Agencies

[Stuart-h]

Does any one know of any agenceys that network rail or train company uses at all?

 

[Beveridges]

Carlisle Group, ISS Cleaning, G4S, they're the main ones around here anyway. I'm sure other members will be able to add more, specific to their regional areas.

 

[RJ]

Tamegon and Rail People are two others.

 

[JCLeeds]

Do the agencies deal with trainee driver positions or just already qualified?

 

[BravoGolfMike]

Neither. Agencies deal with, for the time being, cleaning staff, light maintainance, some revenue duties etc. Driver training and recruitment for qualified drivers is done in house.

 

[transportphoto]

Rail Gormet... *white flag* I would say they're the monopoly provider of on train catering.

TP

 

[Beveridges]

Agencies mainly deal with Gateline ticket checking, Cleaning and have even moved into Train Despatch over the last 5 years! First Trans Pennine Express hiring Despatchers through the Carlisle Group is a primary example.

All agencies have one thing in common, the pay and conditions are always far worse than what a TOC would pay for the same job! Pay can be as low as half of what it is with a TOC.

 

[CatfordCat]

Agencies mainly deal with Gateline ticket checking, Cleaning and have even moved into Train Despatch over the last 5 years! First Trans Pennine Express hiring Despatchers through the Carlisle Group is a primary example.

All agencies have one thing in common, the pay and conditions are always far worse than what a TOC would pay for the same job! Pay can be as low as half of what it is with a TOC.

Pretty much this.

And the benefits (e.g. reduced rate travel, pension scheme etc that you'd normally expect from a TOC aren't part of the deal either.)

I'm aware that agency staff do gateline, station security (e.g. crowd control, assisting driver-only train crew to de-train passengers where a train terminates - either on a regular basis, or one-offs where there's special arrangements due to planned or emergency engineering work) and that sort of thing

Much of it's on a casual basis - and the people doing it (and the companies they work for) usually do other sorts of security / event stewarding work as well (e.g. sports events, concerts and so on)

If you give a clue what sort of area you're in, you might get some ideas of what the companies are near you.

Is that the sort of thing you meant?

There are of course other agencies who go in for providing staff more on the civil engineering side of things - ranging from the very highly paid specialists to the un / semi-skilled manual jobs.

 

[Stuart-h]

Pretty much this.

And the benefits (e.g. reduced rate travel, pension scheme etc that you'd normally expect from a TOC aren't part of the deal either.)

I'm aware that agency staff do gateline, station security (e.g. crowd control, assisting driver-only train crew to de-train passengers where a train terminates - either on a regular basis, or one-offs where there's special arrangements due to planned or emergency engineering work) and that sort of thing

Much of it's on a casual basis - and the people doing it (and the companies they work for) usually do other sorts of security / event stewarding work as well (e.g. sports events, concerts and so on)

If you give a clue what sort of area you're in, you might get some ideas of what the companies are near you.

Is that the sort of thing you meant?

There are of course other agencies who go in for providing staff more on the civil engineering side of things - ranging from the very highly paid specialists to the un / semi-skilled manual jobs.

I'm living in Wellingborough. Ive got no experence in the railways at all. Ive been a passenger if that counts!

 

[CatfordCat]

I'm aware of

Show & Event Security - supply people for First Capital Connect

(as I said, the staff tend to be more 'as and when' rather than full time on railway work, and cover pretty much anywhere north of the Thames on the FCC network)

Ontrak Recruitment - have seen them advertise for gateline staff for Southern


STM Security - have seen reference on here to them supplying people for South West Trains

Not aware who (if anyone) provides such staff for EM Trains.

 

[a729]

I'm living in Wellingborough. Ive got no experence in the railways at all. Ive been a passenger if that counts!

I guess if you don't mind commuting there's bound to be more opportunities in say London or Birmingham?

 

[NLC1072]

Trainpeople.co.uk are a good one to start with, they're all over too.

 

[E&W Lucas]

I'm living in Wellingborough. Ive got no experence in the railways at all. Ive been a passenger if that counts!

So you are within easy commuting distance of St Pancras, King's Cross, Euston... plus Bedford, Bletchley (do LM still have a depot there?) and if you're just in it for a decent job, London Underground. Possibly South London depots as well, but cross - London commuting can be a pain.

Plenty of jobs will come up within easy reach of you. Proper jobs, not Micky Mouse ones with agencies. Now what sort of work experience do you have please, and we can maybe offer a few pointers?
Railway experience unimportant; transferable skills are.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also worth pointing out, that if you are working for a TOC directly, you would qualify for a Staff Rate Season Ticket, and a quick look gives a figure of approx £1400 for that. Some companies offer payroll deducted loans for these too. You won't get any concession on LUL though, but St Px, Kgx & Euston are within walking distance.

 

[Stuart-h]

So you are within easy commuting distance of St Pancras, King's Cross, Euston... plus Bedford, Bletchley (do LM still have a depot there?) and if you're just in it for a decent job, London Underground. Possibly South London depots as well, but cross - London commuting can be a pain.

Plenty of jobs will come up within easy reach of you. Proper jobs, not Micky Mouse ones with agencies. Now what sort of work experience do you have please, and we can maybe offer a few pointers?
Railway experience unimportant; transferable skills are.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also worth pointing out, that if you are working for a TOC directly, you would qualify for a Staff Rate Season Ticket, and a quick look gives a figure of approx £1400 for that. Some companies offer payroll deducted loans for these too. You won't get any concession on LUL though, but St Px, Kgx & Euston are within walking distance.

I'm a lorry driver by trade.

 

[E&W Lucas]

I'm a lorry driver by trade.

Plenty of ex - wagon drivers on the rails.

I'm assuming in your line of work, you will want driving, not customer facing stuff. Get your CV in to FCC (Bedford, KX or Pboro are easy for you, the GN has much the better work), LOROL, London Midland, Chiltern, etc, etc.... A couple of years out of training, and you would be within reach of the London inter city depots, DBS at Leicester, GBRF at Pboro and Freightliner on your doorstep.

Best of luck. You've one of the biggest driver kindergartens (Bedford) on your doorstep.