EMT are recruiting for depot drivers

[signal box]

Hi,

East Midlands Trains are recruiting for trainee depot drivers!!

Just wondering if anyone has any experience/information of/about working for this TOC.

So far my small amount of experience with them hasn't been great. There is no way of phoning their HR team, so I emailed them requesting information.
All I got back was an automated reply which didn't answer my question.:roll:

So anyway if anyone has more knowledge about this TOC I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Beveridges]

Very little is known about EMT due to the fact that they recruit internally only most of the time for grades like this. Very suprised that this has come up external really.

 

[Mark282]

Shame for those of us who have to give 4 weeks notice to our current employers!

What sort of salary could a depot driver expect to earn?

 

[Beveridges]

Not a clue about EMT but in Northern west it's a £34k basic, with overtime £50k is average for the grabbers. No staggered salary, straight onto full rate from day 1 of training and the best T&C's.

I would expect at least that with EMT if not more ??


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Just read the job advert so maybe not:

You’ll also be labelling, cleaning cab interiors and exteriors, particularly windscreens, and checking that the train environment is up to our market leading standards.

Shocking ! - does not sound like the ideal sort of MDD role to me.
MDD's have far more important things to do than mess around with things like this. Cleaning is a job for Cleaners not MDD's.

 

[AlexS]

On EMT the depot drivers also do basic maintenance tasks. You're not going to be cleaning the toilets. There are cleaners provided to do the vast majority of the cleaning, but you're effectively expected to weigh in where required and as trained with minor jobs when you're not driving, I believe. If that includes giving the cab windows a clean (a vitally important job, really) then so be it I guess! Every other grade on the railway seems to be at least partially responsible for cleaning their work area (some signalboxes are a work of art in themselves!) so I don't see how it's really going to be a problem for a depot driver to do a spot of it rather than sitting spare, or as part of a time allowed prep for a train.

'That's not my job guv' when it's in the job description is probably a bad tack to take if you're seeking to be employed in the position

 

[Beveridges]

On EMT the depot drivers also do basic maintenance tasks

We do at the depots I work at - Fuelling / Tanking / CET / Toilet Unblocking / Coolant / Engine Oil / Putting Split Units back together and all the usual stuff found in this role. All these maintenance tasks make sense to be included within the role, as MDD's do these tasks as units move through the different parts of the depot rather than sitting there waiting for a fitter to do them.

But I think getting MDD's to do Cleaning is pointless. There are too many things to be doing already to be messing around with cleaning. Especially if this includes picking litter up in cabs that previous drivers/guards have left there. Theres no reason why this can't be done by Cleaners.

 

[shedman]

I used to be a Depot Driver for EMT. I assume these jobs are Derby/Nottingham. If so....

You move trains between the depot and the station (driving a max of 25mph),
Prep trains for traffic,
Report any faults to the maintenance team leader,
Fuel and tank,
Check coolant levels,
Learn to shunt (couple and uncouple of HSTs)
Derby shunt stock which visits the wheel lathe.

Stock signed...

153/156/158
Derby also sign HST, 222, 08.

Training is done at the academy in Derby, Neville Hill and at your depot. The final salary is just over £30k.

I've been told that their rosters are pretty terrible with some rather horrendous start and finish times BUT if you are looking to go mainline then this is a great way to get in. 3 have left EMT to fill vacancies with DBS and a few have gone mainline (former connect) with EMT.

Hope this helps

 

[bob hope]

So - interviews start 25th March and training commences 22nd April.

Why do TOC's seem intent on getting new employees to break their notice periods?
Surely they want to employee people with a track record of loyalty to their current employers, not those that will scarper at the drop of a hat......

Seems pretty depressing to me.

 

[signal box]

Thanks for all your replies so far.
I would love to be a driver and as shedman said its a great way to get there. However, I am a female, so I am wondering if there are any females already working in this role and I need to know how tough it is. How filthy do you get and how much stength do you need?
Is it a job for a woman?

 

[Geargrinder]

So - interviews start 25th March and training commences 22nd April.

Why do TOC's seem intent on getting new employees to break their notice periods?
Surely they want to employee people with a track record of loyalty to their current employers, not those that will scarper at the drop of a hat......

Seems pretty depressing to me.

Sounds to me like the job's already earmarked for people internally. Interviews start 25th March then the training starts 4 weeks later. That's 4 weeks for all the assessments/medical/references to be done.....

 

[W230]

Thanks for all your replies so far.
I would love to be a driver and as shedman said its a great way to get there. However, I am a female, so I am wondering if there are any females already working in this role and I need to know how tough it is. How filthy do you get and how much stength do you need?
Is it a job for a woman?

I've come across plenty of female drivers though I know this isn't the same thing. I would imagine that it could be a little grimy with refueling and the like but I don't think it would be too bad and all protective clothing would be supplied.

Why not apply - you got nothing to lose!

 

[Beveridges]

Thanks for all your replies so far.
I would love to be a driver and as shedman said its a great way to get there. However, I am a female, so I am wondering if there are any females already working in this role and I need to know how tough it is. How filthy do you get and how much stength do you need?
Is it a job for a woman?

I only ever known 1 woman to be doing a Maintenance Depot Drivers role. It is very rare probably can't be more than about 1% of MDD's?
The heaviest part of the job by far is fuelling, followed by pulling points and manual uncouple/couple. You also have to be able to climb up and down units countless times per night and do about 8 miles worth of walking per night some of it on uneven ground- like ballast and cess side debris - with steel capped boots.
Fuelling is absolutely filthy at first but if you learn to get better at it eventually you'll be able to do it without getting that dirty as your fuelling skills increase. It may take 6 months to a year to get skilled enough to do the fuelling consistantly without getting anything covered in oil & fuel except your gloves and boots (that is inevitable). You get to have a shower at the end anyway regardless of how dirty you get.
It's a very good job although going off what shedman is saying the the shifts with EMT are not as good as they are in my TOC (Northern) so the toughest thing might be the shifts.

 

[Tomnick]

I know one (very well indeed!) who used to have rostered shed turns on nights at Etches Park, albeit only dealing with the 15x units - she coped with it just fine!

 

[Nym]

Thanks for all your replies so far.
I would love to be a driver and as shedman said its a great way to get there. However, I am a female, so I am wondering if there are any females already working in this role and I need to know how tough it is. How filthy do you get and how much stength do you need?
Is it a job for a woman?

To add to the above the ratio at my current depot is, as far as I can see for maintenance staff 1:0. I don't know any female staff in the depot other than drivers (that I think are based at the other end of the line anyway) and cleaners.

But I honestly can't see your gender getting in the way of an application, and if anything would potentially put you at an advantage to 'fill the quotas'. No, I'm not a fan of this, but it does happen.

 

[LCC106]

Beveridges is obviously the person in the know about the job so hopefully this info helps.

I don't think you are disadvantaged, as long as you have the strength to climb on and off units, manually uncouple, pull points etc.

DON'T be put off and if you really ARE unsure, why not do some training to build muscles etc.? I say this in all seriousness and not in a patronising way... Once worked in a factory where a 64 year old man used to run rings around the 20-odd year olds due to his fitness levels. Go for it! You can do it!

 

[Beveridges]

I know one (very well indeed!) who used to have rostered shed turns on nights at Etches Park, albeit only dealing with the 15x units - she coped with it just fine!

Was she doing any fuelling though? Thats the big one that decides how dirty or heavy the job is.

Theres plenty of things that can get you dirty in a maintenance depot driver role:
Fuelling -everything you touch on the fuel rig is just covered in fuel, plus fuel splashing out of pipes when filling up, plus leaks in the pipework, you can get covered in it. As mentioned previously with improved fuelling technique/skills and correct PPE you can avoid getting it on you.
CET Tanking -although rare, if you get blow backs you get covered in excrement unless your depot has decent equipment.
Toilet Unblocking- No mention of this in the EMT job description but its something we do at my depots.
Prepping trains & climbing up and down from cabs- The hand rails and anything external is always filthy and covered in oil and fuel. If you wear gloves you should stay reasonably clean
Point pulling. The point levers are covered in oil, again gloves needed
Operating isolating cocks, isolating batteries, manual uncouple and any task that involves touching things under solebar level on a unit will get your hand covered in excrement and oil. Unless you wear gloves.

Depots normally provide an endless supply of gloves and hand washing chemicals stronger than normal soap

 

[Tomnick]

Was she doing any fuelling though? Thats the big one that decides how dirty or heavy the job is.

I don't think so, but I doubt it'd have made much difference (other than being potentially a bit dirtier, of course!).

 

[signal box]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
So to summarise I need a full bodied space suit ( I always wanted to be an astronaut!!!), which should be provided and a whole lot of muscle which I don't have now but could be produced.
I guess once you get used to being covered in excrement then its all down hill from there. I'll make sure all my jabs are up to date!!
One more question - How dangerous is the job?
I gave up being a spark due to the risk of getting an asbestos related disease, so I don't want to make a similar mistake.
Thanks

 

[Beveridges]

You dont need a lot of muscle just a certain level of fitness to do this job. Nothing about it is mega heavy once you learn the techniques.

If the equipment is up to the right standard then getting CET blow backs should never happen. If the equipment is a load of rubbish then yes full space suit should be provided.
Also worth noting is that the job description does not mention CET tanking so you may not even be doing any. It may be a job for the Cleaners or fitters with EMT. Most trains still used by EMT dump the waste out of the trains onto the tracks when flushed by customers so not that many of their trains need CET tanking anyway.

The job is not that dangerous unless you go around without wearing any PPE!
I'd say the main health risk is fuelling but if you wear the resporator mask, overalls, gloves, ear defenders, safety boots and put the protective creams on the skin before and after fuelling, and have a shower at the end of a shift that has involved fuelling, then I can't see how it can effect your health. The depot should provide all the above mentioned PPE. It is debateable on whether a resporator mask is even needed.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The rest of the jobs - prepping, driving, pulling points, shunting, engine oil/coolant filling, etc aren't as hazadous to health. Apart from the risk of being hit by a train or a fork lift truck plus countless tripping hazards. Steel capped boots and gloves are all you need (plus a "hard hat" if performing manual uncouple) as well as being alert at all times when walking around.


I say go for it 100%, you may like it so much that you may decide to stay Depot Driving instead of going Mainline. For variety in the work no other job beats it.

 

[badu]

Hi all

Does anyone know the kind of shift pattern and salary you'd be expecting as a Depot driver with EMT?

Also, where are their assessments done? Not sure if they use DBSchenker centre up in Doncaster. Was also wondering if the Depot driver assessments are identical to the Trainee driver ones for Mainline.

Thanks in advance

Dave.

 

[Beveridges]

Was also wondering if the Depot driver assessments are identical to the Trainee driver ones for Mainline.

Exactly the same. I'm sure shedman will be able to inform you of the shift pattern. In Northern a typical shift pattern is 19:00-06:00, 3 days on, 4 off, but I don't think the shifts with EMT are as good as they are with Northern.

 

[notadriver]

Depot driving is definitely a very complex and involving job. Why isn't its pay at least on a par with main line drivers let alone 10k less?

 

[Beveridges]

Depot driving is definitely a very complex and involving job. Why isn't its pay at least on a par with main line drivers let alone 10k less?

It is not necesarily £10k less. If I went from Depot to Mainline in my TOC it would take me 4 years until I start getting a salary that is £9k more than the MDD basic. One reason for a lower salary is we have better T&C's. MDD's also spend less time in training, less rules and routes to learn, but more traction. But overall training time is less. Full pay while training as well. You could ask why is a trainee MDD on about £15k more than a trainee Mainline Driver? It's all to do with the T&C's.
We also have far more overtime available which means the grabbers are on more than the mainline drivers could earn even if they worked all the overtime they could get.
Can't speak for EMT though.

 

[notadriver]

I'm talking about the full pay for the role - I'm not taking into account any training salary or availability of overtime. It should match or exceed main line drivers as the role is so hard and I dispute that t&cs are better - that being subjective. For example I don't want to do 12 hour shifts mainly at night.

When I drove coaches, the fitters and shunters/cleaners were always on better money than the coach drivers.

 

[shedman]

Hello, Neville Hill has 2 female depot drivers on the EMT side and neither struggle and Derby/Nottingham have a few too so its nothing to worry about.

Like I said earlier the shifts can be a tad rough, the last time I looked at the roste for Derby/Notts they had 0400 starts and it was no where near as food as the one the guys at NL had. Rostering itself is controlled by the central resource centre at Derby and they are great to work with.

EMT are very proactive at taking depot drivers from the midlands for mainline but NL drivers don't really stand a chance unless they relocate to within a hours drive of their "home depot" (Derby/Nottingham/Lincoln). When I was there I'm sure but please dont quote me, the training wage was around £18k which goes up to the full £30k when passed out. EMT were great to work for and the guys who do the training are fantastic. The assessments are done at Derby by EMT, so no need to go to a DB assessment centre for them.

Hope this helps, please ask if you have any more questions and i'll try find out the answers.

 

[Lincoln_biker]

EMT are very proactive at taking depot drivers from the midlands for mainline but NL drivers don't really stand a chance unless they relocate to within a hours drive of their "home depot" (Derby/Nottingham/Lincoln).

Hope this helps, please ask if you have any more questions and i'll try find out the answers.

NL drivers?

 

[AlexS]

Neville Hill, in Leeds. The reference being that EMT have no driver depot anywhere near Leeds (Sheffield is guards only).

 

[387star]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
So to summarise I need a full bodied space suit ( I always wanted to be an astronaut!!!), which should be provided and a whole lot of muscle which I don't have now but could be produced.
I guess once you get used to being covered in excrement then its all down hill from there. I'll make sure all my jabs are up to date!!
One more question - How dangerous is the job?
I gave up being a spark due to the risk of getting an asbestos related disease, so I don't want to make a similar mistake.
Thanks

hahahha are you for real? most drivers I see are hardly muscular !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm talking about the full pay for the role - I'm not taking into account any training salary or availability of overtime. It should match or exceed main line drivers as the role is so hard and I dispute that t&cs are better - that being subjective. For example I don't want to do 12 hour shifts mainly at night.

When I drove coaches, the fitters and shunters/cleaners were always on better money than the coach drivers.

cleaners? wow guess because they had a night allowance?

 

[notadriver]

hahahha are you for real? most drivers I see are hardly muscular !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


cleaners? wow guess because they had a night allowance?

The pay for drivers at that depot was low due to the route being relatively short. Shifts were only 7-8 hours. Similar to MDDs, the cleaners fuelled the vehicles, emptied toilets and shunted and parked the coaches within the yard hence the relatively high pay.

 

[Beveridges]

Like I said earlier the shifts can be a tad rough, the last time I looked at the roste for Derby/Notts they had 0400 starts and it was no where near as food as the one the guys at NL had

The 0400 starts will be for taking units off the depot and moving them into the station. We used to have ferrymen at Newton Heath (usually ex-manline drivers) and it was a 03:00 start on early's.
Your better off at a depot that does not have ferry duties then you'll more than likely be working 11-12 hour nights and very little else. No stupid start times.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm talking about the full pay for the role - I'm not taking into account any training salary or availability of overtime. It should match or exceed main line drivers as the role is so hard and I dispute that t&cs are better - that being subjective. For example I don't want to do 12 hour shifts mainly at night.

The role is not necessarily harder than mainline, just different skills. Mainline driving requires a lot more concentration and knowledge retention. Maintenance Depot Driving requires a lot more problem solving skills, team work and has lots of manual work involved.
If your doing 12 hr nights it means you'll only be doing a 3 day week. The finishing times are usually 06:00 as well so its not like your working much into the next morning.
The T&C's on depot in my TOC are miles better than mainline. Where do I start? Not only do we get 2 weeks extra A/L than mainline but we can take it exactly when we want. Guaranteed finishing times. Consistant shift pattern. 30 mins at start & end of shift where you cannot be given any work. No spare turns. No staggered pay. I could go on... I agree the gap between depot and mainline (after year 4) should not be £9k but I do not think it would be fair if we were on the same as mainline seeing what their T&C's are like.