Southern Trainee Driver (closes 18/11/11)

[Safety365]

Best of luck to all who apply. Let us know how you get on.

Link to the vacancy

Job Summary

Location: London Area <-- Not specified. Likely to be Victoria, London Bridge, Norwood or Selhurst
Job Sector: Train Driver
Salary: (max)£30004 p.a. NB: <-- 1st Year Qualified Rate
Salary: (min)£22656 p.a. NB: <-- Training Rate
Reference:002515
Closing Date: 18/11/2011


Job Description

Southern is changing the face of transport. Our 4,000+strong team provides high-quality rail

services from London to the south. We know that customer satisfaction is the secret of a successful franchise, and so everything we do is geared towards it. That's what these roles are all about - shaping a culture where the customer is number one.

Trainee Train Driver - Think you could keep your FOCUS?

It takes a special kind of person to be a train driver at Southern. After all, each and every second of your shift you encounter demands your absolute attention - the safety of thousands of passengers depends on it. Add to that the fact that you'll often be working alone and

will need to maintain your focus throughout a whole shift (whether it's late at night or early in the morning) and you'll begin to appreciate just how mentally challenging the role can be.

But if you're up to the task, the rewards of the role are just as considerable. You'll enjoy excellent training, support and long-term career opportunities, plus a package that reflects the importance and the demands of the position.

What's more, you'll also have the chance to play a key role within an ambitiously growing company that already provides over 120 million customer journeys each year as well as making every journey better.

 

[Crawley Ben]

Pity it's not in Sussex as I might well have applied then. Good luck to those that do apply, I hope you do well.

Ben

 

[Safety365]

Pity it's not in Sussex as I might well have applied then. Good luck to those that do apply, I hope you do well.

Ben

No reason you shouldn't apply. Sn run an hourly overnight service between Three Bridges and Victoria with a staff stop at Selhurst. FCC also run an hourly service from Three Bridges to London Bridge.

 

[francisoldfield]

Just to remind you all that Southern has a strict 30 minute commute policy. And you have yup live that close BEFORE applying!

 

[A-driver]

THer here are ways around the 30 min policy-I lived 60mins away when I applied and I know a few guys at London depots who applied when they lived in Brighton and such places. As said before the early trains in from bridges stop at Selhurst for access to Selhurst or noorwood depots or the early Thameslink will get you to London bridge. Earliest start at vic and London bridge is 0500 (barring the 0450 cover turn at London bridge), think Sel and nwd can start at 0300/0330 or some awful hour like that...

 

[francisoldfield]

I'm an internal applicant and have been told by the recruiter responsible that NO applicant will be considered unless they can demonstrate that they can get into work within 30 mins.
Even if you say you will move closer to the depot..

 

[Crawley Ben]

I live in Crawley & work at Gatwick Airport so I think I will pass this time around. I guess I should keep an eye out and see if anything comes up around Horsham or Three Bridges area.

Best of luck to those who do apply.

Ben

 

[Safety365]

I live in Crawley & work at Gatwick Airport so I think I will pass this time around. I guess I should keep an eye out and see if anything comes up around Horsham or Three Bridges area.

Best of luck to those who do apply.

Ben

Grab the bull by the horns!

Apply, get qualified then do a clause move or jump ships when FCC start recruiting for the new Three Bridges depot...

In the meantime you can easily get to/from Southern's inner London depots for the earliest starts and latest finishes.

 

[A-driver]

Have you heard officially that the new bridges depot will be for staff? Last I heard the plan was a train only depot-no drivers.

Southerns bridges depot is very good though.

 

[HH]

Have you heard officially that the new bridges depot will be for staff? Last I heard the plan was a train only depot-no drivers.

Anyone who tells you that they know is lying. The plans aren't even drawn up, let alone agreed. IMO though a Three Bridges Driver Depot is inevitable.

 

[A-driver]

Not sure it'll be FCC though. Think it's more likely that southern and FCC will be merging next franchise. The plans for tattenham, caterham, Horsham, grinnie etc to go up north make sense for a merger. There's a lot of confusion between thameslink and FCC. The depot is planned for the thameslink route upgrades, not FCC. Southern and southeastern are also included in the thameslink programme.

 

[HH]

Not sure it'll be FCC though. Think it's more likely that southern and FCC will be merging next franchise. The plans for tattenham, caterham, Horsham, grinnie etc to go up north make sense for a merger. There's a lot of confusion between thameslink and FCC. The depot is planned for the thameslink route upgrades, not FCC. Southern and southeastern are also included in the thameslink programme.

Given as the DfT have already confirmed the Thameslink Franchise (whether it's FCC is another matter entirely) following this one, I think your supposition highly unlikely.

Anyway a merged Franchise would be too large. Southern & Southeastern ought to know the dangers of that by now; I'm certain the DfT do.

 

[30 common]

Southern turned down my application, yet SWT accepted it trying to get feedback but no luck yet any ideas guys?

 

[Liam86]

Have you heard back from southern already....was it for the vacancy in this post (closing 18/11/2011)?

 

[30 common]

Yes I annoyingly got a very brief and vague email saying I was not successful and see you in 6 months

 

[springer]

Well thats nice. Southern have now decided that the vacancies are at Selhurst and Norwood. So thats me F***ed. Why on earth can't they say at the beginning.

 

[387star]

I'm on Southern Induction lots of trainee drivers and also London Midland staff at Knollys. Drivers all Selhurst I think.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Btw Southern are hot on customer service at the moment if you don't demonstrate great customer service no matter what the role you won't stand a chance I don't think

 

[Safety365]

Well thats nice. Southern have now decided that the vacancies are at Selhurst and Norwood. So thats me F***ed. Why on earth can't they say at the beginning.

Don't forget the 24 hour trains between Vic/Three Bridges and Selhurst. Wouldn't that help?

 

[TDK]

Grab the bull by the horns!

Apply, get qualified then do a clause move or jump ships when FCC start recruiting for the new Three Bridges depot...

In the meantime you can easily get to/from Southern's inner London depots for the earliest starts and latest finishes.

Not as easy as you think - Southern have a driver retention clause in their contract, or did have, 2 years qualified or you pay back the training money.

 

[theking]

I applied for this but haven't heard anything back yet maybe they didn't even bother looking at my app .

Did southern have a public transport clause on the job advetisement? I can't remember because I know the lul job did.

 

[francisoldfield]

actually they dont have any distance clause in the app. You would think they would to save shortlisting those apps they wont accept!

 

[A-driver]

THe driver retention pay back clause is a grey area. They have never charged anyone, only threatened 2 people I knw of but it won't stand up in court-bus companies tried it and couldn't get it through courts. You can leave as soon as you get your key if you want. I know 3 people who have left or handed in their 12 weeks recently to go to other TOCs and neither were charged, all only been qualified a few months and don't have full road knowledge yet.

If you apply try to push for noorwood-far better than Selhurst-trust me, selhursts work is very poor for the first decade of your career at least! At least noorwoods top 2 links do uckfields and link 1 do the Milton Keynes-Selhurst is pure metro until you climb to top link (many, any years away!)!and get some brightons.

 

[387star]

That sort of behaviour may benefit those who have worked for said company a long time

 

[Liam86]

Can I just ask who are suitable people to put down as personal referees?

 

[Safety365]

Can I just ask who are suitable people to put down as personal referees?

Managers at places you've worked at before. If you haven't got many of those, perhaps a family friend?

 

[Liam86]

It says not a previous employer, I assumed that would include the manager, so I put a couple of ex-colleagues down.

 

[HH]

Lawyer, accountant, vicar/priest, MP or somesuch. Also if you're in a sports team then the chairman or whatnot. These are character references they're after, so you want "pillars of the community". (yeah I know)

 

[theking]

Dam... Didnt even get past shortlisting.

 

[Liam86]

Sorry to hear that mate.
I'm waiting to hear back, did they let you know via email?

 

[theking]

Sorry to hear that mate.
I'm waiting to hear back, did they let you know via email?

yeah fella by email this afternoon. ive got a feeling its because of the distance i lived from the depo