Recent content by Interlude

What struck me the most about my trainee class was the diversity. People came from a wide range of industries and backgrounds. Only 2/10 had worked in rail previously. I think the key is more life experience than industry-specific experience, not just in terms of getting through the interviews...

For Old Oak Common: - Each 10 week cycle starts with 17 days off (of which 4 days are rostered annual leave) - Average 35 hour, 4 day weeks, but you can work more or less in a given week (never more than 5 days, never more than 45 hours as things stand) - 5 or 6 Saturdays and 6 or 7 Sundays off...

So not much variety in the work as suspected, must be a small link too in that case!

Hello all, I see WM Trains are looking for speculative applications for Shrewsbury - can anyone provide info on the depot? Is the route purely Shrewsbury to New St, or are there diagrams that cover Shrewsbury > BHM > Hereford > BHM > Shrewsbury, for example? I'm looking to relocate up that way...

The word is that every driver will sign the entire route.

I can't speak for all TOCs, but I'm currently learning a new route in full passenger service, and also signing off on a new type of traction simultaneously. For the previous new traction I learned, driving hours were accumulated on specific driver training paths (i.e. empty), so it can be done...

For me, the shift work is mostly a positive thing. I avoid peak time commuting for the vast majority of shifts, the midweek days off are great for getting things done (shops are empty, gym is empty, pub is open...), and I enjoy the variation as opposed to the 9-5 grind. Even the 4am starts...

I think this is is a typo or error. These are the rules surrounding AWS and the DSD as I understand them: The max speed when AWS is defective is 40mph, unless there is a competent person present in addition to the driver, in which case line speed is permitted. If the DSD is also isolated, the...

An engineering train timed at 50mph will almost certainly be conveying Salmon wagons: https://www.google.co.uk/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-tmobile-gb&source=android-browser&q=salmon+wagon&gfe_rd=cr&ei=iF7fWIjRMM-Ltgev-pTgAQ Although some have been converted for 60mph running...

Good luck to all who apply! I'm starting as a trainee with MTR in a couple of weeks, having applied in October 2015, so be prepared for a long application process. It'll be well worth the wait though!

Hi SheikG, That really is horrible news. Try to get as much feedback as possible on where you may have gone wrong. As difficult as it will be to feel positive right now, you've shown that you have the right qualities to be a train driver by passing the assessments, it may just be a case of...

I see in this months' issue of Crossmail that the first group of trainee drivers have passed out after 8 months of training. Good to see all ten made it through! Less than 9 months until I'm due to start, hopefully the time will fly!

Many thanks! My start date is 07/03/2017. An odd feeling to think that I'll be in my current job for another year, but I suspect it'll be well worth the wait!

Hello all, My TTD job offer from MTR Crossrail come through today, so I'd just thought I'd jump on here and thank everyone who's contributed to this thread. I've been an avid reader since applying, and have no doubt that the content has contributed to my successful application. My advice to...