Northern vs West Midlands trainee driver salary

[eson001135]

Hi all,

I have got offers from Northern (Manchester) and WMT (Crewe).
Need some advices on the training salary between the two TOCs.

Northern
22k in training rising to 43k in year 1

WMT
29k in training rising to 42k in year 1

Can anyone give me an idea how long would it take to go up to year 1 salary? I have read something like 12 month for Northern and 9 month for WMT.
or does it depend on when I will take my driving assessment?

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[GG96LFC]

Hello mate. Can’t speak for Northern, but at WMT, you’ll move up to the £42k salary after 9 months, regardless of what stage of training you’re at.

After that, you’ll move up to the full £57k salary 1 year after passing out as a fully qualified driver. Of course, the passout date can depend on how long it takes to get an Instructor Driver and how long it takes to complete the driving hours, so can sometimes be a bit of a wait for that full £57k salary

 

[LokiB]

WMT is definitely better for money.

At Northern it's 12 months to go up the 1st increment ( could be quicker if pass out sooner). 2nd year goes up again so you're not on full rate until the 3rd year.

 

[AverageJoe]

What are the T&C’s and working conditions like at WMT?
More money doesn’t always mean the better job overall on the railway.

 

[eson001135]

Thank you all
Think I would put WMT ahead of Northern then

 

[SCDR_WMR]

WMT has better term for sure. Also, there are free instructors currently so you'd be looking at 12 months from start date to having your hours in.

9 months for 1st increase, roughly 24 months until full rate. Sundays 1.5x rate and can work them as soon as you pass out so can life that middle figure up easily if needed

 

[richfoz84]

Northern, you will go to year 1 month as soon as you pass out.. could take 8-12 months. Year 1 is £42k. Year 2 is £47k. Year 3 is £54k.
You can also work your booked sundays too and any OT once passed out.. subject to a RDW agreement and no strike action

 

[Juliet Barvo]

Hi all,

I have got offers from Northern (Manchester) and WMT (Crewe).
Need some advices on the training salary between the two TOCs.

Northern
22k in training rising to 43k in year 1

WMT
29k in training rising to 42k in year 1

Can anyone give me an idea how long would it take to go up to year 1 salary? I have read something like 12 month for Northern and 9 month for WMT.
or does it depend on when I will take my driving assessment?

Thank you very much in advance!

Year 1 salary being when you qualified as a Driver: at the Line, if you were the favourite and skipped the queue for an Instructor, it would take about 7 to 9months; however, for everyone else who got passed over, it would take about 12 months.

 

[Red Devil]

Northern, you will go to year 1 month as soon as you pass out.. could take 8-12 months. Year 1 is £42k. Year 2 is £47k. Year 3 is £54k.
You can also work your booked sundays too and any OT once passed out.. subject to a RDW agreement and no strike action

At Northern trainees can work their rest days with their instructor provided over 50% of the job content is their core route.

 

[richfoz84]

At Northern trainees can work their rest days with their instructor provided over 50% of the job content is their core route.

Yes this is correct

 

[Efini92]

At Northern trainees can work their rest days with their instructor provided over 50% of the job content is their core route.

If the instructor wants them to come in.

 

[Gemz91]

At Northern trainees can work their rest days with their instructor provided over 50% of the job content is their core route.

One of my trainees used to regularly badger me to work overtime so he could get qualified faster, he wasn’t very pleased when I told him I don’t do rest day work despite how much he used to beg me to.

 

[Red Devil]

One of my trainees used to regularly badger me to work overtime so he could get qualified faster, he wasn’t very pleased when I told him I don’t do rest day work despite how much he used to beg me to.

I make it clear from the off that if you want to make money with me I'm the wrong instructor. I do my booked Sunday and the odd rest day. Usually turkey money before Xmas and just before my annual leave, and that's it.

 

[Gemz91]

I make it clear from the off that if you want to make money with me I'm the wrong instructor. I do my booked Sunday and the odd rest day. Usually turkey money before Xmas and just before my annual leave, and that's it.

Never heard it called turkey money

Some trainee drivers have far too much focus on what’s in front of their face and not the future. Some of these trainee drivers have 30+ year careers ahead of them, yet are fretting about going up to the full wage 4 weeks faster (I realise different tocs have different trainee wage structures). If it’s takes an extra four weeks to qualify then so be it, better to qualify as good driver with a clean record then rush through and have an incident in your first 12 months.

 

[AndySV1K]

I thought the WMT second stage pay was £46k and yes is definitely based on time and not training stage.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Simple video interview. A few questions then 30 seconds or so to think of an answer followed by 2 minutes to answer for each

 

[SiTheTrainGuy]

At Northern trainees can work their rest days with their instructor provided over 50% of the job content is their core route.

Since when has this been a thing? I'm still out with my minder for Northern and we're not allowed to work rest days (though he can)

 

[AverageJoe]

At Northern trainees can work their rest days with their instructor provided over 50% of the job content is their core route.

Didn’t even realise northern had a RDW deal.
What’s with all the cancellations then at the minute?

 

[BrokenSam]

Didn’t even realise northern had a RDW deal.
What’s with all the cancellations then at the minute?

People still want their days off instead.

 

[richfoz84]

Since when has this been a thing? I'm still out with my minder for Northern and we're not allowed to work rest days (though he can)

It was a thing when I was a trainee driver at Piccadilly, in 2021! Could have since changed, best to check with DSM / DTM!

 

[NewChew]

Hi all,

I have got offers from Northern (Manchester) and WMT (Crewe).
Need some advices on the training salary between the two TOCs.

Northern
22k in training rising to 43k in year 1

WMT
29k in training rising to 42k in year 1

Can anyone give me an idea how long would it take to go up to year 1 salary? I have read something like 12 month for Northern and 9 month for WMT.
or does it depend on when I will take my driving assessment?

Thank you very much in advance!

Did you ever get the Salary’s confirmed. I have passed everything for Crewe and hopefully starting next year but now just trying to confirm a few things, i have searched the forums and found a fair bit of info but hopefully with you being in the same position as me you might have more up to date information.


What is the salary for each increment 9months,1st ,2nd ,3rd year etc. (and do es that salary you've stated include the 14% pay rise which has been agreed?)
Do you know if the Sundays for you are committed or voluntary.
Have you heard much about the pension scheme as i think their are two types RPS60 or RPS65 but could be very wrong.


Thanks for any response

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Did you ever get the Salary’s confirmed. I have passed everything for Crewe and hopefully starting next year but now just trying to confirm a few things, i have searched the forums and found a fair bit of info but hopefully with you being in the same position as me you might have more up to date information.


What is the salary for each increment 9months,1st ,2nd ,3rd year etc. (and do es that salary you've stated include the 14% pay rise which has been agreed?)
Do you know if the Sundays for you are committed or voluntary.
Have you heard much about the pension scheme as i think their are two types RPS60 or RPS65 but could be very wrong.


Thanks for any response

The £29k/42k is prior to the new pay rise.
WMT drivers are non-commited Sunday but are in your link. Just make yourself unavailable if you don't want to work them.

 

[Stubbs91]

Did you ever get the Salary’s confirmed. I have passed everything for Crewe and hopefully starting next year but now just trying to confirm a few things, i have searched the forums and found a fair bit of info but hopefully with you being in the same position as me you might have more up to date information.


What is the salary for each increment 9months,1st ,2nd ,3rd year etc. (and do es that salary you've stated include the 14% pay rise which has been agreed?)
Do you know if the Sundays for you are committed or voluntary.
Have you heard much about the pension scheme as i think their are two types RPS60 or RPS65 but could be very wrong.


Thanks for any response

I’ve had my confirmation today too about passing and set to start in February on the course in birmingham.

The salaries previously mentioned are definitely pre pay rise but couldnt tell you exact figures.

Sundays are voluntary.

Pension scheme is just RPS.. the 60 & 65 denotes the age in which you can retire so I doubt RPS60 is around anymore so would assume it’d be RPS65.

 

[AndySV1K]

I’ve had my confirmation today too about passing and set to start in February on the course in birmingham.

The salaries previously mentioned are definitely pre pay rise but couldnt tell you exact figures.

Sundays are voluntary.

Pension scheme is just RPS.. the 60 & 65 denotes the age in which you can retire so I doubt RPS60 is around anymore so would assume it’d be RPS65.

Congratulations on the new job. Will you be a New St driver?

 

[Stubbs91]

Congratulations on the new job. Will you be a New St driver?

No mate, I’ll be based at Crewe & thank you!

 

[CreswellSig]

I’ve had my confirmation today too about passing and set to start in February on the course in birmingham.

The salaries previously mentioned are definitely pre pay rise but couldnt tell you exact figures.

Sundays are voluntary.

Pension scheme is just RPS.. the 60 & 65 denotes the age in which you can retire so I doubt RPS60 is around anymore so would assume it’d be RPS65.

Have you had a medical and official job offer with start date?

I had email about passing DMI last month and a date for the next available training course in February, but no official offer as yet. They just wanted to confirm details like notice period, personal details, booked holidays etc.

 

[Stubbs91]

Have you had a medical and official job offer with start date?

I had email about passing DMI last month and a date for the next available training course in February, but no official offer as yet. They just wanted to confirm details like notice period, personal details, booked holidays etc.

Nothing yet.. it seems all I’ve had so far is the same as you!
Presumably they’re going to need to get the medicals sorted before Xmas to give us all enough time to put our notices in?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Dec 2024 ==

Had my email today with job offer and onboarding info.
Start date will be February 2025.

 

[CreswellSig]

Nothing yet.. it seems all I’ve had so far is the same as you!
Presumably they’re going to need to get the medicals sorted before Xmas to give us all enough time to put our notices in?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Dec 2024 ==

Had my email today with job offer and onboarding info.
Start date will be February 2025.

I haven't received anything yet, so I probably won't be offered a place on the February course. Have they given you a date for your medical?

 

[Stubbs91]

I haven't received anything yet, so I probably won't be offered a place on the February course. Have they given you a date for your medical?

Yes mate medical this week. Hopefully you hear something soon!