Greater anglia - qualified

[Deano4]

Hi,

I see GA are looking for qualified Drivers. The wage mentioned for Norwich is £51k, does anyone know if that's full money or until you pass out on the route?

Thanks

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

full money, GA is the worst paid mainline TOC in the country pretty much.

 

[Deano4]

full money, GA is the worst paid mainline TOC in the country pretty much.

Thank you.

 

[Nflkrail]

There are a couple of other TOCs worse than GA. Sunday's are outside, so add £6-8k to that figure for real world earnings.

 

[Crazyb]

You've got to remember, this April it's been 3 year without a pay rise....Not sure with all depots, but I've been told there all talent pool jobs.

 

[martin2345uk]

The application form read very much like a trainee one... well hat's in the ring now

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

There are a couple of other TOCs worse than GA. Sunday's are outside, so add £6-8k to that figure for real world earnings.

According to the latest sheet that went round, GA former WAGN is the lowest paid non metro operator, only Merseyrail, Croydon Trams, T&W Metro and Island line pay less.
No payrise for 3 years as stated, lot of people I know leaving or looking to move to a different TOC, usually GN/XC but lots have gone to EMR lately too.

 

[Nflkrail]

According to the latest sheet that went round, GA former WAGN is the lowest paid non metro operator, only Merseyrail, Croydon Trams, T&W Metro and Island line pay less.
No payrise for 3 years as stated, lot of people I know leaving or looking to move to a different TOC, usually GN/XC but lots have gone to EMR lately too.

You can't just compare basic salary, you need to factor Sundays, additional rest day payments and any other enhancements agreed - they all add up.

If you compared former WAGN to Southeastern, Southeastern is worse off as Sundays are included in their basic and it's only about £3k more than WA who have Sundays outside.

Also, you should compare the value of a true 4 day week with Sundays inside. You get the bonus of an extra day off for every Sunday you work as opposed to a 4 day week with Sundays outside, meaning you actually work something like 4.3 days a week.

 

[martin2345uk]

There are a couple of other TOCs worse than GA. Sunday's are outside, so add £6-8k to that figure for real world earnings.

Can Sundays really make such a large difference...?

 

[Nflkrail]

Can Sundays really make such a large difference...?

Yes. If you do say 20 Sundays a year at £325 a shift that's £6,500. Depending on whether you can squeeze any more in you could bump it up a bit. Do the same amount of rest days and you're looking at adding £12k to your salary, easy.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

But that's the thing, West Anglia is 4 day week Sundays outside, so most weeks are 5 days and it's enforced overtime if nobody able to cover it for you.
GA convince thereselves that they've got great T&C to make up for the low pay, and while they're alright, they're nothing to write home about really. No 24hr sign on for West Anglia is the main one people are proud of.

 

[martin2345uk]

Any idea what it's like on the East side?

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

Largely similar since lately, but with 24hr sign on and probably some other different booking arrangements. I know GE had/have some kind of spare week where you can cop any shift from it which sounds grim

 

[SA91]

But that's the thing, West Anglia is 4 day week Sundays outside, so most weeks are 5 days and it's enforced overtime if nobody able to cover it for you.
GA convince thereselves that they've got great T&C to make up for the low pay, and while they're alright, they're nothing to write home about really. No 24hr sign on for West Anglia is the main one people are proud of.

Would you recommend Liverpool St WA or Anglia? Pros and cons of each?

 

[Teddyward]

One thing to note on the east side is leave is allocated. 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off + 5 floating days of choice. The variable spare week, there are about 6/7 of those per rotation.

 

[dk1]

One thing to note on the east side is leave is allocated. 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off + 5 floating days of choice. The variable spare week, there are about 6/7 of those per rotation.

Isn’t that GE though? Don’t have that at Anglia depots as far as I’m aware.

 

[Teddyward]

W

Isn’t that GE though? Don’t have that at Anglia depots as far as I’m aware.

yes at GE depots.

 

[Horizon22]

full money, GA is the worst paid mainline TOC in the country pretty much.

Think Southeastern might be worse, but yes it is on the low side. This is dependent on your description of "mainline" of course.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

Think Southeastern might be worse, but yes it is on the low side. This is dependent on your description of "mainline" of course.

Yeah as I clarified the only ones below GA are Merseyrail on the NR side and the various tram/metro systems. GA the lowest paying "ordinary" TOC

 

[Nflkrail]

Yeah as I clarified the only ones below GA are Merseyrail on the NR side and the various tram/metro systems. GA the lowest paying "ordinary" TOC

*Only if comparing base salary excluding Sundays as explained above

 

[SA91]

Can somebody clarify for me please. For Liverpool St, there's a West Anglia depot and an Anglia depot? On the website they've listed Liverpool St under East Anglia link, but put Anglia in brackets, even though there's a separate Anglia vacancy link...

 

[TJ123]

Can somebody clarify for me please. For Liverpool St, there's a West Anglia depot and an Anglia depot? On the website they've listed Liverpool St under East Anglia link, but put Anglia in brackets, even though there's a separate Anglia vacancy link...

Liverpool St (West Anglia) they cover Liverpool St to Cambridge/Stansted/Hertford etc.

Liverpool St (Anglia) they cover the other side So Liverpool St - Norwich etc

As a driver depending on which side you pick your will not mix work, you will work one side or the other.

Also to note different T&Cs and different pay

Obviously before hand it use to be different traction as well but I'm guessing that with the new units coming in there are only minor differences (Happy to be corrected on this)

 

[SA91]

Liverpool St (West Anglia) they cover Liverpool St to Cambridge/Stansted/Hertford etc.

Liverpool St (Anglia) they cover the other side So Liverpool St - Norwich etc

As a driver depending on which side you pick your will not mix work, you will work one side or the other.

Also to note different T&Cs and different pay

Obviously before hand it use to be different traction as well but I'm guessing that with the new units coming in there are only minor differences (Happy to be corrected on this)

Brilliant, thank you.

 

[Deano4]

So which depot would you say is the best to be at? What's Norwich like? Is most of their leave pre rostered?

 

[theking]

Why do people get caught up with Sundays outside, you are required to do it if there's no cover also pretty sure it's non pensionable so yes if you smashed every Sunday you may make it close to another toc but you lose massive on the pension and then it's not a 4 day week either as you are required to work 5.

Also I'd understand if it was all guard work but the busiest parts into LST are all doo work.

MTR get circa 10k more and they run on the same rails.

Unless you really want to move into the east of England any qualified would be mad to go to a toc with no pay rise for 3 years especially with the state the railways are in at the moment.

 

[dk1]

So which depot would you say is the best to be at? What's Norwich like? Is most of their leave pre rostered?

Norwich & all ex-Anglia Railways depots do not have annual leave in the roster. It’s a separate rotating holiday roster over several years.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

Why do people get caught up with Sundays outside, you are required to do it if there's no cover also pretty sure it's non pensionable so yes if you smashed every Sunday you may make it close to another toc but you lose massive on the pension and then it's not a 4 day week either as you are required to work 5.

Also I'd understand if it was all guard work but the busiest parts into LST are all doo work.

MTR get circa 10k more and they run on the same rails.

Unless you really want to move into the east of England any qualified would be mad to go to a toc with no pay rise for 3 years especially with the state the railways are in at the moment.

Exactly this, GA is the only option if you happen to live in East Anglia, but for those areas of GA that are close to other operators, be it close to London or the West side, there's a steady stream of people leaving for similar work on more money etc.
As you say West side especially is all intensive stopping suburban work with no guards and still look back doo while the 317's continue.
Anglia Liv st like to think it's special intercity work but it's still GA and paid the same as everyone else and still doo dispatch, just further from home when it all goes wrong lol

 

[Stigy]

Why do people get caught up with Sundays outside, you are required to do it if there's no cover also pretty sure it's non pensionable so yes if you smashed every Sunday you may make it close to another toc but you lose massive on the pension and then it's not a 4 day week either as you are required to work 5.

Also I'd understand if it was all guard work but the busiest parts into LST are all doo work.

MTR get circa 10k more and they run on the same rails.

Unless you really want to move into the east of England any qualified would be mad to go to a toc with no pay rise for 3 years especially with the state the railways are in at the moment.

Unless it varies from TOC to TOC depending on T&Cs, the Sundays outside the working week are enhanced, plus they’re the fifth day so it’s surely beneficial, more so than if Sunday was within the four day week?

If you don’t want to work your Sundays there’s usually plenty of people who do. Sundays outside the working week is one of the best conditions as far as I’m concerned. However, £51k a year still isn’t great as a basic.

 

[Deano4]

Norwich & all ex-Anglia Railways depots do not have annual leave in the roster. It’s a separate rotating holiday roster over several years.

Thank you for the information. Do they have a number of "Ad hoc" days that they choose themselves? Also, is Boxing day in or out?

 

[dk1]

Thank you for the information. Do they have a number of "Ad hoc" days that they choose themselves? Also, is Boxing day in or out?

Christmas Day & Boxing Day are guaranteed. As well as 5 weeks rostered leave you will have 7 additional days to take as you please.