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London Underground - CSA1 / CSA2 - Recruitment and Discussion
- Thread starter NSEWonderer
- Start date
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R
RailUK Forums
U got it last Friday?
How long did it take you to go from csa2 to train operator? assuming you took that route
The absolute minimum time before you could make an application is after 6 months - as staff must have passed probation before applying for other jobs. Of course, that would depend on Train Op being advertised exactly 6 months after you joined.
I don't have excellent recall, but I would imagine Train Op comes out every 2/3 years (someone will probably remember better than me). So that can have a significant impact on timelines.
The application process can be lengthy, with long wait times, just like CSA.
If you pass the assessments, you join a waiting list for training based on seniority, and as new staff you'd be at the bottom of that list. So that can typically be another 12/18 month wait before training even starts.
Training itself takes approximately 12/14 weeks, but again, it depends on so many variables - not limited to stock availability, trainer availability, Instructor Operator availability, etc. It can take much longer.
There are always exceptions, but I would expect progression to Train Op to take at least 2/3 years, often longer.
For completeness, you get allocated a line and depot on your first day of training and are held to that line for 2 years before you are eligible to transfer to your preferred depot. Depot waiting times can run to 'years' for popular depots (Barking, Upminster) to 'virtually immediate' for less popular depots (Queens Park, anything on the Piccadilly Line).
I would say definitely concentrate on joining the company first and think about progression after you have passed probation. It's worth saying that Train Op is a popular choice for staff, but there are many, many other operational opportunities for staff progression that may suit people more - for example, Customer Service Supervisor/Manager, Service Control, or even Fleet.
bluegoblin7
Established Member
+1 to everything @Mawkie has said. I can’t speak about Train Operator specifically, as I went down the Service Control route, but the broader points remain valid.
What I will say is don’t join and then immediately put all your focus into Train Operator - there are a LOT of different and varied roles that come out, even non-operational, and you may find that you discover something you didn’t even know existed if you keep an open mind. The experience you can gain on stations - even at less busy ones - can be invaluable, and many of the best Train Ops, Signallers, Controllers, Duty Managers etc are those who threw themselves into station life and got as much experience as they could, rather than just focussing on getting in and out as quickly as possible.
For me, I did two years (near enough to the day) at stations, and then moved to the signal cabins. I didn’t even know the cabins role existed (What’s a ‘Service Operator’‽) until I applied for it, and that was only because I was pushed to do so by my DSM/CSMs. I’d expected that if I’d stayed with LU (it was only meant to be a relatively short term thing!) I’d follow friends and go up train side… now I can think of nothing worse (personally!). Obviously that won’t be an option for new starters now, but working up to Supervisor can be just as invaluable (in many respects more so looking at the holistic data) as Train Op for anyone who did want to make the move to Service Control.
Of people I know who started on stations, there’s Signallers, Train Ops, Controllers, Trains Managers, Duty Reliability Managers, Customer Service Supervisors, Customer Service Managers, Revenue Control Inspectors, Trainers (not necessarily for Stations!), Schedulers, Admins and various other non-operational roles to just name a few. The opportunities are huge.
What I will say is don’t join and then immediately put all your focus into Train Operator - there are a LOT of different and varied roles that come out, even non-operational, and you may find that you discover something you didn’t even know existed if you keep an open mind. The experience you can gain on stations - even at less busy ones - can be invaluable, and many of the best Train Ops, Signallers, Controllers, Duty Managers etc are those who threw themselves into station life and got as much experience as they could, rather than just focussing on getting in and out as quickly as possible.
For me, I did two years (near enough to the day) at stations, and then moved to the signal cabins. I didn’t even know the cabins role existed (What’s a ‘Service Operator’‽) until I applied for it, and that was only because I was pushed to do so by my DSM/CSMs. I’d expected that if I’d stayed with LU (it was only meant to be a relatively short term thing!) I’d follow friends and go up train side… now I can think of nothing worse (personally!). Obviously that won’t be an option for new starters now, but working up to Supervisor can be just as invaluable (in many respects more so looking at the holistic data) as Train Op for anyone who did want to make the move to Service Control.
Of people I know who started on stations, there’s Signallers, Train Ops, Controllers, Trains Managers, Duty Reliability Managers, Customer Service Supervisors, Customer Service Managers, Revenue Control Inspectors, Trainers (not necessarily for Stations!), Schedulers, Admins and various other non-operational roles to just name a few. The opportunities are huge.
Me too !!! Good luck everyone
Congratulations it was in my spam folder too
"Conditional" normally refers to a satisfactory completion of a) references and b) medical.
With the way training dates are going basically lol
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Does anyone know how to fix the supplied literature bit with the tick boxes won’t let me skip it
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gjeffery68
Member
Same for me I got loads of uniform from some supervisors and some spear uniform week 3 ish was when I received a email to say my uniform was at Ashfield but tbf if your on live learning they will probably let you go get it
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Just a old shirt the old bottoms and that’s it really everything else is the new uniform
Ok i got you, but some people have said they have been offered a role but are on the waiting list. So i assume, they just stay in their current job until TFL are ready to take them on!?
Anyone know how long it takes to get the reed link ?
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just called up TfL to get a rough update when training dates would be she couldn’t say exactly but she mentioned I was number 270 in the wait list so it’s gonna be some time before I start
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just called up TfL to get a rough update when training dates would be she couldn’t say exactly but she mentioned I was number 270 in the wait list so it’s gonna be some time before I start
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koalakitten
Member
Sent you a dm mate.
Has anyone received an offer later than 8 days? Bit worried now.
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If u failed I reckon they would of told u by now
coffeetable
Member
Congratulations . You deserve it.
did u ?
koalakitten
Member
I did fail unfortunately. I guess the time they take doesn't matter. Anyway all the best to all those who passed.
Oh no that’s to disappointing to hear when did they tell u
bluegoblin7
Established Member
If any recent joiners here were doing SATS training at Hammersmith (District) today, I hope you all did well and enjoyed it! It looked very professional from my control room CCTV. 
Did mine on the same day. Still waiting too..
Good luck it’s good feeling when you get the offer
I just received a conditional offer
Same. Well done!
Congratulations to you too!