I left the freight sector some what 4 years ago and now work at a TOC....I spent the best part of my life has a freight driver, I think nearly 3 decades.
I mainly worked at Freightliner, but had a 2 year stint at GB when they first kicked off, but went back to Freightliner.
The london depots are at Ferme Park, I think this depot is mainly a Ballast depot. I'm not sure if they cross cover Willesden, which is the other London depot.
Willesden do the sleeper and I think they may go Ipswich with the Liners, also Brum. Like i said, I'm out of it, and things do change quite quick at a FOC.
Willesden did have the Daggy car train, but I think they lost that to DRS.
Personally I would be careful moving to a FOC...You need to look at the pension, that's a must, because something did change there. I think Freightliner put newbies on full pension from the start, but again I'm not sure, but I think this went to ballot.
You would lose your travel concessions, unless your safe guarded.
Don't expect a nice mess room, or nice PNB points, and at one stage they expected drivers to have PNB's at service stations.
First in first out, mind you some FOC's have looked after their staff where poss.
Times, well your 24hrs...I loved starting a freezing class 66 up at 3am on a winter day!!!!
Rosters with GB, some weeks would not come out until late Friday, great planning your life.
Ballast jobs.....What can i say.
When you have the interview, ask if its Ferme Park or Willesden, what work is it, and do you get rostered times in the roster, or is it Am, Pm or Nights with no times.
Willesden is the better depot, but check again if you would be learning the sleeper traffic...I think it can be a bit one sided with that work. I'm not sure if they have the regulars doing that work or it's built into the roster, but not 100% on that.
On a bright side, you cover different routes.
I know I've gone off the track on your thread, but tread carefully...Freight is not for the fainted hearted, well I don't think so.
I know inner work is crap, but look at
Chilton at Marylebone, that's a nice mixture of work....I would go there, but too much of a drop in money.
Euston if you like to earn the money, but newbies go into the Preston Link, which was link 5.
LNER...You would go link 1, which is Newcastle and the short jobs are Leeds....I don't mind long haul but can be boring, especially if your busting for a wee.
St Pancras I don't think is not bad, nice work there, so I'm told.
Think carefully....Also the impact with the shifts on your social/family life, but good luck in what ever you choose.