• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

GWR Train Driver talent pool

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

WishIHadAName

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2015
Messages
46
Hi

For qualifieds who have been succesful once you have had an interview how long would you expect to wait for a position?
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

1494

1494

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2018
Messages
53
Location
Weymouth, Dorset
James71 said:
For medical stuff I'm a little on the chonky side! Do I need to get myself down the gym for this?
Click to expand...
In all honesty it depends. I’m a little overweight. I carry mine around my torso. There is/was a BMI limit on the medical. I believe it was 28/30 but you’d have to check. However I think the final decision rests with the doctor who signs you off and there is some flexibility. I was over the BMI by a little but I got signed off as I was otherwise fit and healthy. I did manage to lose a little before my medical as I was also worried about this.

Personally, it wouldn’t hurt getting in the gym before hand and lose as much as possible as you’ll be healthier for it anyway. You wanna maximise your chances. If your massively overweight it could be an issue, but if your a little bit over the BMI then I wouldn’t stress too much. I think it depends on the TOC and doctor signing you off.
 
S

Stigy

Established Member
Joined
6 Nov 2009
Messages
4,882
1494 said:
In all honesty it depends. I’m a little overweight. I carry mine around my torso. There is/was a BMI limit on the medical. I believe it was 28/30 but you’d have to check. However I think the final decision rests with the doctor who signs you off and there is some flexibility. I was over the BMI by a little but I got signed off as I was otherwise fit and healthy. I did manage to lose a little before my medical as I was also worried about this.

Personally, it wouldn’t hurt getting in the gym before hand and lose as much as possible as you’ll be healthier for it anyway. You wanna maximise your chances. If your massively overweight it could be an issue, but if your a little bit over the BMI then I wouldn’t stress too much. I think it depends on the TOC and doctor signing you off.
Click to expand...
The BMI limit for GWR is 32 I believe,
however, it’s unlikely you’d fail a medical on this basis unless morbidly obese and/or otherwise unhealthy. My BMI was 33 when I joined and the doc asked me to lose half a stone, which I was doing anyway at the time. He said he’d get me back in 3 months (which he never did). I’ve recently had my second medical since joining 3 years ago and I’m about the same, maybe a bit heavier now.
 
Mabs

Mabs

Member
Joined
24 Apr 2018
Messages
400
Jaytrains said:
Just completed my medical- fit to drive!

Happy days!
Click to expand...
That's great news

I failed the online interview in January. It just wasn't my day.

I will apply again after July. I hope more vacancies come up.
 
J

Jaytrains

Member
Joined
20 Nov 2017
Messages
489
Oldnewbie said:
Massive congratulations mate. You're doing the HEX training?
Click to expand...

Thank you and yh i am, there was also a qualified driver from a different toc that’s starting his training in November

Mabs said:
That's great news

I failed the online interview in January. It just wasn't my day.

I will apply again after July. I hope more vacancies come up.
Click to expand...

Keep going and don’t give up!

ItchyRsole said:
Well done mate. Onward & upwards
Click to expand...

Thank youu!!
 
tiptoptaff

tiptoptaff

Established Member
Joined
15 Feb 2013
Messages
3,021
Vicious rumours circulating today that in the Central/West regions at least, there's to be no further courses started until 2025

Do not know how true that is, but I've now heard it from 4 or 5 different people at different levels at different depots.
 
WombleGuard

WombleGuard

Member
Joined
16 Dec 2019
Messages
192
Location
London
I think vicious is the word there. So no one in the whole of that region is going to retire, expire, transfer or get fired in the next three years and need replacing?

That's some crystal ball they've got.
 
MostlyHarmless

MostlyHarmless

Member
Joined
1 Mar 2018
Messages
988
Jaytrains said:
How long until you receive your contract? After medical
Click to expand...

It was about 3 weeks - You get an email offering you a job and a link to the onboarding portal where you accept the offer. The paper contract came a week or so after that I think which you sign and send back (you get a copy too)

WombleGuard said:
I think vicious is the word there. So no one in the whole of that region is going to retire, expire, transfer or get fired in the next three years and need replacing?
Click to expand...

I agree, it does sound like a long time - and once the course has started, you're looking at least a year before those on it qualify.
 
J

Jaytrains

Member
Joined
20 Nov 2017
Messages
489
MostlyHarmless said:
It was about 3 weeks - You get an email offering you a job and a link to the onboarding portal where you accept the offer. The paper contract came a week or so after that I think which you sign and send back (you get a copy too)


Thank you!


I agree, it does sound like a long time - and once the course has started, you're looking at least a year before those on it qualify.
Click to expand...
 
N

Nonuts

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2019
Messages
138
Location
Gosport
WombleGuard said:
I think vicious is the word there. So no one in the whole of that region is going to retire, expire, transfer or get fired in the next three years and need replacing?

That's some crystal ball they've got.
Click to expand...
True, there is retirement, transfers...natural wastage in effect. Sadly there's also that there was a large recruitment 2018,19 with the future plans for the franchise that were scuppered by covid that's now a National Rail contract. It could be that those trained and in training now cover the expected retirements ect... There's a few guards from my depot, waiting for DMI who have told their applications are currently paused in effect. But the needs of the railway/business change all the time so it could be 5 years... it could be in 6 months when the timetable changes and needs are evaluated!
 
T

Traindriver40

Member
Joined
12 Nov 2021
Messages
74
Location
midlands
tiptoptaff said:
Vicious rumours circulating today that in the Central/West regions at least, there's to be no further courses started until 2025

Do not know how true that is, but I've now heard it from 4 or 5 different people at different levels at different depots.
Click to expand...
Hopefully this means courses planned for the Southwest which to my knowledge has had limited recruitment in the last few years.
 
J

jacey

Member
Joined
29 Sep 2020
Messages
115
Location
UK
tiptoptaff said:
Vicious rumours circulating today that in the Central/West regions at least, there's to be no further courses started until 2025

Do not know how true that is, but I've now heard it from 4 or 5 different people at different levels at different depots.
Click to expand...
Lets hope this is just a rumour its dashing a lot of hopes :(

Every time i speak with HR they says this is due to the business work force plan which is reviewed every 3 months and does change.

They did say to me nothing Planned for Plymouth in 2022 currently. (my plan was just to email HR early 2023)

Honestly getting in a talent pool is the easy part, being fortunate enough to get picked out of one is the hard part for me, i now sit in 3 with GWR being my longest wait since march 2020.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top