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GWR Guard -> driver progression
- Thread starter pompeyfan
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Bucephalus
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I'm no expert on this but I seriously doubt that would happen
vikingdriver
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I believe it to be true, I remember doing my driver training annoyed because my friend at GWR was doing it on his guards pay whereas I was struggling big time at SWT. At least that's what he told me! Hopefully someone who has gone guard to driver at GWR will be along shortly!
CC 72100
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It is correct.
craigybagel
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Already happens at TfW. Conductors going driving stay on basic conductor salary rather than trainee driver. Not only are they not expected to work Sundays in return, they're not even allowed to - once you start driver training you're no longer allowed to work as a conductor.
I’m sure there’s quite a few out there that wish their TOC would follow suit....
PudseyBearHST
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I’m not sure why I had the impression that SWT/SWR did this 
When I left GWR as a guard I took a 4k pay cut to train with TL. My training then took 16 months due to a four week wait for a DI and a delay waiting for my 700 course meaning my DI drove so my hours were not racking up. Complete waste of a DI when there was a backlog of trainees waiting. At TL all routes need to be signed before pass out as well.
Still what can you do could be worse.
Pompeyfan if you're interested I'd go for it regardless worth it in the end
Still what can you do could be worse.
Pompeyfan if you're interested I'd go for it regardless worth it in the end
I can confirm it’s true. I’m the only one on my course who’s taken a pay cut 
. It’s not just Guards who keep their salary, but any higher pay grade than the training salary.
It’s not a bad training salary mind you. Although I guess it’s swings and roundabouts as other TOCs’ salaries tend to increase incrementally throughout training whereas GWR’s is set at around £28k throughout until passed out.
. It’s not just Guards who keep their salary, but any higher pay grade than the training salary.It’s not a bad training salary mind you. Although I guess it’s swings and roundabouts as other TOCs’ salaries tend to increase incrementally throughout training whereas GWR’s is set at around £28k throughout until passed out.
I can confirm it’s true. I’m the only one on my course who’s taken a pay cut
It’s not a bad training salary mind you. Although I guess it’s swings and roundabouts as other TOCs’ salaries tend to increase incrementally throughout training whereas GWR’s is set at around £28k throughout until passed out.
I wonder who’s favour that works out better in, doing it incrementally compared to a flat wage throughout. Between passing out as qualified and going productive (ie doing roads) what is the usual pay for TOCs that do it incrementally?
also, I assume that an employee for a sister TOC is classed as external?
I came from SWR and am to all intents and purposes external (even though I applied through the internal careers site..).
I don’t mind the £28k throughout and to be honest would prefer this over starting even lower, and having a couple of rises throughout training. Although it’s a cut of about £8k, it’s still liveable and is more than a lot of other jobs pay. At Freightliner I believe Intermodal is about £20k for most of the training!
I make up some of my money with travelling time to Bristol each Sunday throughout the classroom training too.
tiptoptaff
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You aren'tI can confirm it’s true. I’m the only one on my course who’s taken a pay cut
It’s not a bad training salary mind you. Although I guess it’s swings and roundabouts as other TOCs’ salaries tend to increase incrementally throughout training whereas GWR’s is set at around £28k throughout until passed out.
To £28k I am
Maybe I didn’t phrase it well enough. Others may have taken a cut to in terms of pay being reduced to their basic pay rather than what they’d normally earn in their previous roles with enhancements etc.
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craigybagel
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This does indeed happen. Even with keeping my basic conductors salary I'm still down about 9k over the 9 months I'll be a trainee, thanks to the amount of overtime, Sunday working and commission I used to earn. I'm not complaining though - I'm grateful for what I'm getting and it's still more then most of the rest of my class.
At our TOC trainee drivers are on 90% of full drivers pay for 2 years from when they pass out. That said, even at that reduced rate I'll still earn in a basic 35 hour work what I earned as a conductor working a lot of overtime so it's definitely worthwhile - even aside from the fact that it's the job I always wanted and I'd have done it for no pay rise at all!
the sniper
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I thought it was already the norm! West Midlands Trains do it. So did London Midland.
tsr
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Not that I’m aware of. It would have been a bit odd, as Southern have virtually always had plenty of conductors volunteering to work Sundays. Getting trainee drivers to cover duties wouldn’t have significantly swung the rosters to a more favourable position, anyway. With Hidden regulations, route knowledge retention and so on, you’d soon have had problems.
Having both competencies isn’t technically forbidden at all TOCs (there are certain competency/safety management staff who may need to be qualified to do both) but I can’t think of any companies where ex-conductors can retain that ability whilst being a trainee driver.
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