Rail firm hoping to take on 300 new staff

Northern Trains is looking to recruit new drivers and conductors

Rail operator Northern has begun a recruitment drive to take on more than 300 new staff.

The company wants to hire 108 drivers and 198 conductors and said no previous experience was necessary.

Training will take place in Manchester and Leeds but jobs are available across the North, including in Newcastle, Darlington, Barrow-in-Furness and York.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “We have a range of rewarding roles for anyone who wants to become part of a dedicated team, which runs more than 2,500 services a day, to over 500 destinations."

The firm said the starting salary for drivers was £23,000 a year, rising to £54,500 after recruits had completed a 64-week training course.

The training for conductors takes 16 weeks, with a starting salary of £22,000, rising to £29,000 after the course is completed.

Northern currently employs more than 2,000 drivers and 1,400 conductors.