dan4291
Member
First UK Careers
First UK Careers, uk, careers, jobs, bus driver, train driver, engineer
www.firstgroupcareers.com
£61,500 basic. Brand new company with a new contract so obviously no special pay for Sundays etc.What’s the salary at lumo?
No, just a daft title.What is a "customer" driver.
Is this one of those multiskilled roles where you end up working inside the train instead of travelling pass or something
This did not end up being the case.I was told by them that all Lumo staff including drivers and office staff are trained up as "ambassadors" so they can "help out" if need be.
But is it an rpmi one?It's a contribution-based pension. i.e. you pay 5% and they pay 5% into a pot, and you can do what you like with it as long as it stays locked away until 10 years before your state pension age.
If you don't mind lodge jobs then many of the shifts are quite short so may be favourable compared to some of the more intensive work at other TOCs.
It's a contribution-based pension. i.e. you pay 5% and they pay 5% into a pot, and you can do what you like with it as long as it stays locked away until 10 years before your state pension age. When you retire you have three main options which are to buy an annuity which exchanges your money for an annual payment for the rest of your life, income drawdown where your pension stays invested and you draw some of it each year, and taking it all out as cash but obviously with a large tax charge. It's also possible to mix these options together.
Out of curiosity do you know what the turns are actually like? I’m assuming maybe Newcastle to Edinburgh, Edinburgh to London, lodge and maybe London to Edinburgh, Edinburgh to Newcastle the day after?Quite a large variety of people have joined. Ex-freight like you say but also some from Metro, TPE or relocating from other parts of the country. If you don't mind lodge jobs then many of the shifts are quite short so may be favourable compared to some of the more intensive work at other TOCs.
A normal week would see either 1 or 2 lodges. Accommodation is chain hotels.
As for the work, there's no shifts where you'd drive the whole length of the ECML. A few where you travel pass for part of it and then drive again later. But a lot of shifts only have about 6 hours total driving time, some even less.
I've also heard of a few people who have joined because they want express work. I think there are a handful of places that require or prefer experience of high speed driving e.g. Eurostar.
Okay, so let’s look at that in detail, if you don’t mind?
Which hotel chains specifically? How long is a typical lodge turn? Can you clarify what a lodge term consists of and give some examples of book on/off times?
I assume Hidden has at least been adopted(?), despite the “disruption of industry norms”, so you must either be doing one or two night shifts every week (ie work out, wait around, work back within 12 hours). Or you must be working out, doing a day “down route” and then working back the next day?
Either way, once or twice per week = almost half the week away from home and/or too knackered to function? For £60k, with no pension?
There are no train drivers anywhere who would drive the length of the ECML in a single turn. Most TOCs have shifts that are less than six hours driving, including night shifts which are grouped and come around every few weeks - not nights away from home once or twice per week!
People often get very defensive of LUMO on these threads but, I’m sorry, based on your descriptions, I can’t see how this is anything other than a terrible offering for any qualified driver.
If I’ve got anything above wrong, feel free to correct me!
I was told by them that all Lumo staff including drivers and office staff are trained up as "ambassadors" so they can "help out" if need be.
I doubt it'll placate you much, but in the interests of giving potential applicants an honest look so they can make their own mind up, then why notOkay, so let’s look at that in detail, if you don’t mind?
I don't see the need to give away specific hotel chains but we're not talking bargain basement party hostels. Also, spending 1 or 2 (or often zero) nights away in a comfortable room does not leave me feeling 'too knackered to function', why would it?once or twice per week = almost half the week away from home and/or too knackered to function?
My comment about that was more addressed to Dieseldriver in post #16, I should've been more clear.There are no train drivers anywhere who would drive the length of the ECML in a single turn
I'm not saying it's the greatest job on the railway by any means, but I think you underestimate how attractive this is to those who are e.g. currently driving on the T&W Metro (or other urban routes with antisocial behaviour problems), stuck on permanent lates/nights on freight, or simply fancy a change from buzzing about in a clapped out DMU to driving modern traction on a 'prestige' route.If I’ve got anything above wrong, feel free to correct me!
You don't need to have no home life to be fine with spending a 0-2 nights a week in a hotel. It suits some just fine, and not others, and I'd suggest any that don't like the idea don't apply for the job!As already stated by others, its a way to get your key however unless you don't have much of a home life or are desperate to relocate / forced out of another a TOC or FOC for SOL incidents or misconduct it shouldn't really attract any qualifieds IMO. Still a good job not doubt about that but worst or a good bunch.
Am I reading that right, off duty at KGX at 2300 and back on shift at 0830, including travel to and from the hotel, an evening meal and breakfast?
For those saying don't like it don't apply, that's probably why people are giving there insight in the comments with pros and cons and then those reading and enquiring can then make the decision on to apply or not.
What were your reasons behind joining LUMO if you don't mind me asking?
I'm sure there are loads of drivers who wouldn't mind a couple of nights away from their other half, and presume dinner and breakfast included.
Isn't that breaking hidden though. If you book off 23.00 you shouldn't book on until 11.00 am . Or am I reading this wrong.Yes and No, are you thinking the travel times to hotels are on top? on and off duty times start/finish at hotels.
Its around 2300... and this is including taxi times etc.. I'm often back at the hotel around 2200ish as we often get out to the depot early, 0830 is the taxi pick up time the next morning.
I guess its all about how you chose to manage your time though, as I dont start till after 5pm I eat dinner before I leave the house, I dont live far from town so my journey to work is only 20 mins. I take a snack for the drive down. Get a decent amount of sleep in the hotel... get up for breakfast in the morning then out the door into the taxi.
7hrs work over two days, I dont think thats bad at all. A lot of people do longer shifts than that in one day. Again, each to their own though.
Yes, but then there are those who choose to just be negative about the T&Cs and the pension/salary etc when they actually know very little about it. They are the ones who should maybe be asking the questions for factual info rather than a case of "I've heard this or I've heard that"
Yes, you're right. Breakfast is always included. There is an allowance for dinner. You can either eat in the hotel and its auto billed to the company or you can eat out and claim it back. Upto you.
Isn't that breaking hidden though. If you book off 23.00 you shouldn't book on until 11.00 am . Or am I reading this wrong.
Decent chains, not basic hotels like Premier Inn or Travelodge.
Which one charges for wifi ?Steady now, Premier Inn are decent
Travelodge are awful