Northerns franchise at risk - any effect on jobs?

[Davieez]

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...cers-wont-leaving-greater-manchester-17064009

We can also reveal that government and northern leaders have been actively discussing ripping up Northern’s contract.

A leaked report from April shows that at that stage the franchise was ‘at risk of insolvency’, a scenario that would leave government with no option but to step in.

Officials have therefore been drawing up a plan of action for that event, including putting the franchise into public control,

Have to say this is slightly concerning for me after passing the assessment and interview stage to become a conductor and applying for to northern for over a year to be so close to landing this job. Hope they can find a solution to the problems that they are currently facing. I don’t see what a new franchise could do different if there are delays on new trains being built and if there are problems with the infrastructure of the railway which would be network rails problem.

 

[C J Snarzell]

I've seen this too and to be honest I take anything the Manchester Evening News says with a pinch of salt.

All I will say about your application is not to get too hung up. Virgin are still recruiting despite the fact they will be taken over by First Trenitalia in December so worst case scenario is that any new TOC will simply take over and honour existing applications.

I very much doubt that Northern are going anywhere soon do don't worry about it.

C J

 

[Louby]

just means a change of uniform, they still need trains

 

[bionic]

Don't worry about it. Same meat, different gravy.

 

[Traiin111]

If the Northern Franchise is taken away by the government or by anyone else, what would this result in for the current employees as well as those who are in the training process?

I've literally waited 8 months for a drivers role and finally have a start date but just started to over-think the worse case scenarios.

 

[MindTheeGap]

I'm due to start training as a Conductor in Manchester in a couple of weeks. This too had me slightly concerned, however, as above I realised that trains in the north couldn't just disappear!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm due to start training as a Conductor in Manchester in a couple of weeks. This too had me slightly concerned, however, as above I realised that trains in the north couldn't just disappear!

Wouldn't let it put you off. Unlike some other countries (notably Germany), all that will happen in the UK is that you are bounced around different employers via TUPE, but still doing the same job on the same terms with the same manager and colleagues etc.

 

[MindTheeGap]

Wouldn't let it put you off. Unlike some other countries (notably Germany), all that will happen in the UK is that you are bounced around different employers via TUPE, but still doing the same job on the same terms with the same manager and colleagues etc.

Thank you! I'm sure joining the rail industry will be interesting!

 

[Davieez]

I got my medical in the next few weeks so things are moving forward. It would just be a nightmare if they got stripped of the franchise before I signed on the dotted line and I had to go through the process of applying for jobs and interviewing all over again. I’m sure they will come good despite what that report says. They are bringing about some of the biggest changes for rail in the north in a generation there is bound to be some hiccups along the way. Like I said I don’t see what another TOC could do different other than throw more money at it, but if the company that are making the trains are behind schedule it’s difficult to see what northern can do about it other than wait for them to be built.

 

[Bovverboy]

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...cers-wont-leaving-greater-manchester-17064009

Have to say this is slightly concerning for me after passing the assessment and interview stage to become a conductor and applying for to northern for over a year to be so close to landing this job. Hope they can find a solution to the problems that they are currently facing. I don’t see what a new franchise could do different if there are delays on new trains being built

At least three-quarters of the 195s, and probably a similar proportion of the 331s, have been delivered, yet only fifteen 195s (to my knowledge) and about ten 331s have seen passenger service. I know a few more are occupied on driver training, etc, but they don't make much of an inroad into the balance. When (scheduled for 21 October) more diagrams go over to 195/331 operation, you'll see, new units will appear out of the blue. There's no rolling stock shortage.

and if there are problems with the infrastructure of the railway which would be network rails problem.

This is another one we've heard so many times before. When the Bolton electrification was running late, NT's problems were all NR's fault,once the electrification was complete EMUs could take over from DMUs then there'd be more than enough DMUs to cover the remaining DMU diagrams. The Bolton electrification is now well finished but Northern doesn't appear to have enough of either DMUs or EMUs to cover services. Just lately it's been rare for a service to be cancelled completely through lack of rolling stock, but (sometimes catastrophic) short-forming is an everyday phenomenon.

 

[DJD]

Northern have been in the news a lot lately. Can’t help but think am I going to have to re apply for The conductor job I’m waiting to start. Do you think the current regimes recruitment will be transferred over to the new owners??

 

[LimaLlama]

Northern have been in the news a lot lately. Can’t help but think am I going to have to re apply for The conductor job I’m waiting to start. Do you think the current regimes recruitment will be transferred over to the new owners??

I can't see how a change of the franchise would impact 'frontline' staff requirements. Other than a new uniform and contract. Usually it's more the upper management that is shaken up in these situations from my experience.

 

[387star]

I've asked before but it was deleted
Now its relevant
Implications for DOO?

 

[bb21]

No further information on DOO and please refrain from speculation on this issue. The issue causes enough problems on the forum as it is.

 

[RBSN]

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...cers-wont-leaving-greater-manchester-17064009

Have to say this is slightly concerning for me after passing the assessment and interview stage to become a conductor and applying for to northern for over a year to be so close to landing this job. Hope they can find a solution to the problems that they are currently facing. I don’t see what a new franchise could do different if there are delays on new trains being built and if there are problems with the infrastructure of the railway which would be network rails problem.

New logo and uniform. Carry on ...

 

[RBSN]

At least three-quarters of the 195s, and probably a similar proportion of the 331s, have been delivered, yet only fifteen 195s (to my knowledge) and about ten 331s have seen passenger service. I know a few more are occupied on driver training, etc, but they don't make much of an inroad into the balance. When (scheduled for 21 October) more diagrams go over to 195/331 operation, you'll see, new units will appear out of the blue. There's no rolling stock shortage

You’re correct. Just driver training shortage