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Avanti salaries

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Paul 1980

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Hi does anyone know roughly the salaries of Avanti staff particularly the dispatch staff and on board crew staff (west coast mainline).

And also if they ever recruit train managers externally? I heard they like their staff to have had other onboard roles with them first before progressing to manager position.

TIA Paul.
 
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rail-god

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45k ish for train manager I think. They did look for TMs @ wolves about 18 months ago.
 

C J Snarzell

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Paul

I applied for a part time role of Train Manager with Virgin Trains last September and the salary full time was just under 46k. I was one of ten candidates who went to the assessment centre at the Crewe Talent Academy, but sadly I didn't get the job.

I get the impression the TM roles are like dead man's shoes and only come available once in a while and they are extremely sought after (hence the fact ten of us were short listed for a part time role!!!). I understand the role I went for only came available after the dismissal of a TM last summer.

One of the other candidates on the assessment day was a on-board assistant and she was actually taking a pay cut to go for the part time TM role, because it was something she was really keen to do. I believe Virgin/Avanti salaries are probably the highest out of all TOCs.

CJ
 

Stigy

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Paul

I applied for a part time role of Train Manager with Virgin Trains last September and the salary full time was just under 46k. I was one of ten candidates who went to the assessment centre at the Crewe Talent Academy, but sadly I didn't get the job.

I get the impression the TM roles are like dead man's shoes and only come available once in a while and they are extremely sought after (hence the fact ten of us were short listed for a part time role!!!). I understand the role I went for only came available after the dismissal of a TM last summer.

One of the other candidates on the assessment day was a on-board assistant and she was actually taking a pay cut to go for the part time TM role, because it was something she was really keen to do. I believe Virgin/Avanti salaries are probably the highest out of all TOCs.

CJ
I’m assuming that was pro-rata :)

You are right though, they do seem to be the ones who pay most. Drivers are listed as earning £67k but that was under Virgin so the data is probably a couple of years old (via the ASLEF site) so at an educated guess I’d say it was £70k ish now?
 

Paul 1980

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Thanks for the replies. That's what I had in mind. I was asking for my partner who has a final stage interview with them very soon and was keen to know what options there maybe to earn more money in the future. She also has an interview with northern as a guard for more money but prefers to get a first step up with avanti. Cant say I blame her.
 

whoosh

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I don't think that Train Managers work a 35 hour week like many other roles in the industry. I think it might be 39 or even 42.
I believe they also have quite a large number of minutes unpaid overtime (included in their salary) if booking off is delayed by late running.

Hopefully someone else will expand on this.

You don't just want salary figures, other information helps - often to understand why it's less or more than elsewhere!

Driver's pay anniversary is at the end of May (although pay negotiations often drag on!).
 

C J Snarzell

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I don't think that Train Managers work a 35 hour week like many other roles in the industry. I think it might be 39 or even 42.
I believe they also have quite a large number of minutes unpaid overtime (included in their salary) if booking off is delayed by late running.

Hopefully someone else will expand on this.

You don't just want salary figures, other information helps - often to understand why it's less or more than elsewhere!

Driver's pay anniversary is at the end of May (although pay negotiations often drag on!).

When I applied for the part time TM role with Virgin last year, the full time roster is 42 hours per week.

I contacted the HR lady and asked her for the shift pattern which was roughly 10.5 hour shifts. I believe a full time TM will work a block of 4 with 2/3 days off inbetween.

CJ
 
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Tom Quinne

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WC guards have very poor terms, only made up with the decent salary - no idea if the salary is 100% pensionable which would make a big diff to whether the overall package is attractive or not.
 

Paul 1980

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Thanks for all replies. Anyone any thoughts on whether they like to promote from within? Is it worth trying to get in at a lower grade and try and work your way up Im a guard with a different TOC at present. Also what do the onboard staff get paid such as in first class serving the refreshments and meals anyone know. Once again TIA
Paul.
 

C J Snarzell

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Paul1980

As we've seen this week - Avanti have advertised for trainee drivers at Euston & Wolverhampton.

It is clear that anything is possible - many people on this forum (including myself!!!) only thought Avanti would recruit experienced drivers from other TOC's only to be proved wrong.

Therefore, there's every chance Avanti could recruit for Train Managers soon!!!

CJ
 

Komma

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The driver recruitment is a one off. As back in the late 70's BR employed a load of drivers on the west coast at the same time and they are all coming up to retirement age at the same time. A driver friend of mine at Virgin told me about this a couple of years ago.
 

Stigy

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The driver recruitment is a one off. As back in the late 70's BR employed a load of drivers on the west coast at the same time and they are all coming up to retirement age at the same time. A driver friend of mine at Virgin told me about this a couple of years ago.
Surely that wouldn't be the case as they've recruited qualified drivers on and off over the years?
 

the sniper

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Surely that wouldn't be the case as they've recruited qualified drivers on and off over the years?

I think there's certainly a truth to it, Cross Country has been in a similar position in recent years in at least some locations I believe, but I think there are a few factors involved, most of which are legacies of the BR days. For example, the way Links and Depots were divided up for Privatisation (or Sectorisation before that?) meant that the Intercity TOCs inherited more senior Links that would have been made up of drivers all roughly around the same age.
 

StevieH

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I think there's certainly a truth to it, Cross Country has been in a similar position in recent years in at least some locations I believe, but I think there are a few factors involved, most of which are legacies of the BR days. For example, the way Links and Depots were divided up for Privatisation (or Sectorisation before that?) meant that the Intercity TOCs inherited more senior Links that would have been made up of drivers all roughly around the same age.
Virgin WC/XC took a big batch of trainees off the street in 99/00 some are now coming up for retirement.
 

the sniper

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Virgin WC/XC took a big batch of trainees off the street in 99/00 some are now coming up for retirement.

I'm surprised Virgin would have taken on so many in their mid forties? I'd have imagined their recruitment would have skewed younger, more towards people in their early to mid thirties.
 

StevieH

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I'm surprised Virgin would have taken on so many in their mid forties? I'd have imagined their recruitment would have skewed younger, more towards people in their early to mid thirties.
It was a mix so some but not all are coming up for retirement. Someone 39 in 1999 will be 62 in little over 18 months which is railway retirement age, you can stay on. So by time this crop of trainees qualify that guy will be retired. Plus the sprinkling of qualifieds from other TOCs they have taken over the years were probably already pretty experienced so a few of them will be coming up for retirement. Another thing about Virgin was they weren't keen to cover vacancies preferring to cover them with overtime instead. It all adds up. As I've said before nobody leaves these companies to go to another TOC so it does end up with a situation where there's a sudden drop off.
 

irish_rail

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The driver recruitment is a one off. As back in the late 70's BR employed a load of drivers on the west coast at the same time and they are all coming up to retirement age at the same time. A driver friend of mine at Virgin told me about this a couple of years ago.
I very much doubt that. For example Plymouth on GWR didn't take on a single trainee between the early 90s and 2018 . Total dead mans shoes depot. And yet now we have been advertising for drivers for past year. Not sure why Avanti would be any different as the work is similar and the wage similar also. First group tend to recruit a little more proactively than Virgin I reckon as well.
 

Evolution

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It was a mix so some but not all are coming up for retirement. Someone 39 in 1999 will be 62 in little over 18 months which is railway retirement age, you can stay on. So by time this crop of trainees qualify that guy will be retired. Plus the sprinkling of qualifieds from other TOCs they have taken over the years were probably already pretty experienced so a few of them will be coming up for retirement. Another thing about Virgin was they weren't keen to cover vacancies preferring to cover them with overtime instead. It all adds up. As I've said before nobody leaves these companies to go to another TOC so it does end up with a situation where there's a sudden drop off.

As someone looking in from the outside, why wouldn't someone leave Virgin/Avanti? How do they compare to say LNER or TPE? Are the Southerns and Northerns, TOCs that are used as stepping stones to somewhere like Avanti?
 

StevieH

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As someone looking in from the outside, why wouldn't someone leave Virgin/Avanti? How do they compare to say LNER or TPE? Are the Southerns and Northerns, TOCs that are used as stepping stones to somewhere like Avanti?
Avanti is the highest salary and they look after their employees very well so that's why nobody leaves. LNER is similar people generally don't leave. Intercity drivers will have a fraction of the stops a regional operator has as well so work content is another attraction. I'd expect the only reason people leave would be to relocate to a part of the country where their TOC doesn't operate so they have no option.
 

Evolution

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Yeah, it makes sense then. I thought that was the case and if they pay the best and have the best terms and conditions and work content then you wouldn't want to leave. You may get the odd person moving across to freight.

The only negative I've seen with regards to intercity at Avanti is the work content becoming repetitive and not having the variety you would have at TPE/GWR where you have both intercity and regional type work.
 

Octopus28

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Avanti is the highest salary and they look after their employees very well so that's why nobody leaves. LNER is similar people generally don't leave. Intercity drivers will have a fraction of the stops a regional operator has as well so work content is another attraction. I'd expect the only reason people leave would be to relocate to a part of the country where their TOC doesn't operate so they have no option.
Best salary as basic but when you actually look into it, other TOCs are much better. Avanti agreed to a pay rise but sold some of the T&C’s. So now the spare turns can be altered by 8 hours either way which isn’t the greatest for life planning. Highest salary isn’t always the best way to go if they’re selling all the T&C’s for a few extra pennies :|
 

C J Snarzell

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I'm actually surprised at how generous the salary is - 40k for a trainee is more than any other industry, not just train driving. The salary is more or less what a top increment police constable brings home!!!
 

StevieH

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Best salary as basic but when you actually look into it, other TOCs are much better. Avanti agreed to a pay rise but sold some of the T&C’s. So now the spare turns can be altered by 8 hours either way which isn’t the greatest for life planning. Highest salary isn’t always the best way to go if they’re selling all the T&C’s for a few extra pennies :|
Yeah the 8 hour move on spare sucks but your not going to be spare most of the time and how often they do actually move you 8hrs I don't know. If you remain spare
you get away after 3hrs max as long as nothing needs covered compared to other TOCs who practically keep you to your day. As far as the other T&Cs go they are as good as any. You get the old wives tales of they sold everything and no sliding scale which is all a load of nonsense. There's a reason why there's a queue a mile long of qualifieds that always apply for these. Again spare etc will probably effect some depots more than others I know my local depots shifts are very cushy indeed. But each to their own.
 

Octopus28

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Yeah the 8 hour move on spare sucks but your not going to be spare most of the time and how often they do actually move you 8hrs I don't know. If you remain spare
you get away after 3hrs max as long as nothing needs covered compared to other TOCs who practically keep you to your day. As far as the other T&Cs go they are as good as any. You get the old wives tales of they sold everything and no sliding scale which is all a load of nonsense. There's a reason why there's a queue a mile long of qualifieds that always apply for these. Again spare etc will probably effect some depots more than others I know my local depots shifts are very cushy indeed. But each to their own.
I think every TOC has it’s pros and cons...just got to take the good with the bad whatever one you decide. Either way it’s a career for a long time...can’t say life anymore the way the railway is going hahaha!!
 
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