LNER train manager

[Brett himself]

Morning all!

I was wondering if anyone can give me some information of the train mamager role at LNER?
Is it diffrent from a conductor and also what are rhe conditions like to other TOCs?

Thanks!!

 

[jymiee]

It’s LNER’s equivalent of the guard/conductor role. Different depots have different rosters so hard to say what the work/life balance is like. At my depot it’s amazing - lots of time off often 6 days in a row without using holidays. Salary just shy of £40k once qualified training takes around 4 months and the job it’s now an apprenticeship so there’s a little bit of classroom work to do relating to that.

LNER seem to usually only recruit internally for TM positions however. The odd one may come up here and there on the external vacancies website but for each one on there there will probably have been 20+ recruited internally. Tends to be platform staff, ticket office staff and on board catering staff that progress to this role so if you fancy it and no jobs are available consider applying for these.

 

[Driver068]

LNER Careers

LNER Careers, Jobs, Search and Apply

lnerjobs.co.uk

Advert here for the role in question - Leeds/Doncaster if any use for you.

 

[Brett himself]

It’s LNER’s equivalent of the guard/conductor role. Different depots have different rosters so hard to say what the work/life balance is like. At my depot it’s amazing - lots of time off often 6 days in a row without using holidays. Salary just shy of £40k once qualified training takes around 4 months and the job it’s now an apprenticeship so there’s a little bit of classroom work to do relating to that.

LNER seem to usually only recruit internally for TM positions however. The odd one may come up here and there on the external vacancies website but for each one on there there will probably have been 20+ recruited internally. Tends to be platform staff, ticket office staff and on board catering staff that progress to this role so if you fancy it and no jobs are available consider applying for these.

Thanks for the info, i already work as a guard for a TOC. So was wondering what the differance in the role was!

 

[Horizon22]

Not a huge difference, just a change in name really and tends to me used more for inter-city TOCs where there are likely to be other on-board staff (catering, revenue etc).

 

[Scotrail84]

Thanks for the info, i already work as a guard for a TOC. So was wondering what the differance in the role was!

You will constantly be dealing with stag/hen/football/rugby fans nearly every weekend you work and you're stuck on the train with them for hours at a time. Bear that in mind mate.

 

[Jaguar]

Just noticed it mentioned this on the advert. “

• You'll be qualified in CIEH Level 2 Food Hygiene or equivalent. “

Does this mean you can’t progress in the application without this? Sounds like it’s a role for someone already doing a very similar role.

 

[falcon]

Just noticed it mentioned this on the advert. “

• You'll be qualified in CIEH Level 2 Food Hygiene or equivalent. “

Does this mean you can’t progress in the application without this? Sounds like it’s a role for someone already doing a very similar role.

You don't need that to apply. They will train you.

But remember it is not a conductor/guards job. It is Train Manager, responsible for the catering throught the entier train. Collection of revenue from catering and if staff shortage occure you will be pushing a trolley through the first class to make sure the catering offer you are responsible for is delivered.

 

[skyhigh]

Just noticed it mentioned this on the advert. “

• You'll be qualified in CIEH Level 2 Food Hygiene or equivalent. “

Does this mean you can’t progress in the application without this? Sounds like it’s a role for someone already doing a very similar role.

You don't need that to apply. They will train you.

Even so, if you feel it might help your application, you can pay £25+VAT and do the qualification yourself. It's not a hard one to obtain.

E.g. https://healthandsafetycourse.co.uk/courses/e-learning/cieh-food-safety-level-2-in-catering/

 

[Jaguar]

Thank you for this, very helpful, out of interest have you completed this course? If so roughly how long does it take to complete?

Even so, if you feel it might help your application, you can pay £25+VAT and do the qualification yourself. It's not a hard one to obtain.

E.g. https://healthandsafetycourse.co.uk/courses/e-learning/cieh-food-safety-level-2-in-catering/

 

[jymiee]

You don't need that to apply. They will train you.

But remember it is not a conductor/guards job. It is Train Manager, responsible for the catering throught the entier train. Collection of revenue from catering and if staff shortage occure you will be pushing a trolley through the first class to make sure the catering offer you are responsible for is delivered.

That’s not very accurate. Although the job role description contains a lot of catering related stuff and yes you are the leader of the crew on board your main duties are fulfilling the role of the guard. You’ll see yourself dispatching the train, liasing with driver and control, revenue duties, making PA announcements, monitoring conditions and faults on board, reacting to emergency situations and assisting passengers to name a few. Pushing a trolley through first class isn’t one of them regardless if the train is short staffed or not. It’s true that TMs used to collect cash from the catering crew to pay in but LNER catering is cashless now.

 

[skyhigh]

Thank you for this, very helpful, out of interest have you completed this course? If so roughly how long does it take to complete?

I did a similar one for a completely different role a few years ago. It took less than an afternoon to complete.

 

[falcon]

That’s not very accurate. Although the job role description contains a lot of catering related stuff and yes you are the leader of the crew on board your main duties are fulfilling the role of the guard. You’ll see yourself dispatching the train, liasing with driver and control, revenue duties, making PA announcements, monitoring conditions and faults on board, reacting to emergency situations and assisting passengers to name a few. Pushing a trolley through first class isn’t one of them regardless if the train is short staffed or not. It’s true that TMs used to collect cash from the catering crew to pay in but LNER catering is cashless now.

I am sorry to tell you that it is accurate.Because David Horn expects nothing less and it is part of the Train Managers contract.

The applicant should expect to assist with the first class service if required. I would not advise saying you would not at any interview.

A train from Kings Cross first stop Doncaster/York has plenty of time to assist with the catering services, which are the responsibility of the Train Manager. The guard/ conductor role was completely restructured circa 2017.

 

[jymiee]

I am sorry to tell you that it is accurate.Because David Horn expects nothing less and it is part of the Train Managers contract.

The applicant should expect to assist with the first class service if required. I would not advise saying you would not at any interview.

A train from Kings Cross first stop Doncaster/York has plenty of time to assist with the catering services, which are the responsibility of the Train Manager. The guard/ conductor role was completely restructured circa 2017.

Have you read the role profile on the LNER careers website? It (correctly) has no mention of assisting with the catering service, just leading the team that deliver it.

 

[Horizon22]

I am sorry to tell you that it is accurate.Because David Horn expects nothing less and it is part of the Train Managers contract.

The applicant should expect to assist with the first class service if required. I would not advise saying you would not at any interview.

A train from Kings Cross first stop Doncaster/York has plenty of time to assist with the catering services, which are the responsibility of the Train Manager. The guard/ conductor role was completely restructured circa 2017.

However fundamentally a Train Manager will be responsible for the safety and welfare of passengers on board, and the first focus will be safe dispatch of trains. This will trump providing first class service if one has to be lost, although all being well they may potentially assist.