If you are an apprentice train driver in the UK, then Virgin are offering a fantastic and unique opportunity. A new scheme has recently been introduced, offering a year-long training course for potential virgin trains apprentice drivers!

Virgin Apprentice Driver Scheme

Virgin have recently announced that they are taking on a brand-new set of apprentice drivers. In order to do this, they’ll be offering successful candidates a year-long training course, which will aim to teach the new drivers everything they need in order to actually join Virgin as a driver. Driving trains for Virgin is an extremely profitable role. Virgin train drivers earn around £50,000 per year – which is high even in the rail industry.

When asked why candidates should apply for their brand new scheme, Virgin trains emphasised that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. They claimed that this apprenticeship scheme will give candidates the chance to work alongside some of the very best drivers in the train industry, gain practical insight into train driving and fully understand the business. Overall, it represents a fantastic chance for any aspiring drivers!

Limited Spaces

Naturally, with such a great offer on the table, places are extremely limited! So limited, in fact, that there are just THREE places available! Virgin have said that they expect over 1000 applications for the scheme, so the competition is fierce. Furthermore, applications close in early March, so there’s not much time left! The places will be allocated to candidates from London, Wolverhampton and Glasgow. Whilst training on the scheme, which takes 2 years, you will earn a salary of £15,000 per year. Once that training is completed, your salary will escalate considerably, and you’ll also earn a fantastic NVQ in train driving.

So, if you want to try your hand at driving a Virgin Train, then you can apply HERE!

Good luck, and stay warm!

A couple of news stories to report back on today, from the world of UK Trains:

Southern UK Trains – A Solution?

First of all, more news from Southern, as rail drivers are set to be balloted over a deal to end the Southern dispute. Although this might not sound like anything new, as they’ve been balloted in the past, the new proposal includes a five-year pay deal, which is worth 28.5% more than what drivers currently earn.

Along with the increased pay, the new proposal also ensures that trains will have a second safety-trained individual on every single vehicle. The introduction of driverless UK trains has been the main sticking point for striking drivers over the past year or so, and therefore for Govia to back down slightly on this represents a big step! The safety trained individual will be fully competent in all of the skills necessary to help or evacuate passengers in an emergency – which on the face of it seems to resolve all of the issues…but we’ll see what happens. Remember, we’ve had cause for optimism before, only to have disagreements emerge immediately following an preliminary agreement – so don’t get your hopes up yet!

The result of the ballot will be announced on the 8th November 2017.

Train Driver Earnings Treble

In the past few days, it has emerged that since railway privatisation began 20 years ago, train drivers pay has trebled! Whether you think this is a good or a bad thing, the rise in UK trains wages has been placed largely with unions, whose constant action and activity have kept train companies on their toes. Later this year, a record pay increase could even see train drivers across the country earning more than £58,000 on average, a year. This is an astronomical figure, especially when compared with the average UK salary of £27, 271.

As you can imagine, not everyone is best pleased with this news. Certain MPs have accused the unions of ‘holding the public to ransom’. Other MPs have demanded that once the salary increase goes ahead, the strikes stop at once.

Whichever side of the rails you fall on, it must be said that right now becoming a train driver is a very appealing option. With the increasing wages, and union power behind them, train driving roles are certainly on the up – and will only become more in demand as a result.

Interesting news coming from Scotland today, as campaigners have begun a sustained effort to introduce ‘women-only’ shortlists for Scottish train driver recruitment. The campaign follows the shocking reveal from Aslef that only 4% of train drivers in Scotland are female.

As it stands, there are 1566 train driving posts in Scotland. Of this number, only 62 are women. This means that Scotland has a lower percentage figure of female train drivers, than the entire UK – which stands at 6%. Obviously, these are pretty shocking statistics, and it only gets worse. Aslef also revealed that, in the whole of Scotland, there is just one female freight train driver – with 154 currently serving freight drivers.

The issues above have been submitted for discussion at the Scottish Trades Union Congress, which is to be held on October 31st of this year (2017). The secretary of Aslef has claimed that that by introducing ‘women-only’ Scottish train driver shortlists, rail companies can address the obvious balance issue here. He states that the problem comes largely from male managers, who continuously hire male staff over female, and from male staff conducting the interviews. Aslef have asserted that such woefully low statistics are not acceptable in the 21st century, and that Scotland have fallen well behind England and Wales when it comes to female freight drivers.

In response, a spokesman for the Scottish government claimed that ministers have taken steps to improve gender equality, and called upon Scottish rail operators to promote equal opportunities wherever possible. Meanwhile, both ScotRail and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) have spoken out about the figures, claiming that they are working hard to ensure a gender-balanced workforce, and openly encourage women to apply for their job positions. While they acknowledged that both the freight and rail industry are traditionally male-dominated, they also pointed out that times are changing, and that every candidate is treated equally – regardless of their gender.

Great news coming from the UK today, as it has emerged that rail passengers who are travelling on the East Grinstead line will finally be able to take trains directly to London. The move comes as part of a wider effort to make the East Grinstead line a major part of the Thameslink route.

Major Changes To The East Grinstead Line

As mentioned, the move is part of a wider changes effort, on the part of Govia. The changes will take place from 2018 onwards. Further changes include various other Thameslink services being added to the Southern line, which already accommodates for Oxted and Upper Warlingham.

Essentially, the current route would be replaced and extended, with the new route being run by Thameslink, going on to areas such as Blackfriars, St Albans and Bedford. That being said, the East Grinstead line to Victoria, and the Uckfield line, will still run under the control of Southern.

Speaking about the plans, the CEO of Govia claimed that with passenger journeys doubling in recent years, it’s essential for the company to take a transformative approach. He claimed that by improving tracks and stations, and introducing new trains and routes, Govia can ensure that they are providing customers with a railway which exceeds their expectations, and carries them into the future.

Consultations

Consultations for the plans started in 2016, and were one of the most detailed/biggest ever conducted by Govia. The company took into account all possible passenger views about the potential new routes, and on the timetables for these routes.

That being said, not everyone is happy about the plans. Some customers have admitted to being sceptical about how well the proposed changes can work, and claimed that having a tighter timetable does not necessarily translate to good results. Many passengers have pointed out that Govia’s track record of delays is evidence of their inability to run an efficient service – something that simply changing timetables will not fix. It has also been noted that driver-only services can be inefficient for certain passengers, who are perhaps less able or mobile. Since there are no staff members on board trains, there will be nobody to help people with mobility issues, in the event that they decide to turn up last minute and travel.

Conclusion?

So, what conclusions can be drawn from this? Well, it’s safe to say that this IS positive news. The bottom line is that Govia are making a sustained attempt at improving their  East Grinstead line services. Whether they are capable of making these improvements work is another matter, but the desire for change and improvement can only be a positive thing. Now, it’s up to Govia to prove to their passengers that these aren’t empty promises, and that they truly can match up to the standards they have laid out in these plans. If they can, then we will surely see a healthier, stronger and more efficient railway, which every single passenger can benefit from.

Train companies in India are now utilising yoga as a way of making their staff more efficient, relaxed and productive. Specifically, Indian Railways. The Mumbai suburban railway is one of the busiest in the entire world, transporting over 7 million passengers every single day. Naturally, this puts the drivers – known as ‘motormen’ under huge pressure. Part of the stress of working on Indian railways is not just in keeping the trains on time, but in preventing accidents. Every single year, thousands of people die on Mumbai’s railway tracks. Mumbai trains are regularly carrying 2.5 more passengers than initially intended.

This creates enormous tension for the motormen running the trains, who are also subject to dealing with frequent customer complaints, rudeness and track failures.

So, with all of that, why yoga? Well, primarily, there are the mental benefits of yoga. Yoga is often seen as a fantastic way to de-stress, along with being a very popular form of exercise. The mental relief that exercises like yoga bring can make a huge difference to companies whose employees are overworked or in positions where concentration is a top priority, especially when it involves safety. Yoga has a major benefit on the day-to-day lives of its participants, helping them to focus, and reducing tension from an extremely difficult role.

Physically, yoga also makes a big difference. It’s well known that keeping physically fit can have a huge impact on your mental health. Yoga helps with elements such as posture, losing weight and even blood circulation, which in turn keeps the mind sharp – a quality which is vital for train drivers.

There are over 1174 drivers on the Mumbai suburban railway line. By regular standards, this is an astronomical figure for a single line, meaning that Indian Railways are hard pressed to provide a good working environment and level of care for all of their drivers. By utilising yoga, the company appears to have found an activity which is not limited to only certain drivers, and can be practiced by every employee.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the railways…

Bad news today, as there are yet more disputes between Southern Rail and their drivers. The recent dispute has come about over disagreements about drivers working overtime, from the 4th of June onwards. If you’ve been following the news, you’ll know that this is just one in the latest of a series of disputes between Southern Rail and their staff. In the past year, multiple strikes – caused by disagreements over driver-only trains – have crippled the railway. Commuters have suffered hugely, with delays and cancellations adding to a growing sense of anger over the state of the railway. While this dispute has recently been resolved, the new southern rail overtime disputes have led to further strike action.

On Wednesday 17th, ASLEF took action. 96% of drivers voted for action just short of striking, and it has been decided that they will enforce an overtime ban. The secretary of ASLEF claimed that, since Southern were refusing to budge, the staff will be refusing to work overtime from the end of the month.

In a further twist to the southern rail overtime disputes, RMT is also taking more action over driver-only trains. The union have announced that they are set to hold their 32nd day of strike action, on May 30th. Govia have announced that they are dismayed with this position, especially after appearing to finally reach an understanding, and five months of negotiations. Govia have stated that as a result of the changes, which were implemented in January, they have been running a significantly improved service. They have apologised to customers, but placed the blame firmly with RMT.

When asked about this, the secretary of RMT claimed that it was up to Govia and Southern to hold talks with the Unions, and to put the safety of their passengers at the top of the agenda.

As always, here at TrainDriver.org, we’ll be sure to update you with any future – and hopefully good – news!

At last, some positive news coming from the Southern Rail disputes today. Finally, a fresh deal has been agreed between South and the train driver’s union.

Hope For Commuters

Since the Southern rail disputes began last year, hundreds of thousands of commuters have suffered. Delays and cancellations, caused by strikes over driver-only trains, have brought chaos to the railway, and severely damaged the TOC’s reputation.

Now, Aslef leaders have claimed that they will recommend that their members accept the new agreement. The secretary of the union has stated that the new agreement has the full support of the negotiating team, and that they are confident it will provide a solution to their member’s concerns, and provide a safe service to the public.

Likewise, GTR (who own Southern) have stated that they too are pleased with the results of the talks, and that they have finally reached a deal. They acknowledged that the period has been extremely difficult for passengers and staff, and that it’s a relief to finally move forward.

When Will A Decision Be Made on the Southern Rail Disputes?

Currently, a ballot is scheduled to be held amongst Aslef drivers, with the result to be revealed on the 3rd of April. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news, as the RMT Union remains locked in dispute with Southern over staffing issues. RMT have stated that they haven’t seen the details of the new deal, but have requested to receive a full and detailed copy. The latest RMT strike arrived on Monday, with action having an impact on areas as far north as Merseyside, where industrial action has taken place.

In recent months, MPs have been widely outspoken about the Southern rail disputes, including encouraging the government to strip Southern of the service. They pointed out that due to the strike action, hundreds of trains were failing to run, and therefore Southern and their staff were failing to deliver to their customers.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this is a step in the right direction. That being said, it was actually reported that an agreement had been reached some time ago, with that proposed agreement falling through. Therefore, take this with a pinch of salt!

A rare piece of positive news coming out of the rail industry in the last week, as the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) have revealed that they are introducing a new system – designed to simply the process of buying fares, and save cross-country passengers hundreds of pounds.

The reducing rail fares system has come about through an acknowledge by the RDG that current fare purchasing systems are simply not clear enough, and at many times, this is resulting in passengers paying far more than they should be. The new system will initially be conducted under a trial period, starting from May onwards. The initial beneficiaries of the system will be passengers travelling between Scotland and the south of England. Eventually, CrossCountry Trains – the operator of the new system – will be aiming to offer the same savings to passengers on other routes.

Much of the problem with the confusion around fares comes from the currently used ticket machines. Where a ticket desk worker will generally give the customer the price for the cheapest journey available, machines don’t always do this, and many customers have found that the fares on offer via machines are extremely confusing. The RDG is aiming to create a more transparent system, with station ticket machines showing the cheapest fares possible. A statement released by the RDG declared that they are determined to cut out all of the complication and red-tape from the process of buying fares, and make it easier for customers to trust in the system.

Reaction to the News

The reducing rail fares news has been welcomed with open arms by passenger groups across the country. Many of these groups have long since claimed that the ticketing system is far too complex, and that machines hiding cheaper fares from customers reduces from the trust levels of rail companies.

That being said, not everyone is thrilled about reducing rail fares. The founder of MoneySavingExpert, claimed that this won’t resolve things. He believes that passengers still can’t have faith in train companies to provide them with the best price, and that there should be a law in place to guarantee that people are given the cheapest price possible at that time for their journey.

Here at TrainDriver.org, we welcome the news of a less complex and cheaper fare system. The UK has by far the highest fare rates of anywhere else in the world – and up to now, this has shown no signs of slowing down. Here’s to more positive changes in the future.

More news on the Southern rail strikes today, as Govia have taken desperate measures to try and stop the drivers’ strike. Govia have now gone to the High Court, in a last ditch attempt to put a halt to the chaos engulfing the company.

Govia have gone to court under the basis that they believe the strikes breach customers’ rights. Whether they have a case, will be decided at 14:00 GMT today (Thursday) as the result of the hearing will be announced. A separate Southern strike is already underway, and moves into its 2nd day today. Along with this, Aslef members have refused to take any overtime, meaning that (combined with the strike action), approximately half of all Southern services were cancelled on Tuesday 6th.

At the moment, it looks as if the dispute is set to run well into and beyond the Christmas period. The Aslef strike is set to go ahead next Tuesday; the result of this would be that Southern customers’ will find themselves without any trains at all in areas where only Southern trains run.

Southern have again spoken out on the issue, claiming that they have led the way in trying to resolve the problems, but that RMT are refusing to negotiate or engage in serious discussions with them or Govia. The RMT responded to this by claiming that Southern haven’t spoken to the RMT in several months, and that they wouldn’t be stopping the strike until their demands are met.

Unfortunately, readers, it doesn’t look as if this one is going to be solved anytime soon. We’ll keep you posted.

The government has announced plans for a new HS2 stage. This will allow rail services of up to 250mph, to operate on routes such as Crewe to Manchester, the West Midlands to Leeds.

New HS2 Stage: Predictions

Currently, the line is forecast to open in 2033. The result of this is projected to double the number of services running between cities such as Manchester and Birmingham. The government have listened to customer complaints regarding the limited number of seats available on today’s trains, and therefore the new service will increase this number to almost 15,000 extra seats. This is a huge figure compared to today, which sits at around 5000. Furthermore, it is estimated that almost an hour of time will be spent on long distance journeys. Almost 300,000 people more will be able to use the services per day, tripling the number of seats from Euston in the rush hour.

Finally, it is projected that the new HS2 stage will bring about a significant boost to employment, with over 25,000 jobs opening up in construction, and another 75,000 jobs (including apprenticeships) opening elsewhere. This will contribute almost 100,000 new positions, an enormous figure!

Although the new HS2 stage is not scheduled for quite some time, plans are already afoot to start preparing for the project. The Transport Secretary has announced a £900 million contract award for anyone who can take on the job. The contract has been taken up by:

• The Costain Group and Shanska Construction UK
• Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall and Ferrovial Agroman
• Laing O’Rourke Construction and J Murphy & Sons

Along with those mentioned, the new high speed trains will also serve locations such as Glasgow, Stafford, Preston, Wigan, Carlisle, Darlington, Durham, Liverpool and Edinburgh. The government originally laid out plans for the new HS2 stage in 2013, but the plans have undergone numerous setbacks. Now, it seems, they are finally getting somewhere.