sarah30kate
New Member
Hey, I start my training for my mainline driver position in a couple of weeks. I know it’s intense, but could anyone give me advice or let me know if you get any time off/holiday during the training period? Thanks
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Trainee train driver training
- Thread starter sarah30kate
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I cancelled all my leave whilst I was on my classroom training, if you miss a week it's hard to catch up.
The toc / foc you are training at will give you a timescale and will ask you about any booked leave, my way of thinking was its short term pain for a long term gain by cancelling my booked holiday.
It's all about choice though and telling your trainers about any plans you have.
The toc / foc you are training at will give you a timescale and will ask you about any booked leave, my way of thinking was its short term pain for a long term gain by cancelling my booked holiday.
It's all about choice though and telling your trainers about any plans you have.
If you take any time off during training you'll find it extremely difficult to catch up.
Generally they don't allow it especially during rules , you'll get weekends off until you're at your depot with an instructor.
You may be able to follow their holiday pattern.
Generally they don't allow it especially during rules , you'll get weekends off until you're at your depot with an instructor.
You may be able to follow their holiday pattern.
driver9000
Established Member
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At my TOC leave is built into the training syllabus.
2857
Member
It all depends on your TOC, mine did not allow any leave for the first 18 weeks. After that it's down to your manager to authorise any leave, with the delays caused by a shortage of mentors by the time I started handling I have avoided taking any leave to prevent delaying my training too much.
A friend of mine is currently undergoing training with GWR and as above, his leave has been built into the training cycle so all the trainee group are off at the same time.
TheGoldfish
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As above … Leave should be timetabled in so that the group are all off at the same time …. Outside of that and you’ll struggle to catch up.
jamesst
Member
At my toc in the actual classroom you're not allowed any time off. Once out with your leader driver you're allowed to take it when you want.
In fact its probably the only time trainees can without being subject to cover.
In fact its probably the only time trainees can without being subject to cover.
I also start my training with gwr this month and they’ve given us a week off after 12 weeks of training.
sarah30kate
New Member
Thanks guys. I wasn’t thinking of taking time off unless it was built in. 
ItchyRsole
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So training is basically Monday - Friday 9-5 type of thing until you start going out doing front end turns?
Yes it's mostly office hours, you may have an odd early day to do traction training etc
Once out of the training centre you follow your DIs shifts usually.
Albagubrath
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- 29 Apr 2015
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Your first 15 weeks will be Monday to Friday. You won’t be allowed any time off during that 15 weeks as for standards purposes you must be present for every week of the 15 weeks.
Normally you will take 2 weeks leave at the end of your 15 weeks classroom training before you start you driving hours where again during the required amount of hours (normally 225 Hours and 65 Days) they won’t want you taking any holidays as it delays training schedules. Once you finish your driving hours and start your Route Learning you can then take more leave if you have any left.
Advice is don’t take any leave during your 15 weeks training. If you think your able to down tools and head away to the sun for a week during those weeks you are very much mistaken, it’s full on all week and you will be studying in the evenings and the weekends to get through it.
Hi Sarah
If it helps, this link may be useful. This site was used in my class when I trained as a driver and in all honesty, it did prove useful. I understand it was put together by a trainer.
https://uktrainingsolutions.com
In terms of leave/holiday, they normally plan this into the structure of your training. Some passenger services normally let you have annual leave between Rules & Traction.
The best answer on the whole thread here….as every toc/foc will do things differently
That is completely TOC dependent. For my TOC that's almost entirely incorrect for example.
dk1
Veteran Member
I would be in shock if it starts daily at 09:00 & even more so if still there at 17:00
Admittedly it was years ago when I did my training! But a 10-2 day was most common with the occasional 10-4 if the lesson had an associated sim run!I would be in shock if it starts daily at 09:00 & even more so if still there at 17:00
enjoy training, it’s sensibly paced to allow for classroom and home learning. If you commute to the training school then use that time wisely
Both as intense! But they will help you through it.
TheGoldfish
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i find the handling is less structured than the classroom stuff so you can work with yr DI to figure out what works best for you …. Personally I’m throwing myself into it .. but I’m aware of others who are maybe (within reason) coasting a little more and taking their time …
Congratulations how did you find the assessment centre? I’ve passed the application stage just waiting for an assessment centre date! Hope it’s soon
What do you mean by this please?
TheGoldfish
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Just that they take the work as it comes … my di actively swapped out his lighter work for the more intense diagrams and gave up all his spare days so that we could keep driving … on top of that whenever we were PAS to a job we’d ask the driver if we could instead work the train … result was I was up to 120 hrs in 8 weeks where as other trainees in week 12 were still only 50 - 60 hours … my point is that you can make it intense if you want too … if you have a good di you can work with them to get out of it what suits you best …
dk1
Veteran Member
It hasn’t changed that much matey.
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