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Northern Maintenance Depot Driver
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C J Snarzell
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From reading the posts on here over the last few months I get the impression that it is not always easy to make the transition from a depot driver to a mainline driver. That said it's not impossible but you would need to do a few years as a depot driver before making the change. The salary for the depot driver is pretty decent and the role itself is not to be sniffed at so all I would say is get an application in as you've nothing to lose.
Grannyjoans
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Yes it is realistic and it's the best stepping stone to mainline driving you can get
Having done it myself in the past, the job itself is decent and has some advantages over mainline driving. But there are disadvantages as well. I won't go into detail about that as either job differs a lot depending on which TOC/Location you're based at.
Progression was relatively easy as well when I wanted to move on.
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deanmachine
Member
What exactly is the difference between a depot driver and a mainline driver in terms of qualifications? Is it the sort of thing where you could apply for advertised "Qualified Train Driver" roles or would you be considered to be still inexperienced or unqualified for such things?
CapriSpeed
Member
I believe depot drivers only do part of the train drivers course, so to progress onto mainline driving I think you would have to do all or the part of the course you didn't do the first time.
Grannyjoans
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You can only apply for trainee roles. Most of the time you will have to do the whole course again. At least you'll find it easy though.
The depot drivers "6 week" course for northern is only the classroom side, the practical side then goes on for much longer.
With me it actually took me a year to pass out as depot driver as I failed the first time and there were other set backs during training.
If I passed out first time it would have taken about 6 months I think.
This was ten years ago and was at one of the larger depots.
Some of the smaller depots are much easier to learn and will be quicker and easier to pass out at.
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Grannyjoans
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Depot driver only does about 2/3rds of the rulebook that a mainline driver does. Things like Pilotman working, Temporary block working, single line working, level crossings etc don't come into it on the depot.
Traction training is very similar. A depot driver is likely to have more types of traction than the main line.
Practical side is very different as there is no route learning apart from the layout of the depot which is nothing in comparison and no experience of driving at high speed.
Instead, you concentrate on other things such as setting points, ground shunting, hand held radio communication, avoiding conflicting with other movements, prep, moving units with faults & isolation's, propelling, fuelling, tanking, DP Duties and moving Unit vehicles that have been split off from the main Unit for maintenance reasons.
Depot driver qualification does not class them as a qualified main line driver, they are two separate roles with a bit of overlap.
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Worth pointing out that some TOCs (EMR certainly) train depot drivers to full mainline qualifications now, including granting an European Train Driving License. Possibly related to the train driving apprenticeship which is becoming standard across the industry for new drivers. Whether Northern do the same I have no idea. Even with the ETDL though you are basically viewed as a trainee to other TOCs as you have zero mainline handling.
I’m looking at this job and I was just wondering, do northern publish a job description or person specification with their applications? I’m looking on my phone so worried I might be missing something. If not, is there anything to base your cover letter on apart from the brief bit about written and oral communication, working on your own initiative and the fact that it’s safety critical?
Dynamonic
Member
EMR give their Depot Drivers full Mainline rules training and an ETDL because they drive to and from the depot on the mainline and complete mainline shunt manoeuvres. There is also a natural progression plan in place to promote Depot Drivers to Mainline Drivers. The apprenticeship is a recent additional scheme which new EMR drivers undertake.
Even if Northern don’t have something similar, being a Depot Driver with them will still certainly help with mainline applications in terms of acquired knowledge and skills.
Grannyjoans
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Yes Northern still class them as both separate jobs. But no other job puts you in a better position to apply for main line than depot driver, even though you do have to do the whole course again.
When I made the move I also took a pay cut in training which lasts the full first year and I didn't break even until the end of year 3 on the main line if I remember correctly.
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EMR give their Depot Drivers full Mainline rules training and an ETDL because they drive to and from the depot on the mainline and complete mainline shunt manoeuvres. There is also a natural progression plan in place to promote Depot Drivers to Mainline Drivers. The apprenticeship is a recent additional scheme which new EMR drivers undertake.
Even if Northern don’t have something similar, being a Depot Driver with them will still certainly help with mainline applications in terms of acquired knowledge and skills.
They also do it with service drivers at Neville Hill, despite the absence of mainline driving there. So it isn't entirely because of the need for mainline knowledge at Nottingham and Derby.
deanmachine
Member
I got an email saying I didn't get it, was from a member of the recruitment team with her name as the sender rather than the company, and subject titled "Feedback on Application", so check your junk emails.
nothing in my junk from them, perhaps they are still in the process of emailing everybody.
Petersmith36
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I got the dreaded unsuccessful email couple days ago
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