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Transport for Wales - Trainee Train Drivers

843185288

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Joined
5 Aug 2024
Messages
25
Location
South wales
Thats positive news at least, where did you hear that if you dont mind me asking?
I’m not sure if everyone has been extended but id assume we all have, I doubt they’d extend for one and not the other
Hi one of the driver trainers i know suggested that one or two courses are planned but this could change. Problem we have is that too many senior drivers are staying or job sharing. Hopefully with the introduction of the 398 fleet, some will retire.
 
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LoftyTD

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Joined
2 Mar 2024
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68
Location
Barry
Hi one of the driver trainers i know suggested that one or two courses are planned but this could change. Problem we have is that too many senior drivers are staying or job sharing. Hopefully with the introduction of the 398 fleet, some will retire.
I would say lets hope they are wrong and there are many more courses scheduled but at this point anything is a positive. I have also heard about senior drivers not retiring, not ideal!
 
Joined
12 Aug 2020
Messages
160
Location
Shropshire
For anyone in the talent pool for Shrewsbury, I hope to see you in the near future. It's a good depot with good managers, and we finally have decent reps who aren't getting their bellies tickled by management.
 
Joined
10 Dec 2025
Messages
19
Location
anglesey
Hey guys not quite trainee driver positions but I’ve applied for a technical/shunter role in Holyhead and wondered if any of you guys ever applied for similar as a bit of an experience building route? I’ve throughly enjoyed learning from your experiences so far on this thread and coming from a mix of offshore work to forestry and plant ops I’m excited about the prospect of a career change to something that I’ve always wanted to do
 

samsutton1990

New Member
Joined
4 Dec 2025
Messages
4
Location
llanfairfechan
Hey guys not quite trainee driver positions but I’ve applied for a technical/shunter role in Holyhead and wondered if any of you guys ever applied for similar as a bit of an experience building route? I’ve throughly enjoyed learning from your experiences so far on this thread and coming from a mix of offshore work to forestry and plant ops I’m excited about the prospect of a career change to something that I’ve always wanted to do
Hey dude, I applied for the same position coming from an offshore background aswell you heard anything back yet or still waiting to hear, as of you have I know I’ve not been shortlisted and can forget about the role
 
Joined
10 Dec 2025
Messages
19
Location
anglesey
Hey dude, I applied for the same position coming from an offshore background aswell you heard anything back yet or still waiting to hear, as of you have I know I’ve not been shortlisted and can forget about the role
It’s good to see others from a totally different but also safety critical industry trying to get into rail mate, and nah the portal still says shortlisting and it’s not quite 2 weeks post closing so I won’t worry about it too much yet mate
 

samsutton1990

New Member
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4 Dec 2025
Messages
4
Location
llanfairfechan
It was an email so I’d keep checking the portal, if the portal says shortlisting I’d say you’re still in the game, no news is good news I think with a lot of it just a lot of patience need

Cheers for the info, yeah just says shortlisting so guessing if nothing within a week, not for me this time as I’d imagine most people will be being told sooner rather than later if you’ve had your invite already,

Out of curiosity when is yours penciled in for?
 
Joined
10 Dec 2025
Messages
19
Location
anglesey
Cheers for the info, yeah just says shortlisting so guessing if nothing within a week, not for me this time as I’d imagine most people will be being told sooner rather than later if you’ve had your invite already,

Out of curiosity when is yours penciled in for?
I wouldn’t even say that, I think things take time and from what a friend who succeeded in getting the role from 2024 application said it can take ages and will also consider distance from depot etc, are you local-ish to Holyhead? They may have a few factors that decide things, my mate applied 2024 and was not tail end of this year he finished the process so it’s definitely a patience game. I’m pencilled in for 12th Jan for a speed interview, although I’m not sure how much like a traditional “speed interview” it is as I’ve been told to expect something far less pressured and friendly
 

LoftyTD

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Joined
2 Mar 2024
Messages
68
Location
Barry
When I applied it was end of August 2023 and by the time I had finished the process and had the final pass confirmation it was end of April 2024 and I (and quite a few others here) have been in the talent pool since. So it can definitely be a long drawn out process unfortunately.
 
Joined
10 Dec 2025
Messages
19
Location
anglesey
When I applied it was end of August 2023 and by the time I had finished the process and had the final pass confirmation it was end of April 2024 and I (and quite a few others here) have been in the talent pool since. So it can definitely be a long drawn out process unfortunately.
It seems from what I’ve gathered from here and friends it’s definitely a patience game
 

LoftyTD

Member
Joined
2 Mar 2024
Messages
68
Location
Barry
Anyone in Cardiff talent pool heard any news/rumours? Surely some recruitment will take place during 2026!
 

NSEWonderer

Established Member
Joined
5 Dec 2020
Messages
2,899
Location
London
Not enough people retiring to because of the pay rise
Usually is rhe opposite actually. A lot of drivers will consider retire with payrises due to backpay and the pension boosts plus that said pay rise may bring changes to working that they'd rather not deal with.
 

843185288

Member
Joined
5 Aug 2024
Messages
25
Location
South wales
Ah ok. Think they've brought sunday working in now not paid as overtime.
Very unlikely that there will be more than one course this year. Considering there are 40+ people in the talent pool suggests there needs to be at least 6 courses for all of us to be selected. Its hard to stay positive when the clock keeps ticking
 

LoftyTD

Member
Joined
2 Mar 2024
Messages
68
Location
Barry
How have you determined that? Sure there may be overstaffing, but with the movement with taffs well depot many of those extra staff may move there. Also, my friend said theres many senior drivers who are close to retirement but they have to give a year notice, so there may be movement with that also. Also just being optimistic, TfW have put another trainee driver post for Chester, which I think shows growth and is overall positive. When my friend got in as a trainee, he said they had new courses starting every two weeks and that ran for like a year - of course thats not the case now but 6 courses shouldn't be out of reach.
We have until 2028 which is plenty of time, I pray that full allocation of time isn't used.
 
Joined
10 Dec 2025
Messages
19
Location
anglesey
Wonder if any Cardiff jobs will come out soon... :smile:
I’ve applied to my most local (Llandudno) and after seeing how many of you guys down there are waiting years in the talent pool I’m intrigued to see how it is up here if I progress, allegedly 50% increase in services mainline planned and extra again between Wrexham and Chester etc
 

LoftyTD

Member
Joined
2 Mar 2024
Messages
68
Location
Barry
I’ve applied to my most local (Llandudno) and after seeing how many of you guys down there are waiting years in the talent pool I’m intrigued to see how it is up here if I progress, allegedly 50% increase in services mainline planned and extra again between Wrexham and Chester etc
I cant imagine it being the same for the northern depots. The numbers in talent pools up north is generally a lot lower than south. They have recruited multiple times for north since the last recruitment in 2023 for south so it shows they manage to keep those talent pools moving.
Good luck, hopefully the process isn't as drawn out and painful for you!
 
Joined
10 Dec 2025
Messages
19
Location
anglesey
I cant imagine it being the same for the northern depots. The numbers in talent pools up north is generally a lot lower than south. They have recruited multiple times for north since the last recruitment in 2023 for south so it shows they manage to keep those talent pools moving.
Good luck, hopefully the process isn't as drawn out and painful for you!
That’s what I was generally thinking and thanks! Hopefully it’s a bit more steady as the trend seems to have been so far, the sift for the shunter role was pretty quick and by all accounts had a lot of interest so maybe they are really pushing on up here, I’ve not read on here much about being stuck in pools up north compared to you poor lot, when it gets moving down south it will probably be a frantic panic for instructors and slots as metro gets on its feet and people retire
 

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