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Greater Anglia Recruiting Trainee Depot Drivers

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ghost

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Trainee train depot drivers wanted at Greater Anglia Ilford and southend depots. Just saw it and it closes for applications in a few days 22/06/12.

good luck
 
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evoice

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As i m very new to this site, can anyone let me know what is the difference between a depot and a mainline driver. (depot driver especially). What kind of task does it do?
Any idea will be very helpful for me to step into this industry.
 

bezzer

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As i m very new to this site, can anyone let me know what is the difference between a depot and a mainline driver. (depot driver especially). What kind of task does it do?
Any idea will be very helpful for me to step into this industry.

Depot drivers spend their time in the depots, including train formation and safety checks, taking trains through the wash, shunting and other depot duties . They don't get out ono the mainline and drive passenger trains and often drive trains at 5mph max. There can be a lot of sitting around when trains are out on service and then gets busy late nights early mornings.

The way Greater Anglia works is quite strange.

On the Great Eastern Side (Ilford, Gidea Park, Southend, Clacton, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich etc) all trainees begin as Depot drivers . You can spend quite a bit if time as a depot driver depnding on where you are located awaiting a mainline drivers position to come up. You join the bottom of a list and work your way up if you want to go mainline. You then need to do more traning before they let you out on the mian line.

On the West Anglia side [/B](Chingford, Hertford, Enfield, Bishops Stortford, Cambridge, Stansted Airport) you go straight in as a mainline driver, driving passenger trains. The training is a lot longer than the depot driver training.

Hope that helps.:p
 

slick

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Scotland
Depot drivers spend their time in the depots, including train formation and safety checks, taking trains through the wash, shunting and other depot duties . They don't get out ono the mainline and drive passenger trains and often drive trains at 5mph max. There can be a lot of sitting around when trains are out on service and then gets busy late nights early mornings.

The way Greater Anglia works is quite strange.

On the Great Eastern Side (Ilford, Gidea Park, Southend, Clacton, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich etc) all trainees begin as Depot drivers . You can spend quite a bit if time as a depot driver depnding on where you are located awaiting a mainline drivers position to come up. You join the bottom of a list and work your way up if you want to go mainline. You then need to do more traning before they let you out on the mian line.

On the West Anglia side [/B](Chingford, Hertford, Enfield, Bishops Stortford, Cambridge, Stansted Airport) you go straight in as a mainline driver, driving passenger trains. The training is a lot longer than the depot driver training.

Hope that helps.:p


Remember greater anglia was once, WAGN, first great eastern, and anglia railways, and most conditions and working practices are retained from those days, hence the different ways drivers come up through the ranks. WAGN never had depot drivers, which is why chingford, bishops storford, and cambridge is straight in at mainline. Over this side shunting is included in our diagrams.
 

evoice

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thank you bezzer and slick. That was very helpful.
I know to be a train driver, there's thousands of application for a single vacancy. But still wanted to know whether to go for depot or mainline to be a train driver. A bit of gamble may be :idea:
 

bezzer

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thank you bezzer and slick. That was very helpful.
I know to be a train driver, there's thousands of application for a single vacancy. But still wanted to know whether to go for depot or mainline to be a train driver. A bit of gamble may be :idea:

Many people enjoy depot driving and want to do nothing else. It is lower paid than a mainline (quite considerable) and there is no guarantee you will get a mainline job. Some people can wait for years dependant on which depot you go too.

I applied to be a mainline driver and was offered a position but could not take it up so was put on hold. Then depot driver's were advertised and I was in 2minds about whether to apply or to wait for a mainline job to come up. I am glad I waited as I now work on the West Side as a mainline driver.

There is always going to be recruitment going on and the question is can you wait and how much do you want mainline and the money.

Another consideration is where you live and whether you are prepared to move to live within 20 miles of a depot.

Just be aware though if you go through recruitment for depot driver it would not go down well if you then siwtched and went throuhg recruitment if mainline came up. In fact I believe you can't so consider it carefully.
 

evoice

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Thank u again bezzer. I m currently a London bus driver. So I think quitting my job and taking a depot driver would b a gamble as I earn more than a depot driver. I better be patient. Thanks again for ur advice.
 

bezzer

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23 Feb 2011
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East Anglia
Thank u again bezzer. I m currently a London bus driver. So I think quitting my job and taking a depot driver would b a gamble as I earn more than a depot driver. I better be patient. Thanks again for ur advice.

Sounds like a good idea. Keep a regular check on TOC websites as they are recruiting all the time.

All the best
 

Pezza

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5 Apr 2012
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For the Great Eastern side, Ilford, Southend depots etc... is the only route to mainline driver from being a depot driver then moving up? So in effect are these depot drivers vacancies the route to which you need to take to eventually become a mainline driver on the Great Eastern side?

Any idea of the wage once qualified for the depot drivers role, I am presuming that the £24,346 as stated on the website is the "Trainee Depot Driver" pay and will go up once qualified, please correct me if I'm wrong. I can only find mainline drivers wages listed on Aslef and nothing relating to depot driver.
 

bezzer

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East Anglia
For the Great Eastern side, Ilford, Southend depots etc... is the only route to mainline driver from being a depot driver then moving up? So in effect are these depot drivers vacancies the route to which you need to take to eventually become a mainline driver on the Great Eastern side?

Any idea of the wage once qualified for the depot drivers role, I am presuming that the £24,346 as stated on the website is the "Trainee Depot Driver" pay and will go up once qualified, please correct me if I'm wrong. I can only find mainline drivers wages listed on Aslef and nothing relating to depot driver.

Yep, becoming a depot driver is the only way into mainline on the Great Eastern side. Join the list and await your turn.

Salary does go up on qualification but not as big a jump as mainline drivers. I am sure there is a depot driver on this forum who can tell you that.
 

playmore64

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14 Mar 2012
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Hey guys:)

Resurrecting a fairly old tread but I've just been invited for an Assessment with GA as a Depot Driver next week and if I'm honest I'm pretty nervous.

Funny enough I feel pretty confident with the GB, SCAAT and Concentration testing but very anxious with the Mechanical and reading the paragraph testing.

I've ordered some books in relation to pulley's, cogs and levers so going to be studying really hard as this position is my life:)

Anyone here any news?
 

Beveridges

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As i m very new to this site, can anyone let me know what is the difference between a depot and a mainline driver. (depot driver especially). What kind of task does it do?
For my TOC the salary difference between mainline and depot is only 9k but to reach that it goes down for the first year & up in stages & the difference only kicks in after 3 years.
The difference between Depot Driving and Mainline is considerable. I've done Depot Driving at two different Depots, and have also done mainline cab rides to see what mainline is about.
Depot Driving has a lot of other tasks thrown in other than the Driving, as you spend a lot of time ground shunting/pulling points, train preperation for units going into service, theres typically lots more verbal communication involved than mainline (all done by hand held radio), getting on/off lots of different units, Depot Drivers do a lot more couple/uncouple, fault finding, and if its a heavy maintenance depot you'll regularly do moves that are hardly ever done on mainline like propelling, hauling a completely dead unit, splitting units/putting them back together, and moving vehicles from split units. Depot Drivers also fuel and tank at some places, which is a filthy job.
Depot Driving is a lot more working outdoors, and a lot more walking, you probably do 5 to 8 miles of walking per night, and countless times you have to climb up or down units.
Mainline driving requires a lot less physical effort but requires more thinking as your driving most of the time. The Mainline training is a lot longer as theres a lot more rules (related to all the things that could go wrong) and of cause a lot of miles of routes to learn.
On Depot Driving you get instructed what to do by a team leader but on mainline you follow what is written down on a piece of paper called a diagram.
Another large difference is mainline driving is not line of sight driving due to the speed. You have to frequently brake for things before you can see them (signals, stations, reductions in linespeed, etc). Depot Driving is 5mph so is line of sight driving until you get conflicting moves, which you will get all night, then it all comes down to radio communication & deciding how you are going to work around the conflicting moves.
The shifts are different as Depot Driving is mostly night shifts while mainline is normally very early starts or afternoon turns with late finishes.
There are advantages and disadvantages of both roles and some depot drivers would rather stay where they are, while some move to mainline.
 
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playmore64

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A very well constructed and detailed overview of a Depot and Train Driver 'Biveridges' nice one:D
 

Pezza

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Hi all, can anyone confirm how long the training period is for the depot driver roles relevant to these vacancies at Ilford/Southend? I'm presuming it would be somewhat shorter than the mainline training, is that correct? Hence a shorter period before the transition from training salary to full salary.

Also is anyone able to tell what the salary is for these roles once qualified. Does it goes up in stages as I have read it does for a new mainline driver.
 

321446

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15 Nov 2008
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Southend Stations
Hi all, can anyone confirm how long the training period is for the depot driver roles relevant to these vacancies at Ilford/Southend? I'm presuming it would be somewhat shorter than the mainline training, is that correct? Hence a shorter period before the transition from training salary to full salary.

Also is anyone able to tell what the salary is for these roles once qualified. Does it goes up in stages as I have read it does for a new mainline driver.

I joined NXEA in September 2008. After about 2 months at The Academy Stratford, it was off to Ilford to learn Yard & how to handle the various units I would be driving there. Passed out late January 2009. Now sitting at Southend Vic 6th in line from 16th & last when transferred in March 2009, for mainline training, but one of my classmates is out doing his now as he stayed at Ilford. Mainline
Training takes roughly 8-10 months.

Current Depot basic is £24,346. Mainline qualified Depot Driver (up to 200 turns mainline) is @ £32. Full Mainline is, I think in the region of £43k. Sundays extra on ex G. E. side.
 
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Pezza

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Current Depot basic is £24,346. Mainline qualified Depot Driver (up to 200 turns mainline) is @ £32. Full Mainline is, I think in the region of £43k. Sundays extra on ex G. E. side.

Thanks 321446, I'm just a bit confused by the terminology. Would a new depot driver start on £24,346 at the start of training and stay on that once passed out? When would it go up from there, or doesn't it? When do you become a 'Mainline qualified Depot Driver (up to 200 turns mainline)' ? is that once you have reached the top of the list and start mainline training?
 

321446

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Depot Driver basic is just that. You stay on that (+Sundays & Rest Days etc) untill you have passed your Mainline training. Then you go on the next rate untill your 200 turns, getting mainline rate for any turns you do. Then after you've clocked the 200, it's full mainline rate.
 

Rjhsteel

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9 May 2011
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That's a lot less than C2C. Basic depot driver on £29k now. Mainline was 37k but they just had a pay rise so probably £38-39k now.
 

Paul.S

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18 May 2012
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Lingwood
GA are now advertising for depot drivers in norwich and ipswich. salary is approx £15,500 while training, going up to £25,500 when qualified
 

Beveridges

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Depot Driver rates seem suprisingly low in the south east. In Northern its a 30k basic and you go straight onto it, none of this rubbish about starting on a lower salary while training. The fact that houses are cheaper in the north of England than the south east makes the salary difference even more apparant.
 

badassunicorn

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8 Jul 2012
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Hey! I've been invited to the assesment day on 20th August and i can't wait! I currently live in Plymouth so its a big move for me if i get it! I have a couple of questions if anyone has the answers?
Firstly, is it mainly nightshifts? As its London based do you get the free underground and bus travel like other London Transport based jobs?
Thanks =)
 

Beveridges

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Depot Driver roles are nearly always mostly night shift based. But look on the positive side, at least it means you don't have to do hardly any early shifts.
 

badassunicorn

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oh yeah, night shifts don't bother me at all! Used to work nights for Royal Mail sorting letters into pigeon holes for 8 hours (dullest job in the world prove!)
 

Beveridges

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If you like nights then depot driving may be exactly the role for you. However the training can be very hard and the first few months or more on a depot can be very tough.
 
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badassunicorn

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yeah I bet! I'm fully determined to get this job and do well at it! Screwing my old "Royal Navy Officer Cadet" hat back on =D One question that may sound obvious or stupid, but what are most TOC's policies on piercings and tattoos? I would of course take all my piercings out for the interviews and everything, but what about after supposing I got the job?
Kind regards,
Eliott
 

321446

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Think you are allowed 2 studs in ear, but no other visible piercings. Tats on arms should be covered, but most managers don't seem to bothered. Suppose cos they can be covered up by jacket etc Facial, head, neck are right out. Not sure about ones on hands tho!P
 

Pezza

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5 Apr 2012
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Hi All, just looking for a little advise on the medical for this role which I have coming up. I'm fairly fit and healthy and not worried about it but just wondering if anyone knows about how strict are the rules on the blood pressure. Mine seems a little high averaging around 128/90. This is probably caused by being a little overweight, BMI is 28.8 today but coming down, a little too much enjoyment of the food lately. I don't drink or smoke and eyesight/hearing etc are okay so should be alright but I was surprised to see my readings on the blood pressure.
 
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