Journey - Greater Anglia Trainee Driver

[OneLowban]

Hi all, I have been asked to make a journey thread so here it is. I haven't done anything like this before so sorry if it's not everything you would expect.

So I started last week (8th) with Greater Anglia as a trainee driver, really exciting stuff. Monday - Thursday was a corporate induction mainly and we got to see the control centre and one of the depots. Friday we were off.

This week just gone (15th) we started PTS (Personal Track Safety) learning on Monday and Tuesday and had a written assessment on Wednesday, which I passed.

We then started to look at safety systems on the railway and how they came about such as signals, AWS, TPWS and others on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday.

Then Friday we visited Southend Vic for a practical assessment on PTS and to also get a first hand look at all of the other stuff we learned in the classroom.

So far I'm loving it, looking forward to learning and doing more.

If anyone has any tips for this kind of thread feel free, or to let me know what to or what not to include. I will try to update as much as I can.

 

[BallastMonkey]

Thank you OneLowban! I for one will thoroughly enjoy reading your journey and I'm sure many others will share the same thoughts!

Did the PTS cover both third rail and OHL?

 

[OneLowban]

Thank you OneLowban! I for one will thoroughly enjoy reading your journey and I'm sure many others will share the same thoughts!

Did the PTS cover both third rail and OHL?

Yes PTS included both of those although I think we were told they don't use third rail but did learn about it however. It was distances to be from trains/OLE, how to walk around the railway and we also had to learn what all of the OLE was called. (part of assessment too)

 

[BallastMonkey]

Sounds like a lot already, I don't suppose you guys know what class you'll be driving, especially with the new trains coming in!

 

[OneLowban]

Sounds like a lot already, I don't suppose you guys know what class you'll be driving, especially with the new trains coming in!

Yeah it is a lot and the rule book is huge!

Us guys at Cambridge will be signing Class 317 and 379 I've been told. The new trains should be coming into service next year and the whole fleet changed by the back end of 2020 I believe. Exciting times!

 

[BallastMonkey]

Strange how the railway works, cheaper to replace a whole working fleet with a new one :/

 

[OneLowban]

Yes, £1.4bn

 

[ZNB12]

Yeah, which none of them will be delivered on time with Crossrail behind schedule. Plus coming public about abellio now, £80 million bail out by the ducth taxes payers.

 

[Pilotman]

Hi OnelowBan

If it helps the following site proved very useful for me when i trained to become a driver, it includes most rule modules. Best of all its free. Also nice to test yourself on the online tests ready for assessment days.

https://uktrainingsolutions.com

 

[Set_DRA]

Yeah, which none of them will be delivered on time with Crossrail behind schedule. Plus coming public about abellio now, £80 million bail out by the ducth taxes payers.

The Stadler Units are still Ontime.

 

[Set_DRA]

Yes, £1.4bn

Not brought outright, only leased!

 

[OneLowban]

Hi OnelowBan

If it helps the following site proved very useful for me when i trained to become a driver, it includes most rule modules. Best of all its free. Also nice to test yourself on the online tests ready for assessment days.

https://uktrainingsolutions.com

Thanks for that.

The Stadler Units are still Ontime. Only the Bombardier Units are delayed (surprise surprise ).

We wait with anticitipation the outcome of the proposed harmonisation deal, and the fallout from the bailout.

I heard no one wants the harmonisation, especially the west, is that true?

Not brought outright, only leased!

Still, £1.4bn nonetheless.

Also, I now understand your username lol.

 

[Set_DRA]

Thanks for that.


I heard no one wants the harmonisation, especially the west, is that true?


Still, £1.4bn nonetheless.

Also, I now understand your username lol.

ive no imagination so this is the best I could think of

 

[OneLowban]

Nobody on the West wants it- that’s correct. Things are very tense at the depot at the moment.

Ahh good! I have no imagination so this is the best I could think of

Is it because the salary would inscrease regardless of harmonisation or not, but the Ts & Cs would be worse?

Lol it's a good name.

 

[ZNB12]

Terms are a joke what they trying to offer us.

 

[Set_DRA]

.......

 

[Gooner18]

Good luck onelowban , seems you’re doing a brilliant job already !

Sorry for hijaking your thread but What’s all this harmonisation about ? I am thinking of joining GA as a depot driver at illford

 

[OneLowban]

Thanks mate.

Basically I understand it as a higher base wage with worse terms and conditions.

Anyone else with any more info feel free to add.

Been looking at a few different things this week, saw the cab layout etc Wednesday and today should be moving a train in the depot for the first time!

 

[Gooner18]

Exciting times

From what I have just read its scotrail that's losing money

 

[BallastMonkey]

How's this week been?

 

[Set_DRA]

Thanks mate.

Basically I understand it as a higher base wage with worse terms and conditions.

Anyone else with any more info feel free to add.

Been looking at a few different things this week, saw the cab layout etc Wednesday and today should be moving a train in the depot for the first time!

Nice one

 

[Gooner18]

So I presume different depots have different shift patterns and different wage/ bonus set ups , harmonisation would put everyone to the same schedule ? The illford depot seem to have a really good rota at the moment, I presume that will all change ?
Also is the final wage pension set up still safe ?

 

[Set_DRA]

So I presume different depots have different shift patterns and different wage/ bonus set ups , harmonisation would put everyone to the same schedule ? The illford depot seem to have a really good rota at the moment, I presume that will all change ?
Also is the final wage pension set up still safe ?

.........

 

[Gooner18]

Ohh ok , but they might swing the other way and bring EA up to WA terms ?
Or has it already been decided it would go the other way with WA getting EA money and EA terms , what ever they may be

 

[Dave1987]

So the company is divided into 2 regions.

West Anglia- LST,BIS and CBG
East Anglia is everywhere else.

There is a huge gap already between East and West conditions wise. With WA having far better terms.

Pay wise the East is around £2000pa more than us but have literally zero terms.

So if harmonisation were to come through we would lose our terms and gain very little.

Incorrect. It’s three separate areas. West Anglia, Anglia and GE. All three have separate terms and conditions, all with their pros and cons.

 

[OneLowban]

Yeah I have heard all of the above but with no real clue as I am fresh to GA. Hopefully it all sorts out.

As of this week, very interesting. Learned more about signals and signs, the amount of signs on the railway is madness.

Also learned about temporary speed restrictions, level crossings etc where there is AWS and TPWS in place.

We watched a few videos and RED ones about how unsafe the railway used to be and what safety measures have been put in place as well as some on how to prevent SPADs.

The highlight of the week was definately today though, actually driving the train! (5mph in the yard but loads of fun)

Next week we are having a depot induction then the rest of the week (I think) front end turn cab experiences with the professionals.

 

[BallastMonkey]

Are you guys going through the rule book and presentations?

No way yous are already doing depot shunts this early on? What class and depot was this in? Must of been a feeling, I bet all of yous had grins for the rest of the day

Next week are you guys being split up and sent to your respective depots for the introduction and for the front end cabs or does it all happen in one central depot?

 

[OneLowban]

We are yes. Presentations with reference to for revision the relevant module in the rule book.

It’s because we were supposed to do it in the simulators but I think they are in the process of changing to the new ones so aren’t ready, so we got the real thing instead.

It was in a 4 car Class 321 at Southend Victoria. Indeed it was a great feeling!

Yes next week we are each going to our own depots and assigned a driver to go with. Looking forward to it!

 

[Set_DRA]

Incorrect. It’s three separate areas. West Anglia, Anglia and GE. All three have separate terms and conditions, all with their pros and cons.

Apologies yes there are 3 areas. On the West it’s just grouped as “East”.

 

[Gooner18]

Posted in wrong thread