Dazzer390
Member
Ok Thanks
Dazzer390
Dazzer390
Last edited:
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A career as a train driver
- Thread starter Thornaby
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R
RailUK Forums
Maths, alertness, interview
159147
Member
has anyone made a subject access request to the OPC before? Apparently i passed enhanced however since they sent their report my application just evaporated with WMT. And rather than WMT giving me any info as to why they have just left it in limbo with no updates. I have asked but honestly i cant face another curt reply. I have come to the belief that the OPC send over more than simply saying if this person passed or failed. I have a sneaking suspicion they include objective opinions and I would like to know what they may or may not have now attached to my file.
I have asked opc whether I passed to enhanced or standard to which I got no reply. I'm not sure gow they can make objective opinions as the tests are just pass or fail unless your talking about the mmi. It would be unprofessional if they did.
Dazzer390
Member
What's a typical day in the life of a Train Driver? If there is already a forum on this, please let me know.
Dazzer390
Dazzer390
Dear Diary....A life of a Trainee Train Driver
Thank you for all the support on this thread. I have now decided to move it elsewhere but feel free to contact me via pm. Mod if you could delete this thread I would be grateful.
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This is a great thread to read
Dear Diary....A life of a Trainee Train Driver
Thank you for all the support on this thread. I have now decided to move it elsewhere but feel free to contact me via pm. Mod if you could delete this thread I would be grateful.www.railforums.co.uk
This is a great thread to read
Yes and also these may be of some help.
A day in the life.. of a Northern train driver
Good morning all. I realise that this may have been asked before so please forgive me if this is the case. I've just applied to my local TOC Northern and was hoping to get a glimpse of a day in the life of a Northern driver (if there is any on the forum)? I ask as I want to sound prepared if...
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Day of a Train Driver
A question for train drivers, but this is a question of pure interest which you do not have to answer. I've wondered for quite a while what the day of a train driver would be like. Few question answers is all I want to know, but feel free to tell me more of your day if you're a driver should...
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Dazzer390
Member
Thanks, I'll be sure to read them
Dazzer390
Dazzer390
S-Car-Go
Member
- Joined
- 19 Mar 2019
- Messages
- 222
Since the thread 'Day of a Train Driver' is closed for new replies, I'm happy to answer questions on how shifts go (early mornings, days/evenings, nights). Just send me a message or I can reply in a new thread.
AlphaHotel
Member
Are you able to say which TOC? if not, say for example you're a birmingham based WMT driver and you're a class 350 driver birmingham to London euston, would you drive the length to London and back all shift or only operate to say Milton Keynes?
S-Car-Go
Member
- Joined
- 19 Mar 2019
- Messages
- 222
Close! In training to drive 350s for LNWR down south.
It would depend what TOC you are in, and which link within that. This would govern how far you go and where, e.g. I drive Northampton-London only. More senior drivers might be in a link that also does Watford-St Albans, or Bletchley-Bedford. I'm not sure how far Birmingham drivers go.
I'll give an example of a vintage old diagram. This is about as average as they come! 8hrs long.
15 min to read notices, sign for publications.
Walk to siding. Prep a 12 car unit.
Drive out of siding, into platform, relieved by another driver. 30 min wait.
Relieve a driver, take an 8 car stopping service to London.
20 mins to attach a 4 car to an 8 car, forming 12 car, drive it semi-fast to Northampton, relieved there.
PNB (break) 30 mins.
Pass (as a passenger) to Milton Keynes.15 min wait at MK.
Relieve driver of an 8 car, fast to London. Swap ends and drive same unit 20 min later back out fast to Milton Keynes. 8 min wait.
Pass to Bletchley, end of shift.
Variations on that where you could arrive in London, breaking for a PNB there, then a stopping service to Tring and back to London. Early in the morning you might have a taxi from station to maintenance depot to bring a train into service, drive it to station platform, and back again in a taxi for another 1. The reverse late at night, driving trains through a washer to depot and taxi back to station for another.
mvm03
Member
nice story https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-57060971
NorthernTech
Member
Cheers for sharing, agreed, nice read.
AlphaHotel
Member
Thanks mate
New York Giant
Member
Since I have been pursuing a career in rail Heather's name has popped up a couple of times throughout my preparation/research. Great to see her turn her experiences into a positive, and how her male colleagues benefit from her being part of the team. I tip my cap to Heather, a great article too.
HST274
Member
Anyone know if this is a particular time of year when vacancies appear for trainee drivers? Or is it random
Spaniard
Member
I've found it to be random mate but alot of.people post when vacancies become available
Track2
Member
As far as I'm aware, from experience on 2 occasions the feedback from the opc to the toc is as simple and straightforward as pass/fail. You can contact the opc directly for more feedback but they are very limited in what they can tell you
Quite random, but a lot of tocs are currently on big recruitment drives so sign up for alerts to all tocs you'd be interested in working for.
Prottey
Member
Does anyone know the progression path after becoming a train driver? Driver manager then Area driver manager?
There isn't a set path as such - you could indeed go directly up to driver manager or maybe to operational standards. Very few go further than driver.
Callum P-L
New Member
Hi there, I'm Callum, nice to meet you all, how are we doing?
I am 17 years old, from Liverpool and I've been a bus and rail enthusiast since I can remember and am hoping to work towards a train driver in the long term future.
I have also enjoyed bus and rail related digital media from a very young age also and I am currently a Level 2 UAL Diploma Art and Design student and was hoping to gain a place on Level 3 UAL Extended Diploma Photography next academic year as I also want to give some other very young child the same enjoyment as the videos I watched gave me, only to find out that this course will no longer be running.
I've narrowed my options down to two, a Level 3 digital media course elsewhere or an apprenticeship on the railways. Due to the fact that digital media courses in college are aimed at people who want a job in the digital media industry, I feel myself veering towards the latter.
Now I have some questions. What would you guys say was the best way forward for me in terms of getting into the railways? What is the best way for a 17 year old to start working towards being a train driver in the long term future?
I am 17 years old, from Liverpool and I've been a bus and rail enthusiast since I can remember and am hoping to work towards a train driver in the long term future.
I have also enjoyed bus and rail related digital media from a very young age also and I am currently a Level 2 UAL Diploma Art and Design student and was hoping to gain a place on Level 3 UAL Extended Diploma Photography next academic year as I also want to give some other very young child the same enjoyment as the videos I watched gave me, only to find out that this course will no longer be running.
I've narrowed my options down to two, a Level 3 digital media course elsewhere or an apprenticeship on the railways. Due to the fact that digital media courses in college are aimed at people who want a job in the digital media industry, I feel myself veering towards the latter.
Now I have some questions. What would you guys say was the best way forward for me in terms of getting into the railways? What is the best way for a 17 year old to start working towards being a train driver in the long term future?
Hi Callum, your best path is probably to start at a more junior level and work your way up internally. Something like a gateline or dispatch role. Driver roles can be very competitive and people with a lot more experience are more likely (not inevitable!) to be able to handle the questions and assessments better. Keep an eye on the TOC websites near you (e.g. Merseyrail, Northern) for vacancies.
crwl
Member
Didn’t think it was worth starting a thread for one question, but I don’t suppose anybody here would know definitively?
It’s hypothetical at this stage, but does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for different roles whilst already in a talent pool for another role?
I’m in a talent pool to be a train driver for GWR, but that TOC is the one & only within an hour of where I live. There’s of course no guarantee of being offered a start date and as an external candidate, and with Covid implications, it’s a possibility my 5-year validity may expire before any positive news. I do still have a while left before this happens, but the worry is always there!
If opportunities came up within the company, would my application be accepted? Train driver is my ultimate goal and what I want to do, however if I would be very open to getting my foot in the door as an internal candidate.
Thanks in advance!
It’s hypothetical at this stage, but does anyone know if it’s possible to apply for different roles whilst already in a talent pool for another role?
I’m in a talent pool to be a train driver for GWR, but that TOC is the one & only within an hour of where I live. There’s of course no guarantee of being offered a start date and as an external candidate, and with Covid implications, it’s a possibility my 5-year validity may expire before any positive news. I do still have a while left before this happens, but the worry is always there!
If opportunities came up within the company, would my application be accepted? Train driver is my ultimate goal and what I want to do, however if I would be very open to getting my foot in the door as an internal candidate.
Thanks in advance!
After being a driver for a few years and providing they have a fairly clean licence there is normally the opportunity to become a driver instructor (DI). The DI still does the day to day role of driving but at the same time is responsible for the practical training of a trainee driver that is assigned to them. The trainee drives the train - the DI instructs and trains them. However, if the trainee makes a mistake then it normally goes on the licence of the driver instructor, because they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the train.
I reckon you would be best off contacting their recruitment team for a definitive answer. Maybe ask whereabouts in the pool you sit, likely timeframes and THEN if it looks like a long wait tell them your concerns, that you really want to be a driver, but in the meantime would they recommend you apply for other vacancies there?
Could anyone enlighten me on the training process once you start with a FOC.
I’m led to believe it’s several weeks working away from home (depending on location) but I don’t know exactly what it involves.
so whatever people can tell me I’d be very interested to read.
Thanks in advance
I’m led to believe it’s several weeks working away from home (depending on location) but I don’t know exactly what it involves.
so whatever people can tell me I’d be very interested to read.
Thanks in advance
When I joined a FOC around 8 years ago I lived on London and my depot was also going to be London. The training centre was in Nottingham so had to travel up on a Sunday and could come home Friday after training. The company put us up in a hotel, food included and this lasted around 3/4 months with a week or two possibly at your chosen depot. Thoroughly enjoyed my training and the people I trained with.
Sadly I joined another FOC a few years later and then a TOC for the last 4 years.