Lumo - Qualified Driver - Newcastle (17/01/24)

[RollingStock19]

Qualified Customer Driver - Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom

Who are we? Lumo, is an Open Access train company who provide regular, cost-effective, 100% electric train travel between London and Edinburgh as an alternative to flying that is great value, kinder to the environment and just as time effective as taking a domestic flight. Our people are key to...

careers.firstgroup.co.uk

 

[Auc17069866]

Amazing ! Does anyone know about the pension scheme, basic pay and the possibility for RDW?

 

[Train_manager]

Amazing ! Does anyone know about the pension scheme.

It's stated in the ad.

• Defined Contribution Pension Scheme – We will pay in a minimum of 10% (5% employee contribution and 5% employer contribution) to a maximum total contribution of 20%.

 

[43066]

It's stated in the ad.

• Defined Contribution Pension Scheme – We will pay in a minimum of 10% (5% employee contribution and 5% employer contribution) to a maximum total contribution of 20%.

Just to confirm, is this part of the railway pension that people working for TOCs benefit from (looks like it isn’t)?

I suspect that is what was being asked about.

 

[357]

Short shifts meaning lots of days at work, no union, and lots of lodging according to a Lumo driver I spoke to at KGX a while back.

Has any of that changed?

 

[Train_manager]

Just to confirm, is this part of the railway pension that people working for TOCs benefit from (looks like it isn’t)?

I suspect that is what was being asked about.

No it's not part of the RPS. It's a basic DC scheme (Money purchase)

 

[Class2ldn]

The amount of lodging alone they do would put me off.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

If I was young free and single then the lodging would be fine. I think I’m too sly old and foxlike these days to put up with it.

 

[FrankOwen]

"We will pay in a minimum of 10% (5% employee contribution and 5% employer contribution)"

So Lumo actually pay in a minimum of 5%?

 

[baz962]

If I was young free and single then the lodging would be fine. I think I’m too sly old and foxlike these days to put up with it.

Surely if you are married it's better

 

[74A]

"We will pay in a minimum of 10% (5% employee contribution and 5% employer contribution)"

So Lumo actually pay in a minimum of 5%?

I read it if you put in more up to 10% they will match it

 

[Sly Old Fox]

Surely if you are married it's better

Maybe if you live in Newcastle, not so much if you’re relocating from the south west!

 

[RollingStock19]

Short shifts meaning lots of days at work, no union, and lots of lodging according to a Lumo driver I spoke to at KGX a while back.

Has any of that changed?

Union - Lumo is now ASLEF recognised. The agreement was signed just a few weeks ago. So early stages of setting the union up.

Lots of days at work - I feel I have a decent work-life balance. I've just been on a few days of London and back, so not sure that's a short day. There are short days, there are long days, there are day jobs, nightshifts and lodges.

Lots of lodging - I've got one this week, one next. Other than that, day jobs. You can do up to 3 in a row sometimes, but if lodging isn't for you then prob best not apply.

The amount of lodging alone they do would put me off.

Do you know for definite the amount of lodging or just hear say?

Just to confirm, is this part of the railway pension that people working for TOCs benefit from (looks like it isn’t)?

I suspect that is what was being asked about.

No, its not part of RPS. I cant see any new start company offering RPS.

 

[whoosh]

I'm guessing FirstGroup pension scheme, same as the buses? (Isn't that who the Hull Trains pension is part of as well?)

The lodging could be viewed as "time away from home and family" and be a negative, or "not disturbing the family getting up at silly o'clock," and having more quality evenings at home (without having to go to bed before the kids). Maybe <devil's advocate>.

There was some discussion here about their shifts: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/lumo-qualified-driver-talent-pool-newcastle-04-04-22.231280/

How many weeks is the roster? And how many rest days are there? From the other thread, I gather there is a double Newcastle to Edinburgh return, and a Newcastle to Edinburgh to Craigentinny and return nightshift that are quite long, but the other shifts seem pretty short. Is that right?

 

[Towers]

Is it also correct to assume that PRIV passess are not issued, just Firstgroup boxes?

Thank you to @dan4291 for pointing out that the above suggestion is, in fact, completely incorrect - my apologies.

 

[Crazyb]

I'm not sure why people are so against lodges....We lodged at Freightliner Intermodal for over 20 years, sometimes 2 a week. We did get payments from them, either 3 or or 5 hours pay with everything paid for..They were the best days of my life.....As much as I love my family, I had no school runs, no swimming pool trips, no ironing school uniforms, and a bed to myself (lovely)

Pending times of the lodges, I visted museums, Local football matches, site seeing and other stuff...lol

If I had to lodge again with my present TOC, i would be the first to put my name down.

 

[ainsworth74]

Do you know for definite the amount of lodging or just hear say?

I can't speak to the amount of lodging specifically but there is definitely lodge turns on Lumo. Recall that they don't have a London or Edinburgh base the entire operation works from Newcastle so lodging is essential to delivering the timetable.

 

[dan4291]

Is it also correct to assume that PRIV passess are not issued, just Firstgroup boxes?

No. Lumo staff get Priv passes, just like any other passenger TOC, plus the First Group boxes.

 

[306024]

I can't speak to the amount of lodging specifically but there is definitely lodge turns on Lumo. Recall that they don't have a London or Edinburgh base the entire operation works from Newcastle so lodging is essential to delivering the timetable.

If you knew the lodging rules and the maximum diagram length it shouldn’t be too hard to have an educated guess at the diagrams. Just work out the unit diagrams from RTT and then allocate crew diagrams, it is all based off Newcastle. Whether you’d be right of course is another matter.

 

[RollingStock19]

I can't speak to the amount of lodging specifically but there is definitely lodge turns on Lumo. Recall that they don't have a London or Edinburgh base the entire operation works from Newcastle so lodging is essential to delivering the timetable.

Sorry it came across wrong. I wasnt asking the question to see how many lodges they did, I was more getting at how the original poster knew about the number of lodges or was just basing their comment on here say.

I work there, so I know how the lodging works

If you knew the lodging rules and the maximum diagram length it shouldn’t be too hard to have an educated guess at the diagrams. Just work out the unit diagrams from RTT and then allocate crew diagrams, it is all based off Newcastle. Whether you’d be right of course is another matter.

I wouldn't use the unit diagrams, we sometimes swap drivers at the station to go onto lodge/off lodge.
Lodges can be anything from 9hrs to roughly 18hrs.

 

[306024]

I wouldn't use the unit diagrams, we sometimes swap drivers at the station to go onto lodge/off lodge.
Lodges can be anything from 9hrs to roughly 18hrs.

Indeed, I wasn’t suggesting the crew just stuck with the unit, but once you see what the units do you know what you have to cover.

 

[Towers]

No. Lumo staff get Priv passes, just like any other passenger TOC, plus the First Group boxes.

Ah, I thought Open Access didn’t! I’m very happy to stand corrected on that!

I have amended my original post accordingly.

 

[357]

I was more getting at how the original poster knew about the number of lodges or was just basing their comment on here say.

If you're asking about me it was from a conversation with a Lumo driver.

 

[Class2ldn]

Union - Lumo is now ASLEF recognised. The agreement was signed just a few weeks ago. So early stages of setting the union up.

Lots of days at work - I feel I have a decent work-life balance. I've just been on a few days of London and back, so not sure that's a short day. There are short days, there are long days, there are day jobs, nightshifts and lodges.

Lots of lodging - I've got one this week, one next. Other than that, day jobs. You can do up to 3 in a row sometimes, but if lodging isn't for you then prob best not apply.



Do you know for definite the amount of lodging or just hear say?



No, its not part of RPS. I cant see any new start company offering RPS.

I know someone who works there so not hearsay no and to me 1 lodge turn is more then I'd want to be doing.
Obviously it varies but its not a roster I'd like to be on , if it suits you happy days.
Swings and roundabouts but definitely not for me.

 

[43066]

I think you should apply. Newcastle would suit me. I mean you it would suit you.

It’s bad enough going to the midlands
and South Yorkshire. Newcastle is too far north .

Union - Lumo is now ASLEF recognised. The agreement was signed just a few weeks ago. So early stages of setting the union up.

Okay thanks. I know there was some bad feeling around a couple of the high profile incidents, so it’s good that’s been put to one side.

Lots of lodging - I've got one this week, one next. Other than that, day jobs. You can do up to 3 in a row sometimes, but if lodging isn't for you then prob best not apply.

No, its not part of RPS. I cant see any new start company offering RPS.

True re. RPS, but that (along with lodging) will likely put many qualified drivers off, even if the headline salary were to be much higher (£75k+ as on some freight operators).

I suppose it’s just possible that preserving the railway pension for qualified drivers who join from elsewhere might make business sense, if it means less expense in terms of LUMO not having to train up their own trainees. I don’t know enough about pensions to know whether that would be possible.

Overall it’s good that there are more opportunities opening outside the traditional TOCs.

 

[RollingStock19]

If you're asking about me it was from a conversation with a Lumo driver.

It depends on A) your feelings on lodges, B) your life outside of work and C) what lines youre working on the link that week.

 

[357]

It depends on A) your feelings on lodges, B) your life outside of work and C) what lines youre working on the link that week.

How does the feelings on lodges and life outside work affect the number of lodges in the link?

 

[Yfg132]

I'm not sure why people are so against lodges....We lodged at Freightliner Intermodal for over 20 years, sometimes 2 a week. We did get payments from them, either 3 or or 5 hours pay with everything paid for..They were the best days of my life.....As much as I love my family, I had no school runs, no swimming pool trips, no ironing school uniforms, and a bed to myself (lovely)

Pending times of the lodges, I visted museums, Local football matches, site seeing and other stuff...lol

If I had to lodge again with my present TOC, i would be the first to put my name down.

Best days of your life, don't let your wife or kids see this!

Personally I like being involved with all the 'chores' that comes with having kids, that's half the fun of having a family right.

No driving job is a bad one. Personally unless I was desperate to relocate or it was to get my key, it would be my last choice of operator down to the lodging and pension. But as said earlier, it is still a great number.

 

[Evolution]

Do Lumo drivers do "other duties" when travelling pass? I know there were talks of ticket checking when they first launched as part of the role.

It is probably a decent role for someone working DOO looking to get into an Intercity role, or freight drivers. Wouldn't imagine they would tempt many drivers from any of the other Intercity TOCs or Northern.

 

[357]

Do Lumo drivers do "other duties" when travelling pass? I know there were talks of ticket checking when they first launched as part of the role.

It is probably a decent role for someone working DOO looking to get into an Intercity role, or freight drivers. Wouldn't imagine they would tempt many drivers from any of the other Intercity TOCs or Northern.

Again, just from my conversation with a driver at Kings Cross, they help clean the train.

One of their diagrams IIRC is the last train to London, onto the depot, clean train and wait. Take train to KGX for an early Northbound departure and once the driver has taken them off at about 7/8am they get to their hotel.