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Is being a train driver all it's cracked up to be?

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red2005

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ComUtoR said:
I think its you that needs a reality check. The reality is that every job, no matter how good or bad it is has people who don't like it and people who do. Some will moan, some will grin and bear it.

It is just as vitriolic that people with an attitude like yours speak to others as you do. They have every right to moan about their jobs.



Where have people stated they are hard done to ? There is a reality of what happens on a day to day basis and a reality of problems that we all encounter on a regular basis. Saying its all green and flowing with milk and honey is a lie and just as biassed and skewed. No one should impose their view on others. Their view is what has been asked for.

Considering the variety of employees in the crew room how many do you actually believe have been in this 'real world' you seem to despise so much.

As I say, I've worked for a little over minimum wage and that job was better than being a Driver. I've done regular 72 hour weeks, 7 day weeks, scrubbed floors etc.

I wouldn't change my job and I actively encourage my friends and family to do it. NONE of them want to do it. My neighbours a builder and he loves his job, he also wouldn't join the railway. He is stunned what I do and I certainly don't disrespect what he does or what he gets paid.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


When I was in one job I really hated I walked out. It was a big risk at the time but I think it took that risk to push me into applying for Train Driver.

As for pay. I remember once being given a £56 per year pay rise. That was one insult too far and I ended up leaving that job too.

Good luck with the job hunting.
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I agree with the other guy.....They may have the right to moan but it doesn't mean they have the right to poison the ears of others and mess rooms in general.

Yeah there are bad points but this industry has always been a rough with the smooth type environment and if people can't hack that they should probably go and find the predictable job they obviously crave.
 
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ComUtoR

ComUtoR

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red2005 said:
I agree with the other guy.....They may have the right to moan but it doesn't mean they have the right to poison the ears of others and mess rooms in general.
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I don't agree with the other guy but I do agree with that. I don't mind the moans and groans of everyday work as sometimes its good to sound off and let off steam so to speak. When it gets vitriolic it becomes a very toxic environment to work in.

Yeah there are bad points but this industry has always been a rough with the smooth type environment and if people can't hack that they should probably go and find the predictable job they obviously crave.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much the point isn't it. I'm not moaning or hatin' on my job but I do accept the reality of it. There are bad things and it can be a very toxic place to work at times. There can be a them and us culture amongst some management and the inter department antagonism and blame culture still shocks me.

I think all new entrants are very much taught to accept the rough with the smooth and its something I've heard said since I first started. We had an adhesion related SPAD the other day and there was a train in section :/ That has still been posted as a SPAD and the Driver investigated. That's a **** day for anyone.

I will reiterate. The railway isn't a land flowing with milk and honey and some kind of fantasy world where you go through the barriers and into wonderland but its good work and there are many advantages.

The smooth is very nice. The rough can be a little bumpy.

To the OP. I would take every posters attitude and posts and combine it all into a bigger picture. If you, or anyone, wants to debate more specific parts of the job then no doubt many people will clarify points and give more insight.
 
321446

321446

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Some excellent points on here. Here's my take on it.

Spent today sitting Spare. Sunday rate. Sat doing nothing. Had a good laugh and chat with some colleagues about life on t'Railway. We were all from vastly different backgrounds and experiences. General consensus was that it's a good job if you can take the rough with the smooth.

The low points are very low. I've personally had a fatality and a serious operating incident. Don't ever want to go back there again, I can assure you. But there is the statistical chance that I will. I can get my head round that. And saying that, personally I still love the job.

Shifts mean that I get to see parts of the day others don't. And that can be a bind at times, but I do enjoy the variety. I did 20 years in offices. Don't want that again. I get good time off. Can be a bit hit and miss, but I've got 2 weeks off over Xmas and New Year this year. Other years I've worked late on Christmas Eve and in on Boxing Day, and worked through New Year. Rough with the smooth. Still better than 9-5 Mon-Fri. Management can be a pain, but they can be wherever you work. I was one in my previous life re still I understand!! The money helps smooth the ruffles, but it's NOT the be all and end all.

I get to do a responsible adult job that requires me to have discipline in my private life but I get well rewarded for my efforts, emotionally as well as fiscally.

As with all jobs, you get out what you put in.
 
R

red2005

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ComUtoR said:
I don't agree with the other guy but I do agree with that. I don't mind the moans and groans of everyday work as sometimes its good to sound off and let off steam so to speak. When it gets vitriolic it becomes a very toxic environment to work in.



That's pretty much the point isn't it. I'm not moaning or hatin' on my job but I do accept the reality of it. There are bad things and it can be a very toxic place to work at times. There can be a them and us culture amongst some management and the inter department antagonism and blame culture still shocks me.

I think all new entrants are very much taught to accept the rough with the smooth and its something I've heard said since I first started. We had an adhesion related SPAD the other day and there was a train in section :/ That has still been posted as a SPAD and the Driver investigated. That's a **** day for anyone.

I will reiterate. The railway isn't a land flowing with milk and honey and some kind of fantasy world where you go through the barriers and into wonderland but its good work and there are many advantages.

The smooth is very nice. The rough can be a little bumpy.

To the OP. I would take every posters attitude and posts and combine it all into a bigger picture. If you, or anyone, wants to debate more specific parts of the job then no doubt many people will clarify points and give more insight.
Click to expand...

And this is my point really.....it's those negative type people who do nothing but whine about the job (but never seem to leave) spread gossip and are more concerned about what everyone else is doing are the ones that make it sometimes an unpleasant place to be.

I'm not saying we should all walk around with cheesy grins spouting to anyone that'll listen that it's like the waltons...but they should be respectful towards their fellow colleagues that don't want to hear it all and maybe give their ass a chance.

I don't particularly like getting up at 01.30 but I'm certainly not moaning when I'm on my way home at 08.30.

Yes things like spads etc can occur it's just a hazard of the trade unfortunately......as is firefighters pulling dead people from cars but it doesn't stop it being a very rewarding job. All we can do is try to mitigate against these incidents as best we can......yes someone unlucky enough to have spads or fatalities is gonna have a rough time of it.....but look at the help on hand post incident......we're looked after very well. ......so we could sit here or in a mess room saying how the world's against us or we can sit back and think of the bigger picture where we are in a privileged position in a number of areas.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
321446 said:
Some excellent points on here. Here's my take on it.

Spent today sitting Spare. Sunday rate. Sat doing nothing. Had a good laugh and chat with some colleagues about life on t'Railway. We were all from vastly different backgrounds and experiences. General consensus was that it's a good job if you can take the rough with the smooth.

The low points are very low. I've personally had a fatality and a serious operating incident. Don't ever want to go back there again, I can assure you. But there is the statistical chance that I will. I can get my head round that. And saying that, personally I still love the job.

Shifts mean that I get to see parts of the day others don't. And that can be a bind at times, but I do enjoy the variety. I did 20 years in offices. Don't want that again. I get good time off. Can be a bit hit and miss, but I've got 2 weeks off over Xmas and New Year this year. Other years I've worked late on Christmas Eve and in on Boxing Day, and worked through New Year. Rough with the smooth. Still better than 9-5 Mon-Fri. Management can be a pain, but they can be wherever you work. I was one in my previous life re still I understand!! The money helps smooth the ruffles, but it's NOT the be all and end all.

I get to do a responsible adult job that requires me to have discipline in my private life but I get well rewarded for my efforts, emotionally as well as fiscally.

As with all jobs, you get out what you put in.
Click to expand...

Awesome post!!
 
delticdeano74

delticdeano74

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red2005 said:
And this is my point really.....it's those negative type people who do nothing but whine about the job (but never seem to leave) spread gossip and are more concerned about what everyone else is doing are the ones that make it sometimes an unpleasant place to be.

I'm not saying we should all walk around with cheesy grins spouting to anyone that'll listen that it's like the waltons...but they should be respectful towards their fellow colleagues that don't want to hear it all and maybe give their ass a chance.

I don't particularly like getting up at 01.30 but I'm certainly not moaning when I'm on my way home at 08.30.

Yes things like spads etc can occur it's just a hazard of the trade unfortunately......as is firefighters pulling dead people from cars but it doesn't stop it being a very rewarding job. All we can do is try to mitigate against these incidents as best we can......yes someone unlucky enough to have spads or fatalities is gonna have a rough time of it.....but look at the help on hand post incident......we're looked after very well. ......so we could sit here or in a mess room saying how the world's against us or we can sit back and think of the bigger picture where we are in a privileged position in a number of areas.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Awesome post!!
Click to expand...
Fantastic post. Life and work is always going to be about the good and the bad times, and its about how people handle themselves during these times..dignified and respectful is a value some people find difficult to convey.
 
L

link1driver

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Tayside
Interesting reading indeed! I've been driving 20 odd years, and still enjoy my job, I've been a career railwayman so to speak all my working life. I started as a Trainman D under BR, working for quite a few private Tocs, some good some bad.

Driving is driving, the good old days of driving real trains are over for most of us, it's MU's all the way now! I do enjoy the peace and quiet of driving and sometimes hate the intrusion of a route learner, I hate earlies and swop for nights as often as possible, I feel they fit my life better, as regards to a social life, every 3 weeks there is a long weekend so plan things then! If not there's swops or lieu leave.

The bothy lawyers and ASLEF politics really bore me, especially at 04:30!! But just go get your unit and chill with coffee, what could be better! The job has its downs but are mostly made up with good job satisfaction that you've got your public where they want to be on time and safely, the money is great, remember before privatisation, trainmen were lucky to be earning £100 per week for 40 hours!

All in all an excellent career and feel damn lucky to be doing it!
 
E

Evolution

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Manchester
321446 said:
Some excellent points on here. Here's my take on it.

Spent today sitting Spare. Sunday rate. Sat doing nothing. Had a good laugh and chat with some colleagues about life on t'Railway. We were all from vastly different backgrounds and experiences. General consensus was that it's a good job if you can take the rough with the smooth.

The low points are very low. I've personally had a fatality and a serious operating incident. Don't ever want to go back there again, I can assure you. But there is the statistical chance that I will. I can get my head round that. And saying that, personally I still love the job.

Shifts mean that I get to see parts of the day others don't. And that can be a bind at times, but I do enjoy the variety. I did 20 years in offices. Don't want that again. I get good time off. Can be a bit hit and miss, but I've got 2 weeks off over Xmas and New Year this year. Other years I've worked late on Christmas Eve and in on Boxing Day, and worked through New Year. Rough with the smooth. Still better than 9-5 Mon-Fri. Management can be a pain, but they can be wherever you work. I was one in my previous life re still I understand!! The money helps smooth the ruffles, but it's NOT the be all and end all.

I get to do a responsible adult job that requires me to have discipline in my private life but I get well rewarded for my efforts, emotionally as well as fiscally.

As with all jobs, you get out what you put in.
Click to expand...

Is "sitting spare" sat in the cab with the driver as a back up or something?
 
ComUtoR

ComUtoR

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At my place I haven't sat spare pretty much once this year. It's used for rostering purposes and gives rostering flexibility. It covers sickness, leave, training, briefings, accommodations, assessments etc. and anything that requires to be covered.

If you have been cancelled but you had originally booked on to work a diagram then you are still considered to be working as booked. if your turn is cancelled before you book on, mostly due to engineering works, then you 'revert' to spare and then rebooked where required or left spare if all work has been covered.
 
3

387star

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how much should london based drivers be on to match northern drivers?
 
I

ItchyRsole

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coxxy said:
I love my job yes . But it's not for everyone.. yes it can be rather boring at times and can be difficult to concentrate when your getting towards the end of a 9 hour shift after being awake at 02.45.

The time off is obviously a huge bonus as well... not many places where you get a 4 day week.

For me the positives massively outweigh the negatives.
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How many days off coxxy?

I do 4 on 2 off and every 7 weeks I do a week of nights with 7 days off after.
 
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bagazon

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As a good poker player I can earn easily £200-300 for 2-3 hour play on-line per day.
Can you much this with train driving?
Obviously not...
 
9

922011

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bagazon said:
As a good poker player I can earn easily £200-300 for 2-3 hour play on-line per day.
Can you much this with train driving?
Obviously not...
Click to expand...

Think you're in the wrong place then pal, you need to find yourself a poker forum or one for Walter Mittys!!
 
TB93

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Sounds like sour grapes seeing as he never got accepted for train driving.lol
 
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IKB

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bagazon said:
As a good poker player I can earn easily £200-300 for 2-3 hour play on-line per day.
Can you much this with train driving?
Obviously not...
Click to expand...

So why did you apply for drivers job with Virgin and GTR then ? :roll:
 
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rhysa85

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bagazon said:
As a good poker player I can earn easily £200-300 for 2-3 hour play on-line per day.
Can you much this with train driving?
Obviously not...
Click to expand...

One bad beat and you can also leave with nothing.

Drivers CAN be spare on guaranteed rest days and earn a packet for doing nothing, not that it always happens.
 
A

AnonymousUser1

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ComUtoR said:
I think just as many would find it inconceivable that I only get a half hour meal break rather than an hour for lunch and 2x 15 minute breaks + fag/coffee breaks whenever you want.

I had more breaks and went home early when I worked in retail. Other than spare and a few pretty good diagrams, I work almost every hour of my day there is almost no downtime. In all my other jobs I've had breaks up the whazoo and productivity was minimal. Train driving; I'm at my limit almost daily.
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such is the nature of retail - and why being an 'Assistant Manager' in many retail settings is pennies more than the other shop assistants on NMW + their discount
 
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bagazon

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IKB said:
So why did you apply for drivers job with Virgin and GTR then ? :roll:
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I am a pilot darling and poker is just a hobby!
After more than a 30 years around the world I wanted career change and more time at home.
Yes I wasn't accepted, obviously not good enough but sour grapes??!
About money,poker and trains: people talked about money here and the job and it's + and -'s
Imagine they start paying 32K and ask for 44h week
How many people will remain ?
 
Johncleesefan

Johncleesefan

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bagazon said:
As a good poker player I can earn easily £200-300 for 2-3 hour play on-line per day.
Can you much this with train driving?
Obviously not...
Click to expand...

Can you earn more than a driver who is also a better poker player than you?
Obviously not...
 
M

MartinB1

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I'm rather glad to be a train driver (proper job), might take up poker as a hobby though !

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk
 
TB93

TB93

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bagazon said:
Currently I earn double than the best paid train driver....and this is not a joke I am afraid...
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Err so why apply in the first place then,just stay at home and earn your super wage it has to be better than our shift work?
 
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bagazon

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TB93 said:
Err so why apply in the first place then,just stay at home and earn your super wage it has to be better than our shift work?
Click to expand...

The answer is on this page a little above..
For some reasons my post stil need to be reviewed by moderators before you can read them...and I am lost here and there...
 
9

922011

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bagazon said:
Currently I earn double than the best paid train driver....and this is not a joke I am afraid...
Click to expand...

You know what they say about people who brag?!

And why are you afraid??? Is it because you know you'll be found out?
 
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