018
Messages
73
nothing to do with incidents Ive interviewed with Virgin and at the time had two on my record
They've changed since then. I've seen the email clearly stating we have not invited to interview/selection anyone with any incident. Saw it with my own eyes mate. Now I also know someone who got on vtwc 4 yrs ago who's missed 2 station.
So maybe just maybe since your interview they've changed it
 

Set_DRA

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
163
Your lucky. I've applied twice and didn't even get a response from them. So not holding my breath this time round.


When you’ve got thousands applying, you can afford to be picky. Annoying but I suppose youncant blame them.
 

tlionhart

Member
Joined
23 Dec 2011
Messages
346
I do like the sound of Virgin, but I feel the salary doesn’t have too much of a gap from most of the South’s many operators. (Say you were to be based at Euston)
With that in mind, unless your TOC is unbearable, you may as well stay where you are.
 

Set_DRA

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
163
I do like the sound of Virgin, but I feel the salary doesn’t have too much of a gap from most of the South’s many operators. (Say you were to be based at Euston)
With that in mind, unless your TOC is unbearable, you may as well stay where you are.

Well let’s just say the salary increase from my TOC to WTWC is a minimum of £16k!! Ill be jumping ship As soon as I can. If they’ll have me lol!!!
 

Aivilo

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2014
Messages
646
Location
Surrey
And what’s the interview like?

Incredibly pleasant and why I failed.

We done rules in the morning, went on to a group exercise and then interview at the end of the day. It was like having tea with family and I just wasn't prepared for it to be so calm and laid back.

This we about 18 months ago so things may have changed
 

Stevec101

Member
Joined
13 Jun 2018
Messages
73
When you’ve got thousands applying, you can afford to be picky. Annoying but I suppose youncant blame them.

I agree they do need to start somewhere but I think it's a bit harsh. I think if you haven't had a spad and your last minor was 10 yrs old you should have a chance. Some people are always going to need to relocate for family reasons etc. It's not just about money. My mate needed to move for family reasons and we currently drive intercity for another operator. So the money isn't vastly superior at virgin the rest day pattern isn't as good and current conditions are better at existing toc. However due to mother in law passing away and father in law needing to be looked after he needed to move. He wanted to stay in intercity and who can blame him. There can't be many who'd voluntarily leave intercity for suburban operator
 

R Trevithick

Member
Joined
16 Nov 2015
Messages
75
Incredibly pleasant and why I failed.

We done rules in the morning, went on to a group exercise and then interview at the end of the day. It was like having tea with family and I just wasn't prepared for it to be so calm and laid back.

This we about 18 months ago so things may have changed

Had a similar thing with Grand Central.

Interview was probably the most relaxed, friendly and easy going I have ever had. More like a chat between mates.

Didn’t get the job and Mrs T informed me this is a well know tactic in education interviews. Get candidates thinking you are their mate, get them chatting and they reveal their true selves.

Won’t make that mistake at any future interviews.
 

driver9000

Established Member
Joined
13 Jan 2008
Messages
4,230
What about CAT B SPaR or TPWS on Greens due to signal failure a or equipment failure. You can't be knocked back if Exonerated?

That shouldn't even be recorded on a Drivers file as it's an equipment failure.
 

R Trevithick

Member
Joined
16 Nov 2015
Messages
75
That shouldn't even be recorded on a Drivers file as it's an equipment failure.

Don’t know if it depends on company but had a tpws on a single yellow (having stopped and waited at the red). That is definitely on my record.

The crucial thing is whether a company advertising wants to know those sorts of details.

The couple I’ve applied for in the last 2 years were not interested in anything of that nature and didnt need me to report it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top