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Trainee Infrastructure Monitoring Train Driver - Colas Rail

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Railworker101

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tiptoptaff said:
But not paid for first/last hour of travel IIRC from my interview? Ie not paid for the hour you would have travelled to a fixed depot
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Correct, the first and last hours travel is unpaid. If your travel is say 10 minutes then it'll be 10 minutes unpaid, if your travel is 1hr 5min then it'll be 1 hour unpaid and 5 minutes paid, officially...
 
tiptoptaff

tiptoptaff

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Railworker101 said:
Correct, the first and last hours travel is unpaid. If your travel is say 10 minutes then it'll be 10 minutes unpaid, if your travel is 1hr 5min then it'll be 1 hour unpaid and 5 minutes paid, officially...
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Cheers for confirming. That's how I understood it at the time.

Not that it mattered in the end
 
fletchar2

fletchar2

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driver9000 said:
The Infrastructure Monitoring trains are the yellow Network Rail trains (usually a locomotive at each end sandwiching converted coaches or the HST) you set buzzing around the country. Colas are the current contract holders to provide Drivers , I don't work for them so can't comment on what they're like to work for but the job is home based with you travelling to meet the train rather than depot based. They are fully qualified Drivers just the same as every other Driver on the network and there would be nothing to stop you applying to other operators as a Qualified Driver.
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bengley said:
There is no depot. You will be lodged as required.
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Thanks for the explanations, much appreciated.

In regards to the lack of depot. Where you have said you'll be lodged as required Bengley, I presume you mean overnight in hotels if required. If so how often in reality does that legitimately happen?

I've got a young family at home so ideally would prefer to start and end at a depot for the work life balance. If it's once in a blue moon away from home it's manageable, but if it happens frequently it might prove to be a stumbling block.
 
tiptoptaff

tiptoptaff

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fletchar2 said:
Thanks for the explanations, much appreciated.

In regards to the lack of depot. Where you have said you'll be lodged as required Bengley, I presume you mean overnight in hotels if required. If so how often in reality does that legitimately happen?

I've got a young family at home so ideally would prefer to start and end at a depot for the work life balance. If it's once in a blue moon away from home it's manageable, but if it happens frequently it might prove to be a stumbling block.
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Bengley can obviously answer with his experience, but in the interview I had for the qualified role in the summer, it was told to me it would be a lot of nights and an average of 3-4 nights a week away over a roster cycle (out of 5 days) ie away in lodge more than you're not
 
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Railworker101

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There can be a lot of lodging, especially whilst training. If you've a young family or don't particularly want to lodge this may not be for you.
 
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spodface

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bengley said:
There is no depot. You will be lodged as required.
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Hello Bengley, just want to say thanks for the information about the job! Have to admit it sounds like a really varied job. Fingers crossed something comes of my application :)

What would you say have been your favourite locos to run on these IMT's?
 
fletchar2

fletchar2

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tiptoptaff said:
Bengley can obviously answer with his experience, but in the interview I had for the qualified role in the summer, it was told to me it would be a lot of nights and an average of 3-4 nights a week away over a roster cycle (out of 5 days) ie away in lodge more than you're not
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Railworker101 said:
There can be a lot of lodging, especially whilst training. If you've a young family or don't particularly want to lodge this may not be for you.
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Thank you, appreciate the insight. It sounds like it is probably not suited to my circumstances.

I might throw an application in and if I'm lucky enough to get an interview I can see if these insights are still the case. Worst case is a bit of experience through the application process.

Best of luck to everyone applying!
 
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GT56

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I applied for the same job at Colas last year but for the southern region. Was offered the job and I start training in April, can’t wait! They’ve been really good to deal with so far and I’ve heard nothing but good things from people that work for them.
 
PudseyBearHST

PudseyBearHST

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They’re mobile but they’re still looking for drivers within a particular region. E.g. if they’re look for drivers within the East Midlands region, you don’t have to necessarily be in Derby, but they’re looking for drivers who live in the vicinity of the Derby.
 
NI 271

NI 271

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tiptoptaff said:
No, they aren't.

IM drivers are mobile. They have no fixed location. As has been repeated by several IM drivers in this thread.
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Wills is one of the IM drivers. He's telling you about THIS vacancy, not any previous ones. I'd advise you to heed his words, he DOES know more about this than you, no matter how much you want the converse to be the case.
 
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theironroad

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Sounds interesting job though not sure what the Kent/Sussex/Wessex route card covers as can't imagine it's all lines in that.

Unfortunately as a non safeguarded driver the loss of priv would be a big thing and not sure what type of pension it is.
 
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Train_manager

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theironroad said:
Sounds interesting job though not sure what the Kent/Sussex/Wessex route card covers as can't imagine it's all lines in that.

Unfortunately as a non safeguarded driver the loss of priv would be a big thing and not sure what type of pension it is.
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DON`T do it!! There not part of the RPS.
 
ComUtoR

ComUtoR

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Apologies for the minor hijack.

Apart from the Railway Family annual auction (I bid but never win). Is there any way to cadge a lift on the Flying Banana ? I'm past the point in which I would/could apply or make a career of it but randomly throwing it out there for a TOC/FOC/NR Co-lab I would be VERY VERY interested.

@wills @bengley
 
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Townsend Hook

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ComUtoR said:
Apologies for the minor hijack.

Apart from the Railway Family annual auction (I bid but never win). Is there any way to cadge a lift on the Flying Banana ? I'm past the point in which I would/could apply or make a career of it but randomly throwing it out there for a TOC/FOC/NR Co-lab I would be VERY VERY interested.

@wills @bengley
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Even the great Francis Bourgeois hasn’t been granted that particular boon… needs some friends in high places.
 
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