Train dispatcher for GTR/BerryRecruitment

[BiggieBallast]

Hello,

I recently applied for a train dispatcher role for berry recruitment on behalf of Great Northern. I was just wondering if anyone had worked for BerryRecruitment before or a situation like this?

Cheers

 

[Horizon22]

Hello,

I recently applied for a train dispatcher role for berry recruitment on behalf of Great Northern. I was just wondering if anyone had worked for BerryRecruitment before or a situation like this?

Cheers

Would this be agency work on behalf of Great Northern or are this recruitment agency acting as a 3rd party for a substantive role with GN/GTR as the employer?

 

[BiggieBallast]

Would this be agency work on behalf of Great Northern or are this recruitment agency acting as a 3rd party for a substantive role with GN/GTR as the employer?

I believe it is on behalf of Great Northern. I haven’t really been told much about it. All I know is after a 3 month probation period, GTR does offer permanent contracts to those who do well.

 

[Horizon22]

I believe it is on behalf of Great Northern. I haven’t really been told much about it. All I know is after a 3 month probation period, GTR does offer permanent contracts to those who do well.

Ah okay, so you'd be employed by Berry Recruitment then? And then they send you off to cover GN stations as required I think? GTR very often make use of agency staff (OnTrak used to be their preferred option) and there's no guarantee of permanent contracts from experiences people have had here. There are mixed experiences from people who have been employed as agency staff too.

 

[BiggieBallast]

Te

Ah okay, so you'd be employed by Berry Recruitment then? And then they send you off to cover GN stations as required I think? GTR very often make use of agency staff (OnTrak used to be their preferred option) and there's no guarantee of permanent contracts from experiences people have had here. There are mixed experiences from people who have been employed as agency staff too.

Yeah makes sense. I haven’t really been told much about the process etc. But I start training on Monday so all figured I would find out then. I’m also unsure about the role too, it says for a dispatcher but from my knowledge GTR do not use dispatchers anymore? It’s the drivers that dispatch themselves correct? But thanks for the response.

 

[Horizon22]

Te

Yeah makes sense. I haven’t really been told much about the process etc. But I start training on Monday so all figured I would find out then. I’m also unsure about the role too, it says for a dispatcher but from my knowledge GTR do not use dispatchers anymore? It’s the drivers that dispatch themselves correct? But thanks for the response.

GTR have dispatchers all over - whilst their trains are indeed driver only (DOO), there is still station-assisted dispatch mandated at key locations across the network by using TRTS/CD/RA* plungers or "bat and flag" dispatch.

*TRTS = Train Ready to Start, CD= Close Doors, RA = Right Away [train can depart]

 

[BiggieBallast]

GTR have dispatchers all over - whilst their trains are indeed driver only (DOO), there is still station-assisted dispatch mandated at key locations across the network by using TRTS/CD/RA* plungers or "bat and flag" dispatch.

*TRTS = Train Ready to Start, CD= Close Doors, RA = Right Away [train can depart]

Oh really? I’ve been to stations including St. Neots and watched the process, there are staff present but are just watching the train arrive and leave? I must’ve got muddled up with these members of staff.

 

[Horizon22]

Oh really? I’ve been to stations including St. Neots and watched the process, there are staff present but are just watching the train arrive and leave? I must’ve got muddled up with these members of staff.

I don't know which specific stations have dispatchers (someone here might) but I'm fairly sure places like Finsbury Park will. When they are "watching the train arrive and leave" that might actually involve dispatching but sometimes if you don't know what you're looking out for, you don't know what they're doing!

 

[BiggieBallast]

I don't know which specific stations have dispatchers (someone here might) but I'm fairly sure places like Finsbury Park will. When they are "watching the train arrive and leave" that might actually involve dispatching but sometimes if you don't know what you're looking out for, you don't know what they're doing!

Yeah makes sense. I guess I will find out Monday. Thank you for your help. Very much appreciated.

 

[Bucephalus]

To add to the dispatch comment, I've definitely seen dispatchers dispatching the DOO trains at Bromley South (SE)

 

[Gerard92]

Hello,

I recently applied for a train dispatcher role for berry recruitment on behalf of Great Northern. I was just wondering if anyone had worked for BerryRecruitment before or a situation like this?

Cheers

Berry cover both TL/GN stations, furthest south they could end up would be Elephant & Castle

Ah okay, so you'd be employed by Berry Recruitment then? And then they send you off to cover GN stations as required I think? GTR very often make use of agency staff (OnTrak used to be their preferred option) and there's no guarantee of permanent contracts from experiences people have had here. There are mixed experiences from people who have been employed as agency staff too.

The current agency requirements if needed are usually Berry for TL/GN and Ontrak for Southern the only TL station I’ve seen Ontrak at is Elephant