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DRS trainee drivers at Crewe

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carriageline

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Thought id post this up here, DRS are recruiting trainee drivers at Crewe ;) info on their site
 
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Beveridges

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It's a Trainman job at Crewe. I looked into this back in Dec 2009. It is not driving but a mobile shunter where you assist the driver with the nuclear trains which go to various railheads across the country. You perform the ground shunting at all freight yards. Couple/uncouple, pull points, control movements by handsignal, which may include propelling. You also prep nuclear flask wagons before every journey while the driver prepares the locomotives. During the journey, you sit in the back cab of the 37 and observe the nuclear flask wagons to ensure there is no division.
You get to go to a lot of different places. Crewe CLS (plus Gresty Lane and Basford Hall), Sellafield, Carlisle, Holyhead, Bridgwater, Willesden, Dungeness, Berkeley and Davenport (rarely). You dont sign any routes, except the Bridgwater branch where you have to operate the ground frame. However, you sign all the yards.
All sounds easy, until now. The MAIN part of the job is car driving. You spend a lot of time on the motorway. When you and the driver get to your distination, it is your job to drive both of you back by car to Crewe. So that is where the job requires a lot of concentration, often while sleep deprived.
I went for the job and failed at Interview stage. Lots of competition for this job from other rail staff from other companies, loads want to get into DRS. The two big appeals for most people are the traction you will be working with, and the fact that its freight which is less tedious than stopping passenger services.
Also, the Interview was the HARDEST and longest Interview I have EVER had in my life, and in front of a panel of 6! So be ready for that if you go for it.
The book on times for when you are working the out-going nuclear trains are horrendous. They were 23:00, 01:00, 01:30, 02:30, 03:00, etc when I checked. Some the jobs have lodging in hotels where you try to sleep during the day before working the return train in the evening.
Trainman job is probably the only way to get to work on the nuclear trains with old traction. If you joined DRS as a Driver you would be on 66's on the WCML all the time. Nuclear work is top link only for Crewe Drivers.
 
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Beveridges

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You'd be suprised how many wanted the Trainmen jobs last time it was advertised. At the assessment center there was a lot going for it from TOCs, the main appeal was wanting to do something less tedious I think.
Dont think I'll bother again due to the salary and the shifts don't look doable (without severe headaches!)
 
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TDK

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. Lots of competition for this job from other rail staff from other companies, loads want to get into DRS. The two big appeals for most people are the traction you will be working with, and the fact that its freight which is less tedious than stopping passenger services.

I think you are out of touch fella, the only railway workers wanting to get into DRS are the entusiasts, as for freight not being tedious I am afraid sitting for 10 hours on a ballast train and not turning a wheel is a lot more tedious than running a LHCS from Brum to London or a 168. DRS do not appeal that much to qualified drivers unless they are enthusiasts the main reasoning being that freight is not as secure a job as most think, DRS working conditions and rostered turns are hell and they are also not in the railway pension scheme. I could have gone to DRS at Crewe but decided on passenger work instead due to the fact that at least the turns are good hardly any night shifts and only 50% staurdays. So, my friend I would say that DRS is not as appealing as most think.
 

Beveridges

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It's the trainmen jobs we're talking about here though not the driving, and the trainmen jobs appeal to a lot who work for TOCs as seen by the response back in Dec 09 when they were flooded with applications from Guards, Platform staff, Network Rail staff, and a member of the BTP was also at the assessment centre.
I completely agree DRS rostered turns are hell just look at the book on times.

As for the driving at DRS, they must get qualified drivers applying because they have not taken on any trainees at all since 2007 and even that was only about 3 at Crewe. They can't all be enthusiasts who apply as all the work is 66s only the top link drive the 37s etc and it takes many years to get there.
 
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GB

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It's also the train(wo)man that will be the first to go when things get tough.
 

Beveridges

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The trainmen only work nuclear traffic. The nuclear work is safe. The Intermodals are not safe but trainmen don't work any.
 

Legzr1

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As for the driving at DRS, they must get qualified drivers applying because they have not taken on any trainees at all since 2007 and even that was only about 3 at Crewe.

It's a little more complicated than that i'm afraid (as all the staff made redundant in the past few years will atest to).

No need to take on trainee's when you're losing contracts hand over fist is there?

There were quite a few qualified drivers applying to DRS a couple of years ago - is it a coincidence that EWS were getting rid of drivers in the same period?;)

No matter,i'm just an interested outsider with no interest in DRS but I can read between the lines.

Good luck to anyone applying for the trainman positions.
 

455driver

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Lots of competition for this job from other rail staff from other companies, loads want to get into DRS.

You are of course having a laugh, most people want to get OUT of DRS, they have advertised for qualified drivers in London 4 times now but the response has been "subdued" to put it mildly, I know 3 that have applied, one chap has gone over (all gooey eyed about "doing locos") and the other 2 with "interesting" driving records who were turned down.
 

Beveridges

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This job isnt driving its the trainmen jobs which where hugely popular last time they were advertised back in Dec 2009. As for Driving, DRS must be doing well if they are actually in a position to turn down qualified.
 

Donachie

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Anyone applied and heard back for the Trainee Trainman( woman) vacancy at Crewe ?
 

Res

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Anyone applied and heard back for the Trainee Trainman( woman) vacancy at Crewe ?

Hi,

Apart from a letter back in July acknowledging receipt of my application I haven't heard anything further.

Res
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Received today from DRS:

"we are currently reviewing our Company requirements and we are not in a position to progress with this vacancy at the current time."
 

Beveridges

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Sounds like the usual bollocks that TOCs keep doing all the time... Wasting everyones time applying only to say that that the jobs were never there. Its not as though the requirements need to constantly change for nuclear fuels traffic it is one of the most secure and consistant freight flows in the country.
 

9K43

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I spent three decades as a guard/Trainman/Team member B.
Also I have spent nearly every weekend on engineering trains all over the the place.
To sit on an engine and not turn a wheel is my idea on pure bliss.
To taxi Driver about the place is an easy job, switch yer phone off the worlds your oyster.
As for funny signing on times thats what goods trains are all about.
I can get up better for 03:00hrs than going for 10:00hrs.
As for class 37's, spent years mooching around on them, sitting in the back cab cos the diver was a chain smoker, also if the train splits in two then the brakes will go on so no worry on that one.
If the driver Spads, its nowt to to do with me mate.
Just ensure when the train departs you make sure the wheels are going round and round, complete with a tail lamp, jump in your nice Vauxhall Astra van, with A/C, reclining seats and get back to base in time to sign off and go home.
One of the best jobs on the railway was the Stalybridge tanks, on at 02:33hrs
sign on back light engine going home at 07:30hrs or if it was a Thursday, stay in the mess room till 10:00hrs get my weekly pay the off home to my pit.
Just shows you what can happen if your have a creative mind.

Some weekends, we worked passenger charters , going pass upto Newcastle to take a charter down to Derby, or the Northern Belle from Sheffield over the drag to Carlisle and return back sheffield, even had the author of the Harry Potter books from Stalybridge to York NRM, and back pass, or take a class 40 from York to Eccles RR and upto the East Lancs Railway, and Taxi back too the Mill. Happy days init?

This link is for the above; From Scarborough to W Lancs Railway, Via Eccles, and back in a Greenline Taxi driven by Stanley.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZcySBB5ol4
 
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