GBRf - Trainee Train Managers - W.Mids/Peterborough/Didcot (16/11/24)

[trainrobber]

Has anyone who applied heard anything back?

 

[Martyn]

Have you heard anything?

 

[Martyn]

Hello
Does anyone know if there are any set questions or structure to a GBRf Train Managers interview please?
Thank you.

 

[Magnum21]

Hi all, No idea what is going on? I am still waiting for a response from GBRf. Anyone heard anything from recruitment?

 

[train_lover]

If im not mistaken, Bescot Yard is the nominal booking on point for west mids. So I imagine a 45 minute circle around that area, which probably covers Small Heath, Hams Hall, Landor St etc

Bescot isn't a booking on point. The West Midlands Depot is Hams Hall/ Coleshill Parkway.

Every Depot at GBRF has a Depot and a home station. But don't be fooled by the term Depot. In some cases there's nothing there. For instance if you are in the West Midlands you'll book on from the container terminal car park or on the platform at Coleshill. There is no building or Depot facilities.

 

[trainrobber]

Hi, just wondering if anyone here is starting soon on the up and coming trainee train driver role?

 

[Shunter Bones]

FYI if anyone hasn't heard anything yet, I know there are street to seat trainees on the TTM course at Peterborough. I think they've just finished their first week. I think they are for Peterborough depot but I could be wrong.

 

[Magnum21]

Hi guys, I have an interview coming up for West Midlands with GBRf for trainee train manager role. I was wondering if anyone here can provide me some information about their routes from Midlands, their working conditions like their terms and conditions and any interview preparation advice? I Will really appreciate that.

 

[Lenny_1986]

Does anyone have any information on the pension, mainly contribution rates for employee and employer

 

[Shunter Bones]

Industry wide defined contribution scheme, employee pays 5% but can double to 10%, employer pays 7.5%.

 

[Lenny_1986]

Thanks for the reply. Do they not go higher than 7.5%?
I know DB match up to 10%

 

[train_lover]

Hi guys, I have an interview coming up for West Midlands with GBRf for trainee train manager role. I was wondering if anyone here can provide me some information about their routes from Midlands, their working conditions like their terms and conditions and any interview preparation advice? I Will really appreciate that.

Routes are difficult to talk about. Reason being all 43 drivers at the depot have slightly different route cards. However as a general rule the core routes are
Hams Hall - Peterborough
Hams Hall - Wembley
Hams Hall - Birch Coppice
Landor Street - Trafford Park via Crewe and via Stoke
Landor Street - Doncaster Iport via Toton
Crewe - Banbury/ Small Heath
Trent Valley
Coleshill Parkway - Shrewsbury (Coton Hill)

 

[Shunter Bones]

Thanks for the reply. Do they not go higher than 7.5%?
I know DB match up to 10%

I don't think so.

 

[NorthernTech]

Thanks for the reply. Do they not go higher than 7.5%?
I know DB match up to 10%

I think DB is 7% employee, 10% employer contribution, I could be corrected though. It’s a shame most companies now take a dim view on providing a decent way for staff to be able to retire. In comparison DRS i believe is 5% employee, and company tops up to 29%!! Ive no idea what the RPS scheme contributions are but way more than these poor DC schemes.

I brought the subject up at work with a rep and they said with the increased wages these days, you can afford to invest in something else to aid retirement!

 

[Magnum21]

I have applied for Train Manager role with GB Railfreight, based in West Midlands.

Could anyone currently working in the industry, or specifically with GB Railfreight, provide me with information regarding incentives for overtime, such as extra pay?

What does a typical work week look like in terms of hours and scheduling—is there a set roster?

Additionally, I'm interested in understanding the terms and conditions of employment, particularly regarding weekend work—do employees receive extra pay for weekends or rest days?

Any insights into the pension scheme offered would also be appreciated. Thank you in advance for any information you can share!

 

[Corrado]

Overtime is straight time. It sucks. I won’t do any overtime for less than 12 hours pay. Most of our jobs are over ten, anyway. It’s a healthy salary though, so you could easily manage with a few RDW a month.

Rostering is an utter lottery. It all comes down to what you sign and the depot work.

You will be rostered whatever days you work in the link. You will have a roster pattern for days off at least you can follow, but youcould be working 8 or 9 hours into your day off. You will have min rest period of 32 hours for a single day off. Two day is 56 hours I think, and it’s a calendar day from thereafter. No extra pay for weekends or RDW.

The pension scheme defined contribution? I think? I can never remember. You pay 5 percent and the company 7.5 percent. I also pay into an AVC from the left side of the pay, you can put in what you like.

GB is ok. There’s quite a lot of variety, in traction and routes. You are left to do your job. The downside is crewplan are ****ing awful. You’ll probably get plenty of overtime if you want it. Roster comes out on a Thursday night for the next week.

 

[Magnum21]

Overtime is straight time. It sucks. I won’t do any overtime for less than 12 hours pay. Most of our jobs are over ten, anyway. It’s a healthy salary though, so you could easily manage with a few RDW a month.

Rostering is an utter lottery. It all comes down to what you sign and the depot work.

You will be rostered whatever days you work in the link. You will have a roster pattern for days off at least you can follow, but youcould be working 8 or 9 hours into your day off. You will have min rest period of 32 hours for a single day off. Two day is 56 hours I think, and it’s a calendar day from thereafter. No extra pay for weekends or RDW.

The pension scheme defined contribution? I think? I can never remember. You pay 5 percent and the company 7.5 percent. I also pay into an AVC from the left side of the pay, you can put in what you like.

GB is ok. There’s quite a lot of variety, in traction and routes. You are left to do your job. The downside is crewplan are ****ing awful. You’ll probably get plenty of overtime if you want it. Roster comes out on a Thursday night for the next week.

Thank you for the information mate. Really appreciate it

 

[Lenny_1986]

Does anyone know how much leave you get, and is it built into the roster?
Also do you get any floating days to take when you want

 

[Magnum21]

Holiday entitlement is below:

An entitlement of 26 days annual leave per year will be given inclusive of all bank/public holidays. Holiday periods will apply from 1st April to 31st March each year.
Of those 26 days, 20 will be rostered which is the equivalent of 5 weeks leave. This is based on a 4-day week, starting on a Sunday and finishing the following Saturday.
The remaining 6 floating days may be booked at 4 weeks’ notice, subject to the requirements
of the service.

 

[Lenny_1986]

Holiday entitlement is below:

An entitlement of 26 days annual leave per year will be given inclusive of all bank/public holidays. Holiday periods will apply from 1st April to 31st March each year.
Of those 26 days, 20 will be rostered which is the equivalent of 5 weeks leave. This is based on a 4-day week, starting on a Sunday and finishing the following Saturday.
The remaining 6 floating days may be booked at 4 weeks’ notice, subject to the requirements
of the service.

Thank you for this information, much appreciated

 

[Corrado]

Thank you for the information mate. Really appreciate it

You’re welcome

Dont want to put a downer on it, but at my depot getting a lieu day is a task. I get knocked back consistently, and I ask for things like a Tuesday night! Your lieu day will disappear into the ether if you don’t ’take’ it. They will rarely carry forward and you need managers permission to do so. I lost a few last year, and one this year, but that’s more to do with my lack of organisation and not wanting to ask my manager for anything. Bitter sod that I am

The leave is the usual blocks. One year your summer holiday is the end of September, the next it’s early May.

 

[Magnum21]

You’re welcome

Dont want to put a downer on it, but at my depot getting a lieu day is a task. I get knocked back consistently, and I ask for things like a Tuesday night! Your lieu day will disappear into the ether if you don’t ’take’ it. They will rarely carry forward and you need managers permission to do so. I lost a few last year, and one this year, but that’s more to do with my lack of organisation and not wanting to ask my manager for anything. Bitter sod that I am

The leave is the usual blocks. One year your summer holiday is the end of September, the next it’s

You’re welcome

Dont want to put a downer on it, but at my depot getting a lieu day is a task. I get knocked back consistently, and I ask for things like a Tuesday night! Your lieu day will disappear into the ether if you don’t ’take’ it. They will rarely carry forward and you need managers permission to do so. I lost a few last year, and one this year, but that’s more to do with my lack of organisation and not wanting to ask my manager for anything. Bitter sod that I am

The leave is the usual blocks. One year your summer holiday is the end of September, the next it’s early May.

You’re welcome

Dont want to put a downer on it, but at my depot getting a lieu day is a task. I get knocked back consistently, and I ask for things like a Tuesday night! Your lieu day will disappear into the ether if you don’t ’take’ it. They will rarely carry forward and you need managers permission to do so. I lost a few last year, and one this year, but that’s more to do with my lack of organisation and not wanting to ask my manager for anything. Bitter sod that I am

The leave is the usual blocks. One year your summer holiday is the end of September, the next it’s early May.

You’re welcome

Dont want to put a downer on it, but at my depot getting a lieu day is a task. I get knocked back consistently, and I ask for things like a Tuesday night! Your lieu day will disappear into the ether if you don’t ’take’ it. They will rarely carry forward and you need managers permission to do so. I lost a few last year, and one this year, but that’s more to do with my lack of organisation and not wanting to ask my manager for anything. Bitter sod that I am

The leave is the usual blocks. One year your summer holiday is the end of September, the next it’s early May.

Can people arrange with rosters to do permanent lates or earlies if they find a swap with someone? And how do the shifts work? What I meant is do you have to do one week of earlies and one week lates or its different?

 

[piers1234]

Can people arrange with rosters to do permanent lates or earlies if they find a swap with someone? And how do the shifts work? What I meant is do you have to do one week of earlies and one week lates or its different?

No chance with freight.

You maybe not know until the day before if your on a early, late or night shift.

There is 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year you could be rostered anything.

There is some guides to start times and days off etc.. e.g a base roster.

 

[GB]

No chance with freight.

Agreed

You maybe not know until the day before if your on a early, late or night shift.

There is 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year you could be rostered anything.

There is some guides to start times and days off etc.. e.g a base roster.

Not quite that bad unless you are perhaps at a seasonal or SCO based depot which has less WTT work and more reliant on customer requirements. With a few caveats you cant be days/earlies Monday and Tuesday and then nights Wednesday and Thursday. Likewise you cant be nights Monday and Tuesday and then days/early Thursday and Friday. Has to be 56 hours off between shifts to change from one type to another.

Some weeks you will be rostered 4 or 5 shifts, other weeks in might only be 2 or 3.

 

[Magnum21]

And also does anyone know if the overtime is paid 4 weekly with your pay or paid yearly? Sombody was saying overtime is paid at the end of the tax year which doesnt sound right?

 

[GB]

And also does anyone know if the overtime is paid 4 weekly with your pay or paid yearly? Sombody was saying overtime is paid at the end of the tax year which doesnt sound right?

With RDW overtime you can chose, but once chosen you cant change till the next contract year.
Overtime above year end contract are paid the month after the contract year ends. Contract year is either January-December or June-July.

 

[Magnum21]

okay so you CAN choose getting paid 4 weekly or yearly then for RDW overtime?

 

[GB]

Yes.