Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) Talent Pool

[Budgie]

I've been in Arriva Trains Wales’s, Trainee Train Driver Talent Pool since August 2016 (8 months at the time of posting this post). I was wondering if anyone else out there finds themselves in the same situation as me. I was the only person who attended my Assessment Day, so I haven’t met anyone else who got as far as the talent pool.

If you’re out there, you may be feeling a little dejected at this stage, which is understandable, but I do have this information I can share with you, which may help you understand the leisurely pace of progress and hopefully help you remain optimistic:

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1. You may or may not be aware that you will remain in the talent pool for up to 2 years. At the end of the 2 years, you're no longer in the talent pool. So, you’ve got a little time left yet.

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2. Redundant ATW Freight Train Drivers were offered some Passenger Train Driver vacancies. Of course some accepted this lifeline and this has prolonged the wait slightly for those of us currently in the talent pool.

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3. With the ATW franchise up for renewal next year (2018) ATW have to be frugal with employing new drivers but that’s not to say they won’t be requiring a new course to start in the future.

No doubt, if you've worked hard to get to this point and you’re waiting to see which way your future’s heading, it can be rather frustrating and disconcerting but let’s not lose all hope and have faith in the ATW Recruitment Team.

Good luck to you all .

 

[donpoku]

Yes can testify to the above encouraging post, being in a talent pool for over a year and out of the blue got "the call", made the waiting worth it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Budgie]

Thanks for your post, I found it rather reassuring.

Have you just started with Arriva?

Best of luck on the course. If you have time whilst going through the training, it would be nice to hear how you're getting on.

Good luck with the new job and everything

 

[tiptoptaff]

Pendant alert here - ATW don't have freight drivers. DBC do - and they are totally separate companies. There is absolutely no crossover at all, save for the hire-in of 67s

 

[Budgie]

Hi Tiptoptaff,

That's rather intriguing and quite confusing. I was advised by the recruitment team that they had to offer freight train drivers, being made redundant, the opportunity to transfer into passenger train driver vacancies. Maybe I got it wrong but as long as it doesn't prevent me from starting at some stage, I'm content to wait. There's nothing else I want more than to get that call from Arriva recruitment team with a start date. I just hope it will still happen.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hi Tiptoptaff,

That's rather intriguing and quite confusing. I was advised by the recruitment team that they had to offer freight train drivers, being made redundant, the opportunity to transfer into passenger train driver vacancies. Maybe I got it wrong but as long as it doesn't prevent me from starting at some stage, I'm content to wait. There's nothing else I want more than to get that call from Arriva recruitment team with a start date. I just hope it will still happen.

They may well have an agreement with the unions to take on redundant freight men, but they would be from a totally separate company.

 

[Budgie]

They may well have an agreement with the unions to take on redundant freight men, but they would be from a totally separate company.

Now that makes sense. I take it you’re still working for Arriva? What's the general consensus on the impending franchise renewal next year? Arriva have done a great job with new initiatives and improved services since they took over, so surely they're in a good place for retaining the franchise?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Now that makes sense. I take it you’re still working for Arriva? What's the general consensus on the impending franchise renewal next year? Arriva have done a great job with new initiatives and improved services since they took over, so surely they're in a good place for retaining the franchise?

HA! no. Got out while I was still sane!! Hard to tell what's going to happen as when I left in November the Welsh Government hadn't worked out which end was arse and which end was elbow, and what it wanted to do with it all. There is a lot of bad feeling from the public but that stems from the fact they haven't much stock. Would be the same whoever had it.

The public opinion is that Arriva haven't done all that well. Now, from those of us inside the railway, we understand the challenges and can say yes indeed they have done very well under the circumstance. But to the lay person, and lay AM and MP, they have not.

Which depot are you going for?>

 

[Balol25]

Hi Budgie, I'm also in the talent pool for ATW. I have been in since November last year (so not quite as long as yourself). I spoke to the recruitment team in February and whilst they had no information on any upcoming courses, they suggested that I can call them every 2-3 months to see if there were any updates.

I agree the uncertainty over the timescales is somewhat frustrating but I guess it's just one of those things we have to accept being in this position.

 

[Budgie]

Hi Budgie, I'm also in the talent pool for ATW. I have been in since November last year (so not quite as long as yourself). I spoke to the recruitment team in February and whilst they had no information on any upcoming courses, they suggested that I can call them every 2-3 months to see if there were any updates.

I agree the uncertainty over the timescales is somewhat frustrating but I guess it's just one of those things we have to accept being in this position.

Hi Balol25,

It's good to finally find someone else in the same boat as me.

I've been contacting them around once every two months too. Probably making a nuisance of myself

I'll let you know if I hear anything. If you get any news before me, please let me know.

We may know more once the franchise discussions have ended, which I believe is next month.

Pob lwc

 

[Balol25]

Hi Balol25,

It's good to finally find someone else in the same boat as me.

I've been contacting them around once every two months too. Probably making a nuisance of myself

I'll let you know if I hear anything. If you get any news before me, please let me know.


We may know more once the franchise discussions have ended, which I believe is next month.

Pob lwc

No problems. Will do.

Which depot are you on hold for?

 

[Budgie]

No problems. Will do.

Which depot are you on hold for?

Canton, Cardiff. Are you the same?

 

[greatkingrat]

They may well have an agreement with the unions to take on redundant freight men, but they would be from a totally separate company.

It's not a totally separate company. DB Cargo and Arriva Trains Wales are both ultimately owned by Deutsche Bahn.

 

[Budgie]

It's not a totally separate company. DB Cargo and Arriva Trains Wales are both ultimately owned by Deutsche Bahn.

Of course they are and that's a very relevant point which explains a lot. Thanks for highlighting that fact.

I hope any transfers that may have taken place, do no more than just delay things for those of us treading water in the talent pool (see what I did there? )

 

[221129]

It's not a totally separate company. DB Cargo and Arriva Trains Wales are both ultimately owned by Deutsche Bahn.

They are still completely separate companies though. Just because they are owned by the same parent company doesn't mean they are not separate companies.

 

[donpoku]

They are still completely separate companies though. Just because they are owned by the same parent company doesn't mean they are not separate companies.

I concur as it seen as targeted favouritism which has legal and political ramifications.

 

[Bellbell]

They recruited specifically for qualified drivers from within the Deustche Bahn group I believe, I imagine to accommodate the freight drivers. I heard a couple of people in Cardiff talking about it

 

[Balol25]

Canton, Cardiff. Are you the same?

No I'm in the pool for Machynlleth. So I don't know if we would be on the same course initially (if it indeed operates in that way). I was told that the 'classroom' section of the training would be held in Chester, I imagine that you would be in Cardiff?

 

[craigybagel]

Canton, Cardiff. Are you the same?

Pedantic i know, but both Cardiff traincrew depots (Valleys and Mainline) are located at Cardiff Central (more specifically in St Davids house across the road) and not in Canton. Cardiff drivers do spend a lot of time in Canton, but start and finish their days at Central.

No I'm in the pool for Machynlleth. So I don't know if we would be on the same course initially (if it indeed operates in that way). I was told that the 'classroom' section of the training would be held in Chester, I imagine that you would be in Cardiff?

Courses can be held in either Chester or in Cardiff. Depending on numbers, sometimes they hold a course with both drivers from North and South in one location, and sometimes they run seperate courses with North drivers at Chester and South drivers at Cardiff.

 

[Budgie]

Pedantic i know, but both Cardiff traincrew depots (Valleys and Mainline) are located at Cardiff Central (more specifically in St Davids house across the road) and not in Canton. Cardiff drivers do spend a lot of time in Canton, but start and finish their days at Central.



Courses can be held in either Chester or in Cardiff. Depending on numbers, sometimes they hold a course with both drivers from North and South in one location, and sometimes they run seperate courses with North drivers at Chester and South drivers at Cardiff.

Hi Craigybagel,

No it's not pedantic at all mate, I welcome any advice and insight you can offer. It's good to learn how things will operate for me once I'm part of the team. So I will be starting and finishing shift in the same place I did the assessment day, which is good to know.

Do you work from Cardiff Central yourself? How do you find the job? Other drivers I know love the job and from what I've been told about it, I can't wait to start donning my ATW uniform. It can't come soon enough!

Yeah, any advice or guidance you can offer will always be willingly received mate, thank you

 

[Budgie]

I concur as it seen as targeted favouritism which has legal and political ramifications.

So are you saying ATW didn't offer redundant freight train drivers, passenger train driver vacancies with them? :-?

 

[Budgie]

They recruited specifically for qualified drivers from within the Deustche Bahn group I believe, I imagine to accommodate the freight drivers. I heard a couple of people in Cardiff talking about it

That's information I got from the recruitment team too.

 

[craigybagel]

Hi Craigybagel,

No it's not pedantic at all mate, I welcome any advice and insight you can offer. It's good to learn how things will operate for me once I'm part of the team. So I will be starting and finishing shift in the same place I did the assessment day, which is good to know.

Do you work from Cardiff Central yourself? How do you find the job? Other drivers I know love the job and from what I've been told about it, I can't wait to start donning my ATW uniform. It can't come soon enough!

Yeah, any advice or guidance you can offer will always be willingly received mate, thank you

No problem. AIUI, Cardiff traincrew book on in St David's at the start of their shift but don't need to go back in there at the end. It's also where all the resources staff and depot management are based. I'm neither a driver nor based in Cardiff but I am a member of ATW traincrew who did his training in St Davids so I'm fairly familiar with the set up.

Good luck anyway, hopefully you'll get onboard as soon as possible!

So are you saying ATW didn't offer redundant freight train drivers, passenger train driver vacancies with them? :-?

That's information I got from the recruitment team too.

A number of former freight drivers have indeed been taken on across the company. To be fair though, lots of companies recruit for qualified drivers all the time and my own depot has had several ex freight drivers arrive over the last few years. More drivers than normal at DBC may have been considering their future of late however.

 

[Budgie]

No I'm in the pool for Machynlleth. So I don't know if we would be on the same course initially (if it indeed operates in that way). I was told that the 'classroom' section of the training would be held in Chester, I imagine that you would be in Cardiff?

There's some good news coming your way via an email. Not a course start date unfortunately but good news nevertheless

 

[Balol25]

There's some good news coming your way via an email. Not a course start date unfortunately but good news nevertheless

I have received the email from the recruitment team also.

How many posts do I need to be able to pm you?

 

[TeaTrain]

All driver course from about Shrewsbury/ Mach upwards are done at the 158/ 150 sims in Chester now btw. Unless they changed the set up again XD

 

[Budgie]

I have received the email from the recruitment team also.

How many posts do I need to be able to pm you?

I don't know butt, I don't know how it works on here but I'll take a look and let you know if I figure it out. As long as you've got the email, that's the most important thing. They said they'd send it out before the end of the week but it was sent almost as soon as I was off the phone to them. Now that's efficiency!

It's a little disappointing that there will be no courses on this year but it's very good news that we have had our "on hold" extended by 12 months. Particularly as that will take us into the start of the next franchise in 2018, where inevitably the TOC that secures the franchise will need to recruit new drivers. With the new Metro System just around the corner too, things are looking promising for those of us on hold, as well as future applicants.

I am wondering though, what format the interview will take. Do we need to start preparing ourselves for that now? What are your thoughts?

 

[tiptoptaff]

With the new Metro System just around the corner too, things are looking promising for those of us on hold, as well as future applicants.

Hope you want to be a tram driver then!!

 

[Budgie]

All driver course from about Shrewsbury/ Mach upwards are done at the 158/ 150 sims in Chester now btw. Unless they changed the set up again XD

Thanks for the heads up. Seems Balol25 and I are likely to end up on different courses due to geography and varying demand for new drivers at different locations.

It may all change with, dependant on the results of the new franchise bids.

I take it you're a qualified driver? Any tips?

 

[Budgie]

Hope you want to be a tram driver then!!

Well I gather there will be an increased need for more regular trains, as well as trams and buses with the new Metro system :roll: