Hi Any London overground train drivers here that could answer the following questions please.
How long does it take for trainee train driver to qualify. Is it 9 months or longer?
How is it structured for example is it learning first 1 month, then tractions for another then learning the routes etc.
Also when doing the classroom learning is it Monday- Friday or is this Saturday and Sunday included. Thanks
As others have alluded the course
should take nine months but doesn’t mean that it will. There can be several caveats that can extend that ie availability of instructors, what time of the year you are training (getting enough dark hours which is a requirement of the handling section can be more difficult during summer). Mine took 12 months from first day in the classroom to first day qualified. Although this was a while ago.
Yes, the course is structured in separate sections eg PTS, rules, traction, and then handling hours with an instructor at the end.
Yes, Monday to Friday during classroom training. When you are doing your hours with your instructor though you’ll be expected to follow their shift pattern across all seven days. You will typically sign everything that you need to sign from day one qualified.
Also worth mentioning that all the info about rostering/leave etc is applicable for “Classic” (all depots excluding Chingford) That side of the business has completely different t&cs/leave arrangements/rostering/diagrams. Worth mentioning in case anyone’s thinking of coming in at one of these depots and moving over to there eventually.
