Depot Trainee driver

[JB25]

but was not welcoming the news that we'd have to wait two weeks for a result.

I wouldn't worry about that too much mate. At the end of my Manager Interview I was told they were interviewing all through August, and that I wouldn't hear anything for about 2 or 3 weeks.

I got a call from HR 3 working days later offering me the job. I think they just have to state longer to be on the safe side.

 

[Informe]

I wouldn't worry about that too much mate. At the end of my Manager Interview I was told they were interviewing all through August, and that I wouldn't hear anything for about 2 or 3 weeks.

I got a call from HR 3 working days later offering me the job. I think they just have to state longer to be on the safe side.

Just to clarify JB25 are you saying you have been offered a place on the depot drivers training course at EMT starting end of August or are you talking about another ToC? cheers.

 

[JB25]

Just to clarify JB25 are you saying you have been offered a place on the depot drivers training course at EMT starting end of August or are you talking about another ToC? cheers.

Sorry to confuse, I was referring to a different position. I imagine if you are successful you will hear much sooner than stated was the point I was trying, and failing to make.

 

[Beveridges]

I was kindly allowed to ride in the cab with a depot driver as he performed a shunt around the yard. Very professional. But the power controller never went beyond notch 2 and 15 mph was the maximum speed achieved once off the yard running into the platform.

Many situations require an MDD to use notch 7. What ou saw was hardly scratching the surface of what MDD'ing is about. Proper MDD'ing is all about dealing with the demics and getting then demics moving that look like they're in a state you could never move them.
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I never said they were equal but you said that you didn't understand how the depot driving role was a stepping stone to mainline. A depot driver is a train driver, they drive trains for a living so they are well ahead of any other grade or external applicants already. I don't know of many TOCs who have depot drivers who don't see it as a stepping stone as it seems even First now consider it as a stepping stone.

Northern (West) dont see it as a stepping stone but a standalone job, it even comes under a different department (Engineering Dept for MDDs, Operations for mainline) both roles have duties, shift patterns and T&Cs that are nothing like each other, and apart from the fact that both roles involve driving trains, the roles are almost opposite in every other way!

Yes, MDD and Mainline are not equal but one is not superior to the other they are just different jobs, it is flawed how they both have the same pychometric tests. Only thing they have in common. If you are capable of passing the selection process for one then youre capable of passing it for the other.
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Depot driving is the worst form of driving!!!!!! 5 mph in a yard or sidings, working with a bunch of dimlows that you don't want to, the day/night being the same as every day/night, lower wages, doing the same moves....!!!! Come on mate 42+ grand a year to live the dream on the mainline plus chicks dig a train driver... it's a no brainer you obviously have no ambitition or scared to go 100 mph.

The thought of stopping at 60+ stations every day bores me a bit and I think the job would be a pain if the traction is really bad to drive, I have already described the MDD role in enough depth how can it be worse than that if your at the right depot?

100mph? Round my area we have these crap busses on rails called 142s, anything more need to be said??

 

[Dave1987]

Many situations require an MDD to use notch 7. What ou saw was hardly scratching the surface of what MDD'ing is about. Proper MDD'ing is all about dealing with the demics and getting then demics moving that look like they're in a state you could never move them.
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Northern (West) dont see it as a stepping stone but a standalone job, it even comes under a different department (Engineering Dept for MDDs, Operations for mainline) both roles have duties, shift patterns and T&Cs that are nothing like each other, and apart from the fact that both roles involve driving trains, the roles are almost opposite in every other way!

Yes, MDD and Mainline are not equal but one is not superior to the other they are just different jobs, it is flawed how they both have the same pychometric tests. Only thing they have in common. If you are capable of passing the selection process for one then youre capable of passing it for the other.

So you come under fleet, that explains a lot then. DD's on GA come under operations and have exactly the same conditions as mainline only difference is the pay. All pay and conditions ASLEF negotiate with the company for are for joint mainline and depot. Mainline drivers often cover depot shifts as well.

 

[Beveridges]

In Northern the mainline drivers are not trained or competant to cover MDD shifts. You either do one or the other.

If we're too short staffed at NH, we cant ask for mainline drivers to cover. The trains go off late if we dont have the staff to get them ready. The trains don't get fixed if we don't have the staff to get them in position in time as the fitters are not allowed to move them even an inch.
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So you come under fleet, that explains a lot then. DD's on GA come under operations and have exactly the same conditions as mainline only difference is the pay. All pay and conditions ASLEF negotiate with the company for are for joint mainline and depot. Mainline drivers often cover depot shifts as well.

We get the same T&Cs as the fitters, though corporate pay rises are the same % for both the operations and engineering depts

 

[Dave1987]

In Northern the mainline drivers are not trained or competant to cover MDD shifts. You either do one or the other.

If we're too short staffed at NH, we cant ask for mainline drivers to cover. The trains go off late if we dont have the staff to get them ready.
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We get the same T&Cs as the fitters, though corporate pay rises are the same % for both the operations and engineering depts

Your MDD role is quite different to the DD role at GA, and like I said it does explain a lot as to why at Northern you don't have a natural progression to mainline after so long.

 

[notadriver]

Beveridges on most EMUs that have power notches there are usually 4 and it was the depot driver himself who told me the notch 2 and 15 mph maximum restriction. As said by others your MDD job is different to the sort of DD job Dave1987 does. Mainline drivers can cover DDs work at my place but aren't as good since DDs know the depot and moves needed very very well.

 

[Beveridges]

Your MDD role is quite different to the DD role at GA, and like I said it does explain a lot as to why at Northern you don't have a natural progression to mainline after so long.

There is no natural progression although one MDD went mainline after just 12 months depot driving.
However, you have to apply for it and do an interview (miss out the physcho tests and medical) and compete against everyone else. But any MDD who wants it usually gets it, unless there is a serious reason. Being an MDD puts you ahead of the other internal and external applicants, and it is only a sideways move.
In GA I take it you get offered the position after so long, rather than having to apply for it?

 

[Dave1987]

There is no natural progression although one MDD went mainline after just 12 months depot driving.
However, you have to apply for it and do an interview (miss out the physcho tests and medical) and compete against everyone else. But any MDD who wants it usually gets it, unless there is a serious reason. Being an MDD puts you ahead of the other internal and external applicants, and it is only a sideways move.
In GA I take it you get offered the position after so long, rather than having to apply for it?

Yeah you get mainline trained after so long, you don't have to apply for it. There is no competition from other grades or externals as they all have to be depot drivers first.

 

[Layaboutlarry]

Are you lot really going at each other again?

It's petty and pretty pointless, as long as you're happy in your role nothing people say really matters...

...Why don't you start a whole new thread about the roles that you're whinging about then that way we know that any additions to this thread are likely to be associated with the current vacancies!

 

[Dave1987]

Are you lot really going at each other again?

It's petty and pretty pointless, as long as you're happy in your role nothing people say really matters...

...Why don't you start a whole new thread about the roles that you're whinging about then that way we know that any additions to this thread are likely to be associated with the current vacancies!

Not "whinging" about anything buddy, its called a discussion.......

 

[Beveridges]

Are you lot really going at each other again?

No, you only get that when super "highly respected" members of the forum like Legzr1 and Jambo are involved.
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Beveridges on most EMUs that have power notches there are usually 4 and it was the depot driver himself who told me the notch 2 and 15 mph maximum restriction.

Most of the old 1980's DMU's have 7 notches and full power is used very, VERY often on depot, in all sorts of situations.

 

[TDK]

Most of the old 1980's DMU's have 7 notches and full power is used very, VERY often on depot, in all sorts of situations.

I would be interested in when you will use notch 7 on a depot as an MDD except maybe when you have a couple of stubborn units to uncouple.

 

[Beveridges]

I would be interested in when you will use notch 7 on a depot as an MDD except maybe when you have a couple of stubborn units to uncouple.

You've named one situation. The others include:
Using a unit to haul one or more dead units up a gradient, especially if the hauling unit is a 142 on one engine!
Putting a split 14X back together commonly requires full power from one of the half-units to put pressure on the coupling.
Moving certain shed knackers. They are so sluggish you can easily use notch 7 sometimes.

Of cause, there's certain MDD's who just like to use notch 7 to get themselves moving as quickly as possible, even at times when it's completely pointless!

 

[Silv1983]

In Northern the mainline drivers are not trained or competant to cover MDD shifts. You either do one or the other.

They're definitely competent: we do the entire rule book including shunting, and so with a few hours being shown how to use the fuel pad, toilet tanking and some basic etiquette like using the handheld radio: mainline drivers' could be drafted in if push came to shove. Otherwise why would new drivers have to learn and shunt around the depot and fully prep a couple of units like I did whilst passing out a few months back. Granted we'd be a lot slower for the first few weeks, but there's no actual reason we couldn't do it: unlike MDD to mainline which would require half the rulebook to be learnt, months of route learning, driving/braking techniques (at speed) including leafall etc. Infact, some of the MDDs at NH are 'naughty boys' from the mainline: im pretty sure they went straight into the role without any kind of conversion course.

I think mainline shortages are as bad as MDD ones at times so they'd never call upon us to help out. That, and people would kick up a stink as it's not the job they're contracted to do.

 

[Beveridges]

Infact, some of the MDDs at NH are 'naughty boys' from the mainline: im pretty sure they went straight into the role without any kind of conversion course.

The last ex mainline 'naught boys' in 2011 took 4 months to pass out. What takes so long was the practical depot driving/shunting with a minder MDD, the traction conversion/fuelling only added a few days on that.
It takes a while to get used to shunting around the depot during busy periods, the communications side of it, and doing the odd moves like the half-units and swingers. It's not something anyone can just walk into, even ex-mainline. It's a bit different to following signals all the time.

Driving the train is the easy bit, the hard part is learning how to perform the role when its busy and there's lots happening at once.

Mainline are only short staffed because (I believe) Rest Day working is banned for Northern West?

If RDW ever came back in I still don't think they'd send Man Vic drivers up to NH to help out as it would require months of depot driver training with a minder. Being competent to drive to instruction and prep on NH, and being competant to cover MDD Shifts, are two completely different things. In my training, the former took me 4 weeks to learn, the latter took me over 5 months. Years later I've still not mastered it.

MDD'ing is seriously underestimated. I made that mistake myself. When I got the job, I thought it was going to be easy, as on paper it sounded like a watered-down Drivers role. Jesus Christ, I was wrong. I never knew that even the Depot Training and Pass Out was 5X more pressure than any part of the psychometrics could produce. The only easy bit was the first six weeks which were training academy led.

I am here to ensure that others do not make the same assumption.


It's also worth mentioning Fuelling/Tanking while we're on the subject - Fuelling takes a few days to learn and pass out on it, but you only REALLY learn how to fuel when you've done at least 16 weeks worth of it unsupervised!

To be able to Fuel 100 engines and Tank 60 Toilets in one night without getting covered in Diesel, and to be able to perform the role quickly & safely at the same time, is something that some people never master in 10+ years!

 

[Dave1987]

Getting seriously bored of this mainline vs depot, "I'm better than you" rubbish. It's been done to death now.

 

[Informe]

Good news, I called EMT yesterday and they told me congrats, medical booked and a few bits and bops to sort but I'm chuffed.

 

[coupes]

Good news, I called EMT yesterday and they told me congrats, medical booked and a few bits and bops to sort but I'm chuffed.

Congratulations mate- I have been successful also, see you on the 27th!

 

[JAMBO]

Seems to be the same person talking his own job to death more like, wake me up when he has finished!

 

[Informe]

Congratulations mate- I have been successful also, see you on the 27th!

Nice one, any idea how many are on the course?