Recent content by TeaTrain

Yes pal we have had many a conversation in work about this. I am always kept on my toes and we have a good bunch here who always lean on each other to excel and not get complacent. It can happen to anyone but no one wants it to happen to each other! Best thing to do is look out for one another...

Congratulations on getting to your training!! I hope you have a great time and that you enjoy it very much pal! I say any help that you can provide to others who are in the process is always beneficial! I thoroughly enjoyed writing my diary but as you get into the nitty gritty of the training...

First congratulations are in order! So congratulations on starting your very rewarding and tiring railway career as a Trainee Driver! The training is easier if you come from a safety related background or from one of the forces etc. There is a reason so many ex forces get the job. It’s because...

Hello pal! First and foremost congratulations and I hope you get to start soon! The wait can be difficult but you will get there and before you know it will be collecting your uniform and thinking what is happening . I have done a few jobs in my time. My background was that of being a lecturer...

As a driver I have found that the ones my TOC try to give me are hard wearing except for the inside heel. It wears down within months and so I also have now moved to sketchers workwear. There is no requirement to have steel toecaps anymore but I would certainly still recommend it! Some Tocs...

Hi everyone, It’s been a while since I was last active on here—some of you might remember me from my post a few years back about how I recorded my diary through my training which ended up being surprisingly popular! Since then, I’ve gone from hopeful applicant to qualified driver, and I’m now...

Good luck to all who is on their way to being Trainees at the various depots. You may remember my diary and how I began to tell everyone about the training process. Sorry I pulled it down but I am working with some other employees on something that will be far more useful. I appreciate the...

Hello that was my diary that I had removed. It was removed as it will be popping up elsewhere sometime in the future. If you want to chat please feel free to pm me. I’m working pretty much everyday lol but will do my best to get back to you.

There is no more for Man Pic as far as I am aware. At least from my batch of interviews. We are into our driving hours now. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more vacancies at some point though as it may be that a good few will be leaving in the next year.

It is extremely normal for you to be allocated ‘blocks’ where your Annual Leave is. As others have said it is not that bad and because you know quite fat in advance you can work out with other drivers swaps. I don’t think there is an issue with the amount of time off. By the time you factor in...

Do A levels count? One person on our course had A level certificates and they weren’t accepted? It’s so confusing lol. To be fair they say an apprenticeship but I haven’t done anything at all other than the functional skills week at the beginning of the course. I have had two phone calls and...

Hello that was my Diary. I have removed it as I will be moving it elsewhere on a project of my own. Indeed if you cannot prove your GCSE results by way of certification you will be requested to complete a functional skills week for IT, Maths and English. It isn’t bad at all and if I can do it...

ATW used to do this back when it was. There was a telephone interview before being sent to the psychometrics. Not sure if TfW have continued this. It seems a lot of TOCs are doing it now as an extra stage of filtration.

Nope I’m sure they will want you to resit them well within 5 years. Most TOCs will need them to be done within 2-3 years. The 5 years is the general validity but that doesn’t mean TOCs will accept it.

TPE do not honour the five years. I had completed them to enhanced 2 years and 2 days prior with Virgin Trains and I was asked to retake them as I was over the two year period. I don’t wish on anyone to have to retake them again! It’s pretty nerve wracking!