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Favourite bit of your railway job

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badassunicorn

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I was thinking today about the good bits of working on the railway and wondered what the rest of you think. Aside from the pay, benefits and pension, one of my favourite bits of being a driver is the cameraderie on the railway. I love waving at people too, be it other drivers, p-way, platform staff or kiddies waving from bridges. Little things can make my day.
 
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Simon11

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Mine would be rolling out an industry leading project or being part of a team winning a franchise.

Otherwise, I do love every opportunity to get away from the office and travel around on the line, speaking with staff and getting about :)
 
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muz379

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The four day week I get most weeks . Although there are some long shifts in there to make that possible .

I also enjoy knowing what time I will be coming home from work (give or take the odd day when you will get heavily delayed) . Ive worked in previous jobs where you have a target for when you want to be heading home but you usually where still at work hours past your target .
 

321446

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Southend Stations
Watching a 12 cars worth of happy smiling punters walk past my cab after arriving at Liv Street in the morning peak. Thinking "I, me, little old me got that lot here. Safely. Not too late and smoothly". Feels really good. Then one person in a months worth of it all says "Thank-you, Driver". Fair brings a lump to the old throat it does.

But the BEST Best Bit is walking up the country end and taking the train back out again. Past all the other incoming services, into the sunrise at the top of the incline at Bethnal Green, knowing I'm heading out to the country while they're all gonna be sitting in an office while I'm watching the World go by.

And getting cut out. That's nice too.
 

ANorthernGuard

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My Colleagues (who are mostly nuts), The Views, The majority of the Passengers (whom I have got to know a lot of over the years). The relatively good pay and of Course...Home Time!
 

Minilad

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Anywhere B link goes
Approaching an overbridge or a crossing and realising there is a family standing there, a couple of little uns too. Getting a little closer and seeing that they are waving. Give a little blast on the horn and a cheery wave. Then seeing the kids jumping up and down with excitement that the train just tooted at them.

Getting off and having someone thank me or even compliment me on the smoothness of the drive.

Giving someone a helping hand.

Listening to the old hands talking with pride about life on the railway and realising I am part of that too.

The fact that driving a train is what I have always wanted to do, and it doesn't really feel like work to me. OK I would rather be driving something a little more exotic than a Voyager but the point still stands!!

Being on an early and finishing around 9 or 10 when most peoples day is just starting.

Driving along the countryside. Seeing wildlife. Beautiful sunrises or sunsets. Lovely scenery.
 

387star

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No paper work is bliss

If you are a teacher you may or may not be on more money (in many cases less) and you are expected in your own time to mark papers and prepare lesson plans... My dad was a teacher and even on holidays he was marking marking marking...


With this job you finish and jobs a good one that's it! On the whole stress free
 

alxndr

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Knowing I'll almost never have to spend a day stuck inside, and a proportion of the time we'll head out into the countryside (as a countryboy now stuck in a town without a car it stops me going nuts!)

The feeling of pride when I travel and know that I'm part of this much bigger, age old, machine that keeps so many people moving and changed our history every day.

Satisfaction at finding the root of a tricky fault is up there too, but also is peaceful night shifts and tea.
 

ComUtoR

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I agree on the little things making your day. I have a few and NONE are work related.
 

SPADTrap

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Watching a 12 cars worth of happy smiling punters walk past my cab after arriving at Liv Street in the morning peak. Thinking "I, me, little old me got that lot here. Safely. Not too late and smoothly". Feels really good. Then one person in a months worth of it all says "Thank-you, Driver". Fair brings a lump to the old throat it does.

But the BEST Best Bit is walking up the country end and taking the train back out again. Past all the other incoming services, into the sunrise at the top of the incline at Bethnal Green, knowing I'm heading out to the country while they're all gonna be sitting in an office while I'm watching the World go by.

And getting cut out. That's nice too.

Amen to that, brother! :D
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Approaching an overbridge or a crossing and realising there is a family standing there, a couple of little uns too. Getting a little closer and seeing that they are waving. Give a little blast on the horn and a cheery wave. Then seeing the kids jumping up and down with excitement that the train just tooted at them.

Getting off and having someone thank me or even compliment me on the smoothness of the drive.

Giving someone a helping hand.

Listening to the old hands talking with pride about life on the railway and realising I am part of that too.

The fact that driving a train is what I have always wanted to do, and it doesn't really feel like work to me. OK I would rather be driving something a little more exotic than a Voyager but the point still stands!!

Being on an early and finishing around 9 or 10 when most peoples day is just starting.

Driving along the countryside. Seeing wildlife. Beautiful sunrises or sunsets. Lovely scenery.

Second all of these!
 

Flamingo

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Meeting and chatting with regulars.

Although watching Karma biting some people on the arrse comes a close second (like abusive fare-dodgers on the last train sleeping past their stop...)
 

RJ

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25 Jun 2005
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Back office
I enjoy making the customers laugh or otherwise be happy with the services I provide from the ticket window. I take an immense amount of pride in what I do.

I also enjoy cracking jokes with other station staff and RPIs up and down our network - and staving off the people who keep telling me to leave because they want my unique one day a week contract!
 

Dave1987

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Going through station like Marks Tey at 100mph. In the world of health and safety we live in it never fails to put a smile of my face that we can go barreling through there at full speed none stop with a platform full of people waiting for a train behind you.
 
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When my day is up the job is done, I don't have to worry about it carrying over to the next day etc
 

Flamingo

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I should have said I like working on my own. I have realised over the years I am NOT a team player, and I like being able to make my own decisions (within the rules and company policy, of course!)
 

Ploughman

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When planning for a track renewal, going out on my own with a measuring wheel ostensibly for work purposes but in reality having a nature ramble on company time.
Of course I was fully aware of personal safety at all times and took a Lookout if required.:)
 

Pretendolino

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Being able to look at the finances of the entire company and budgeting/forecasting the spend for the upcoming years. Hugely challenging but quite fun.
 

TDK

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Crewe
Annual leave and counting down the days for my retirement
 

Bluejuice

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The fact of waking up on a work day and actually looking forward to going to work........priceless
 

cossie4i

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2 Jun 2014
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Somerset
It is something I have always enjoyed doing.

Seeing all the different seasons from your cab window along with the wildlife is worth a lot, its a constant different picture every day. I could never do a office job and look at the same 4 walls every day.
 

Bodiddly

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7 Feb 2013
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648
For me it has to be the surprise when something different visits our depot. Like the day I turned up for work and two West Coast 37's were in the shed. My mobile phone camera nearly burned out that morning!
I have to agree with the others who note their colleagues. I have made some good friends over the years on the railway and heard some cracking stories! Also the fact I have never once thought that I couldn't be bothered with work. Well recommended!
 

TomBoyd

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2 Sep 2013
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Personally, I thrive on the responsibility of it all. I love it when it's under my control, all running beautifully smoothly. I love being able to give a late train a good run, I love sorting out a complicated replatforming job, and relaxing when it all gets back to normal. I love calling drivers and being able to give them good news for once... I love it all. I love being able to leave it all behind when you've had a monster of a day...
 

Smudger105e

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5 Jan 2010
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N 52° 53.492 W 001° 15.493
Someone mentioned finding faults. I am currently working on re commissioning a 37 for mainline use.

Lots of little victories. ETH didn't work. Now it does. TPWS didn't work, now it does. NRN. AWS. Hazard flashers. Tail and marker lights. Speedos. SSF. Data recorder.

Immense satisfaction when you sort each problem.
 
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