Difference between 'Conductor' and 'Train Manager'

desi · 19 Oct 2013

Hi everyone,

I have been a casual user of this forum and have picked up some great tips.

I am looking to applying for a 'Senior Conductor' role with one TOC and 'Train Manager' with another. What is the difference between these 2 if any? The job description looks all the same. Would it be silly of me to copy and paste my cover letter from one to the next?

Also, does anyone have any tips on what to write in your Cover Letter with regards to this role?

All help is greatly appreciated.

RailUK Forums

TheEdge · 19 Oct 2013

I think the only difference is the name. Long distance TOCs appear to prefer train manager over conductor.

But damn it I'm a guard and nothing else!

455driver · 19 Oct 2013

Senior Conductor (is there a Junior conductor?) means you will be on little trains, Train manager means you will be on posh trains.

Monty · 19 Oct 2013

Depending on the TOC, train managers can also be a non safety critical role have little to no part in the operation of the train.

ChrisTheRef · 19 Oct 2013

A Train Manager has direct authority over catering crews etc. A Senior Conductor doesn't.

Flamingo · 19 Oct 2013

ChrisTheRef said:
A Train Manager has direct authority over catering crews etc. A Senior Conductor doesn't.

Wot he said.

As an aside, when doing safety critical communications with signallers, we identify ourselves as "the Guard on 1B25", for the reason Monty says.

AlexS · 19 Oct 2013

Not necessarily true - Greater Anglia's 'Mainline' guards are senior conductors and the 'Local' guards are conductors, which was the BR system. Also on some TOCs trolley services etc are operated which are still under the control of the guard.

'Train manager' is a job title and 'guard' is a role. Hence DOO(P) services dispatched by platform staff have the role of the guard carried out by between them and the driver at the time of train dispatch.

Central Trains · 19 Oct 2013

AlexS said:
Not necessarily true - Greater Anglia's 'Mainline' guards are senior conductors and the 'Local' guards are conductors, which was the BR system. Also on some TOCs trolley services etc are operated which are still under the control of the guard.

'Train manager' is a job title and 'guard' is a role. Hence DOO(P) services dispatched by platform staff have the role of the guard carried out by between them and the driver at the time of train dispatch.

I thought GA had Train Managers? I am sure ive heard it on the PA before...

the sniper · 20 Oct 2013

455driver said:
Senior Conductor (is there a Junior conductor?) means you will be on little trains, Train manager means you will be on posh trains.

At my TOC, trainee's are officially called Trainee Senior Conductor's... :lol:

AlexS said:
Not necessarily true - Greater Anglia's 'Mainline' guards are senior conductors and the 'Local' guards are conductors, which was the BR system.

It'd be interested to know how many other TOCs retain the old BR system. I was told the grades were at the end of BR days: Guard (Non-commercial, mainly freight), Conductor & Senior Conductor.

Personally I use Guard in most communications though. I only use Senior Conductor when filling out company documents. I never use just Conductor though as when I was training my instructor (ex-BR) always told me off if I forgot the 'Senior' part.

AlexS · 20 Oct 2013

Well, last time I was over in Anglia land, the first guard I ran into (going to Berney Arms as it happened) had 'conductor' on his badge. Going from Berney Arms to Reedham, the chap had 'senior conductor' on his badge and when I got back to Norwich later the same chap was just dispatching on a Mk3 set to Liverpool Street. Perhaps they have another grade of TM on top of that?

TheEdge · 20 Oct 2013

AlexS said:
Well, last time I was over in Anglia land, the first guard I ran into (going to Berney Arms as it happened) had 'conductor' on his badge. Going from Berney Arms to Reedham, the chap had 'senior conductor' on his badge and when I got back to Norwich later the same chap was just dispatching on a Mk3 set to Liverpool Street. Perhaps they have another grade of TM on top of that?

No, we have two grades of Conductor. Conductor is the title given to the rural guards who mainly stay on the paytrain lines whereas Senior Conductors are the London guards who mainly stay on those lines apart from a handful of rural trains they work.

notadriver · 20 Oct 2013

Is it fair or necessary to have different grades ? After all in the driving grades all drivers are drivers (although they might be in different links)

455driver · 20 Oct 2013

notadriver said:
Is it fair or necessary to have different grades ? After all in the driving grades all drivers are drivers (although they might be in different links)

Not at GBRF they arent, I think they are called train captains or some other silly title.

9K43 · 20 Oct 2013

For better information of the Grades of Guard, take a look at the
Trainmans concept brought into being on 3rd of October 1988, by British Rail.
If you want the reasons for this concept ask

Beveridges · 20 Oct 2013

notadriver said:
Is it fair or necessary to have different grades ? After all in the driving grades all drivers are drivers (although they might be in different links)

Not in Depot Driving - there are loads of different names that vary throughout the TOCs.

Difference between 'Conductor' and 'Train Manager'

desi

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