A trainee drivers journey through training with GN

[NewDriver2017]

great post! can i ask what the take home £ per month is for you now please?

With travel overtime added on, 4 weeks in training nets roughly at £2200. I'm also signed up to things like BRASS, Train Benevolent Fund and ASLEF so it's a good package. At the end of the day you're being paid that to train to earn a lot more so you can't grumble really.

 

[djsmith200]

not bad at all!, thank you for the info

 

[james123]

So on top of the basic take home which would prob be something like £1600 you're paid travel and overtime? What's the travel pay for if you get a free train? Thanks

 

[james123]

I'm due to start with GN in Jan (hopefully!) and need to cycle to my local station to then travel in. What facilities are there likely to be for storing kit/clothes and showing etc? Thanks again

 

[NewDriver2017]

So on top of the basic take home which would prob be something like £1600 you're paid travel and overtime? What's the travel pay for if you get a free train? Thanks

Actually with the pay rise that we've just got the basic pay is more like £1850 take home. The travel pay is because we're being trained away from our home depot, so you get 1.75 hours a day @ £14.50ph. Not a huge amount but makes up a couple of hundred quid by the end of the month.

 

[james123]

Sounds very fair indeed. Will make my financial situation better than I planned as, like many, I'm taking a big pay hit for the duration of training. Thanks for the info

 

[NewDriver2017]

I'm due to start with GN in Jan (hopefully!) and need to cycle to my local station to then travel in. What facilities are there likely to be for storing kit/clothes and showing etc? Thanks again

Great news. Congratulations on making it as far as you have. You'll be given the 'talk' when you first start about what you've actually achieved just making it in to the talent pool. Roughly 2500 people applied for the spot you've got so well done.
To answer your question, it really depends on where you are based. Training has changed a lot in last 6 months and as such so have the locations its being delivered. I'm actually on the very last course to go through the old training format. You will be on the new DLP training scheme and from what I've heard they move all over the place. I can only suggest asking the staff at the station you will be getting on at in the morning if they have a spare staff locker you can use. As for shower facilities I haven't got a clue other than I know there are showers at Hornsey in the main building and I believe staff showers in Kings Cross. Hope that helps

 

[NewDriver2017]

Sounds very fair indeed. Will make my financial situation better than I planned as, like many, I'm taking a big pay hit for the duration of training. Thanks for the info

I feel your pain. But it is short term, and the reward on the other side is more than generous. Good luck

 

[james123]

Thanks very much your help NewDriver. I hope all continues to go well for you. Maybe I'll see you down the line

 

[ComUtoR]

sounds like the driving part is structured ? Shunts, then ECS moves. Is that part of a structured approach into driving or just playing choo choo in the depots.

Keep up the good work.

 

[NewDriver2017]

sounds like the driving part is structured ? Shunts, then ECS moves. Is that part of a structured approach into driving or just playing choo choo in the depots.

Keep up the good work.

Exactly that. It's delivered in blocks, so first 4 months was purely rules and regulations to include track safety and line possessions.
Now we've moved on to learning the units themselves. Again starting slowly with shunt moves as you said, now we've nailed that we'll be tested on it via a written exam and something called "the prep from hell" where instructors take a unit and just completely mess it up and you have to get it ready to go into service.
After that it's ECS moves for 9 days and a day doing passenger service, obviously very closely watched by instructors.
Then having a good base traction knowledge we're sent on conversion courses to learn the other types of traction.
Finally its on to route learning and once thats done we're out with a DI to do 250 hours of driving before we're eligible to sit our test.
So in short its very well structured and although it takes a long long time you can see how the format makes sense.

 

[ComUtoR]

Wow. Routes BEFORE Manual handling hours. That is an interesting approach.

A tip(s) for the 'prep from hell' If you carry out your standard prep then you generally don't miss anything. Most unit preps are designed to find anything that would prevent the unit from entering service. On mine, many moons ago, I was just given the unit and told nothing. All I did was prep it was I was taught. Ours aren't timed so take your time when going through the unit. Take a pen and paper and note each indication and potential resolutions. Take each fault at time and then after you have been through I would typically then re-prep (but at speed) the unit to ensure its then ready for service.

Oddly, I have found over the years that the more faults you have the easier it is.

A slow, methodical approach wins out here every time.

 

[NewDriver2017]

Wow. Routes BEFORE Manual handling hours. That is an interesting approach.

A tip(s) for the 'prep from hell' If you carry out your standard prep then you generally don't miss anything. Most unit preps are designed to find anything that would prevent the unit from entering service. On mine, many moons ago, I was just given the unit and told nothing. All I did was prep it was I was taught. Ours aren't timed so take your time when going through the unit. Take a pen and paper and note each indication and potential resolutions. Take each fault at time and then after you have been through I would typically then re-prep (but at speed) the unit to ensure its then ready for service.

Oddly, I have found over the years that the more faults you have the easier it is.

A slow, methodical approach wins out here every time.

Useful, thank you.
On the routes learning, it's just a 10 day course on route learning techniques. We actually go out and essentially do manual handling and route learning at the same time over the 250 hours.
As it turns out it's been arranged that we'll actually go up on to full driver pay once we get to depot and start the 250 hours. In the past we would have been on training wage until we pass our Part C. So that's a bonus.

 

[choochoochoo]

Useful, thank you.
On the routes learning, it's just a 10 day course on route learning techniques. We actually go out and essentially do manual handling and route learning at the same time over the 250 hours.
As it turns out it's been arranged that we'll actually go up on to full driver pay once we get to depot and start the 250 hours. In the past we would have been on training wage until we pass our Part C. So that's a bonus.

Really ? Where did this information about full salary whilst doing 250h come from ?

I'm sure there are plenty in the classes just ahead of you who'd be interested in this, not to mention the union. Especially those waiting weeks for a DI

 

[NewDriver2017]

Really ? Where did this information about full salary whilst doing 250h come from ?

I'm sure there are plenty in the classes just ahead of you who'd be interested in this, not to mention the union. Especially those waiting weeks for a DI

We were told by the ASLEF guys that the pay rise during 250 hours was negotiated as part of the new pay deal struck with the GTR. As to whether it actually happens I'm just going to wait and see. It was stipulated to us by the ASLEF office that it was agreed upon so hopefully they follow it through. We were the last course to make the cut off. The DLP scheme is not entitled.

 

[choochoochoo]

Great news. I thought the deal was drivers pay once you completed your core route. Additional route learning was at full drivers pay.

Don't worry about prep from hell. It's not assessed. Your assessment prep is much easier. Do use the prep from hell as a good practice on how to do your prep methodically. And don't forget to look for the repair book, they love hiding that.

 

[NewDriver2017]

Great news. I thought the deal was drivers pay once you completed your core route. Additional route learning was at full drivers pay.

Don't worry about prep from hell. It's not assessed. Your assessment prep is much easier. Do use the prep from hell as a good practice on how to do your prep methodically. And don't forget to look for the repair book, they love hiding that.

Yeah actually just spoken to the ASLEF guys and what you said is right. We'll learn only the core route, so effectively get to our Part C exam quicker, and once passed out you go route learning on full pay. Before the deal you would route learn on training wage.
Im not all that concerned about the traction assessments to be honest. I used to be a fitter lol

 

[Juliet Barvo]

I used to be a fitter

How do you get to be a fitter at Hornsey?

What NVQ's or equivalent would I need?

 

[NewDriver2017]

I was at Cauldwell with FCC before it was announced it was closing. No idea how you would get into Hornsey other than to look for jobs posted on the GTR website. Easily found via Google search.
The GTR recruitment site states the following for Service Engineer applications;
Mandatory Requirements:
*Must have served an apprenticeship or equivalent skills development programme or have transferable experience in an Engineering field.
*Be physically fit and able to pass a medical to Engineering standard.
*Be able to pass DP Track and PTS course unless specifically exempt.
Hope that helps. FYI Southern are recruiting fitters now in Brighton, Battersea and Selhurst.

 

[Juliet Barvo]

What Quals would be the sort of thing, please?

 

[choochoochoo]

What Quals would be the sort of thing, please?

May I suggest that this conversation is moved off this thread as it's going off topic.

 

[NewDriver2017]

What Quals would be the sort of thing, please?

When I joined I did it as a depot assistant and got put on the fitter apprenticeship "in house" so I was entirely unqualified, but I had equivalent BTEC in Communications Systems from the military which I used to apply with. I honestly don't know but I would suggest a BTEC or equivalent will suffice.

 

[Juliet Barvo]

Cheers.

 

[Class2ldn]

Useful, thank you.
On the routes learning, it's just a 10 day course on route learning techniques. We actually go out and essentially do manual handling and route learning at the same time over the 250 hours.
As it turns out it's been arranged that we'll actually go up on to full driver pay once we get to depot and start the 250 hours. In the past we would have been on training wage until we pass our Part C. So that's a bonus.

You won't be on full drivers money before you take your part c, the union wouldn't have it and neither would anyone else.
There's no guarantee you'll pass so to pay you that money while your still training is never going to happen.
I'm a DI on TL and I know they wanted to give trainees back pay for waiting so long but I've not heard of putting people on qualified wages before you've even qualified.

 

[choochoochoo]

You won't be on full drivers money before you take your part c, the union wouldn't have it and neither would anyone else.
There's no guarantee you'll pass so to pay you that money while your still training is never going to happen.
I'm a DI on TL and I know they wanted to give trainees back pay for waiting so long but I've not heard of putting people on qualified wages before you've even qualified.

I've heard any additional weeks after waiting over 10 weeks for a DI will be back paid on full salary upon passing part C

 

[Economist]

Interesting how they're doing it at GTR, at my place it was a solid 8 weeks Rules course containing a series of exams, then a Traction course with walkarounds (pass/fail) on all types followed by an exam.

After this, straight onto driving with a DI and working towards the Initial Assessment. There's a Rules refresher 12 weeks after your Traction course and a mandatory DI swap after 100-150 hours of driving.

8 started in my group, 7 remain. I believe the one who left did so voluntarily, they just decided it wasn't for them.

 

[NewDriver2017]

You won't be on full drivers money before you take your part c, the union wouldn't have it and neither would anyone else.
There's no guarantee you'll pass so to pay you that money while your still training is never going to happen.
I'm a DI on TL and I know they wanted to give trainees back pay for waiting so long but I've not heard of putting people on qualified wages before you've even qualified.

Yeah we've already established this. Cheers

 

[djsmith200]

Actually with the pay rise that we've just got the basic pay is more like £1850 take home. The travel pay is because we're being trained away from our home depot, so you get 1.75 hours a day @ £14.50ph. Not a huge amount but makes up a couple of hundred quid by the end of the month.

fantastic, even better than i thought! makes life easier

 

[George999]

Great updates, thanks for posting. I start with TL on Wednesday and have been following this thread with interest. Looking forward to getting stuck in now.

 

[purplejonesy]

Hi all.

I found out a couple of days ago that I passed my medical, and I'm going to be on the next intake for GN trainee train driver.

Just come across this page and it's been more then helpful. Someone mentioned though that they think the training is going to be changing for the next course. Is it going to be much different to what has already been mentioned?