A train company has provided a potential lifeline to shop workers who face losing their jobs.
TransPennine Express (TPE) has said that it will offer Wilko employees based in West Yorkshire a guaranteed interview for job vacancies at Dewsbury station.
The discount retail chain fell into administration last month and, while some stores have been bought by rival chains, most outlets will close.
Shutters have already come down on some stores, meaning some of the 12,000 workers employed by Wilko have already lost their jobs.
Anybody who does apply for a vacancy should complete an application form and, in the ‘reason for leaving' section type WILKO in capital letters in order to be guaranteed an interview.
Nicola Buckley, HR Director for TransPennine Express, said: “We are saddened to hear the news about Wilko and are thinking of all the colleagues who have been affected. Therefore, we'd like to provide an opportunity for some of those affected to transition into a new role within the rail industry.
“We are guaranteeing interviews for our Customer Service Professional (Gateline) vacancies at Dewsbury Station to any Wilko workers who apply.”
The current staff working for the rail company are over paid under worked, and the rudest people I have ever had the misfortune to have to deal with, it would be a good move for the company to give Wilco staff a job, very good at customer service and always shows pride in their job, unlike the latter, !!!
What a load of shite
So TPE , has spent millions, on a fleet of new ‘ mark 5 coaches’ and leased class 68 locos to pull them, spent millions training crews on new routes , like Cleethorpes.
Only to make redundant trained staff who are familiar with the rail industry, and instead hire untrained staff, however generous an offer at face value , however when you realise that it’s likely , due to the training needed for the ex wilco staff , that they will be hired at much lower pay rates , reflecting the expense of training to ensure the ex wilco staff , can do their jobs , it stands to reason they’d pay these people less , a seemingly altruistic offer, is in reality a cynical cost saving excersise.
And the withdrawal of state of the rolling stock , because of issues with the locos, which was due to be solved by changing to the Bimode class 93’s .
These were purchased specifically to operate Tpe loco hauled units, and also for GWR’s own loco hauled trains.
It’s time they merged northern trains, with TPE , and operated as one company serving the needs of train users in the north of England.
With a little bit of common sense , a merged company , could split into an ‘ Intercity ‘ operation , longer distance ‘ express, regional trains , using the class 195 diesel’s and 331 electrics , similar to Scotrail, who use their new , class 385 Hitachi trains , labelled ‘ express ‘ with first class, on longer distance regional routes. While older dmu’s and electrics operate commuter routes .
So it is possible to maximize the use of a train fleet .
Also it did seem odd that , TPE went for three different, ‘ Intercity ‘ trains, the electric only class 397’s, currently only seen on west coast routes, but would be ideal for Intercity routes in the east , they already serve Edinburgh and Glasgow , and could easily offer services to London, Nottingham, derby etc .
Why TPE didn’t buy just the one , proven unit ( the class 800) for such routes, is strange . By using three totally different train types , it has pushed up costs on training, maintenance, and more .
No other operator has done this .
Perhaps they need to order further class 800’s , thus providing, more much needed jobs and work for the Hitachi plants in the UK.
It’s been stated that the UK needs over 2600 new trains , in order to keep jobs at the train builders like Hitachi ..the 800 would be the better option, being bi mode it can cover any route they operate .
Perhaps , northern could make use of the loco hauled sets, to introduce, it’s own longer distance Intercity routes.
Perhaps linking Scotland , Edinburgh, Glasgow , Stirling , Perth and the Borders railway , or Services to London . But to serve places like Scunthorpe, the Yorkshire coast and ,the Settle Carlisle routes and stations , to these places .
And hopefully, releasing , the afore mentioned, class 195’s and 331’s, to replace , older , unpopular, 40 year old trains like the class 150’s and 156’s.
Northern already is planning to do just that and also is ordering a total fleet refresh .
But having two operators , plying the same routes , with so many train types , is inefficient, and pushes up costs , that are passed to passengers.
The 150’s are dreadful , and little better than the dreaded pacers , thankfully removed from service .
The 156’s are unsuitable, as they can only travel at 75mph , lack Aircon and comfort .
With other train operators, now phasing them out, it’s time this happened in the north of England..
That said there is nothing wrong with the excellent , class 158’s as these were designed for ‘ Intercity ‘ use from the off
Southwest rail uses them for that , and they are very well liked.
Smooth running , comfortable and faster .
And the class 170’s many cascaded from Scotrail and elsewhere, could replace , the older unpopular units , as like the 158, they are smooth and well liked .
But the idea to merge seems logical , because to have two companies working against each other on the same routes , does not give the quality of service needed .
If we are to entice people from their cars , they need to have a fleet that will do that .
A few things in there : the WILKO staff will be hired on the same contracts as the other people in that grade and they will receive the same training
Class 93 locos were purchased by Rail Operations Group for their own needs.
The First Group tender for locos fir TPE and GWR remains but as TPE isn’t part of First, they are not part of that tender anymore.
The 3 fleets had to be ordered like that because:
Hitachi were too busy to build more 802s as their order book for 800s,801,and 802s for LNER and GWR were full.
The loco and coaches were seen as a faster way to get new trains in
But, more importantly, the DfT insisted that more than one manufacturer be involved …….
Nobody has been.made redundant from TPE, in fact there is recruitment ongoing for several roles across the company.
Rudeness is subjective and a lot of the time misjudged.
If one perceives rudeness, it usually means one has been rude themselves to start with or one is getting away with not paying or not playing by the rules of the ticket one has agreed too
TPE and Northern won’t be merged because DfT do not want them to be
I had read that some of the ex ticket office staff were being moved to platforms and revenue checking, dressed up in Customer Service.
The jobs are part time according to the TPE vacancy site. Be warned when trains are running late or cancelled. You are on the frontline for abuse and violence
Customer Service Professional (Barriers)
Part Time
Covers peak hours from 06.30hrs to 10.12hrs and in the afternoon from 15.15hrs to 17.12hrs
What about the ticket office staff being made redundant ?
TPE, have you no shame ???
That’s a hand full of jobs! People like me have no hope, I worked at the warehouse along with 1000+ other people who are all looking for jobs.