Trainee Depot Driver East Midlands Trains

[stjimmy87]

I reckon I would be happy doing the depot job for the rest of my career. It's gonna be creeping towards 40k per year in the next few years and that would do me

 

[Urobach]

I reckon I would be happy doing the depot job for the rest of my career. It's gonna be creeping towards 40k per year in the next few years and that would do me

I really enjoyed my time "down the park", would happily do more shifts there if they were put into my link.

For the record I moved onto mainline just over a year after passing out, but that was considered very quick

 

[Raul_Duke]

At the moment the wait is about 2 - 2.5 years for Derby, probably quicker at Notts. Things could speed up or slow down. A lot depends on how many external qualified drivers the company takes on. This year they took on a lot of qualified drivers (quite a few from freight) which really slowed things down. That’s why some depot drivers are leaving for freight and vacancies have arisen at the depots. Depot driving is a great job and a good grounding for eventual mainline duties; of course, you’ll actually be driving on the mainline on every shift, just not very far! The course is a full mainline course just without a massive load of route learning. And yes, it is true as well that some drivers are happy to stay as depot drivers - it’s good money without as much pressure as full mainline duties. You don’t have to make a song and dance about it though. When the mainline (internal) slots are advertised (which are allocated by seniority), you just don’t apply, thus keeping your seniority if you want to go for it next time. Obviously any safety of the line, disciplinary issues or excessive sick leave WILL hold you back.

Agree 100% with this.

Potentially 5 or so park drivers looking at freight.

But don’t be that d***head who’s thinks he’s better than depot driving and constantly going on about mainline the moment you get down the park (or whatever they nicknamed the dump at Notts if you’re unlucky . ...)

There’s a fair few experienced, mainline, ex BR men down the park for one reason or another. They know the job inside out and are really good to learn from. Use your time wisely.

The powers that be won’t forget your there. When they’re ready, they’ll send for you.

You’ll be grateful your not mainline yet the first time you have to go up St Mary’s on your own and it’s dark raining and foggy.

 

[Dynamonic]

the moment you get down the park (or whatever they nicknamed the dump at Notts if you’re unlucky . ...)

Oh, ayup! A rivalry. I won't mention I put Notts as my first ch...Oops.

 

[ExMover]

Agree 100% with this.

Potentially 5 or so park drivers looking at freight.

But don’t be that d***head who’s thinks he’s better than depot driving and constantly going on about mainline the moment you get down the park (or whatever they nicknamed the dump at Notts if you’re unlucky . ...)

There’s a fair few experienced, mainline, ex BR men down the park for one reason or another. They know the job inside out and are really good to learn from. Use your time wisely.

The powers that be won’t forget your there. When they’re ready, they’ll send for you.

You’ll be grateful your not mainline yet the first time you have to go up St Mary’s on your own and it’s dark raining and foggy.

Yeah, and usually right at the end of a night shift just to make sure you’re awake lol

 

[Raul_Duke]

Yeah, and usually right at the end of a night shift just to make sure you’re awake lol

“Someone load up on 5C17 please.”

*Looks round a suddenly empty cabin with a plate still spinning.*

 

[EastMidsMatt]

At the moment the wait is about 2 - 2.5 years for Derby, probably quicker at Notts. Things could speed up or slow down. A lot depends on how many external qualified drivers the company takes on. This year they took on a lot of qualified drivers (quite a few from freight) which really slowed things down. That’s why some depot drivers are leaving for freight and vacancies have arisen at the depots. Depot driving is a great job and a good grounding for eventual mainline duties; of course, you’ll actually be driving on the mainline on every shift, just not very far! The course is a full mainline course just without a massive load of route learning. And yes, it is true as well that some drivers are happy to stay as depot drivers - it’s good money without as much pressure as full mainline duties. You don’t have to make a song and dance about it though. When the mainline (internal) slots are advertised (which are allocated by seniority), you just don’t apply, thus keeping your seniority if you want to go for it next time. Obviously any safety of the line, disciplinary issues or excessive sick leave WILL hold you back.

What are the 'full mainline duties' you refer to? The main differences between depot and mainline? Aside from the obvious!

 

[ExMover]

Basically you will move trains around the depot as required (in and out of sheds, through the wash, onto the refuelling roads, onto the stabling roads) and collect and deliver them from the station (which is part of Network Rail and therefore requires that you are a qualified driver and not just someone who can shunt up and down a private siding).

 

[Dan Smith]

So anyone know what sort of prep we should be doing for Friday?
I don't know where to start...

 

[Spankthemonkey]

Oh, ayup! A rivalry. I won't mention I put Notts as my first ch...Oops.

It's HST/222 vs the BR DMUs! From what I was told there is a bit of rivalry between the depots.

Also, perhaps someone already employed can advise me here, are the previously seperate MML (derby) and CT (notts) roles at mainline driver level harmonised at EMT now? If you go on the aslef website the salaries are the same but the Ts and Cs seem very much in favour of Derby mainline drivers (holiday, max turn length etc). I know that is years down the line after we have proved ourself at depot level, but it's worth thinking about.

The folk I know at Derby say they are very much in the shop window too, head office bods always around, good chance to show just how good you are!

 

[EastMidsMatt]

So anyone know what sort of prep we should be doing for Friday?
I don't know where to start...

Neither do I.
I'm really not sure what to expect, I can only think they want to progress team players with a positive can do attitude and maybe those who demonstrate some problem solving abilities under pressure. Very cloak and dagger!

 

[Dan Smith]

Those in for the afternoon session... fancy meeting outside the front doors?
Introduce ourselves = ice broken = easier group exercises?

Just an idea

Dan

 

[EastMidsMatt]

Those in for the afternoon session... fancy meeting outside the front doors?
Introduce ourselves = ice broken = easier group exercises?

Just an idea

Dan

Why not? Makes sense to be relaxed as possible. See you all there!!

 

[Spankthemonkey]

We could form a mesage board alliance/union! Not on the board? You're not coming in!

 

[Dynamonic]

We could form a mesage board alliance/union! Not on the board? You're not coming in!

The board room!

 

[TrainBotherer]

“Someone load up on 5C17 please.”

*Looks round a suddenly empty cabin with a plate still spinning.*

What does this mean? What's 5c17?

 

[Raul_Duke]

What does this mean? What's 5c17?

It’s the headcode of a train that leaves the park around 5am weekdays and goes up St Mary’s Jn then into the station. It’s the furthest you’ll go as a depot driver.

 

[TrainBotherer]

It’s the headcode of a train that leaves the park around 5am weekdays and goes up St Mary’s Jn then into the station. It’s the furthest you’ll go as a depot driver.

Oh I see. Is that a job that you want or is it one no one wants lol

 

[ExMover]

Oh I see. Is that a job that you want or is it one no one wants lol

In my opinion 5C17 is a good job because it's a bit further than any other and a bit less routine so I'll take it any day. There's a risk however that you'll get held up at a signal somewhere and fail to finish work on time (most night shifts end at 0600 hrs). Some are like me and some are more worried about getting away from work on time (train to catch etc), which is fair enough, so not everyone is jumping up in the mess room to do that one.

 

[Dynamonic]

I’d be driving my car to work, so I’ll take 5C17 off ya!

 

[Dynamonic]

Just a quick message to say Good Luck to those of you who are sitting Stage 2 tomorrow!

I look forward to meeting you all tomorrow afternoon! Let's go and get the job done!

 

[alasteve]

Those in for the afternoon session... fancy meeting outside the front doors?
Introduce ourselves = ice broken = easier group exercises?

Just an idea

Dan

Great idea!! Just arrived, staying at the Travelodge near the cricket ground. Will be there half 12!

 

[ExMover]

I’d be driving my car to work, so I’ll take 5C17 off ya!

You’re the man for the job, good luck!

 

[Raul_Duke]

I’d be driving my car to work, so I’ll take 5C17 off ya!

You’ll have to fight whoever’s getting the first service home off Derby for it.

 

[Spankthemonkey]

You’ll have to fight whoever’s getting the first service home off Derby for it.

Is work not diagrammed?! Surely you don't sit there playing paper/sizzors/stone for every duty?!

 

[Raul_Duke]

Is work not diagrammed?! Surely you don't sit there playing paper/sizzors/stone for every duty?!

You hand your diagram in to the ops team leader and then it just gets shared out in turn. “Work to ops supervisors instructions.”

Last man back to the cabin is last up for a job.

 

[Spankthemonkey]

You hand your diagram in to the ops team leader and then it just gets shared out in turn. “Work to ops supervisors instructions.”

Last man back to the cabin is last up for a job.

Is that the same at Notts? What is days on/off like? Is it the normal railway rest day pattern with every third Sunday or more random?

 

[Raul_Duke]

Is that the same at Notts? What is days on/off like? Is it the normal railway rest day pattern with every third Sunday or more random?

More random. No idea what they get upto at Notts.

 

[Dan Smith]

Great idea!! Just arrived, staying at the Travelodge near the cricket ground. Will be there half 12!

See you there, i'll be arriving around 12.30 in a silver honda civic. Will wait outside, i'm 6ft 5" - you cant miss me lol!

Dan

 

[Tomnick]

Is that the same at Notts? What is days on/off like? Is it the normal railway rest day pattern with every third Sunday or more random?

Work's shared out in a similar manner at Notts, but also with an eye on getting everyone home at a decent time (the bulk of the work - setting up the station, where most of the units are stabled overnight, ready for the morning - is done by about 0200 normally, with start/finish times reflecting that).

Rest day pattern: long weekend (Fri-Tues incl.) every third weekend, Wed/Thu (and one extra Fri every 24 weeks!) off in between, and a few extra Sundays off too (as well as every third Sunday off as part of the long weekends, that is).

(and we spend most of our working life up and around the station, not shoved in a grotty cabin down the sidings and forgotten about )