LM - New Trainee Driver Vacancies - Now Closed

[plastictaffy]

Shift length - anything from 5-10 hours. 5 day week to start, but once you're on a link you'll be on a 4 day week. Averages out to a 36 hour week. Long weekend every three. Sundays ARE included in the last couple of intakes' contracts, but they are NOT for most of the old hands. I'd rather not go into the pay on a open forum as there can be some historic variances, due to TOC's merging and unions getting different deals for different depots. All you need to know is that's it's more than 25 a year after training.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Shift length - anything from 5-10 hours. 5 day week to start, but once you're on a link you'll be on a 4 day week. Averages out to a 36 hour week. Long weekend every three. Sundays ARE included in the last couple of intakes' contracts, but they are NOT for most of the old hands. I'd rather not go into the pay on a open forum as there can be some historic variances, due to TOC's merging and unions getting different deals for different depots. All you need to know is that's it's more than 25 a year after training.

Ok thanks! Pay was on the job description anyway, money isn't the issue, it's enough to live and relocate on! I like the sound of the working pattern, I'm getting bored of constant Monday to Friday 9-5. A bit of variety in my working hours will go down a treat How many Sundays in how many are rostered?

 

[Dave1987]

Wouldn't be surprised if this intake took quite a while. LM already have enough drivers ready to pass out to cover their current short fall. They are just waiting to be passed out. This current intake is just an extra on the top.

 

[GazUk]

I've recently applied to be a trainee bus driver, And was wondering when LM might advertise again for Trainee train drivers again, so i have applied but i do understand it might be a bit tough in getting to the next stage of an interview/assessment due to a high load of applicants.

But as they say to win the lottery you've got to be in it to win it!

 

[tiptoptaff]

I'm just glad they've advertised at the same time as conductor jobs - hopefully more people will apply to the driving jobs, leaving more of a chacne as a conductor

 

[badu]

Does anyone know if London Midland do the Mechanical comprehension test for their Driver assessments?
Also, where is their assessment centre?

Thanks.

 

[daddy_badger]

New Street I believe, however might be the mailbox ?

 

[tiptoptaff]

Can anyone tell me if this training course in Brum is residential? Pain in the **** to relocacte twice!

 

[notadriver]

I've recently applied to be a trainee bus driver, And was wondering when LM might advertise again for Trainee train drivers again, so i have applied but i do understand it might be a bit tough in getting to the next stage of an interview/assessment due to a high load of applicants.

But as they say to win the lottery you've got to be in it to win it!

I'm a bus driver. I've just got my driver qualification card (Cpc)

 

[GadgetMan]

Does anyone know if London Midland do the Mechanical comprehension test for their Driver assessments?
Also, where is their assessment centre?

Thanks.

Yes, they do use mechanical comprehension.

The paper tests are done in Birmingham at their HQ. The reactions test and Structured interview are outsourced and usually in Croydon or Watford.

 

[plastictaffy]

The first tests are normally in the Academy in 102 New Street - 3 minute walk from the station, 5 if you go via a 99p sausage baguette shop!! The interviews tend to be in the Burlington Hotel next door.
When I did my induction and PTS at 102, there were drivers there doing the course, so I guess it's fair to say that's where most of the training for drivers will be done.
Re KieranNewberry about booked sundays - I believe it's about one in three but I may be wrong. I can't imagine the driver course being residential - they were paying me travel time to get there every day when I had to go up there.

 

[chris89]

Just going through the application now.

Will have to think out how to do the last bits for the whys etc.

As can't hurt applying for multiple jobs especially since still waiting for XC responce.

Chris

 

[tiptoptaff]

Re KieranNewberry about booked sundays - I believe it's about one in three but I may be wrong. I can't imagine the driver course being residential - they were paying me travel time to get there every day when I had to go up there.

Thanks, not too bad then. Someone mentioned a long weekend every three, does that mean a long weekend off, or a long weekend working (tied up with working 1 Sunday in 3?)
And great, looks like I'll have to get a box room for a few weeks then! I don't want to relocate to BHAM for however many weeks the BHAM based bit of the conductors training. It doesn't even say how many weeks it is up there before transferring to a depot

 

[TDK]

Thanks, not too bad then. Someone mentioned a long weekend every three, does that mean a long weekend off, or a long weekend working (tied up with working 1 Sunday in 3?)
And great, looks like I'll have to get a box room for a few weeks then! I don't want to relocate to BHAM for however many weeks the BHAM based bit of the conductors training. It doesn't even say how many weeks it is up there before transferring to a depot

I believe the rest day pattern is week 1 Mon & Tue, week 2 Wed & Thurs - week 2 Fri & Sat so in week 3 when it overlaps with week 1 you get 5 days off with the sunday gaurenteed.

 

[westbrom]

Just applied for the trainee drivers jobs,fingers crossed ill hear back something soon,training in birmingham would be handy for as my local station is a 5 min drive away,then a 10 min journey into new street

 

[Vicpaul]

Would suit me down to the ground being at bletchley instead of vic. Ill have to do my time and transfer now I'm close on passing out with southern

 

[SJN]

Thanks, not too bad then. Someone mentioned a long weekend every three, does that mean a long weekend off, or a long weekend working (tied up with working 1 Sunday in 3?)
And great, looks like I'll have to get a box room for a few weeks then! I don't want to relocate to BHAM for however many weeks the BHAM based bit of the conductors training. It doesn't even say how many weeks it is up there before transferring to a depot

For conductor's, you would only be at Brum for the induction week, then two weeks at Bletchley or Northampton for rules. You then go to the home depot until the retail course which is at Brum for 2 weeks. Then back to depot to finish traction and route learning.

 

[Bert and Ernie]

Unfortunately I have 6 points on my licence so I can't apply. What a strange stipulation

 

[Dave1987]

Unfortunately I have 6 points on my licence so I can't apply. What a strange stipulation

Why is it? If you don't have a clean license you have obviously been caught speeding or something along those lines. Clearly shows you do not stick to the rules all the time.

 

[tiptoptaff]

For conductor's, you would only be at Brum for the induction week, then two weeks at Bletchley or Northampton for rules. You then go to the home depot until the retail course which is at Brum for 2 weeks. Then back to depot to finish traction and route learning.

Cheers, if I do get an offer, I need to think about how I'm going to work the relocation aspect, as I currently live in Cardiff. I only applied because it didn't mention the usual within an hour thing
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I believe the rest day pattern is week 1 Mon & Tue, week 2 Wed & Thurs - week 2 Fri & Sat so in week 3 when it overlaps with week 1 you get 5 days off with the sunday gaurenteed.

Thanks! Wouldn't mind that at all!!

 

[Bert and Ernie]

Why is it? If you don't have a clean license you have obviously been caught speeding or something along those lines. Clearly shows you do not stick to the rules all the time.

What happens in my personal life has absolutely no reflection on what I do in my professional life. And I think it has more to do with the chance of getting banned and therefore struggling to get to work then ' sticking to the rules '

 

[Dave1987]

What happens in my personal life has absolutely no reflection on what I do in my professional life. And I think it has more to do with the chance of getting banned and therefore struggling to get to work then ' sticking to the rules '

Actually your personal life has a huge amount to do with your proffesional life when it comes to being a driver! I know of guys who have been banned from driving on the roads for a year because they were silly who have had their train driving license taken off them as punishment and been made to do other work for a period of time. Certainly my TOC takes a very dim view of drivers who break the rules of the road. Many drivers have had incidents due to their mind not being fully on the job due to problems with their personal lives!

 

[Geargrinder]

What happens in my personal life has absolutely no reflection on what I do in my professional life. And I think it has more to do with the chance of getting banned and therefore struggling to get to work then ' sticking to the rules '

Sorry but I have to disagree with that as well. Having 6 points on your license, whether you got them in your own personal time or not, would reflect on an employers decision to take you on in such a role. Hence LM's requirement for a clean license.

 

[Sammy h]

Just completed my application now and sent it off. After getting interviews for both Arriva and Tyne & Wear and also completing the driver tests with Arriva, but unfortunately not getting either job... I am hoping this is going to be third time lucky.

We now play my favourite railway recruitment game..... The waiting game

Good luck to all

 

[GazUk]

I'm a bus driver. I've just got my driver qualification card (Cpc)

Hi Notadriver, i've not heard a dickiebird from NXbus regarding the vacancy
that i applied for, so i guess the application might make it next time around if there is a trainee job going there!

Just completed my application now and sent it off. After getting interviews for both Arriva and Tyne & Wear and also completing the driver tests with Arriva, but unfortunately not getting either job... I am hoping this is going to be third time lucky.

We now play my favourite railway recruitment game..... The waiting game

Good luck to all

I think my biggest fear is IF i get an assessment/Interview is the whole Psychometric test/mechanical comprehension test, for those on here whom are drivers or/and have tried to apply to be a driver, are these tests as hard as people make out, or is it all down to logic and not being that dim?

 

[notadriver]

Well in my opinion i think the tests are hard and place you under pressure - particularly the reactions test and the structured interview (if done by the OPC).

As regards driving licence I don't recall being asked how many points - I think it's just a way of weeding people out. And I know main line drivers who are have been done for speeding in their card but are perfect professional train drivers.

 

[tiptoptaff]

What assessements do conductors sit as opposed to drivers? I assume it's less of a battery, but some are the same?

 

[Beveridges]

I think it has more to do with the chance of getting banned and therefore struggling to get to work then ' sticking to the rules '

Many people live within cycling distance to work for a start, so an employee with no license does not automatically mean they can't get to work.

Strange for a TOC to ask anything about a car driving license when the job does not involve driving corporate road vehicles.
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What assessements do conductors sit as opposed to drivers? I assume it's less of a battery, but some are the same?

I've been through the conductors tests before, a long time ago. All different to the drivers core tests. SCAAT test, a literature comprehension test (not about Glop), ticket selling test based around mathematics and finally a ticket checking test.
Apparantly there is also a role play and a structured interview with the assessor but I never got that far.
The failure was a bit frustrating at the time, but it actually did me a favour. Because, a few months later, I was incredibly lucky and against unbelievably unrealistic odds, managed to get a Maintenance Depot Drivers job.

 

[TDK]

What happens in my personal life has absolutely no reflection on what I do in my professional life.

If you think that then I am sorry you are in for a big shock pal if you get a position as a trainee driver or a guard.

 

[tiptoptaff]

I have no experience in recruitment or train driving. But, even I can say that's reasonable. Surely if you have a proven predisposition to speeding whilst driving road vehicles, it is a fair assumption to make that you are more likely than other candidates to speed whilst driving a train