Virgin Trains - Qualified Drivers

[Cheggers]

Virgin has just put up a vacancy for a qualified train driver closing date 21 november.

One day they'll recruit trainee drivers.

 

[455driver]

Virgin has just put up a vacancy for a qualified train driver closing date 21 november.

One day they'll recruit trainee drivers.

Not likely, why pay to train their own when they can poach from other companies!

 

[driver_m]

Hate to ruin your little conversation, but they did recruit trainees last year. (Internally)

 

[387star]

Hate to ruin your little conversation, but they did recruit trainees last year. (Internally)

And good for them further prove the rail industry holds good career prospects

 

[E&W Lucas]

Hate to ruin your little conversation, but they did recruit trainees last year. (Internally)

As a matter of interest, how many and how long since there was any previous trainee recruitment please?
Both Virgin & GNER recruited trainees in numbers, internal and external, in the early 2000s, but that was because they had to replace a large number of elderly drivers, post privatisation.

 

[302PS]

They perpetuate the cycle nicely, hopefully some northern drivers get on and free up spaces at northern

 

[driver_m]

As a matter of interest, how many and how long since there was any previous trainee recruitment please?
Both Virgin & GNER recruited trainees in numbers, internal and external, in the early 2000s, but that was because they had to replace a large number of elderly drivers, post privatisation.

I don't know exactly how many, the last lot of trainees were 2004/5, The service increase was why so many many drivers were took on at virgin, not just age. A lot of the depots weren't that old. There will be a need to recruit in huge numbers in about 15 years time.

 

[cossie4i]

Southeastern need Drivers on HS as a few are leaving

 

[455driver]

Hate to ruin your little conversation, but they did recruit trainees last year. (Internally)

Why did they suddenly do a trainee driver course?
Was it-
A/ because they wanted to out of the goodness of their hearts!
or
B/ because a certain government department were unhappy with them poaching drivers all the time increasing the costs of 'lesser' TOCs as they were having to train other trainee drivers to replace the ones who jumped ship!

Oh in BR days it would have been known as promotion and not poaching!

 

[E&W Lucas]

I don't know exactly how many, the last lot of trainees were 2004/5, .

Thank you. That's most revealing.

 

[craigybagel]

When they advertised for internal trainees last year they said it was for 6 positions, 2 each at Wolves, Liverpool and Preston. I left before the process finished though so I don't know if that's what the final total was.

 

[js47604]

At Chiltern we actively encourage the management to recruit trainee train drivers from within the company.Those from outside can join in other roles and apply for driving later.I believe this years course was 10/11 internal and just 1/2 external.

 

[Class2ldn]

Anyone know how many are needed at Euston and the route card please? Application form is quite long lol

 

[SkinnyDave]

Anyone know how many are needed at Euston and the route card please? Application form is quite long lol

Believe Euston only sign 390s and not Voyagers and they go to Preston, Lime Street, Manchester and Wolverhampton.. Not sure about diversions etc

 

[Boodiggy]

Believe Euston only sign 390s and not Voyagers and they go to Preston, Lime Street, Manchester and Wolverhampton.. Not sure about diversions etc

Euston do sign Voyagers but not all links. They also go to Chester. The diversionary routes will be via Northampton, west Mids, Hixon and Alsager and others. They also sign north of Woverhampton to Stafford on the west Mids route.

 

[Class2ldn]

Cheers guys, any idea on numbers needed? Fairly happy where I am at mo but worth a punt anyway

 

[craigybagel]

Also worth pointing out that different links at Euston go to different places. From what I remember, the voyager links don't sign Liverpool but are the ones who sign chester. Also there was a link that signed 90s and DVTs but I guess that's moot now.

The other depots available are wolves and Manchester.
wolves sign Preston - Euston direct plus west midlands and all the diversions there you'd expect. Some, if not all, now sign wolves to Shrewsbury as well. They also sign Barton under needwood depot and the line too/from there. Traction is 221 and 390.
Bottom link at Manchester is pretty much Manchester to London only, via crewe or Macclesfield, plus the west midlands. Traction is 390 only. Higher links add Preston and Holyhead, and 221s.

 

[Class2ldn]

Are sundays inside?

 

[craigybagel]

Not for drivers.

 

[whoosh]

I understand Sundays are committed. They are outside the working week, but if you are rostered to work one and don't want to, it's upto you to find someone else to do it.

I much prefer the "I'm not available and it's the Roster Clerk's problem," system myself!

 

[455driver]

Even if you couldnt find anyone to work it, as it is overtime what could the company actually do if you didnt work it?

 

[driver_m]

Never heard of anyone point blank refusing as we have this agreement to commit to work them. Usually someone will cover a Sunday though.

 

[TOCDriver]

Virgin has just put up a vacancy for a qualified train driver closing date 21 november.

One day they'll recruit trainee drivers.

They will never recruit trainees. I'll tell you that for nothing.