Virgin CSA

[tiptoptaff]

I think, if we're all honest here, have looked at applying for a Virgin CSSA role in our own railway career endeavours. Countless posts I see about them.

And now, it's time for my own.
Regarding Preston.

Yes, it's a little bit out of South Wales, but hey ho, geography was never my strong point
Can anyone tell me what routes are signed, and what roster patterns are like? Also what does the training involve? Is it straight on the job, or is there a course somewhere else first? And is there a training salary?
Any info much appriciated.
Keiran

 

[E&W Lucas]

I think, if we're all honest here, have looked at applying for a Virgin CSSA role in our own railway career endeavours. Countless posts I see about them.

And now, it's time for my own.
Regarding Preston.

Yes, it's a little bit out of South Wales, but hey ho, geography was never my strong point
Can anyone tell me what routes are signed, and what roster patterns are like? Also what does the training involve? Is it straight on the job, or is there a course somewhere else first? And is there a training salary?
Any info much appriciated.
Keiran

If it is anything like the CSA roles on similar companies, a couple of weeks training to start, then off you go. Not a case of signing routes, etc., there is zero operational involvement with this type of work. Think waiting staff/ cabin crew.

Rosters similar to operational grades, as they are on the same trains, obviously. Less rigid re. rest patterns, etc. though.

If it's an operational career you want, approach with caution. "On board" is a different world, and whilst there are "success stories" from it, in the wider scheme of things, there aren't that many of them.

 

[paulgreen32]

If it is anything like the CSA roles on similar companies, a couple of weeks training to start, then off you go. Not a case of signing routes, etc., there is zero operational involvement with this type of work. Think waiting staff/ cabin crew.

Rosters similar to operational grades, as they are on the same trains, obviously. Less rigid re. rest patterns, etc. though.

If it's an operational career you want, approach with caution. "On board" is a different world, and whilst there are "success stories" from it, in the wider scheme of things, there aren't that many of them.

Aa above no routes to sign think preston do glasgow/ edinburgh down to wolves maby further. As for career path on board can go assistant servce manager, service manager or csa to train manager. Loads of opportunities at the moment if ur a happy personality, i joined platforms in jan tempory and just got tm role. I dont know any company where that is possible ! Joi.n and never look back

 

[craigybagel]

Training is 3 weeks at Crewe, both classroom based and on the train in the back garden (plus the odd trip on a real train now and then) followed by two weeks back at your home depot shadowing someone else on the job. There is a training salary, it's about 2 thirds full rate from what I remember, but you go up to full rate on your first day working by yourself (ie - after 5 weeks).

41 hour CSA's at Preston are I believe all in one link - at the very least, they all do a mixture of earlies and lates. Normally its a 5 day week averaging 41 hours, mostly Monday to Friday but with some weekend working thrown in here and there, and the odd 4 day week with longer days. Working day is anything from less than 5 to more than 12 hours. Preston CSA's go all the way up to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and down to Birmingham and London. They also get some W type trips (eg. Preston-Euston-Birmingham-Euston-Preston) and some trips involving travelling as passengers on other companies services to or from Manchester and Liverpool to work. All very complicated, but good for variety!

It's a fun job, and the guys at Preston are a great bunch, though it can be hard work too and gruelling hours. It gives you a pretty good grounding in Customer Service, which is pretty big at all the companies at the moment, and it's a foot in the door of the railway which is always good.

 

[Mattm123]

If it is anything like the CSA roles on similar companies, a couple of weeks training to start, then off you go. Not a case of signing routes, etc., there is zero operational involvement with this type of work. Think waiting staff/ cabin crew.

Rosters similar to operational grades, as they are on the same trains, obviously. Less rigid re. rest patterns, etc. though.

If it's an operational career you want, approach with caution. "On board" is a different world, and whilst there are "success stories" from it, in the wider scheme of things, there aren't that many of them.

I would disagree you will find most operational staff started out as CSA or equivalent. So go for it mate

 

[E&W Lucas]

I would disagree you will find most operational staff started out as CSA or equivalent. So go for it mate

That's a common perception amongst CSA's or equivalent. I'm guessing that the OP has an interest in driving eventually, and that's what I've based my comments on. A friend and I put this theory to the test a couple of days back, as they were genuinely of the view that most of our drivers had come from that route. At my depot (on a similar company), only about 30% had (as in been trained, from all backgrounds, incl. external); the rest were recruited as already qualified drivers. Just a cautionary. If driving is where the OP wants to end up, ask how many trainees Virgin have had over the last 3 - 5 years.

Good points about these jobs -

1. It's a job!
2. It pays a heck of a lot more, than the same work in other sectors.
3. You are in the Railway Pension Scheme.

 

[richie26188]

30% is almost 1 in 3, still not a bad % all things considered.

 

[E&W Lucas]

30% is almost 1 in 3, still not a bad % all things considered.

But if you're looking at getting into the grade via the internal trainee route, you need to ask how long ago they were trained (the i/c companies did a lot of training in the early 2000s, less recently), frequencies of vac arising, and what roles they came from....

If a company with 3000 - 4000 staff (a rough guess for VT, but I suspect about right), recruits 10 trainees every couple of years, the odds aren't that great!

Advice regularly given by many an inter city driver, to those who want to progress:
Don't sit about waiting for us to recruit; it may not happen for a while, and you may well never get the chance. There are always going to be more capable applicants, then positions. Get your CV in to the companies that train in numbers. If you really want to drive trains, you will do that gladly.

 

[Mattm123]

But if you're looking at getting into the grade via the internal trainee route, you need to ask how long ago they were trained (the i/c companies did a lot of training in the early 2000s, less recently), frequencies of vac arising, and what roles they came from....

If a company with 3000 - 4000 staff (a rough guess for VT, but I suspect about right), recruits 10 trainees every couple of years, the odds aren't that great!

Advice regularly given by many an inter city driver, to those who want to progress:
Don't sit about waiting for us to recruit; it may not happen for a while, and you may well never get the chance. There are always going to be more capable applicants, then positions. Get your CV in to the companies that train in numbers. If you really want to drive trains, you will do that gladly.

Yep I agree for driving. Get your application into companies that do recruit in big numbers. However railway experience is an added bonus mo matter hat job you go for in my opinion. Natural progression from CSA would be TM and from there driving.

 

[richie26188]

Yep I agree for driving. Get your application into companies that do recruit in big numbers. However railway experience is an added bonus mo matter hat job you go for in my opinion. Natural progression from CSA would be TM and from there driving.

Thanks for the advice it really is appreciated. I'm willing to try my hand at anything to get a foothold in the industry. Being made redundant next year so this would be complete career change for me

I live in Merseyside so im guessing the main companies that operate around here are First, Northern, Virgin, Merseyrail? Any others I might have missed?

 

[E&W Lucas]

Yep I agree for driving. Get your application into companies that do recruit in big numbers. However railway experience is an added bonus mo matter hat job you go for in my opinion. Natural progression from CSA would be TM and from there driving.

Natural progression takes another route as well, and this one more frequently in my experience:

Outside world, no experience of the railway >> direct entry trainee driver >> 3-5 years post qualification experience >> inter city or freight driver.

I'm less sure that on board CSA naturally leads to progression to driving. The kind of "fluffy", bubbly, people oriented person, that excells in this role, isn't always a natural fit, with the solitary, intense world, of the driver.

 

[eastcoast2much]

Hi can anyone give any insight as to what the current average working week is like for a csa in edinburgh. - routes travelled etc. thanks

 

[Mattm123]

Natural progression takes another route as well, and this one more frequently in my experience:

Outside world, no experience of the railway >> direct entry trainee driver >> 3-5 years post qualification experience >> inter city or freight driver.

I'm less sure that on board CSA naturally leads to progression to driving. The kind of "fluffy", bubbly, people oriented person, that excells in this role, isn't always a natural fit, with the solitary, intense world, of the driver.

Yeah of course it's different for each individual.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Yeah of course it's different for each individual.

And there are some VERY smart people "filling in" as CSA's, etc, especially in these difficult times.

 

[Philip Elliott]

Hi can anyone give any insight as to what the current average working week is like for a csa in edinburgh. - routes travelled etc. thanks

3 jobs SX, 2 each SO and Su, never go beyond Birmingham. 06.22 and 08.22 are the most common book on times.

 

[Beveridges]

I'm less sure that on board CSA naturally leads to progression to driving

I know an ex-Virgin CSA who went straight from that to Driving about two years ago. Not with Virgin, but with Northern as an external applicant.

In a few years he could apply to go back to Virgin as a qualified Driver. That would be quicker progression than staying with Virgin and working up through the grades.

 

[E&W Lucas]

I know an ex-Virgin CSA who went straight from that to Driving about two years ago. Not with Virgin, but with Northern as an external applicant.

In a few years he could apply to go back to Virgin as a qualified Driver. That would be quicker progression than staying with Virgin and working up through the grades.

Definitely!

I know people who have gone directly from CSA to Driver, at bith Virgin & EC. However, there aren't many of them, and my point is to counter the impression, seemingly held by some, that this is the norm. It isn't; recruitment of already qualified drivers is.

Internal recruitment does seem to be something of a lottery too. Sometimes quite surprising who does and also doesn't get the jobs, when they come up.

 

[Urban Gateline]

Has anyone heard back for CSA London Euston that closed on 19/07/13? I haven't heard a thing, and I see they are now advertising again for CSA London Euston!

It would be nice to have at least got a rejection e-mail, not sure if I should re-apply now or wait for a response on my current application for that role!!