Any Train Drivers on here?

XDA

Been looking at a career in train driving, as I've seen an advert for "Trainee Drivers" and the money seems to be very good. Fancy a career change as im currently sick of my present job and want out of it asap.

Any train drivers on here? Whats the job like? Do you enjoy it etc? Any downsides to the job?

Cheers

dipsy

not a train driver, but worked for a train company and travelled on locos....

is it for passenger or freight trains?

pay is very good, very boring work, normally tied into a job for x amount of years/months

lots of apptitude tests to go through before being accepted for training....

good luck if it is what you decide to go for

XDA

dipsy wrote: »

not a train driver, but worked for a train company and travelled on locos....

is it for passenger or freight trains?

pay is very good, very boring work, normally tied into a job for x amount of years/months

lots of apptitude tests to go through before being accepted for training....

good luck if it is what you decide to go for

Its for Passenger trains.

I noticed that there is alot of aptitude tests, I shouldnt struggle with the medical/fitness side.

Fancy a change of career, and train driving is something I have considered in the past.

surreysaver

Major downside is the shift work involved - not your usual 7am starts - more like 3am starts and 2am finishes! If you can put up with the shift workand anti-social nature of the job, then good luck. Medicals are very strict too - including ECG's and stuff. If you like a drink, then you will have to watch when and how much you drink. If you like recreational drugs, then forget it.

Incisor

Looked at this once - don't like the look of the process but I did find some useful looking sites

http://www.railwayregister.care4free.net/becoming_a_train_driver.htm describes the ins and outs of recruitment and training

http://www.railchat.co.uk/ has some useful chat forums.

XDA

surreysaver wrote: »

Major downside is the shift work involved - not your usual 7am starts - more like 3am starts and 2am finishes! If you can put up with the shift workand anti-social nature of the job, then good luck. Medicals are very strict too - including ECG's and stuff. If you like a drink, then you will have to watch when and how much you drink. If you like recreational drugs, then forget it.

I dont mind shift work tbh, and i work alone in my currrent job anyway so that shouldnt be a problem. I also dont drink, and have never taken any drugs so there's no problems on that front.

Incisor wrote: »

Looked at this once - don't like the look of the process but I did find some useful looking sites

http://www.railwayregister.care4free.net/becoming_a_train_driver.htm describes the ins and outs of recruitment and training

http://www.railchat.co.uk/ has some useful chat forums.

I found the first website very interesting and useful, thanks for posting it up! :beer:

surreysaver

XDA wrote: »

I found the first website very interesting and useful,

The first website does seem to have a few inaccuracies in it - the Hidden recommendations were brought in after the accident into the Clapham Junction disaster in 1988. Recommendation number 18 goes on about the number of hours all safety critical railway staff work, not just drivers, as it was a signalling technicion that made a wiring error that caused that crash - not a train driver!

CrimeWave

I am train driver, just gone through the recruitment process fairly recently. Fantastic job, basically not many people leave the railway once in, its like a big family. 4 day /35hr weeks and no sundays ( for my area anyway). Shifts are so varied, any possible combination you can think of.

You are really your own boss. Training is very intense and there is a hell of a lot to know. We have a saying 'we get paid for what we know not what we do' not quite true but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Only start off on a couple of routes so can get tedious/boring and need to be self motivated, high concentration levels, put safety first, calm under pressure, fault find/solve, deal with emergencies, communication etc. Down sides are repetitiveness (although they try to give you different jobs every day), shiftwork maybe but I think its a plus most times, sometimes can force overtime on you. Cant smoke in cab.
Plusses are you can plan your life as you can work out what shifts/hols you are on 2-3-4-5-6 years down the line (in theory) subject to minor alterations. We get 5 days off in a row every 3 weeks guarenteed. Good final salary pension scheme.
Can get 300+ applicants per position so forms need to be filled in on time, fully and EVERY question answered in detail even if you dont think it applies to you. They dont ask for CV or covering letter usually but send one anyway.

Interview: Experiences that are related to the role...How you have dealt with emergencies, safety, how and where you followed rules and regs, customer service, skills and qualities required, what does train driving entail and as they usually ask it first and first impressions count always reseach the company and give a mind blowing answer without prompting.

Assessment: Group-Bourdon dot test, comprehension (article is removed and then you get questions which you rely on memory), mechanical test ( not much can prepare you for this killer cogs, wedges, pulleys, levers, gears just as long as you have a simple knowledge of principles its ok and pass mark is quite low on this) Reading guages test( dont know what its called but its very simple, get a guage split into 4 sections and you have to decide the order of priority. Reaction test ( computer screen, lots of buttons, 2 foot peddles, hear low and high tones push peddle, see a colour on screen press the corresponding button. I suggest you invest in guitar hero)
This assessment is under review and can change very shortly. You will be sent to doncaster or crewe if based in north.

Medical: Nothing major really, good eye sight, hearing, drug free and not majorly overweight. Blood pressure is very important. Not 100% sure but they might not accept you if you wear glasses ( reading are ok) or had laser eye surgery.

I can advise anybody to go for it as you wont regret it if you get in.