Transport for Wales - Trainee Train Drivers

[mstrwvr]

I think it's one class in the training centre & the second in the queen's hotel conference room the guard course is in Flint. With social distancing measures it's slowing everything down, never mind establishing the bubbles situation.

I was on the first guard’s course to take place at Flint. Class size was 8. Pretty good training space to be fair, no complaints. And literally right next to the station.

 

[Welsh lady]

Is this for Holyhead depot ? If so your training should be at Chester training centre

No it's for Cardiff mainline, super excited now

 

[JRogers92]

No it's for Cardiff mainline, super excited now

That’s amazing, congratulations and good luck ☺️ I’m late to the party as I only applied in August for Cardiff. I’m still living in hope for a email on the daily.
This is a wonderful thread for information and updates though so thank you everyone.

 

[craigybagel]

I think it's one class in the training centre & the second in the queen's hotel conference room the guard course is in Flint. With social distancing measures it's slowing everything down, never mind establishing the bubbles situation.

Ah ok, that's quite an ingenious plan to be fair.

 

[Cho cho 25]

Although that was pre Covid. I did hear that the class sizes had shrunk a bit due to social distancing. At least some of the rooms in the training centre certainly couldn't cope with that many people in a class at present.

They’ve had a few groups over in St Mary’s as they allow for bigger numbers.

 

[dzdoris]

I'll be there!

Exciting times! Looking forward to hearing how you get on

 

[Rails2020]

I'll be there!

Same here!

 

[Cho cho 25]

No it's for Cardiff mainline, super excited now

No it's for Cardiff mainline, super excited now

You’ve fallen lucky to get onto the mainline. It’s better than driving on the valleys.

 

[Rails2020]

You’ve fallen lucky to get onto the mainline. It’s better than driving on the valleys.

Hi cho cho.

What are the main differences ?

 

[Welsh lady]

You’ve fallen lucky to get onto the mainline. It’s better than driving on the valleys.

Aww thank you! I wouldn't have minded either way to be fair x

 

[craigybagel]

Hi cho cho.

What are the main differences ?

Completely different routes and traction - differences that'll only become even more apparent as the South Wales metro gets introduced.

As a new driver at Cardiff mainline, you'll mostly be driving to the likes of Ebbw Vale, Maesteg and Bridgend via Barry, plus I think there's some work to Swansea and Cheltenham too. Quite a few station stops in those jobs, but some higher speed running too, with the chance to drive at 95mph often and occasionally the full 100mph. You would be driving class 150,153,158,170 and 175 units.

As the years progress you'll get the chance to learn longer routes, to Carmarthen and eventually Milford Haven, and all the way up in the other direction to Crewe and Chester. If you stayed long enough you might even get the chance to drive the Premier service with its dedicated Class 67 locomotive and MKIV coaching stock.

On the Valleys you'd be driving class 150 153 and 769 on the Valleys network, which is basically everything that passes through Queen Street station (with the exception of services to Bridgend via Barry which as mentioned above are driven by mainline drivers west of Cardiff). Stopping at almost every station all day long, it can be very intensive work with little time between stations, but some people prefer it. In the future they'll be driving the tram trains, complete with a short section of street running in Cardiff Bay which will certainly be a change.

 

[Rails2020]

Completely different routes and traction - differences that'll only become even more apparent as the South Wales metro gets introduced.

As a new driver at Cardiff mainline, you'll mostly be driving to the likes of Ebbw Vale, Maesteg and Bridgend via Barry, plus I think there's some work to Swansea and Cheltenham too. Quite a few station stops in those jobs, but some higher speed running too, with the chance to drive at 95mph often and occasionally the full 100mph. You would be driving class 150,153,158,170 and 175 units.

As the years progress you'll get the chance to learn longer routes, to Carmarthen and eventually Milford Haven, and all the way up in the other direction to Crewe and Chester. If you stayed long enough you might even get the chance to drive the Premier service with its dedicated Class 67 locomotive and MKIV coaching stock.

On the Valleys you'd be driving class 150 153 and 769 on the Valleys network, which is basically everything that passes through Queen Street station (with the exception of services to Bridgend via Barry which as mentioned above are driven by mainline drivers west of Cardiff). Stopping at every station all day long, it can be very intensive work with little time between stations, but some people prefer it. In the future they'll be driving the tram trains, complete with a short section of street running in Cardiff Bay which will certainly be a change.

@craigybagel thank you for taking the time to give all this info its much appreciated mate!


I cannot wait to start!

 

[Cho cho 25]

@craigybagel thank you for taking the time to give all this info its much appreciated mate!


I cannot wait to start!

As craigybagel just said. Yeah there’s a little bit of Swansea work still in the bottom link and still quite a few Cheltenham trips, although they’ve mainly been replaced with Gloucester because of the reduction in service.

 

[Catweasel]

That’s amazing, congratulations and good luck ☺️ I’m late to the party as I only applied in August for Cardiff. I’m still living in hope for a email on the daily.
This is a wonderful thread for information and updates though so thank you everyone.

Have you done your assessments yet? I applied in July, so not much before you.

 

[JRogers92]

Have you done your assessments yet? I applied in July, so not much before you.

Nope nothing of yet, just the same acorn emails every few months.
How about you?
It’s just nice to see people going through different stages.
I’m just hoping they don’t fill the vacancies before they get to the later bunch

 

[123hd]

Anyone any idea of the traction and routes for Chester depot?

 

[Catweasel]

I had a list of depots on my talent pool email, and was asked to confirm which I was applying for. With Cardiff it said to say if there was a preference for mainline or valleys, or no preference. I said no preference on mine. Curious if any one else has had an invite yet?

Have you heard anything yet bud?

Completely different routes and traction - differences that'll only become even more apparent as the South Wales metro gets introduced.

As a new driver at Cardiff mainline, you'll mostly be driving to the likes of Ebbw Vale, Maesteg and Bridgend via Barry, plus I think there's some work to Swansea and Cheltenham too. Quite a few station stops in those jobs, but some higher speed running too, with the chance to drive at 95mph often and occasionally the full 100mph. You would be driving class 150,153,158,170 and 175 units.

As the years progress you'll get the chance to learn longer routes, to Carmarthen and eventually Milford Haven, and all the way up in the other direction to Crewe and Chester. If you stayed long enough you might even get the chance to drive the Premier service with its dedicated Class 67 locomotive and MKIV coaching stock.

On the Valleys you'd be driving class 150 153 and 769 on the Valleys network, which is basically everything that passes through Queen Street station (with the exception of services to Bridgend via Barry which as mentioned above are driven by mainline drivers west of Cardiff). Stopping at almost every station all day long, it can be very intensive work with little time between stations, but some people prefer it. In the future they'll be driving the tram trains, complete with a short section of street running in Cardiff Bay which will certainly be a change.

Thanks @craigybagel - interesting to know! I'm on Cardiff Mainline too, it's good to have a bit of prior knowledge! Can't wait to get on with it now. Thanks for the info!

 

[Catweasel]

Nope nothing of yet, just the same acorn emails every few months.
How about you?
It’s just nice to see people going through different stages.
I’m just hoping they don’t fill the vacancies before they get to the later bunch

Maybe because of covid the courses are smaller so its taking longer to clear the backlog.

 

[123hd]

The present traction is 150/153/158 & 175, this is until the 197 fleet is introduced then that will be the main traction with the 230's for the Wrexham-Bidston line. The 230's are being introduced this year & on test now.

Some Routes are link specific
Blue link for starters is at present

Wrexham-Bidston
Chester to Llandudno
Chester to Holyhead
Chester to Crewe
Chester to Manchester airport via WBQ
Chester to Shrewsbury via Wrexham
Chester shed & depot

Red link
As above blue link plus

Crewe to Shrewsbury
Crewe to Stafford
Wolves to Birmingham via bescot
Shrewsbury to Birmingham international

Green link
As blue link plus

Chester to Manchester Piccadilly via Cheshire lines
Shrewsbury to Birmingham international

Amazing thanks for the info. Does Chester not sign the 67 unit then?

 

[Slipper]

Maybe because of covid the courses are smaller so its taking longer to clear the backlog.

I applied in March last year and had my computer assessments and DMI at the beginning of September, and I'm still waiting to be called forward for a course at Cardiff.

I was told originally that you were called from the talent pool on the order you went in, but that can't be true as I believe some people who are starting at Cardiff in May went into the talent pool after me, so no idea at all how it works or when a call will come. Could be the next course or a years time.

 

[craigybagel]

Amazing thanks for the info. Does Chester not sign the 67 unit then?

No, no need for them to do so. All Holyhead drivers, plus one link at each of Crewe and Cardiff sign them, that's enough for the limited work on these sets.

 

[Cho cho 25]

Have you heard anything yet bud?


Thanks @craigybagel - interesting to know! I'm on Cardiff Mainline too, it's good to have a bit of prior knowledge! Can't wait to get on with it now. Thanks for the info!

Be ready to learn a lot more traction than you would on the valleys. You’ll be signing 150,153,158,170 and 175’s plus the new models coming on to the network from next year onwards.

 

[JRogers92]

Maybe because of covid the courses are smaller so its taking longer to clear the backlog.

It probably goes on how well you did in the application too.
You must of smashed it ☺️
I’m just thankful I haven’t had that rejection email yet haha!! Fingers crossed.

 

[Cho cho 25]

Maybe because of covid the courses are smaller so its taking longer to clear the backlog.

The courses are still running at the same size as before. There’s one group out handling now that’s had half of the course furloughed because there was a lack of instructors. All that should be resolved over the next few weeks. Drivers are taking longer to get passed out because of the reduction in service so it’s taking longer to build up to the required driving hours.

 

[Mrt83]

Have you heard anything yet bud?


Thanks @craigybagel - interesting to know! I'm on Cardiff Mainline too, it's good to have a bit of prior knowledge! Can't wait to get on with it now. Thanks for the info!

No haven't heard sadly. More waiting. Fingers crossed for the next one, whenever it will be. Good luck for your start though, hope it goes well.

 

[Hembrows]

Good Morning, just a quick question
Is anyone having trouble getting reply’s to emails from TFW? I asked for any possible update to an application done last year with no reply. The last correspondence I got was in December and that my application was still under review

 

[Bradley_246]

Good Morning, just a quick question
Is anyone having trouble getting reply’s to emails from TFW? I asked for any possible update to an application done last year with no reply. The last correspondence I got was in December and that my application was still under review

Yeah I applied early January for a role and am still waiting for any update - they're pretty slow at replying to email too.

 

[123hd]

Good Morning, just a quick question
Is anyone having trouble getting reply’s to emails from TFW? I asked for any possible update to an application done last year with no reply. The last correspondence I got was in December and that my application was still under review

I applied Feb 2019. Didn't hear anything back until Dec 2019. Thought they had forgot me. Start training soon. Been a lengthy but rewarding process. Just ride it out I'm sure you will hear something at some point

 

[Slipper]

I applied Feb 2019. Didn't hear anything back until Dec 2019. Thought they had forgot me. Start training soon. Been a lengthy but rewarding process. Just ride it out I'm sure you will hear something at some point

Good luck on your course. That is a long old time to wait, when did you actually complete the process and go into the talent pool please? I passed everything at the beginning of September, so my wait so far is nothing compared to yours.

 

[123hd]

Thank you! Went into the talent pool Jan 2020.

Good luck on your course. That is a long old time to wait, when did you actually complete the process and go into the talent pool please? I passed everything at the beginning of September, so my wait so far is nothing compared to yours.