GWR Train Driver talent pool

[Dtrucker]

Does anyone know when you receive your first pay packet when you start your training? Is it a month in hand?

 

[Stigy]

Who knows? Mindful it is training so there may be a small break. We should know in about a weeks time as the timetable will be sent out.

We had strategically placed front end turns over the August Bank Holiday, one would take an educated assumption this was because most of the trainers do a Monday-Friday week with no public holidays included, but they want their money’s worth out of trainees

I can’t say what it’ll be like over Xmas but obviously Xmas day and Boxing Day will be off (taken out of annual leave?). Christmas Eve isn’t classed as a public holiday, same as New Year’s Eve, although some office workers tend to be off for the whole week. I reckon front end turns for the week as that would make most sense, but do let us know

 

[Stigy]

Does anyone know when you receive your first pay packet when you start your training? Is it a month in hand?

I believe the work a week in arrears? So if you start payday week, you’ll receive 5-weeks pay the following payday. I think that’s how it works anyway.

 

[Dtrucker]

I believe the work a week in arrears? So if you start payday week, you’ll receive 5-weeks pay the following payday. I think that’s how it works anyway.

Ok cool. Thank you mate

 

[tiptoptaff]

Do they train all the days normal through the Xmas period in the classroom except for the Bank Holidays? Just wondering if Xmas Eve will be a full day and the Friday after Boxing day

The group behind the one Stigy and I are a part of have a week of annual leave one side of Christmas, and are booked front end turns over Christmas week. Unless your pre-planned annual leave falls over Christmas you'll be expected to work that week, just maybe not at the training school. That's on paper. What happens in reality at depot is down to your DSMs. For me, (and Stigy) we're now handling and will be expected to work every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. My DSM has said he's happy for us to book Christmas week off, so I'm probably going to do that, if for no reason other than burning up my remaining leave allowance.

 

[387star]

Do gwr staff go free on the sleeper

 

[Daydr3am3r]

We had strategically placed front end turns over the August Bank Holiday, one would take an educated assumption this was because most of the trainers do a Monday-Friday week with no public holidays included, but they want their money’s worth out of trainees

I can’t say what it’ll be like over Xmas but obviously Xmas day and Boxing Day will be off (taken out of annual leave?). Christmas Eve isn’t classed as a public holiday, same as New Year’s Eve, although some office workers tend to be off for the whole week. I reckon front end turns for the week as that would make most sense, but do let us know

Thanks mate. I have a feeling you may be spot on but I’ll let you know when I receive the timetable!!!

 

[tiptoptaff]

Do gwr staff go free on the sleeper

Yes but it's heavily quota controlled

 

[FGW_DID]

Do gwr staff go free on the sleeper

You still have to pay for a berth (if you want one)

 

[Tommy222256]

Thanks mate. I have a feeling you may be spot on but I’ll let you know when I receive the timetable!!!

I have emailed HR, and by all accounts we will be at training leading up to Christmas and then Christmas week we will be at Depot. Obviously this is only through email and wont 100% know until we get the training schedule.

 

[Daydr3am3r]

I have emailed HR, and by all accounts we will be at training leading up to Christmas and then Christmas week we will be at Depot. Obviously this is only through email and wont 100% know until we get the training schedule.

That will be the week of front end turns then!!

 

[tiptoptaff]

That will be the week of front end turns then!!

Indeed. And it'll be an extra week, if it isn't already the week you'd be off front ending anyway

 

[Busandrail]

Quick question. Just signed and sent back my contract. So, is now fairly safe to hand in my notice at my current employer? Now the contract has gone back to Recruitment will I get any further confirmation other than the joining instructions a few weeks before I start?

Thanks

 

[PaulBusDriver]

Quick question. Just signed and sent back my contract. So, is now fairly safe to hand in my notice at my current employer? Now the contract has gone back to Recruitment will I get any further confirmation other than the joining instructions a few weeks before I start?

Thanks

Hope you don't mind me asking but are you a First bus ex employee like myself?
I applied and got in a talent pool, it's reassuring to see another first bus person might've got through from talent pool, what with internals being at the front of the queue

 

[Busandrail]

Hope you don't mind me asking but are you a First bus ex employee like myself?
I applied and got in a talent pool, it's reassuring to see another first bus person might've got through from talent pool, what with internals being at the front of the queue

I am indeed a First bus driver. There is a few on here going from bus to rail it seems. Have faith, you'll get there. it definitly took a while and tbh I'd probably still be waiting if I hadn't of switched pools to a different depot. I'm just glad to be in.

What depot you in the pool for?

 

[PaulBusDriver]

I am indeed a First bus driver. There is a few on here going from bus to rail it seems. Have faith, you'll get there. it definitly took a while and tbh I'd probably still be waiting if I hadn't of switched pools to a different depot. I'm just glad to be in.

What depot you in the pool for?

I'm in at a smaller station, Gloucester

 

[Liam00086]

Quick question. Just signed and sent back my contract. So, is now fairly safe to hand in my notice at my current employer? Now the contract has gone back to Recruitment will I get any further confirmation other than the joining instructions a few weeks before I start?

Thanks

If you have filled out your references and sent back the contract then yes I would hand your notice in, when you fill out the references they send them an email the next day, so if you haven’t handed your notice in then they will know already.

 

[Daydr3am3r]

Hope you don't mind me asking but are you a First bus ex employee like myself?
I applied and got in a talent pool, it's reassuring to see another first bus person might've got through from talent pool, what with internals being at the front of the queue

Hi Paul. I’m completely external with no links to the railway at all, and I start next month! Keep the faith, you will get that offer!

 

[Busandrail]

If you have filled out your references and sent back the contract then yes I would hand your notice in, when you fill out the references they send them an email the next day, so if you haven’t handed your notice in then they will know already.

Haha ideal. I'm back in work tomorrow so will hand my notice in. Everyone at work, managers included have known about me going for a drivers position for ages and know I am leaving so not worried about a surprise email for a reference out of the blue.

Cheers for the reply

 

[Liam00086]

Haha ideal. I'm back in work tomorrow so will hand my notice in. Everyone at work, managers included have known about me going for a drivers position for ages and know I am leaving so not worried about a surprise email for a reference out of the blue.

Cheers for the reply

Haha yeah I was the same I told a couple of people and before I knew it everyone knew.

 

[tiptoptaff]

I'm in at a smaller station, Gloucester

Gloucester is a much bigger station and depot than Par
As a result, there's more proper internals to compete with, hence a longer wait. Penzance is the same, bigger depot than Par so more internals want it. Hence Par was quicker. In the Bristol/Gloucester area, there are a lot of staff for a relatively small number of jobs

 

[PaulBusDriver]

Gloucester is a much bigger station and depot than Par
As a result, there's more proper internals to compete with, hence a longer wait. Penzance is the same, bigger depot than Par so more internals want it. Hence Par was quicker. In the Bristol/Gloucester area, there are a lot of staff for a relatively small number of jobs

Thanks that good to hear

 

[tiptoptaff]

Thanks that good to hear

I meant it'll take longer as you'll have more internals ahead of you

 

[Stigy]

Hope you don't mind me asking but are you a First bus ex employee like myself?
I applied and got in a talent pool, it's reassuring to see another first bus person might've got through from talent pool, what with internals being at the front of the queue

I was external too, and heard relatively quickly. Internal applicants aren’t necessarily prioritised....it depends how people are scored at interview. I guess the only way they’d be prioritised would be if an internal was equally scored to an external candidate and that was the deciding factor?

 

[tiptoptaff]

I was external too, and heard relatively quickly. Internal applicants aren’t necessarily prioritised....it depends how people are scored at interview. I guess the only way they’d be prioritised would be if an internal was equally scored to an external candidate and that was the deciding factor?

Internals ARE prioritised. The lowest scoring internal at interview will be called up before the highest scoring external

 

[Stigy]

Internals ARE prioritised. The lowest scoring internal at interview will be called up before the highest scoring external

That doesn’t make sense if my depot’s recent recruitment was anything to go by.

 

[tiptoptaff]

That doesn’t make sense if my depot’s recent recruitment was anything to go by.

I have pmd you with an explanation for that one

 

[PaulBusDriver]

I meant it'll take longer as you'll have more internals ahead of you

I understand, but it's reassuring to hear that it is considered a bigger depot and in that case I would assume it would have a higher throughput of staff?

 

[Kae]

 

[Liam00086]

Hi all

I passed my MMI with GWR and awaiting date for my DMI. Can anyone advice me what questions they will ask in my DMI please? Thanks guys

Congratulations on getting this far,
I found the DMI was a mixture of what you know about the company(Try and research some things about the depot you have applied too), MMI questions (but didn’t go in as much detail as MMI) And competence based questions.