Arriva Trains Trainee Drivers -Crewe

[rchta455]

It looks like recruitment has opened but it's internal only ladies and gents.

 

[nick40uk]

Do you know where they do their training? If they open the trainee positions up to externals then I'm hoping to go for Shrewsbury

 

[red2005]

Depends where the available trainers at the time are based......could be Cardiff or Chester can't imagine them opening up Shrewsbury or Crewe to externals as every man and his dog internally try to get at those depots due to the variety of work!

Only way they'd do it externally at those depots I'd imagine is if they don't get enough internals pass the assessments/ interviews

 

[TDK]

Do you know where they do their training? If they open the trainee positions up to externals then I'm hoping to go for Shrewsbury

There isn't a lot of chance of the positions being open to externals if it is internals only as the positions will be filled as they are always oversubscribed.

 

[craigybagel]

Depends where the available trainers at the time are based......could be Cardiff or Chester can't imagine them opening up Shrewsbury or Crewe to externals as every man and his dog internally try to get at those depots due to the variety of work!

Only way they'd do it externally at those depots I'd imagine is if they don't get enough internals pass the assessments/ interviews

Not sure what you mean about the variety of work at Crewe - if anything, Chester is the depot with variety. Not that it matters though, there will definitely be plenty of internal applicants, plus there are jobs for external qualified drivers as well so I don't see why they would need to open it to external trainees.

 

[TDK]

Not sure what you mean about the variety of work at Crewe - if anything, Chester is the depot with variety. Not that it matters though, there will definitely be plenty of internal applicants, plus there are jobs for external qualified drivers as well so I don't see why they would need to open it to external trainees.

Crewe sign Manchester to Cardiff and that is it so to be fair it is a poor route knowledge depot, W & B used to have quite a large route card with Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Cardiff, HOW and the Cambrian but it has all gone to Shrewsbury and other TOC's. Chester have the most on their route cards as far as I am aware for ATW. I think there is also a position at Shrewsbury for a trainee driver

 

[387star]

Good on arriva for giving their own emplpyees a good chance
Wasn't sure employers could still advertise internal only

 

[craigybagel]

Crewe sign Manchester to Cardiff and that is it so to be fair it is a poor route knowledge depot, W & B used to have quite a large route card with Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Cardiff, HOW and the Cambrian but it has all gone to Shrewsbury and other TOC's. Chester have the most on their route cards as far as I am aware for ATW. I think there is also a position at Shrewsbury for a trainee driver

Crewe go to Birmingham from Shrewsbury, and Chester from Shrewsbury and Crewe as well, but as you say it's nothing compared to the variety at Chester depot. But then not everyone likes variety I guess. Whichever depot comes up will always have plenty of applicants.

 

[red2005]

Not sure what you mean about the variety of work at Crewe - if anything, Chester is the depot with variety. Not that it matters though, there will definitely be plenty of internal applicants, plus there are jobs for external qualified drivers as well so I don't see why they would need to open it to external trainees.

when I said variety I was mainly referring to Shrewsbury but the fact Crewe is the only northern ATW depot that sign the route to Cardiff as well as working the stock down there it can be quite a pull!

 

[craigybagel]

Only difference really between Shrewsbury and Crewe for new drivers is Shrewsbury do the Heart of Wales instead of going to Cardiff, and Crewe is vice versa. All the other routes are the same (albeit with some differences between depots as to what diversions are signed - Crewe don't sign Bescot, and Shrewsbury don't sign the diversions between Manchester and Crewe). Heart of Wales is very much a Marmite route with traincrew, you either love it or you hate it. Whilst Crewe do sign the stock, I'd be very surprised if the new drivers get anywhere near it - only one of the two links of drivers at Crewe sign it.

 

[PHILIPE]

Crewe go to Birmingham from Shrewsbury, and Chester from Shrewsbury and Crewe as well, but as you say it's nothing compared to the variety at Chester depot. But then not everyone likes variety I guess. Whichever depot comes up will always have plenty of applicants.

Don't Crewe go to Birmingham via Stafford also ?

 

[craigybagel]

Sign it as a diversion, but no booked work. At the moment, all of the services that run via Stafford are booked to be worked by Chester drivers.

 

[TDK]

Not sure what you mean about the variety of work at Crewe - if anything, Chester is the depot with variety. Not that it matters though, there will definitely be plenty of internal applicants, plus there are jobs for external qualified drivers as well so I don't see why they would need to open it to external trainees.

With most wannabe drivers any depot in any part of the country no matter what the routes, traction, conditions or whatever will be an option. Driver positions are as we know grossly oversubscribed. There is a clause somewhere regarding externals and the amount a company have to recruit. Any company will recruit from whatever is the best option for them and to be fair if they advertise solely internal they have to replace the internals anyway be it guards, station staff etc. It is in fact more expensive for a company to take on an internal vice an external for a drivers role.

 

[SkinnyDave]

With most wannabe drivers any depot in any part of the country no matter what the routes, traction, conditions or whatever will be an option. Driver positions are as we know grossly oversubscribed. There is a clause somewhere regarding externals and the amount a company have to recruit. Any company will recruit from whatever is the best option for them and to be fair if they advertise solely internal they have to replace the internals anyway be it guards, station staff etc. It is in fact more expensive for a company to take on an internal vice an external for a drivers role.

Out of interest TDK what is the route card like at Chester?

 

[TDK]

Out of interest TDK what is the route card like at Chester?

Chester to Holyhead, Chester to Crewe, Chester to Man. Pic via Warrington, Chester to Manchester Airport via Cheshire lines, Chester to Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury to Birmingham Intnl, Wolverhampto to New street via Bescot, Wrexham to Bidston, Crewe to Wolverhampton Via Stafford, Llandudno Jct to Llandudno, Man Pic to Man Airport & Shrewwsbury to Crewe via Wem. There are 3 links, not all links sign all routes.

Crewe sign - Manchester to Crewe, Crewe to Shrewsbury via Wem and Wrexham, Manchester to Crewe via Styal and Chat moss (diversionary), Shrewsbury to Birmingham International.

Shrewsbury sign - Shrewsbury to Birmingham international, Wolves to New street via Bescot, Heart of wales, Shrewsbury to Chester, Chester to Crewe, Shrewsbury to Manchester Pic via Wilmslow.

I may have missed some out but that is the basis of the route cards.

 

[SkinnyDave]

Chester to Holyhead, Chester to Crewe, Chester to Man. Pic via Warrington, Chester to Manchester Airport via Cheshire lines, Chester to Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury to Birmingham Intnl, Wolverhampto to New street via Bescot, Wrexham to Bidston, Crewe to Wolverhampton Via Stafford, Llandudno Jct to Llandudno, Man Pic to Man Airport & Shrewwsbury to Crewe via Wem. There are 3 links, not all links sign all routes.

Crewe sign - Manchester to Crewe, Crewe to Shrewsbury via Wem and Wrexham, Manchester to Crewe via Styal and Chat moss (diversionary), Shrewsbury to Birmingham International.

Shrewsbury sign - Shrewsbury to Birmingham international, Wolves to New street via Bescot, Heart of wales, Shrewsbury to Chester, Chester to Crewe, Shrewsbury to Manchester Pic via Wilmslow.

I may have missed some out but that is the basis of the route cards.

That's a lot of mileage at Chester

 

[red2005]

That's a lot of mileage at Chester

you missed crewe signing to Cardiff central

 

[PHILIPE]

Do Crewe not sign Manchester via Stoke for diversionary purposes. There are ECS workings to and from Manchester that route. The ECS runs either via Chat Moss or Stoke different days.

 

[sd0733]

Yes they sign via Alsager and via Macclesfield to Stoke, I had some route learning on my train the other day. I'm pretty they said they sign the whole of Crewe-Norton Bridge via Stoke but stand to be corrected on the last part.

 

[craigybagel]

Only sign it north of stoke, crewe don't sign stoke to Norton bridge. Most of the time the empty stock over that line doesn't even run to stoke,it reverses at Kidsgrove, but that move is not permitted in passenger service so if it's a diverted train in service, it has to go all the way in and out of Stoke. Pretty rare to get diverted that way though, styal sees much more use.