DB Schenker - Trainee Driver and Trainee Driver Operator ( Various Locations)

[aced1]

Cheers Jim , that snippet will tide me over until I get the package on Monday !

Re: The rail warrant , I am the same as you I had planned on driving at least for the first week to get my stuff from A to B with the minimum of hassle....also as you have already said the route would be the same for me coming from Chester so much more hassle than driving.

Paul

Yes same thoughts as you mate, looks to be we shall get issued with all ppe and uniform the first week so do not fancy dragging that all home by train. Who is training at Toton then?

 

[crazysignaller]

i also have the little letter waiting at the sorting office
I will be at toton on the 6th I will be travelling every day I was given the option and im only bout 45mins tops from toton
regards glenn

p.s its now feeling a bit real

 

[Shedmaster]

Looks to be 17 of us on the Jan course at Toton, including 4 women. Good to see at least partial equality, but curiously I didn't see a single female applicant at the test or interview days.

Non-locals are staying at the delightful Nottingham Novotel. This appears to be a mile from Long Eaton station and a mile from the depot....

Haven't looked in detail at the contract but one thing stood out - no mention of the quoted salary being for the training period only!

 

[wanabedriver]

I had a phone call from DBS on tuesday saying they want to progress my application but they require me to do the new tests. So they said to ring back in the new year to say whether i want to take the new tests as it will make my current tests invalid.

Hello Mate,

Had the same telephone conversation myself earlier this week. Its a shame the original assessments are not still valid with DB as I am certain the original assessments are valid until 2015 according to RSSB website.
I have an option with another TOC and they are still with the original tests so I need only do the driver fault finding test (DFFT) and then a depot manager interview. I'm not sure how tricky this one is but I feel I stand a better chance doing one test then 4 or 5 new ones.

Best of Luck Mate

Merry Christmas everyone and a good new year for some

 

[aced1]

Looks to be 17 of us on the Jan course at Toton, including 4 women. Good to see at least partial equality, but curiously I didn't see a single female applicant at the test or interview days.

Non-locals are staying at the delightful Nottingham Novotel. This appears to be a mile from Long Eaton station and a mile from the depot....

Haven't looked in detail at the contract but one thing stood out - no mention of the quoted salary being for the training period only!

Yes there will be a few of us which will be good. Still undecided as to do i drive or use warrant, might be a lot of stuff to cart back on the train the first week. I take it we will be issued our uniform/ppe on day 1 as it states dress code for induction day.

I would imagine once training is completed we would recieve a further contract??

Looking forward to meeting you all

 

[Kyle0115]

Hello Mate,

Had the same telephone conversation myself earlier this week. Its a shame the original assessments are not still valid with DB as I am certain the original assessments are valid until 2015 according to RSSB website.
I have an option with another TOC and they are still with the original tests so I need only do the driver fault finding test (DFFT) and then a depot manager interview. I'm not sure how tricky this one is but I feel I stand a better chance doing one test then 4 or 5 new ones.

Best of Luck Mate

Merry Christmas everyone and a good new year for some

Yes good luck to you as well, I'm currently awaiting a medical for trainee driver position which are accepting my original assessments and i don't really want to take the chance on the new ones if i do not need to as much as toton would be perfect for me as its 3 miles from my parents in nottingham.

 

[007ghostdog]

I know two guys that stayed driver operators until they got a job at DRS, they just kept them on shunting duties most of the time and didn't give them a chance at main line driving!.

 

[Shedmaster]

Yes there will be a few of us which will be good. Still undecided as to do i drive or use warrant, might be a lot of stuff to cart back on the train the first week. I take it we will be issued our uniform/ppe on day 1 as it states dress code for induction day.

I would imagine once training is completed we would recieve a further contract??

Looking forward to meeting you all

Aye, PPE on day 1 as needed for PTS course on days 2&3 but probably not for the following classroom weeks. Hence driving might be wise, as don't assume the hotel will allow stuff to be left there over the weekend - the last course I was on they didn't. But, don't expect to get car mileage back though. I'm working till Sunday evening in Scotland (eejit!) so probably will drive straight there on the Monday morning...

Yes, contact does state 'trainee'

Happy Christmas everyone, keep plugging away those of you not on this intake.

 

[Jamesb1974]

Happy Christmas all. The 6th January is now ominously close!

I was reading through the joining instructions and it mentions dress code for the corporate induction day.

No denim jeans, t-shirts or tops with offensive logos (or something to that effect).

Now, does that mean no denim jeans, or no denim jeans with offensive logos?

I was going to wear a pair of smart jeans, shoes and a shirt/jumper, but I'm now confused as to what they want?!

Jim

 

[DBE]

Happy Christmas all. The 6th January is now ominously close!

I was reading through the joining instructions and it mentions dress code for the corporate induction day.

No denim jeans, t-shirts or tops with offensive logos (or something to that effect).

Now, does that mean no denim jeans, or no denim jeans with offensive logos?

I was going to wear a pair of smart jeans, shoes and a shirt/jumper, but I'm now confused as to what they want?!

Jim

At the corporate induction, you may meet senior managers from the company, so jeans would not be advisable (which I think is what the statement is trying to say). Smart casual would involve a top with a collar, some smart trousers and a pair of shoes.

 

[Jamesb1974]

Thanks Elliott,

Jim

 

[Clarky042]

Just getting ready to go in for my last ever shift as a Bobby..... felling a little strange to be fair. Definitely feels VERY REAL now , just hope my last shift goes swimmingly and I can drive away with no loose ends or unfinished jobs!

Exciting times ahead but it has suddenly dawned on me how much of a massive change I'm about to make. I always thought being a train driver was that job that was up on a pedestal that "other people" did , not something I'd ever be able to do. I guess this proves that if you keep at it and want it enough, it CAN happen.

Happy New Year to all , and I'll see some of you next week at Knottingley,

Paul

 

[Holt0121]

Just getting ready to go in for my last ever shift as a Bobby..... felling a little strange to be fair. Definitely feels VERY REAL now , just hope my last shift goes swimmingly and I can drive away with no loose ends or unfinished jobs!

Exciting times ahead but it has suddenly dawned on me how much of a massive change I'm about to make. I always thought being a train driver was that job that was up on a pedestal that "other people" did , not something I'd ever be able to do. I guess this proves that if you keep at it and want it enough, it CAN happen.

Happy New Year to all , and I'll see some of you next week at Knottingley,

Paul

I'm guessing your in the police and about to leave?

I'm also in the police and looking to make the change to train driver.... How have you found the transition??

 

[Beveridges]

I know two guys that stayed driver operators until they got a job at DRS, they just kept them on shunting duties most of the time and didn't give them a chance at main line driving!.

Nowt wrong with that, if you apply for a Driver Operators job, you should expect to spend most of your time shunting.
If you apply for a mainline job, expect to drive all the time and do very little, if any, shunting.

 

[shedman]

Depends on the location as to how much mainline driving a driver operator will do. Take Toton and Doncaster for example. Toton has a couple of yards which require at most crossingt he mainline where as Doncaster has 5 yards all spread out which mainline running is required.

 

[Beveridges]

Another important factor is how much of the job is shunting from the ground. I would imagine shunting would get tedious if you were just driving all day under a ground shunters instruction. But when you have to get out, set your own points, work out how to avoid conflicting moves, perform safety crit comms on the radio, instruct propelling moves from the ground, it becomes MUCH more involving, challenging and interesting. This is the way we do things at Newton Heath, the Driver Operator drives *and* gets out to do the ground shunting. At several other locations the depot driver and ground shunters roles are entirely separate, which kills the fun for the DD.

 

[crazysignaller]

its all a bit close now

 

[Scaramanga]

Yeah! Especially as the lads I put as references havent been contacted!
Is anyone else returning their rail warrant? I doubt im going to use it but doesnt say where to return it to.
Hoping to meet a few of you Sunday evening in the bar.

 

[RB5Bird]

Good Luck to all starting on Monday!
Wish I was there, but it looks like the May one for me.
It's probably going to work out better that way anyway, it means I can wrap up my company account and start afresh, and get a cheeky month off before I start. Just need to get something in writing before I close everything,

 

[crazysignaller]

ive posted mine back to lynsey with the contract etc
im going to drive 1st week and stay at the novotel . we will have ppe plus rule books etc I should think to collect
regards glenn

 

[aced1]

Yes all getting very close now and shall be good to put faces to names on sunday. I am going to drive as we shall be issued all ppe/uniform and rule books and i dont fancy taking all that back on a train. Plus be good get feel for place and saves hassle of taxis between hotel and training centre. Shall see those of you at Toton on sunday

 

[Jamesb1974]

Yes, getting very close indeed now!

Did anyone else notice that in the joining instructions, no mention is made of Fridays?

The first training week runs Monday to Thursday and Friday is missing? Do we get Friday off in lieu of having to be in the hotel on Sunday evening?

Jim

 

[aced1]

Yes, getting very close indeed now!

Did anyone else notice that in the joining instructions, no mention is made of Fridays?

The first training week runs Monday to Thursday and Friday is missing? Do we get Friday off in lieu of having to be in the hotel on Sunday evening?

Jim

Yes i did notice that on week 1 there is bo mention of anything happening on the friday. May be a one off that might not have to do anything on the friday. We are booked into hotel every sunday evening and from week 2 onwards we would train 5 days a week, so doubt the day in lieu would be a reason for any fridays off.

However we will all find out in a couple of days so one persons guess is as good as anyones right now

 

[Silv1983]

Most drivers' on the railways work a 4 day week. Whilst I know some TOCs have a 5 day training week (stipulated as 7 hour days in the agreements); it may well be that your trainers / instructors are sticking to a 4 day pattern. Welcome to the railways

 

[md-uk]

Hi all, hopefully see some of you in the luxurious Novotel tomorrow evening. Have decided to go by train and risk lugging home all the stuff. Leaving copious amounts of room free in my suitcase to cope with it.
I too spotted Friday 10th schedule was blank, maybe they think we'll all deserve a nice short week...
Best wishes to those on here who didn't make this intake, fingers crossed all goes well for the next.

Matt

 

[shedman]

I was talking to one of the trainers who you guys at Knottingley will get, you are in for a great few weeks he is a top bloke. Good luck guys, look forward to seeing you out and about

 

[JAMBO]

Do they still use the 66 simulator at Donny? Think it was around 10 sessions covering rules and regs, with a final session covering everything you had learnt. I ain't sure if it had been scrapped as they was talk of it a few years ago...?

 

[shedman]

Do they still use the 66 simulator at Donny? Think it was around 10 sessions covering rules and regs, with a final session covering everything you had learnt. I ain't sure if it had been scrapped as they was talk of it a few years ago...?

I believe (but i could be wrong) its at Toton. I never went on it though

 

[KA4C]

I believe (but i could be wrong) its at Toton. I never went on it though

New one at Toton

 

[JAMBO]

The sim they had at Donny was a useful tool for learning rules and regs but it was fixed and not motion, and although you could simulate a 2000 tonne coaly, you just couldn't get the feel of what driving a train was like such as the braking and gradients. Best way is to just get in the seat on the real thing.