Lumo - QUALIFIED Customer Train Driver/Instructor - Euston/Preston/Stirling - (25/03/25)

[TJ123]

For those qualified drivers who might be interested in something different

Qualified Customer Train Driver

Qualified Customer Train Driver - Preston Station, Fishergate, Preston, United Kingdom - London, United Kingdom - Stirling, Stirlingshire, United Kingdom

Who are we? First Rail Stirling is a brand-new enterprise and start-up rail operator that will run an exciting long-haul train service crossing the entire country. The service will run from London to Stirling, reuniting Stirling with a direct service to the West Coast of England during the day...

careers.firstgroup.co.uk

Customer Driver Instructor

Customer Driver Instructor - Preston Station, Fishergate, Preston, United Kingdom - London, United Kingdom - Stirling, Stirlingshire, United Kingdom

Who are we? First Rail Stirling is a brand-new enterprise and start-up rail operator that will run an exciting long-haul train service crossing the entire country. The service will run from London to Stirling, reuniting Stirling with a direct service to the West Coast of England during the day...

careers.firstgroup.co.uk

Mod note: For apprenticeship / trainee roles, please see this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...iver-euston-preston-sterling-17-03-25.283326/

 

[scotraildriver]

Think they might struggle to find anyone in Stirling already passed on 222s!

 

[NorthernTech]

I’m struggling to see who they are going to attract with this. Doesnt mention salary, package is pretty weak in comparison to what the main TOC’s offer, anyone on an RPS is unlikely to want to park that up for a DC scheme, and they are wanting experience of driving 222’s?

I can understand those who go for the trainee role with Lumo, that’s a great opportunity but this doesn’t look all that good tbf

 

[irish_rail]

I’m struggling to see who they are going to attract with this. Doesnt mention salary, package is pretty weak in comparison to what the main TOC’s offer, anyone on an RPS is unlikely to want to park that up for a DC scheme, and they are wanting experience of driving 222’s?

I can understand those who go for the trainee role with Lumo, that’s a great opportunity but this doesn’t look all that good tbf

Expect Preston to be massively over subscribed, Stirling and Euston probably less so. There's 100s of drivers out there who want Preston type route knowledge and will be willing to move to get it. Avanti generally seem a waste of time in recruiting at Preston , so for that large cohort of drivers who seemingly move around the country at will, I expect Preston will be an attractive proposition.

 

[TJ123]

If you look at the apprentice driver salary it states once qualified the pay is at £68K. So the instructor pay i imagine will be probably around the £73K mark at a guess.

With qualified driver positions becoming a little bit less common now (I know TOCs do still recruit for qualifieds but not as much as they use to compared to recruiting for apprentices), this could be attractive to a few qualified drivers, such as drivers from Southeastern or Greater Anglia for the Euston depot.

I agree, Preston will probably see the most applications and probably will be oversubscribed.

Stirling probably 50/50, it will still be attractive i imagine for Scotrail drivers, there has been some recruitment for qualified drivers from Avanti/XC/TPE but again still less common now.

This could be an opportunity for any qualified driver who wants to do long distance/intercity.

 

[Efini92]

Expect Preston to be massively over subscribed, Stirling and Euston probably less so. There's 100s of drivers out there who want Preston type route knowledge and will be willing to move to get it. Avanti generally seem a waste of time in recruiting at Preston , so for that large cohort of drivers who seemingly move around the country at will, I expect Preston will be an attractive proposition.

I’m not sure qualified’s will give up what they have for this.
Maybe some drivers near the end of their career who fancy a change.

 

[dan4291]

I’m not sure qualified’s will give up what they have for this.
Maybe some drivers near the end of their career who fancy a change.

Exactly the same thing was said about Lumo on the ECML and in the end they had no problem whatsoever recruiting qualified drivers.

 

[Efini92]

Exactly the same thing was said about Lumo on the ECML and in the end they had no problem whatsoever recruiting qualified drivers.

Didn’t they mostly recruit from northern?

 

[irish_rail]

I’m not sure qualified’s will give up what they have for this.
Maybe some drivers near the end of their career who fancy a change.

Too be clear I don't expect any of you guys at Avanti to apply, but I'd bet my mortgage there will be loads of the type of freight drivers who seem to go from FOC to FOC , always looking for a different route or dated traction. Moving around the country every few years, they will be queuing up for a job like this, after all will probably be safer than freight jobs. I also reckon there will be GWR applicants quite possibly wanting to move north but who haven't had luck with Avanti (no not me LOL).

 

[Driver068]

Didn’t they mostly recruit from northern?

No, I believe the majority of their drivers are former trainees. Added with 1 or 2 from GC, Freight and then a handful from the T&W Metro. I don't believe any NORTHERN drivers moved over to LUMO

In regards to pay, on the careers page before selecting the vacancy link it states £60k to £70k, going off the above post and current rate for Newcaslte Depot your looking at £68k

 

[Horizon22]

No, I believe the majority of their drivers are former trainees. Added with 1 or 2 from GC, Freight and then a handful from the T&W Metro. I don't believe any NORTHERN drivers moved over to LUMO

Also, they are not going to actually need very many qualified drivers and maybe just a few instructors. It's a small operation overall.

 

[Efini92]

Too be clear I don't expect any of you guys at Avanti to apply, but I'd bet my mortgage there will be loads of the type of freight drivers who seem to go from FOC to FOC , always looking for a different route or dated traction. Moving around the country every few years, they will be queuing up for a job like this, after all will probably be safer than freight jobs. I also reckon there will be GWR applicants quite possibly wanting to move north but who haven't had luck with Avanti (no not me LOL).

I’m glad you clarified it wasn’t you
That’s an interesting point about the freight men, I hadn’t given that a thought.
I’ve heard they’ve been asking recently retired drivers if they would be interested.

 

[irish_rail]

The more I think about it, I'm more convinced Preston drivers would not need to go north, as surely Stirling would be able to cover all of the Northbound stuff seeing as the first train isn't meant to leave London until 0830ish yet one leaves Stirling 0530ish. So anyone going for an interesting route card at Preston, I reckon could be disappointed, as I can't see them signing anything but London!

 

[TonyWigan]

The more I think about it, I'm more convinced Preston drivers would not need to go north, as surely Stirling would be able to cover all of the Northbound stuff seeing as the first train isn't meant to leave London until 0830ish yet one leaves Stirling 0530ish. So anyone going for an interesting route card at Preston, I reckon could be disappointed, as I can't see them signing anything but London!

Avanti drivers at Preston sign Preston - Euston as core route, and then Preston - Glasgow. Link one Drivers also sign Edinburgh.

I asked this last year when I did some route learning with them last year.

I would expect Lumo to do the same. If the Preston Drivers only sign south then if there is weather related issues in Scotland then the services all have to stop at Preston. If they sign north they could run to Carlisle or wherever the next stop is.

 

[Indistinct]

Given that it’s just starting up on the WCML, I realise there won’t be much in the way of concrete info about rosters etc but perhaps some existing Lumo drivers on the ECML could clarify a few points?

Pension - DC not RPS but the advert isn’t clear on contributions. Is it matched by the company to a total of 20% (10% each) maximum?

Money - £68.5k basic. Did I read something about bonuses on a previous thread? Also is there much RD working and is it paid at flat rate?

I realise the rumours about being rostered to clean trains in a myth but there’s a lot of talk about cleanliness and being an ambassador in the advert. Regardless of what’s rostered, how much other work (outside of actually driving the train) is expected?

 

[Chippychips]

Pension - DC not RPS but the advert isn’t clear on contributions. Is it matched by the company to a total of 20% (10% each) maximum?

I don't know about the other things you asked but on this advert it says "Defined Contribution Pension Scheme – We will pay in a minimum of 10% (5% employee contribution and 5% employer contribution) to a maximum total contribution of 20%"

 

[Smiley]

I'm a qualified driver with GWR. I'm thinking of applying for this. Can someone explain to me like I'm a child. What would I be loosing if I got this job?

 

[martin2345uk]

You’d lose the defined benefit pension, not sure what else, someone will know…

Do you sign the class 222 already then..?

 

[Chucky]

I'm a qualified driver with GWR. I'm thinking of applying for this. Can someone explain to me like I'm a child. What would I be loosing if I got this job?

RDG staff travel - Priv, FIP etc.

Railway Pension Scheme.

Job security in the context that if it goes under or doesn't materialise like Wrexham & Shropshire or GC Blackpool then you will find yourself out of work.

I wouldn't apply for any open access operator for the above reasons as they are important issues for me. But it's horses for courses, and obviously working for open access operators suits some people and is worth making the leap for.

 

[43066]

I'm a qualified driver with GWR. I'm thinking of applying for this. Can someone explain to me like I'm a child. What would I be loosing if I got this job?

The major thing really is the pension - worth potentially hundreds of thousands over the course of a career. Obviously it depends on your age etc. if you were someone who had already retired from another TOC and wanted to work for a while here it wouldn’t be relevant.

You’d lose the defined benefit pension, not sure what else, someone will know…

Do you sign the class 222 already then..?

Signing 222s is a preference rather than a requirement, otherwise they’re limited to EMR drivers - and they pay less than EMR drivers and instructors get, certainly in London.

 

[357]

RDG staff travel - Priv, FIP etc.

Not true.

 

[The Middle]

RDG staff travel - Priv, FIP etc.

All current open access operators retain staff travel

 

[357]

I wouldn't apply for any open access operator for the above reasons as they are important issues for me. But it's horses for courses, and obviously working for open access operators suits some people and is worth making the leap for.

I'm very happy at my Open Access operator because unlike other TOCs you get treated like the highly trained, specialised professional adult that you actually are.

 

[King Lazy]

Is it only me but the way I read the advert it’s isn’t requiring Class 222 traction knowledge as a pre-requisite but is stating it will be a key requirement once in the job and that training will be given.

 

[TonyWigan]

Is it only me but the way I read the advert it’s isn’t requiring Class 222 traction knowledge as a pre-requisite but is stating it will be a key requirement once in the job and that training will be given.

It surly can’t be. The 222 are coming from EMR so I’d imagine it’s only EMR drivers that currently have 222’s on their cards.

Unless I’m mistaken I don’t think any EMR drivers would currently live within an hour of Stirling, Preston or Euston.

People might be willing to move, but if they only want qualified drivers that sign 222 they are fishing from a small pool.

 

[dan4291]

All current open access operators retain staff travel

Absolutely true. Can't believe there's still people who think otherwise!

I'm very happy at my Open Access operator because unlike other TOCs you get treated like the highly trained, specialised professional adult that you actually are.

Same here, there's no 'us and them' mentality like other TOCs.

 

[whoosh]

Is it only me but the way I read the advert it’s isn’t requiring Class 222 traction knowledge as a pre-requisite but is stating it will be a key requirement once in the job and that training will be given.

It's not just you!

 

[baz962]

It surly can’t be. The 222 are coming from EMR so I’d imagine it’s only EMR drivers that currently have 222’s on their cards.

Unless I’m mistaken I don’t think any EMR drivers would currently live within an hour of Stirling, Preston or Euston.

People might be willing to move, but if they only want qualified drivers that sign 222 they are fishing from a small pool.

It probably is a small pool. But a fair few st Pancras drivers live within an hour of Euston.

 

[TonyWigan]

It probably is a small pool. But a fair few st Pancras drivers live within an hour of Euston.

So do EMR have a St Pancras depot? I’ll admit I might sign Wembley but I don’t really know London Depots.

There’s definitely no EMR depot within an hour of Preston.

I would just imagine it’s to see who can start and be productive strait away. Once they exhaust that then whoever else they take on will need some training.

Once of the application questions was have you ever driven high speed trains. They may just want that then again it might not be an issue.

Unless someone from Lumo HR answers on the thread it’s all guess work.

 

[Efini92]

It surly can’t be. The 222 are coming from EMR so I’d imagine it’s only EMR drivers that currently have 222’s on their cards.

Unless I’m mistaken I don’t think any EMR drivers would currently live within an hour of Stirling, Preston or Euston.

People might be willing to move, but if they only want qualified drivers that sign 222 they are fishing from a small pool.

It isn’t. It says you will drive them.