London Underground - CSA1 / CSA2 - Recruitment and Discussion

[GoldenChef]

Has anybody else that hasn't started yet heard from Recruitment about start dates?

my sentiments are similar lol

i called up recruitment yesterday, they are currently working through early november offers to give dates for june.

 

[Horizon22]

Hi all,

The thread is now live again after the moderation and admin team spent some time going through and clarifying what we believe to be a misunderstanding about certain roles.

If anyone wants to start a discussion about their opinion on the future of the CSA2 role (or indeed other potential or speculative changes), then please make a new thread in the Speculative Discussion forum.

Thanks.

 

[jimmycconway]

Thanks guys,

I think this was needed to be honest, it was going unnecessarily off topic!

 

[cid291]

Do you guys recomend me bring a suitcase on my first day even though receiving my uniform isn't guarunteed on the first day?

Or am I able to just carry the packaging with me in the district line?

 

[Zb0905]

Do you guys recomend me bring a suitcase on my first day even though receiving my uniform isn't guarunteed on the first day?

Or am I able to just carry the packaging with me in the district line?

When u start

 

[jimmycconway]

Do you guys recomend me bring a suitcase on my first day even though receiving my uniform isn't guarunteed on the first day?

Or am I able to just carry the packaging with me in the district line?

Going by a few of the previous answers some of the members in the chat have said, a big bag/rucksack would definitely make sense to bring, but at the same time maybe Recruitment would let you know if you should as it's possible they may not have everything to go on the first day.

 

[Zb0905]

Going by a few of the previous answers some of the members in the chat have said, a big bag/rucksack would definitely make sense to bring, but at the same time maybe Recruitment would let you know if you should as it's possible they may not have everything to go on the first day.

I would recommend bringing a big bag as you can leave your box there and collect it the next day. I mean it’s not gonna go anywhere. It’s gonna stay in the classroom.

 

[GoldenChef]

Do you guys recomend me bring a suitcase on my first day even though receiving my uniform isn't guarunteed on the first day?

Or am I able to just carry the packaging with me in the district line?

did you get a training date yet?

 

[cid291]

Thanks for the tips. I really appreciate it

I start on May 4th

 

[GoldenChef]

Thanks for the tips. I really appreciate it

I start on May 4th

what a great date to start! may the 4th be with you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Apr 2026 ==

not sure if it has been brought up already but i was curious, for those who have finished training, what are your rotas currently looking like?

 

[Mawkie]

not sure if it has been brought up already but i was curious, for those who have finished training, what are your rotas currently looking like?

I posted rotas earlier up thread. To be honest, they don't fundamentally change that much, so rotas from 5 years ago will be broadly similar. Groups change and stations you may work at change, but nothing really varies by much.

Would be good to get feedback from new CSAs though. Perhaps indicating how often long weekends come around for them

 

[GoldenChef]

I posted rotas earlier up thread. To be honest, they don't fundamentally change that much, so rotas from 5 years ago will be broadly similar. Groups change and stations you may work at change, but nothing really varies by much.

Would be good to get feedback from new CSAs though. Perhaps indicating how often long weekends come around for them

also would be good to get an idea of how often super early starts and super late finishes come round!

 

[markazz]

also would be good to get an idea of how often super early starts and super late finishes come round!

I get the impression that CSA2s dont get that many dead earlies or dead lates but it really seems to be station specific.

Im trying to forget about my start date but can't help thinking about what station group i might get or the rosters, holidays etc.

Luckily I'm pretty busy with life stuff pretty much to my start date so I'm hoping it will all come as a pleasant surprise

 

[Ferreira91]

Hey guys, I’ve been at the station for a month now. My group doesn’t have a CSA2 roster, so luckily most of my shifts are as CSA1 (a bit more money, but 8hour shifts). Sometimes I get a CSA2 shift, which means I’m a “spare” (7.5hour shifts).

Some groups do have a CSA2 roster, so once you finish your live training, you’ll follow a set line on the roster. So if you are on line 1 one week you know that next week you are on line 2. That’s good because you know in advance what your shifts will be for the following weeks

As my group doesn’t have a CSA2 roster, I’m what they call “over established”, so I usually get my roster for the following week on a Tuesday or Wednesday. My earliest shift so far has been 5:15, and my latest finish has been 00:55 but they were CSA1 duties. CSA2 also do dead early and dead lates.

In the last month, I’ve already had a long weekend (Friday to Monday). My group also seems to have a fair amount of long weekends on the CSA1 roster.

There’s also a good amount of overtime available, and you can even do overtime in other groups as well with your CSM permission.

I hope this makes sense

 

[markazz]

Hey guys, I’ve been at the station for a month now. My group doesn’t have a CSA2 roster, so luckily most of my shifts are as CSA1 (a bit more money, but 8hour shifts). Sometimes I get a CSA2 shift, which means I’m a “spare” (7.5hour shifts).

Some groups do have a CSA2 roster, so once you finish your live training, you’ll follow a set line on the roster. So if you are on line 1 one week you know that next week you are on line 2. That’s good because you know in advance what your shifts will be for the following weeks

As my group doesn’t have a CSA2 roster, I’m what they call “over established”, so I usually get my roster for the following week on a Tuesday or Wednesday. My earliest shift so far has been 5:15, and my latest finish has been 00:55 but they were CSA1 duties. CSA2 also do dead early and dead lates.

In the last month, I’ve already had a long weekend (Friday to Monday). My group also seems to have a fair amount of long weekends on the CSA1 roster.

There’s also a good amount of overtime available, and you can even do overtime in other groups as well with your CSM permission.

I hope this makes sense

That's great information, thanks for that, always good to have up to date first hand info.

 

[lb001]

Hey guys, I’ve been at the station for a month now. My group doesn’t have a CSA2 roster, so luckily most of my shifts are as CSA1 (a bit more money, but 8hour shifts). Sometimes I get a CSA2 shift, which means I’m a “spare” (7.5hour shifts).

Some groups do have a CSA2 roster, so once you finish your live training, you’ll follow a set line on the roster. So if you are on line 1 one week you know that next week you are on line 2. That’s good because you know in advance what your shifts will be for the following weeks

As my group doesn’t have a CSA2 roster, I’m what they call “over established”, so I usually get my roster for the following week on a Tuesday or Wednesday. My earliest shift so far has been 5:15, and my latest finish has been 00:55 but they were CSA1 duties. CSA2 also do dead early and dead lates.

In the last month, I’ve already had a long weekend (Friday to Monday). My group also seems to have a fair amount of long weekends on the CSA1 roster.

There’s also a good amount of overtime available, and you can even do overtime in other groups as well with your CSM permission.

I hope this makes sense

Hey, hope you're enjoying life with LU so far. If you haven't already, I would strongly advise joining a union and speak to your local rep, but as an over established (O/E) CSA2, that doesn't mean that you should always be spare and have no roster line. Per the framework and agreements, you should shadow a line of the CSA1 roster. When that line is on cover weeks, then yes, you are spare, but you shouldn't be treated as a 'full time spare'/'permanent cover week'.

Again, speak to a union rep, or feel free to reach out if you don't know who that is and I can point you in the right direction.

 

[Ferreira91]

Hey, hope you're enjoying life with LU so far. If you haven't already, I would strongly advise joining a union (disclosure that I am an RMT rep) and speak to your local rep, but as an over established (O/E) CSA2, that doesn't mean that you should always be spare and have no roster line. Per the framework and agreements, you should shadow a line of the CSA1 roster. When that line is on cover weeks, then yes, you are spare, but you shouldn't be treated as a 'full time spare'/'permanent cover week'.

Again, speak to a union rep, or feel free to reach out if you don't know who that is and I can point you in the right direction.

Hello, I already spoke with my RMT rep, and they told me this could be done. I didn’t ask any further questions, so I’m a bit confused now. Even because we have a other CSA2s under “OE” for months without shadowing a CSA1 line.

 

[lb001]

Hello, I already spoke with my RMT rep, and they told me this could be done. I didn’t ask any further questions, so I’m a bit confused now. Even because we have a other CSA2s under “OE” for months without shadowing a CSA1 line.

Are you on an over established roster where you have fixed rest days, but the shifts are just spare? They can do that, but unless you do, then you should be showing a CSA1 roster line.

 

[Ferreira91]

Are you on an over established roster where you have fixed rest days, but the shifts are just spare? They can do that, but unless you do, then you should be showing a CSA1 roster line.

Yes I’m on OE roster, my rest days are fixed and they don’t change it from what’s in the advance roster. In the advance roster, I’m always scheduled as either late or early spare. But when the final roster is issued on Tuesday or Wednesday, I’m almost always assigned CSA1 duties.

 

[Von11]

I’ve just been offered a June date, so I’m very pleased

 

[heretohelp]

I’ve just been offered a June date, so I’m very pleased

Wow! Great news, I didn’t think they had any dates available. You must feel elated. Can’t wait to hear how your training goes

 

[Von11]

Wow! Great news, I didn’t think they had any dates available. You must feel elated. Can’t wait to hear how your training goes

Thank you I can’t wait to get started!
You know what, I think it depends on who you speak to, because 2 weeks ago I was told it would be 12 months from my offer date - meaning November. I recommend giving them a call if you have completed everything and try to get booked in *fingers crossed*

 

[GoldenChef]

I’ve just been offered a June date, so I’m very pleased

great news! when was you job offered?

 

[Von11]

great news! when was you job offered?

I got offered on November 7th,’so it’s been a little wait

 

[GoldenChef]

I got offered on November 7th,’so it’s been a little wait

ok, thats good to know, i was offered i was offered dec 16th so seems like another month or for dec offers.

 

[heretohelp]

Thank you I can’t wait to get started!
You know what, I think it depends on who you speak to, because 2 weeks ago I was told it would be 12 months from my offer date - meaning November. I recommend giving them a call if you have completed everything and try to get booked in *fingers crossed*

That’s a really good idea, well done for having the patience and getting through the process, the last bit will now be your training and getting through to the finish line. As someone that already works for LU I would say just listen to everything your trainer says and take clear notes that you can refer back to, to revise for tests. You’ll be in safe hands I’m sure of it! Welcome aboard ☺️

 

[Von11]

That’s a really good idea, well done for having the patience and getting through the process, the last bit will now be your training and getting through to the finish line. As someone that already works for LU I would say just listen to everything your trainer says and take clear notes that you can refer back to, to revise for tests. You’ll be in safe hands I’m sure of it! Welcome aboard ☺️

That’s really appreciated. I’m more than ready to knuckle down and learn everything to make this role a success.
Thank you

 

[markazz]

Quick question for any recent starters, after you have returned the contract do you get anything else in the way of instructions or do you just turn up on the day with your id?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cid291]

You'll get an email a few days before your start date which tells you what time you need to get to the location and which days you'll work.

 

[markazz]

You'll get an email a few days before your start date which tells you what time you need to get to the location and which days you'll work.

Thanks