I'm not on the freight now, but at a TOC, but worked for the Intermodal side from when we got TUPE'd over from RFD in the late 90's, so seen FOC's rise and fall over the years.
FLHH never really appealed to me when we got the chance to move over when the company original set up, the same with GBRF when they set up, I think in 2001/2, can't remember now.
Anyway...without slating any company.....Quite few have left GB...There were quite a few that moved from Felixstowe to Ipswich Intermodal. Though a big drop in salary, FL had better conditions (intermodal conditions) Drivers were fed with the rostering and middle management at GB, which is still the sort of the same now....I can only go on other drivers comments, which may not bother yourself.
Never worked for FLHH only Intermodal, but obviously HH ran along side us and mixing with HH drivers, you get some idea.....If I had the choice, I would go for FLHH, being in the Freight world most of my career.
I'm not sure on this, but I think FLHH also work intermodal traffic out of Gateway, I can't be 100% sure....It's a shame, as I could have got some more info today if I would of seen you post earlier.
Saying that, if your going to Gateway for GB, you could find that you could be only working Intermodal trains...Because of the nature of the traffic, you may be limited on ballast work, so maybe not abused so much...lol.
Not sure on the pensions, but if you went to GB, I think you will find that you will be put into another pension scheme....Freightliner fought and if I'm not corrected, you will go into the RPS......The RPS pension is a must, and will not be going anyway.....Something to seriously think about, even though your in your 20's.....I started at 17 on the footplate and I only have a few years to go, so it goes quick!!!!!!!! not sure where that time went...lol
Yep, you could most probably earn a lot of money at GB, but you will get used and abused, and I suppose to some extent at Freightliner, but with FL, they don't take it personally if you say NO, if you don't work the OT........ Money is not everything, and being moved all over the place, will take some toll on your body, believe me.
A good thing with Freightliner, you could most probably move about, I'm not sure what it's like now, but you could possibly move to intermodal, like some have done in the past. Freightliner are quite big, so if you did move, you have more depots to choose from.
My opinion only, and working in the freight sector for years, would be FL. This is due to the management side being better than the GB side, in my opinion......but like I said, FL might suit me, but not you. Only yourself can make that choice and good luck which choice you pick.