DB Schenker Groundstaff

[HST 125]

I'm new to this forum but would appreciate any information any of you can give me. I recently applied for a position with DB Schenker as a Groundstaff Team Member. I wondered if anybody can tell me a little more about the role of this job and how their shifts work - e.g. is it four on/off? Thanks very much for any help.

 

[Jones]

Have you been to the assessment day?

 

[shedman]

Depends on your location.

 

[HST 125]

I've not heard anything yet. Just hoping I get shortlisted. I applied for Kingsbury.

 

[Beveridges]

Its a good role but the shifts are terrible - from what I heard anyway.

 

[shedman]

All depends on what grade of ground staff you'll be tbh. I dare say as a guess it'll be RTO which if it is then welcome to the world of T3 possessions. Foot in the door and can only lead to bigger and better things. Sorry I can't be of more help but good luck and fingers crossed, ignore the bad press about DB too. With the recent 'loss' of work people think we are in bad times but look at the bigger picture and what is happening makes good sense!

 

[HST 125]

Thanks Shedman for your reply, much appreciated.

 

[#1 driver]

ignore the bad press about DB too. With the recent 'loss' of work people think we are in bad times

what loss of work ?
we have great difficulty getting a day off !

 

[Beveridges]

Latest I heard DB lost the Garston cars to GBRF - Where does it end?

 

[Jones]

I've been told at an interview they won a contract recently worth several hundred million. Heavy recruitment recently and more coming up.

I'm at Toton for assessment on Monday

 

[shedman]

Latest I heard DB lost the Garston cars to GBRF - Where does it end?

GBRf, the company with more work than drivers and locos!

Look at the DRS Stobart contract. Who's yard does it run to in Scotland? Who then provides shunting moves, groundstaff, them blokes who lift the boxes off and on. Oh and the locos are hired from someone too! More money in providing them services than running the train.

How many ballast trains have EWS wagons being drawn by DRS/GB/Colas engines? Money to DBS for nothing there.

DBS still have the same amount of locos and now more drivers as before they lost the work. Other core work and new work being won can be covered without the companies resources being stretched.

Why not sell some class 60s to competitors and make money on dead assets too? Competitors will just go out and find locos from elsewhere so sell and make the cash.

Groundstaff jobs are becoming available because the people currently in them posts have applied for drivers jobs and moved up the ladder.

Exciting times ahead at Schenker so why not jump aboard!

 

[#1 driver]

Why not sell some class 60s to competitors and make money on dead assets too?

There's long term plans for those .

 

[TB93]

GBRf, the company with more work than drivers and locos!

Look at the DRS Stobart contract. Who's yard does it run to in Scotland? Who then provides shunting moves, groundstaff, them blokes who lift the boxes off and on. Oh and the locos are hired from someone too! More money in providing them services than running the train.

How many ballast trains have EWS wagons being drawn by DRS/GB/Colas engines? Money to DBS for nothing there.

DBS still have the same amount of locos and now more drivers as before they lost the work. Other core work and new work being won can be covered without the companies resources being stretched.

Why not sell some class 60s to competitors and make money on dead assets too? Competitors will just go out and find locos from elsewhere so sell and make the cash.

Groundstaff jobs are becoming available because the people currently in them posts have applied for drivers jobs and moved up the ladder.

Exciting times ahead at Schenker so why not jump aboard!

Because he probally couldn't handle it only drives at 5mph and has no route knowledge either.

 

[Beveridges]

Exciting times ahead at Schenker so why not jump aboard

One major thing puts me off DB Schenker and that's the shifts, particularly the early mornings. Being fatigued all the time is no life I want to live. I still consider the shed to be the superior role.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Because he probally couldn't handle it only drives at 5mph and has no route knowledge either.

Driving & Ground Shunting on a busy depot is far harder than on the mainline 99% of the time. Source of info? Any driver who has done both.

 

[shedman]

Yes there is long term plans for some 60s but not all of them. You'll make more money from a half decent loco than a knacker. They can still repair and overhaul other 60s from what is left. It make take a little more time and money but its still a win win situation.

I've done depot driving work for many years before coming to DB and it was a role which involved many night, Blackpool is all nights but if that suits you then its personal preference. I can assure you there is early starts but totally dependant on what location you're at as to how many. The depot I'm at has a few earlies but not many.

Its down to what you're looking for in a job. I never came to DB based on salary, I needed a new challenge and it was just what I was hoping for. I really enjoy my job and haven't looked back. Half of the battle is loving what you do and I'm winning that battle.

 

[Beveridges]

I left Blackpool years ago to go back to NH as the shifts were worse

 

[#1 driver]

Driving & Ground Shunting on a busy depot is far harder than on the mainline 99% of the time.

so ?
more money and an easier life being a proper driver .

work smarter , not harder !

One major thing puts me off DB Schenker and that's the shifts, particularly the early mornings. Being fatigued all the time is no life I want to live

different shift patterns at different depots .

from my point of view , early is WAY better than nights !

Yes there is long term plans for some 60s but not all of them. You'll make more money from a half decent loco than a knacker. They can still repair and overhaul other 60s from what is left. It make take a little more time and money but its still a win win situation.

win win ?
selling spare locos to rivals so they can get more work ?

not what I'd call win win !

 

[Beveridges]

different shift patterns at different depots .

from my point of view , early is WAY better than nights !

I couldn't even imagine booking on at 02:00 or 03:00 in the morning. I'll stick to my 18:00/19:00 starts.

 

[#1 driver]

I couldn't even imagine booking on at 02:00 or 03:00 in the morning.

so you've never tried it ?

 

[Beveridges]

Im always knackered by 0200/ 0300 but at least by then my work is nearly all done. I couldn't even imagine starting work at that time with a full shift ahead! Plus, what time would you finish, about 12:00?! By then you've been up for at least 24 hours in a row.

I wouldn't do it just for an extra few grand.

 

[#1 driver]

so you haven't done an early shift , then ?

Plus, what time would you finish, about 12:00? By then you've been up for at least 24 hours in a row.

what ?
do you not think I'd go to bed before going to work ?
jeez , no wonder you're just a shed driver !

some earlies will have me back at home for 0900 .

I wouldn't do it just for an extra few grand.

a few ?

 

[Legzr1]

What he means is "I failed at Driver interviews so now I'm happy with far lower wages, dirty work and permanent nightshift".

As long as he's happy there is no problem

Latest I heard DB lost the Garston cars to GBRF - Where does it end?

It doesn't 'end', it's cyclical and is the nature of the Freight market in this country.

I wouldn't expect those working at cosy and protected franchise operators to understand the complexities...




Op, DBS depots do differ but most (90%?) ground staff operate on fixed rota's with fixed rest days - for example almost all diagrams are 0600-1400, 0600-1800, 1800-0600 etc etc and none of those weird drivers diagrams like 00:47-0947.

It's a good job with decent conditions - after a few years of mistakes and neglect it looks like DBS have plans.

 

[#1 driver]

Driving & Ground Shunting on a busy depot is far harder than on the mainline

can't be that busy if you're wasting time on TRUST looking for the "Busiest Stations for Freight" .

 

[Beveridges]

Legzr1 - I passed the little assessments 6 years or so ago. They are the same for depot as mainline so I wouldn't even have to do them ever, even if I changed companies or jobs.

#1 Driver - I used to work the 0600-1400 shift for a while and its a killer especially when you rotate onto different shifts every week, bodyclock was poor. Earlies & nights don't mix at all they are both opposites, having to change between one or the other regularly is damn hard work that I could do without.

 

[GB]

Legzr1 - I passed the little assessments 6 years or so ago. They are the same for depot as mainline so I wouldn't even have to do them ever, even if I changed companies or jobs.

Um, you would if the new company specified thats what you have to do.

As for nights or earlies, people are obviously built differently. Personally I prefer nights as I can wake up more naturally compared to earlies, but starting at 0300 and finishing at 11 isn't too bad as usually once I'm up and about its ok.

 

[JAMBO]

I have worked some cracking early shifts, sign on 02:30, hammer it up the east coast and back in my cot for 06:30! Beats tinkering around a depot all night any day

 

[Beveridges]

As for nights or earlies, people are obviously built differently. Personally I prefer nights as I can wake up more naturally compared to earlies, but starting at 0300 and finishing at 11 isn't too bad as usually once I'm up and about its ok.

The hardest part is to alternate between nights and earlies. Its much easier to stay on the same type of shift all the time. Changing sleep patterns constantly is unnatural. The freight shifts sound incredibly punishing for just a few thousand more. What difference would that slight pay increase make lifestyle wise - I'd probably get a very slightly better car and thats about it. Its not life changing increases in money in exchange for giving up top T&C's, top work content and a rosta thats about "as good as it gets".

I have worked some cracking early shifts, sign on 02:30

Yet some of them finish after 11:00. I've seen some freight rostas. MDD is like top link work and the rosta and T&C'S are the best out there. Our salary is not the best partly because we haven't sold any of our conditions for more money.

 

[shedman]

#1 Driver, rivals are going to get traction from elsewhere (look at GB with the 47/deltic/western or colas with 56/37) so why not sell surplus locos and get cash? You might see it as bad business sense but how I've tried explaining it to you is how I was told when I asked during a buscoms brief.

 

[#1 driver]

#1 Driver, rivals are going to get traction from elsewhere (look at GB with the 47/deltic/western or colas with 56/37)

the only place they can get a cl60 is from DBS , tho .

so why not sell surplus locos and get cash?

they aren't surplus .
just not currently being used .

You might see it as bad business sense but how I've tried explaining it to you is how I was told when I asked during a buscoms brief.

I don't see it as bad .
more like incredibly stupid .
sell the locos now , then replace them later ?
and give our rivals a better option for heavy lift ?

bizcoms or propaganda ?

 

[shedman]

There is very little work out there that only a class 60 can do, 66/(maybe)68/70 can manage pretty much all of it. I work trains which are suited or booked 60s and run with 66s without too much trouble.