Coming up almost a year nowHave faith matey. How long have you been in the pool for?
Coming up almost a year nowHave faith matey. How long have you been in the pool for?
What depot are you in ?Coming up almost a year now
PlymouthWhat depot are you in ?
Even pre-covid, a year wasn’t unusual…. Just need to wait it outComing up almost a year now
18 months waiting for a DMI here18 months on the waiting list for me, but we stay positive the call will come one day.......
18 months waiting for a DMI
Yeah. I had an email back in February saying that the depot I applied for wasn’t recruiting any time soon and would I like to keep my application going by changing depotthat's a long time i hope you get that sorted soon. Have you heard anything at all ?
correct me if im wrong but didn't you change depots ? maybe why its taking time
Well done mate, that's so good to hear gives people hope and its a nice story.Got called mid June for the Oct 18th start day for the course. Medical on Jul 1st, coupe of weeks wait and contract has arrived. I passed the process and was placed into the 19/20 talent pool for Oxford in Apr 2019.
Taking the severely reduced training conducted into account, I am more than happy to get my chance.
As a reassurance to external and older candidates, I am very firmly in the external category having had no railways experience whatsoever and I am well over 50.
If you are the right candidate then you will get an offer is what I take away from the whole experience.
fingers crossed Plymouth picks up soon mate and we all hear something.Yeah. I had an email back in February saying that the depot I applied for wasn’t recruiting any time soon and would I like to keep my application going by changing depot
Best advice I can give mate is just hang on in there - I applied back end of 2017, tests and interviews all passed 2018 and eventually got pulled out the pool in June just gone. Starting this autumnComing up almost a year now
Anyone heard any updates? Feel like this is never going to happen anymore
Not 100% with regards to Plymouth and Exeter, but the Qualified vacancy for Penzance was open at the time I applied (November 2018) and has been open for the entire team, bar one week where it vanished and then re-appeared the week after.Just seen they are recruiting for a qualified driver talent pool at both exeter st davids and plymouth. I think this is positive news for us sat in exisiting trainiee talent pools as it shows the demand for drivers is still strong.
Would appreciate others views.......
Agree with crwl and can say for myself, I've seen those Qualified vacancies open for the majority of that time for most of the depots.Just seen they are recruiting for a qualified driver talent pool at both exeter st davids and plymouth. I think this is positive news for us sat in exisiting trainiee talent pools as it shows the demand for drivers is still strong.
Would appreciate others views.......
Come November I will also be 1 year in and waiting since DMI. Its a long haul and does feel like you'll never hear at times. There is hope if you look at the waiting times from some of the recruits on this forum though. Unfortunately I cannot find any prospective news for Plymouth, despite searching. Hopefully time will tellAnyone heard any updates? Feel like this is never going to happen anymore
Id be interested to hear if anyone qualified has moved to either Plymouth or Exeter as considering a move myself in the future.Not 100% with regards to Plymouth and Exeter, but the Qualified vacancy for Penzance was open at the time I applied (November 2018) and has been open for the entire team, bar one week where it vanished and then re-appeared the week after.
I don't know if many qualified drivers have started based on these vacancies, you don't seem to seem to get many post on here about qualified transfers. The fact it has been open for so long may be a positive, or it may be they just keep the vacancy open because they're not flooded with applicants like they would for trainees, and there's not a lot to lose.
Can only comment on Plymouth, to my knowledge we have had one possibly 2 qualifieds join in recent times.
Remarkably few really.
I guess many wishing to relocate choose Cornwall or Exeter rather than Plymouth which is perhaps seen as a little less idyllic....
Work wise at present the new drivers to Plymouth only signing Laira, Gunnislake , Looe, Newquay and Par to Taunton which isn't a great route card, BUT this will inevitably improve in time as training gets done.
Exeter seems to be getting the better work for the none HSS drivers, with newer drivers signing the route to Reading.
I'd still say Plymouth will become an excellent depot in time for newer drivers and don't let the current poor route card for new starters put you off. After all the HSS drivers we sign all the way from Paddington to Penzance and that work has to go somewhere at some point...
And just to add, training of trainees is very much in full swing now and I'm led to believe there will be a moving conveyor belt of new starters in the coming few years , apparently they have been interviewing trainees again recently...
Good to hear that interviews are happening. Might get one soon thenCan only comment on Plymouth, to my knowledge we have had one possibly 2 qualifieds join in recent times.
Remarkably few really.
I guess many wishing to relocate choose Cornwall or Exeter rather than Plymouth which is perhaps seen as a little less idyllic....
Work wise at present the new drivers to Plymouth only signing Laira, Gunnislake , Looe, Newquay and Par to Taunton which isn't a great route card, BUT this will inevitably improve in time as training gets done.
Exeter seems to be getting the better work for the none HSS drivers, with newer drivers signing the route to Reading.
I'd still say Plymouth will become an excellent depot in time for newer drivers and don't let the current poor route card for new starters put you off. After all the HSS drivers we sign all the way from Paddington to Penzance and that work has to go somewhere at some point...
And just to add, training of trainees is very much in full swing now and I'm led to believe there will be a moving conveyor belt of new starters in the coming few years , apparently they have been interviewing trainees again recently...
Plymouth Station, however I believe the next batch of trainees will be for Laira depot , and start on 70 percent of the mainline salary. That would involve booking on at Laira depot . 2 years before you could apply to go into the mainline links. I'm unsure if qualified drivers would have to start on Laira or go straight to the mainline....Where do train crew sign on for Plymouth? At the depot or Plymouth station?
Qualified mainline drivers who come across to work on the mainline will be paid 90% of the full salary for the first year.Hope not as 70% salary would not be very attractive. It said last time I looked about £10,000 less for the first year and then goes up to full rate.
I've been waiting a year and a half so don't expect anything quick although I believe it is more depot specific
Just for interview