Employment Benefits for driving trains for both GTR Thameslink and Great Northern

[David R]

Hi all,

I'm currently through all my qualifying assessments and interviews. Subject to medical clearance, I hope to be starting a trainee train driver program soon.

Does anyone have current details of pay, benefits, annual leave etc for both GTR Great Northern and Thameslink, and in particular how the pay works throughout the training and qualification process?

I'm really excited about this new opportunity and challenge but I am also taking quite a pay cut initially and naturally it's making me a little nervous.

Many thanks

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

You didn't think to ask all this at the " do you have any questions" bit of the interview?

Welcome to the forum by the way..... you will need thick skin here

I learnt the the hard way too

 

[baz962]

Hi all,

I'm currently through all my qualifying assessments and interviews. Subject to medical clearance, I hope to be starting a trainee train driver program soon.

Does anyone have current details of pay, benefits, annual leave etc for both GTR Great Northern and Thameslink, and in particular how the pay works throughout the training and qualification process?

I'm really excited about this new opportunity and challenge but I am also taking quite a pay cut initially and naturally it's making me a little nervous.

Many thanks

Hi mate I applied great northern and in march this year was 26k training and 51 passed out, however they are in the middle of pay rises. I believe thameslink get the same and I think it is straight from training salary to passed out without rises.

 

[David R]

Hi mate I applied great northern and in march this year was 26k training and 51 passed out, however they are in the middle of pay rises. I believe thameslink get the same and I think it is straight from training salary to passed out without rises.

Thanks. I was always told never to talk money in interviews until you know you have a firm offer. Did you start with them? How's it going?

 

[David R]

You didn't think to ask all this at the " do you have any questions" bit of the interview?

Welcome to the forum by the way..... you will need thick skin here

I learnt the the hard way too

Ah, I was always told never to talk money at interview, but to wait until you get a job offer I reckon a thick skin helps in most forums...

 

[baz962]

Thanks. I was always told never to talk money in interviews until you know you have a firm offer. Did you start with them? How's it going?

ah no I would of been thameslink but did not get past dmi. They told me at interview by oct 2019 you will be on 66k too mate enjoy.

 

[omonaija]

Hi Guys,
Any one knows what a medical consist of?
Apart from the obvious illegal substances, what else are they looking for in the piss test?
I am slightly worried, as I am a gym fanatic (but organic) so I do take the protein shake religiously, amino acids etc. (all above broad in the fitness world), would this be an issue in the medical?
My BMI online is 32, which apparently I am considered overweight; and I am noooooooo way in this category

with regards to the training I read online, whilst I may have been accepted on the training course I do not have the job.
I don't have any doubts in my learning abilities, but one needs to have contingency plans in case of any events, would it be wise to completely resign from my current employment? how long is the training assuming you pass each tests along the way?
what happens to those who are unfortunate not to pass?

 

[Sikes 88]

Hi Guys,
Any one knows what a medical consist of?
Apart from the obvious illegal substances, what else are they looking for in the **** test?
I am slightly worried, as I am a gym fanatic (but organic) so I do take the protein shake religiously, amino acids etc. (all above broad in the fitness world), would this be an issue in the medical?
My BMI online is 32, which apparently I am considered overweight; and I am noooooooo way in this category

with regards to the training I read online, whilst I may have been accepted on the training course I do not have the job.
I don't have any doubts in my learning abilities, but one needs to have contingency plans in case of any events, would it be wise to completely resign from my current employment? how long is the training assuming you pass each tests along the way?
what happens to those who are unfortunate not to pass?

I’m also a Gym fanatic and I was considered obese. I take supplements and they are fine. They are looking for narcotics. If I’m doubt just mention and bring along and supplements you have recently taken.

In regards to your current employment I would suggest quitting. The course is a year of intense learning. You take tests every Friday and even if you fail you can re take them. The company have invested a lot of money in you to get to that stage they do not want to see you fail. The guys that fail ( very few and far between) are offered a role in another part of the business

 

[12guard4]

I have been through many medicals in my years on the railway and you will always get to declare anything you have taken which may show up. Supplements won't as they aren't illegal but for your own peace of mind there's no harm whatsoever in declaring them.

Once you have signed a contract (which you do before training starts) you are officially an employee. Obviously you will be subject to a probationary period which is standard in all industries. I don't see how you could not resign from your current position as you will be in the class room Monday- Friday with homework for the evening and weekend.

The training course is tough but your company will be fully supportive and want you to pass they have invested in you after all. IF you fail then you likely will be moved into another role rather than let go anyway.

 

[omonaija]

Hi All,

I heard/informed that whilst training for the train driving role you can't book or take any holidays? is this so?

 

[12guard4]

Hi All,

I heard/informed that whilst training for the train driving role you can't book or take any holidays? is this so?

Whilst you're in the school doing your rules you can't take holiday. The rest of the class won't wait for you to have a week off. There may be availability for some holiday after that but in my experience it won't be weeks on end and you'd have to discuss it with your manager. I know people who didn't have holiday at all for 9 months.

 

[andys495]

Whilst you’re at the school for the first 5 months it’s a big, ‘No! No!’ But you will be given a week off somewhere that is rostered in. HR should ask if you have any holiday booked. However if that’s the case it might mean that start dates are deferred. This has happened to others. Once out doing you driving hours it shouldn’t be a problem but they’d prefer you to take time off around your DI. After all you will still have a leave allocation that needs to be used or it’ll be lost at the end of the year.

 

[choochoochoo]

After all you will still have a leave allocation that needs to be used or it’ll be lost at the end of the year.

Not strictly true. I had 8 days carried over as a trainee.

 

[omonaija]

Hi mate I applied great northern and in march this year was 26k training and 51 passed out, however they are in the middle of pay rises. I believe thameslink get the same and I think it is straight from training salary to passed out without rises.

I was under the impression that the pay rises as you progress through the training (i.e. pass the end of topic/subject exams) as informed at the managers interview. isn't this the case?

 

[George999]

I was under the impression that the pay rises as you progress through the training (i.e. pass the end of topic/subject exams) as informed at the managers interview. isn't this the case?

Nope, training rate until you pass out. It does however get backdated if you have to wait more than 10 weeks for a DI.

 

[Akbrown London]

Can anyone explain the tax implications when working at full pay after pass out ?

Themeslink are currently offering 56k After training.

 

[choochoochoo]

Can anyone explain the tax implications when working at full pay after pass out ?

Themeslink are currently offering 56k After training.

In what sense ? Everyone has different tax circumstances (Single/married/pension contributions/other income sources/etc) Might be easier to ask a qualified tax advisor.

Plenty of websites out there that can help you figure out what you'll take home.

 

[Class2ldn]

40% tax over 45k

 

[Akbrown London]

40% tax over 45k

That is a lot

 

[Saracen_83]

Only on what you earn over 45k will you be taxed 40%, the rest 11500-45000 will be taxed at 20%.

 

[baz962]

That is a lot

Not really, although tax under that is 20% ni is 12% , so you pay 32% out, when you got the 40% bracket , ni stops around there so in total you are paying out roughly 8% more.

 

[steviebuk]

The Government is planning to raise the ‘personal allowance’ – the amount of money you can earn before being taxed – to £12,500 by 2020. As part of this push, in April 2018 the allowance rise from £11,500 to £11,850 for basic-rate taxpayers, a saving of £70 a year. For higher-rate taxpayers, the threshold will increase to £46,350 from £45,000 – a saving of £340 a year. There is no change to the top rate of tax, which applies to earnings above £150,000.

 

[choochoochoo]

Anybody know if GTR staff get free travel on GoAhead operated Bus Routes ? I believe it is possible, but is it as simple as showing your GTR ID or do you need some other sort of pass ?

 

[MuckyFingers]

Does anyone know whether dental coverage/plans/insurance is avaliable for staff?

 

[theironroad]

Does anyone know whether dental coverage/plans/insurance is avaliable for staff?

Not generally provided by tocs for frontline staff.

'Healthshield' is a scheme that you can pay into and covers a number of things like dental,optical, physio etc .