Hi All,
I used to work for a TOC as a depot driver about 3 years and left the company over a year ago for personal/family reasons.
Although I worked as a depot driver, I have full EU train driver license Issued by ORR. And I have had full train driver rules training with the mainline drivers in the academy. I have a small experience on driving on the mainline as part of the route from depot to the platforms was on the mainline and also I have done many mainline shunts but I didn't spend over 200 hours on the mainline with an instructor.
In the past year I have applied for a couple of qualified mainline driver jobs for different cities as I don't mind relocating but no luck.. Also applied for freight driving but same.. I sent emails to TOCs HR in order to see if I can apply mainline driver positions but no one got back to me, I also applied trainee train driver position, came to driver manager interview but I was unseccessful.
There was also no qualified depot driver advertising last year only trainee anywhere in the UK or I missed it.
I don't really know what to do. Should I keep applying for qualified mainline driver positions as there seems to be quite a few advertising? Should I wait to see if any TOC open qualified depot driver jobs? Should I try trainee jobs?
If anyone has got any suggestions, ideas or advice, I would be greatfull.