NorthernRail Trainee drivers 2013

[sw1ller]

Just thought i'd let everyone know that Northern are advertising for trainee drivers at Blackpool.

http://www.northern.engageats.co.uk/

It doesn't look like a trainee position at first glance but I assure you it is. Its too far out for me so good luck to everyone that applies. Hopefully they will advertise Manchester, Liverpool or Wigan soon.

 

[LCC106]

Yes but be quick... Deadline is 30 January!!! Good luck!

 

[Sammy h]

I recently applied for a trainee depot driver and got an email this morning stating that I passed all online tests, but the vacancy was removed. If anything comes up we will let you know.

Hopefully it puts me in good stead for this vacancy. We shall see.

 

[LCC106]

Ooh yes, Sammy h. I'd recommend you contact them asap to ask though, since you may need to apply online with it being a different vacancy. Keep us posted.

 

[Beveridges]

I recently applied for a trainee depot driver and got an email this morning stating that I passed all online tests, but the vacancy was removed

Depot Driving roles are extremely hard to come by as an external. Vacancies are rare and when they do appear they tend to get withdrawn very often.

 

[Redmatador]

Just thought i'd let everyone know that Northern are advertising for trainee drivers at Blackpool.

http://www.northern.engageats.co.uk/

It doesn't look like a trainee position at first glance but I assure you it is. Its too far out for me so good luck to everyone that applies. Hopefully they will advertise Manchester, Liverpool or Wigan soon.

Does anybody know how close you have to be to blackpool to apply for this job?
Well done for the heads up sw1ller!

 

[playmore64]

@ Red: It's normally a 30 mile radius rule but don't quote me on that however most TOCs use that rule.

Strange how they advertised it as just a 'Driver' perhaps to confuse people but then again the description says it all.

Good luck to all those that apply a life changing career

 

[Redmatador]

@ Red: It's normally a 30 mile radius rule but don't quote me on that however most TOCs use that rule.

Strange how they advertised it as just a 'Driver' perhaps to confuse people but then again the description says it all.

Good luck to all those that apply a life changing career

That would rule me out as I live in manchester, wanted to save time filing in the application form ,unless anybody has got any advance on 30(miles)
Thank you play

 

[Bert and Ernie]

That would rule me out as I live in manchester, wanted to save time filing in the application form ,unless anybody has got any advance on 30(miles)
Thank you play

60 mins of the depot, states in job advertisement

 

[playmore64]

If I were you I'd apply anyway there's nothing on the job description to indicate this.

If you are willing or perhaps considering to relocate even better but just put in you application in and see how it goes (I would)!

EDIT: Ah! cheers B&E I must've missed that

 

[sw1ller]

Does anybody know how close you have to be to blackpool to apply for this job?
Well done for the heads up sw1ller!

Its 60 mins commute from blackpool. You can't suggest that you will relocate. I rang them up this morning to ask why you can't relocate for the position and they said too many people have got the job but never relocated so were let go.

They said Manchester will be advertised in the near future.

 

[Sammy h]

Application sent, fingers crossed.

Out of interest can any Northern guys tell us anymore about the routes, shifts etc that Blackpool do? Are Sundays included for Northern?

 

[sw1ller]

Does anybody know how close you have to be to blackpool to apply for this job?
Well done for the heads up sw1ller!

Your all welcome (the more people that get the jobs I can't, the better chance I get at landing one I can - hehe)

 

[Neil73]

Any mention of an impending 'Liverpool' recruitment during your conversation?

 

[Silv1983]

Application sent, fingers crossed.

Out of interest can any Northern guys tell us anymore about the routes, shifts etc that Blackpool do? Are Sundays included for Northern?

On the western side Sundays aren't included but you get "booked" sundays which pop up every 5 or 6 weeks. These are easily given away however if you value your sundays instead of the extra 2k a year is boosts your income by.

Unfortunately, Blackpool being a terminus station limits the routes available to the driver team. I know for certain they drive to Manchester, Liverpool and even York? (Im sure Bev will be along shortly to correct me).

 

[sw1ller]

Any mention of an impending 'Liverpool' recruitment during your conversation?

News, yes.......... Answer..... No.

I asked about Liverpool and Manchester and she mentioned Manchester and Wigan. She didn't say no though.

 

[Neil73]

News, yes.......... Answer..... No.

I asked about Liverpool and Manchester and she mentioned Manchester and Wigan. She didn't say no though.

Oh right, cheers for that. We'll wait and see.

 

[Daniel84]

Would anybody know off the top of their head if there is a waiting time before reapplying if you had an interview with Northern. I was interviewed towards the end of last year and looking back made a bit of a balls of it and just wondered how long I would have to wait to reapply (should Manchester be advertised shortly) and if anyone has experience of reapplying after an unsuccessful interview, it's probably logical to think that they have seen me once and deemed me unacceptable, so why waste their time again.

 

[Beveridges]

As an Internal I've had unsuccessul Interviews with Northern in the past and have just applied again straight away. Back in 2008 I once took an Interview for a Drivers role and failed, only to take another Drivers Interview just 1 week later for a different location. So I take it there is no waiting time.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Out of interest can any Northern guys tell us anymore about the routes, shifts etc that Blackpool do? Are Sundays included for Northern?

Blackpool North - Preston
Blackpool South - Preston
Preston - Colne (apparantly this is the most unpopular work that the depot does)
Preston - Ormskirk
Blackpool North - Manchester Oxford Road/Victoria via Chorley or Wigan
Blackpool North - Wigan North Western/Liverpool Lime Street
Blackpool North - Bradford/Leeds/York (top link only at the moment, but there is talk of making it all one link)
Lancaster - Morecambe
Blackburn - Hellifield (Summer Sundays Only at the moment)
Blackpool Sidings

Traction is 142, 150, 153, 156 & 158 with electric traction as well in the near future probably 317 & 319. But unless you get in the top link, don't think you'll get hardly any 158 work. We used to have 180s as well now they were the best units to drive by far.

Sundays not included. 4 days per week rostered between Monday-Saturday.

Shifts alternate between a week of lates and a week of early's. Earliest start is just before 04:00. Most early starts are between 05:00-07:00. Most late finishes are between or around 22:00-00:00.

 

[Joe20365]

Beveridges, so how does the shift pattern work with northern?

I read something somewhere about some shifts being, days off mon-tue, next week wed-thur, next week fri -sat, then back to week 1, so that every 3 weeks you get 5 days off in a row. Is that something Northern do?

Thanks

 

[Beveridges]

Yes thats exactly how it is for Mainline west. Average shift length 8 hr 45 but don't expect to be actually driving anywhere near that many hours on average. Max rostered shift length is 10 hrs, minimum is 5 hrs.
6 weeks annual leave, two of those weeks are compensation for the fact that bank holidays are considered normal days on the railway.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Don't expect to sign most of the routes until you've done at least a year after qualifying. After initial training your stuck with a few "core" routes for a while (I think its 4 routes maximum?) which can be repetetive.
After a while you'll then get released for further route learning. After a year or two you'll probably sign everything except Leeds/York. It takes many years to get to sign Leeds/York due this due to it being top link only. But there is talk of making it all one link so everyone would sign everywhere, but as a York round trip is over 220 miles of route to learn (plus Leeds which is a complex centre), the training requirements would be immense, so can't see it myself. But if you do sign it you get decent breaks at Leeds/York so just 1 trip takes up your entire shift for the day.
Blackpool is considered a popular depot with less intensive work than Manchester /Liverpool and better shifts. However, this also means it is harder to get in. Don't expect there to be too many vacancies.

 

[Joe20365]

Thanks for that, really helpful!!

 

[Daniel84]

Seconded, thanks for your answer.

 

[sidekick]

Hello guys, I recently applied for this position and was invited to complete the visual online comparison tests. Before I complete these, can somebody confirm they do not count as the beginning of one of our 2 driver assessments? I realise this may be a silly question but I just want to make sure!

If this was the case, it seems like a very strange method as the impression I get from reading threads on this forum is that this stage is just an initial sift before our applications are reviewed. I would be annoyed if I passed this, but was then dropped at the application review stage, and had it taken as 1 of the 2 assessments.

Thanks for any help!

 

[driver9000]

Beveridges is close but not quite right.

Drivers at Blackpool North are in 2 links, there is no "top link" as progressive links ended in 2009. The links are parallel so you're in one link or the other (new Drivers invariably go in the 'Manchester' link). The project to move all Drivers into a single link is now under way but this will take some time to complete. Currently newly qualified Drivers sign:

Blackpool North-Preston
Blackpool South-Colne
Blackpool carriage sidings

Class 142,150,153,156 traction. Not much work on 153s anymore, just Saturdays on the Ormskirk service.

Soon after road learning will be arranged for :

Preston-Ormskirk
Preston-Manchester Victoria/Oxford Rd via Chorley
Preston-Liverpool Lime Street via St Helens Central

Blackpool Drivers don't sign Atherton, Westhoughton or Lancaster-Morecambe. Class 158s aren't signed until Leeds and York are to be added to your card.

Earliest book on is 03:35, latest book off is 01:20. Sundays are outside the working week but there are Sunday duties in the links. With a Sunday duty included there can be 6 days in a row of duty.

With the imminent electrification of much of the depots operating area these are exciting times with a lot of change coming in the near future.

 

[W230]

the impression I get from reading threads on this forum is that this stage is just an initial sift before our applications are reviewed. I would be annoyed if I passed this, but was then dropped at the application review stage, and had it taken as 1 of the 2 assessments.

It's to sift the numbers down further and doesn't count as one of your attempts.

 

[sidekick]

It's to sift the numbers down further and doesn't count as one of your attempts.

Thanks W230, appreciate it. I'll have a shot at them tomorrow.

 

[sw1ller]

Thanks W230, appreciate it. I'll have a shot at them tomorrow.

Could you tell me what the test was after you do it please? I know you say its a visual comparison test but what does it involve? Is it spot the difference or what?

 

[sidekick]

sw1ller, basically yes. You are given 2 columns of numerical or alphanumerical data, 4 lines in total. You have to mark the line from which the 2 columns of data does not match.

It's kinda like this, but the opposite:

http://www.shldirect.com/checking_test_example.html

In that you don't find the matching data, you find the data that does not match. There was a better thread on this forum I was reading the other day but I can't find it searching now, strange! Anyway, good luck!

 

[sw1ller]

Thanks very much. Did you have enough time? Good luck anyway.