Depot Driver

[Driver068]

I am looking for some information regarding the role of a depot driver, ie shifts, pay rolling stock that might be required to work on and if its a good stepping stone to be a driver in the future for that TOC in question

 

[Shunter_69]

Depends on the TOC I guess. AGA have just scrapped automatic promotion from Depot Driver to Mainline Driver for new entrants. There will still be plenty of opportunities though I'm sure.

It's certainly a good starting point to get some experience. It's a 24/7 job so expect to work nights and weekends.

 

[Driver068]

Depends on the TOC I guess. AGA have just scrapped automatic promotion from Depot Driver to Mainline Driver for new entrants. There will still be plenty of opportunities though I'm sure.

It's certainly a good starting point to get some experience. It's a 24/7 job so expect to work nights and weekends.

I assume then its a good stepping stone to driver, if so what does a depot driver not do that a QD does, I also hear that since its night shifts it involves more time off

 

[Fred Dinenage]

Northern rail MDD salary...

Salary: £20,784 per annum Year 1 rising to £25,866 per annum on completion of training Year 2 and rising to £33,796 per annum in Year 3 when fully qualified.

As part of a pay deal it was agreed that new starters follow the above, instead of starting on the full wage ( year 3 ) as they used to. Not sure if other companies still start you on the full whack.

Duties include fuelling, emptying toilet tanks, moving rolling stock around the depot, etc. all at 5mph tops. I'm unsure of the units, i know Northern do maintenance duties for other companies too.

As far as i've read on here, going for an MDD could possibly be a good step towards mainline, i don't think management would view it that way though.

All of this is my take on it, i'm not employed in the rail industry. I have applied for this role three times though so i'm not guessing.

That's only Northern, lots more companies out there who do it differently i suppose.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Northern rail MDD salary...

Salary: £20,784 per annum Year 1 rising to £25,866 per annum on completion of training Year 2 and rising to £33,796 per annum in Year 3 when fully qualified.

As part of a pay deal it was agreed that new starters follow the above, instead of starting on the full wage ( year 3 ) as they used to. Not sure if other companies still start you on the full whack.

Duties include fuelling, emptying toilet tanks, moving rolling stock around the depot, etc. all at 5mph tops. I'm unsure of the units, i know Northern do maintenance duties for other companies too.

As far as i've read on here, going for an MDD could possibly be a good step towards mainline, i don't think management would view it that way though.

All of this is my take on it, i'm not employed in the rail industry. I have applied for this role three times though so i'm not guessing.

That's only Northern, lots more companies out there who do it differently i suppose.

In EMT land, about which I know just a little bit through a pal, the full salary is paid straight away (I think it's somewhere around that amount) and the Derby & Nottingham depot drivers are fully qualified for Network Rail tracks, since they drive on those quite a bit, and therefore don't just stick to 5 mph. As Mr Dinenage says, it varies between companies - and even within, e.g. I believe the EMT Leeds depot drivers just stay in the depot.

 

[Driver068]

Regarding shifts and hours, are they any good

 

[Fred Dinenage]

No idea about either, the MDD role i went for this year was permanent nights though.

 

[nick40uk]

I can only vouch for FGW where the bulk of shifts tend to be at night as that is when they are at their busiest. They do have day shifts but obviously they are quieter.

I know that the EMT depot drivers at Derby and Nottingham both collect trains from the station and take them back so they are trained the same as mainline drivers.

Like others have said it really depends on the TOC. Some places you will only drive on the depot and others you might get to go up to the station.

 

[Driver068]

I live in the North east, there is a internal vacancy for a MMD at N/castle, which i am hoping becomes external and gain experience to a stepping stone to being a driver, would northern trains collect from N/castle station and would they be trained on VTEC, GC TPE ect. I have read in some posts they get alot of time off, what is there routine normally.

 

[Fred Dinenage]

A number of us who were unsuccessful for MDD in June are " on file " for Northern for that type of role for 6 months, so it's doubtful it'll go external. And if internals pass assessments and interview they get the job, no matter how well externals do in comparison.