Freight Railways

[Dodge-Slant-6]

I have several questions about working for freight rail companies, and if any of you can provide me with answers, I'd be much obliged.

-Is it true most jobs working for freight-carrying railways are at night?

-What is the largest freight railway company centred in the NW of England, and Liverpool in particular?

-Which job titles are the best entry-level positions for somebody unskilled/untrained to get into working for the railways at either passenger or freight companies?

-Is getting a job on the railway a rigged game - meaning, the company may advertise for openings, but somebody with an inside connection has already been promised the gig.

Thanks.

 

[GB]

Can't answer all your questions but...

A lot does depend on the area and depot your at as to how many night turns you have. We have about 12 different turns in our link (not including ad-hoc work) and is split pretty evenly. Though thats not to say they are rostered evenly.

Some companies you can apply straight away for trainee driver roles but a good starting point is some kind of shunter grade or even TOPs clerks.

 

[Albatross]

Your best depot for Liverpool is DB Schenker at Warrington.

However they're supposed to be losing men, that said no one really seems to know what's going on at the moment with regard to that but I can say for certain they won't be taking on anytime soon.

 

[Dodge-Slant-6]

Can't answer all your questions but...

A lot does depend on the area and depot your at as to how many night turns you have. We have about 12 different turns in our link (not including ad-hoc work) and is split pretty evenly. Though thats not to say they are rostered evenly.

Some companies you can apply straight away for trainee driver roles but a good starting point is some kind of shunter grade or even TOPs clerks.

Thanks for the reply......Hey, what's a 'TOP Clerk'?.....And is a shunter somebody who hooks up and switches the wagons of the train?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Your best depot for Liverpool is DB Schenker at Warrington.

However they're supposed to be losing men, that said no one really seems to know what's going on at the moment with regard to that but I can say for certain they won't be taking on anytime soon.

Thank-you for the reply. What do you know of Freightliner Railway in Garston? Aren't they supposed to be one of the largest freight railways in Britain?

 

[GB]

TOPS clerks are the people in an office who are responsible for inputting train details into the railway computer systems and distributing *train documents to the train crew.....*that is the paperwork that must be issued to the train preparer who then sign it off and hand it to the driver.

At my place we have a couple of TOPs clerks that are currently undertaking training to become a shunter.

Shunter is a broad term whose responsibilities differ from company to company but in essence they are responsible for coupling/uncoupling, pulling points, train prep, loco prep etc etc.

 

[Dodge-Slant-6]

TOPS clerks are the people in an office who are responsible for inputting train details into the railway computer systems and distributing *train documents to the train crew.....*that is the paperwork that must be issued to the train preparer who then sign it off and hand it to the driver.

At my place we have a couple of TOPs clerks that are currently undertaking training to become a shunter.

Shunter is a broad term whose responsibilities differ from company to company but in essence they are responsible for coupling/uncoupling, pulling points, train prep, loco prep etc etc.

Oh, okay, thanks for clearing that up for me. I understand now.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Why are you only interested in freight?
Northern are the main employer in those parts. I sense a wannabe driver; they are a big recruiter of trainees. Do not be scared of the travelling public.

 

[red2005]

I heard Garston was now first GBRF now anyway?

 

[SkinnyDave]

First no longer own GB Railfreight

 

[GB]

GBRF have one or two car transport services to and from the Ford plant at Garston...as does DBS. But the container terminal at Garston is Freightliner as is the Widnes/Ditton terminal a few miles east.