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Trainee Train Driver - Northern Rail, Leeds

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142094

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Any idea how many internal vacancies there are for drivers across the Northern depots? With DB taking over the franchise there are a few people looking to move across.
 

WCMLaddict

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There are no "internal" driver vacancies at Northern. The policy is pretty much to have the trainee vacancies advertised both internally and externally in close succession.
Move across from where?
 

Fred Dinenage

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23 Jul 2013
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There are no "internal" driver vacancies at Northern. The policy is pretty much to have the trainee vacancies advertised both internally and externally in close succession.
Move across from where?


Do you work for Northern? In HR? Applying to them? On hold?

Curious, as i'm one of the above, in communication with others related to Northern also. From what i gather the policy is haphazard and hardly a uniform process.

Move across from DB, it was mentioned in the post.
 

WCMLaddict

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I do work for Northern.

Policies are just guidelines and do change to fit business needs.

142094 obviously has a certain DB business in mind.
 

kelv

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They did a similar thing last year with a Trainee Conductor Vacancy, was posted on the day everyone was finishing for Christmas and going to works do's, closed at dinnertime the next day. I mentioned about the 'timing' of vacancies to cut down on numbers and the fella started laughing (I took it that I was bang on the money).

Is it an hour maximum travel still or have they cut that again to 45 mins ?

I was coming up as 1 hr 06 mins on Google Maps
 

TDK

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They did a similar thing last year with a Trainee Conductor Vacancy, was posted on the day everyone was finishing for Christmas and going to works do's, closed at dinnertime the next day. I mentioned about the 'timing' of vacancies to cut down on numbers and the fella started laughing (I took it that I was bang on the money).

Is it an hour maximum travel still or have they cut that again to 45 mins ?

I was coming up as 1 hr 06 mins on Google Maps

You need to remember that a company will always take people closer to the depot than an hour for a few reasons so it will be a lot more difficult to even get through the sift let alone to the interviews unless you are willing to relocate.
 

Sammy h

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I need Northern to advertise for Barrow depot, hopefully with the new franchise we will see some next year.
 

Nick82

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Any idea how many internal vacancies there are for drivers across the Northern depots? With DB taking over the franchise there are a few people looking to move across.

I am also curious in what you mean about moving across. The vacancy that was advertised was for a trainee driver role, so anyone who wants to, so called move across would have to undergo the process as any other candidate of the street. Any qualified drivers would have to go through the process of applying through the open qualified position that has been advertised for over a year. Apologies if I have misinterpreted your post but curious what you mean.

In terms of internals most companies have to advertise positions internal then external. The position in question was advertise for only internal employees for just under a week which closed on the 25th, which then was advertised for externals until the 27th. Again theres not a specific number of vacancies for internals only, but the company will have show they will promote from within.
 
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JCLeeds

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Devastated about this. Been waiting for Northern Leeds, for 2 years, excluding when couldn't apply due to being between assessments (6 month rule). Been clear and passed on that since April. Only days I didn't check were 25th to 27th. Cannot believe they have pulled this. Truly gutted
 

kelv

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Devastated about this. Been waiting for Northern Leeds, for 2 years, excluding when couldn't apply due to being between assessments (6 month rule). Been clear and passed on that since April. Only days I didn't check were 25th to 27th. Cannot believe they have pulled this. Truly gutted

their vacancy alert thing works quite well mate, feel for you though.

as was said earlier I've noticed they seem to put vacancies up at times that will definitely cut the numbers applying with short timescales to get it in as well. I got a 'ding' on my phone at 3am 1 saturday and it was closing either at the end of that day or next, had to put it in whilst having breakfast just in case it closed due to numbers being reached.
 

posh

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I got the application filled in on Christmas day morning! The missus wasn't very happy but needs must I suppose, as I had the vacancy alert flash up on my phone Christmas morning and worried it would get taken down before 27th! I suppose good tactics from Northern Rail to either a) cut numbers down applying and/or b) see who will go above and beyond to check/apply over the Christmas period. Good luck to all who put in an application.
 

142094

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I am also curious in what you mean about moving across. The vacancy that was advertised was for a trainee driver role, so anyone who wants to, so called move across would have to undergo the process as any other candidate of the street. Any qualified drivers would have to go through the process of applying through the open qualified position that has been advertised for over a year. Apologies if I have misinterpreted your post but curious what you mean.

The new franchise that Arriva will operate has commitments to increase service levels. I haven't looked at the agreement in detail but there are a number of routes in the North east where train levels will potentially double (plus other routes across the Northern network). This surely will mean that many more drivers are needed, so with Northern becoming part of Arriva/DB there should be the chance of internal vacancies being available. Note I'm talking about the qualified driver vacancies, not the trainee ones. I am interested in finding out if Northern have a list up to show where there is a need for qualified drivers, but no doubt will get a clearer picture in April.
 

SLV

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I'm surprised this was advertised externally at all - the last 2 Sheffield driver advertised vacancies have only been internal (over the last 3/4 months).
They must have just fallen short on internal applications and needed a few more hence such a tight time frame over Xmas day.
 

Nick82

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The new franchise that Arriva will operate has commitments to increase service levels. I haven't looked at the agreement in detail but there are a number of routes in the North east where train levels will potentially double (plus other routes across the Northern network). This surely will mean that many more drivers are needed, so with Northern becoming part of Arriva/DB there should be the chance of internal vacancies being available. Note I'm talking about the qualified driver vacancies, not the trainee ones. I am interested in finding out if Northern have a list up to show where there is a need for qualified drivers, but no doubt will get a clearer picture in April.


Yes more drivers will more than likely be needed. Internal vacancies only apply to those with Northern Rail. XC & GC drivers would have to apply through the qualified drivers vacancy advertised on their site. This is a open vacancy with the idea of applicants to choose from over various depots. Mainly for Leeds,Manchester and Liverpool areas as Newcastle,Carlisle and Darlington have waiting lists from other drivers wanting to relocate. Any other member of XC & GC wanting to go down the driving route would have to wait for a vacancy to be advertised for external candidate as would not be classed as an internal employee as any other member of the public of the street so to speak. This also counts for drivers on the Tyne and Wear metro, they are a drivers grade but not a qualified grade so they also would have to apply through the trainee external vacancy when advertised. I do not claim to know this as this is what I have been informed by various employees of these TOCs in question. Hope this helps
 

142094

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All jobs that are advertised internally go to all companies across the business e.g. any internal vacancy with Chiltern also is advertised with Crosscountry, GC, Lorol, TW Metro, ATW and even jobs for the bus side and management at Sunderland are advertised. So when Northern becomes part of Arriva, all Northern vacancies will be advertised on the same notice boards and website.

However until April Arriva staff cannot access the Northern internal vacancies, which is why I'm trying to see if there are any internal vacancies at Northern at the present time which also may be around in April.
 

kelv

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All jobs that are advertised internally go to all companies across the business e.g. any internal vacancy with Chiltern also is advertised with Crosscountry, GC, Lorol, TW Metro, ATW and even jobs for the bus side and management at Sunderland are advertised. So when Northern becomes part of Arriva, all Northern vacancies will be advertised on the same notice boards and website.

However until April Arriva staff cannot access the Northern internal vacancies, which is why I'm trying to see if there are any internal vacancies at Northern at the present time which also may be around in April.

you can view internal vacancies on Northerns site but a box comes up saying that any applications for internals would be withdrawn.
 

garlic bread

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23 Dec 2012
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Anybody heard from Northern yet? I've noted the conductors posts have progressed to online testing.
 

stevehw

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17 May 2015
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Yes mate got an e-mail today inviting me for an interview in a couple of weeks.
No online tests to do then? I know some recent applicants for a Trainee Conductor role with Northern have stated they had to take numerical and verbal reasoning tests and the new 'Saville' test online first.
 

posh

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11 Feb 2015
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No online tests to do then? I know some recent applicants for a Trainee Conductor role with Northern have stated they had to take numerical and verbal reasoning tests and the new 'Saville' test online first.

No mate, staright to interview in Leeds. I have passed half of assessment tests though before christmas - so not sure whether that has anything to do with it.
 

stevehw

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No mate, staright to interview in Leeds. I have passed half of assessment tests though before christmas - so not sure whether that has anything to do with it.

Is that the OPC Driver Psychometric tests? GBT, Tea OCC etc etc

Congratulations too by the way, forgot to say!!
 
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Jamieponty

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28 Jan 2016
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Well done posh! Hopefully I'll hear something back today then...fingers crossed.
Good luck mate
 

yerman164

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17 Aug 2015
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Yes mate got an e-mail today inviting me for an interview in a couple of weeks.

I've also been invited for an interview soon, might see you there!

Are there any internal applicants here who know how many positions are available and when the training course is planned for?
 

Bubba

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24 Aug 2011
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Also rejected. Thinking its time to give up. Applied lots of times, had two interviews but not got further so maybe I dont have what they are looking for.
 
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