Avanti - Qualified Drivers - Liverpool & Wolves (28/07/23)

[driver9000]

I think Merseyrail are on 63K…more than both TPE and Northern at Lime St. wonder why they’d move

They have only recently moved ahead in terms of pay but historically they have been on lower salaries than surrounding TOCs.

 

[Sheridan]

I must have been misinformed!

Unless it's a local thing, you're up in Scotland? Could be a thing just for the Liverpool/Wigan area

Fairly sure a few Merseyrail drivers have moved to TfW at Chester.

Parking is free at Holyhead but I think this is down to agreement with Stena Line who own the land. Other northern depots parking is chargeable as you say.

 

[irish_rail]

No I'm not in Scotland and I'm within commuting distance of MerseyRail too. I've worked my entire career in spitting distance of MerseyRail and even working up to the boundary of their network and I've never been aware of a policy or agreement not to take qualified Drivers from MerseyRail. I do know MerseyRail prefer to promote from within to the driving grade.

I think there were some TOCs who didn't consider Merseyrail as fully qualified NR drivers. Just a specific TOC to TOC policy. I'm sure I heard Virgin mentioned as not taking on Merseyrail, but hopefully that has now changed. By the way there is a former Merseyrail driver based at Penzance for GWR so they definitely get about.

 

[Lenny_1986]

Anyone heard back yet?

 

[8J]

I think there were some TOCs who didn't consider Merseyrail as fully qualified NR drivers. Just a specific TOC to TOC policy. I'm sure I heard Virgin mentioned as not taking on Merseyrail, but hopefully that has now changed. By the way there is a former Merseyrail driver based at Penzance for GWR so they definitely get about.

Quite a few ex Merseyrail drivers at TPE and Avanti WC at Liverpool and Manchester. They're just as good if not better than drivers who've come over from "mainline TOCs".

The ones that have had a few issues are the ex T&W Metro drivers at TPE's Newcastle depot (some are at York too).