Hi mate. As I'm sure you're aware there's a recession on, so there aren't (m)any openings at the moment. However this won't last forever. When the fog starts to clear you could try the following FOCs....
GB Railfreight do an apprenticeship scheme. Apprentice Train Manager is a posh name for a yard dogsbody, but it can lead on to training as a driver.
See this link....
http://www.gbrailfreight.com/the-fir...p-scheme/p_30/
Freightliner took on its first trainees only a year or two ago. They regularly advertise for yard operatives, in fact they are at the moment. See their main page here...
http://www.freightliner.co.uk/default.aspx?PageID=203
Also
DRS took newbies off the street for the first time recently.See this URL...
http://www.directrailservices.com/Co...tion.aspx?id=2
Don't be shy about this. Ring them up, chat to their Recruitment people and show them that you're interested. You can be pretty sure that the answer will be a firm 'no thanks' at the moment, but if you can get them to keep your name on file it's a start. Also you will stand a much better chance of landing a job if you're prepared to move round the country. If you wait for one to come to you it may never happen.
Rather than sitting around doing nothing, you could try volunteering at your nearest preserved railway. It will give you an insight into the work and technology involved.
Remember also that statistically it's miles easier getting into passenger operations than freight, and you can always cross over when you've got some experience.
...oh and Good Luck. It's a long hard road getting into today's railway, but most people who do are glad they persevered.
FP