Starting work at Old Oak Common in the mid-1990s

[Shimbleshanks]

I'm writing a novel in which the main character gets a job at Old Oak Common depot in the mid-1990s, aged about 18-20. What would have been the entry-level jobs at that time and what sort of activities would they have carried out? What qualifications would they need? Also, would it have been common in that era for a relative who already worked for the railway, albeit in a completely different part of the country, to have helped them get such employment eg by 'putting in a good word', either officially or unofficially?

 

[Clarence Yard]

Mid 1990’s was a very bad time for the Oak - there had been massive staff reductions on the maintenance side (hundreds were made redundant) and the train crew weren’t faring much better.

Mid to late 1980’s would be better for jobs.