Silly me , 15 years ago!Matey, that post was made in 2008 and the Chap who posted it hasn't been online since May 2008...
Hmm, is there any positions for trainee train driver roles on here?
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A career as a train driver
- Thread starter Thornaby
- Start date
Hmm, is there any positions for trainee train driver roles on here?
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RailUK Forums
Keep an eye out on the Careers page and sign up for the different TOCs notifications is all we can advise.
Thank you
AverageJoe
Member
You never know, he might boot up his iPhone 3G and replyMatey
Hi
I just wanted to gather some feedback and advice from anyone who currently works in the rail industry as a driver.
Bit of background- I currently work outside of the rail industry in a fairly well paid job. I have always wanted to be a train driver and have recently passed all the application stages for a trainee driver role and am now waiting in a talent pool with a TOC, i am super excited but also now very nervous. I am fully aware that i may be in the talent pool for a number of years and may not even get a job offer at the end of it. But I guess what I am concerned/ want some advice about is
1-the drop in wages for training (with a family to support) and no guarantee of passing the course.
2- is the job one that you enjoy doing, I guess there's an element of being blinkered about wanting to be a driver and not taking into account, shift patterns, responsibility, etc
If anyone has recently gone through a similar process are you glad you made the decision or do you have any regrets. If I do get an offer, I think I'll always regret not going for it if I decline.
I just wanted to gather some feedback and advice from anyone who currently works in the rail industry as a driver.
Bit of background- I currently work outside of the rail industry in a fairly well paid job. I have always wanted to be a train driver and have recently passed all the application stages for a trainee driver role and am now waiting in a talent pool with a TOC, i am super excited but also now very nervous. I am fully aware that i may be in the talent pool for a number of years and may not even get a job offer at the end of it. But I guess what I am concerned/ want some advice about is
1-the drop in wages for training (with a family to support) and no guarantee of passing the course.
2- is the job one that you enjoy doing, I guess there's an element of being blinkered about wanting to be a driver and not taking into account, shift patterns, responsibility, etc
If anyone has recently gone through a similar process are you glad you made the decision or do you have any regrets. If I do get an offer, I think I'll always regret not going for it if I decline.
Welcome, and congratulations for getting through the process to the talent pool. No mean feat in itself. Obviously only you can make the decision about whether you can afford to take a pay cut; during training progression timescales and increments vary (sometimes considerably) from TOC to TOC though normally you will get a rise after passing various stages such as rules, traction etc. If you don't mind posting which TOC, I'm sure people on here would happily give you specific details. As for passing the course, as long as you have the right attitude, work hard and apply yourself you will pass. TOC's don't want you to fail - you cost them a lot of money and while of course you have to reach a certain standard they will do everything they can to help you through and that is why hard work and a good attitude counts for a lot.
Becoming a driver is the best thing I ever did but you have to accept that shift work does have a big impact on your family life; I'm sure you have but you'd be amazed at the number of people who didn't appear to consider this before taking the job. Because of the safety critical nature of the work, you have to manage your life around your job and for some people that comes as a massive shock (generally those that see the £ signs and nothing else). But it is a great job - as long you keep your head down, apply yourself and do your job properly you are left alone and when you finish your shift your time is your own and that counts for a lot. I hope you can make the numbers add up and you get an offer soon. Good luck.
Becoming a driver is the best thing I ever did but you have to accept that shift work does have a big impact on your family life; I'm sure you have but you'd be amazed at the number of people who didn't appear to consider this before taking the job. Because of the safety critical nature of the work, you have to manage your life around your job and for some people that comes as a massive shock (generally those that see the £ signs and nothing else). But it is a great job - as long you keep your head down, apply yourself and do your job properly you are left alone and when you finish your shift your time is your own and that counts for a lot. I hope you can make the numbers add up and you get an offer soon. Good luck.
AverageJoe
Member
1 - drop in wages. No one can answer this for you really. I assume you know what the wage will be so now is the time to do some maths and see if it’s something you and your family can afford to do.
2 - is the job enjoyable?
So the positives I see in the job are I stay dry in the rain, warm in the winter and cool in the summer (I previously had an outside job) so I like that.
On some days when you are driving a scenic route and the sun is out or snow has fallen it can be beautiful.
However you will cover the same routes again and again so it will become the norm a bit.
The money I get paid allows me to travel and enjoy my free time.
The negatives.
Shifts can be horrible, and it can feel like you have constant jet lag.
I’m constantly missing out on things my friends are doing on bank holidays and weekend due to work. And it might not be that I’m even working that day but I might be having to get to bed at a daft early time for my next shift.
If you are not a train spotter, which I’m not it can be a very boring job at times, especially if you are doing a stopping service that repeats itself a few times in your day.
When you take it to account the weekend work, constant shift pattern change, the level of knowledge you need to maintain and then the potential for fatalities I wouldn’t do it if it paid any less.
That’s just an honest assessment from me.
You will hear many here tell you it’s the best job in the world, and you might feel the same if you eventually become a driver.
2 - is the job enjoyable?
So the positives I see in the job are I stay dry in the rain, warm in the winter and cool in the summer (I previously had an outside job) so I like that.
On some days when you are driving a scenic route and the sun is out or snow has fallen it can be beautiful.
However you will cover the same routes again and again so it will become the norm a bit.
The money I get paid allows me to travel and enjoy my free time.
The negatives.
Shifts can be horrible, and it can feel like you have constant jet lag.
I’m constantly missing out on things my friends are doing on bank holidays and weekend due to work. And it might not be that I’m even working that day but I might be having to get to bed at a daft early time for my next shift.
If you are not a train spotter, which I’m not it can be a very boring job at times, especially if you are doing a stopping service that repeats itself a few times in your day.
When you take it to account the weekend work, constant shift pattern change, the level of knowledge you need to maintain and then the potential for fatalities I wouldn’t do it if it paid any less.
That’s just an honest assessment from me.
You will hear many here tell you it’s the best job in the world, and you might feel the same if you eventually become a driver.
Thanks @Jericho and @AverageJoe for taking time to reply. The TOC I have applied for is GTR so I know the salary will in theory double once qualified. I can make the drop in salary work, I'm more concerned of taking the drop with not guarantee of passing the course. But like you have said as long as I put the effort in which I will then I should be fine.
Thanks for both being honest in terms of how you find the job. If I'm honest as I have got older, doing things with friends take months of prep anyway so hopefully will know my shifts fair enough in advance to organise. My main worry is missing out on things with my son. I do think though, I will always wonder "what if" if I don't give it a go if I get the opportunity. Again thank you once again for the replies.
Thanks for both being honest in terms of how you find the job. If I'm honest as I have got older, doing things with friends take months of prep anyway so hopefully will know my shifts fair enough in advance to organise. My main worry is missing out on things with my son. I do think though, I will always wonder "what if" if I don't give it a go if I get the opportunity. Again thank you once again for the replies.
AverageJoe
Member
There’s more to think about when you have a family too.
There will be times when you need to be in bed by 5pm and you need them to keep the noise down.
Or you may be arriving home at 6am after a long shift and now it’s your bed time even though they are just getting up.
It’s rare you will have a normal breakfast, lunch and dinner routine other than your days off.
The amount of times it’s got to 10am and I’m on my 4th meal of the day already.
Yeah I guess all things to factor in. Thank you for your replies though, much appreciated and definitely some food for thought.
In addition to the above. Is anyone able to advise how the talent pool works in terms of being progressed to a course. Is it done on whose been in the pool the longest or who has better overall test results?
In addition to the above. Is anyone able to advise how the talent pool works in terms of being progressed to a course. Is it done on whose been in the pool the longest or who has better overall test results?
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Research your local companies, set up job alerts via their careers page, read through all the various threads on here, lots of tools online for CV's or covering letters if needed. Jobs are very very competitive so you will need to be prepared to do most of the work yourself, find out the process of becoming a driver, initial application, psychometric testing, MMI & DMI are all things you need to know about. Good luck.
12LDA28C
Established Member
It sounds like you are considering writing in to various TOCs / FOCs to ask for a job but it doesn't really work like that. You would need to keep a close eye on the various employers' websites and apply when a vacancy is advertised. Be aware that competition for trainee / apprentice drivers jobs is extremely fierce with hundreds applying for every one vacancy advertised.
RossMc
Member
My thoughts exactly.
RossMc
Member
If you already work for a TOC surely you can think of what to write in a covering 'letter' (a few paragraphs will do). Can you not ask a colleague to help?
Who you are, what you currently do, why you want to apply to be a driver, what skills/courses you have which are transferable. That's about it.
Other posters could probably say with more certainty, but a stammer might cause a few issues with communication. Not necessarily an issue for passengers since drivers don't usually make announcements to them, but to signallers and control rooms it will definitely be crucial that they can communicate clearly and effectively with little to no ambiguity. However this may depend on the extent of the stammering, so it may not end up being an issue. After all, nobody is a robot so the chances of perfect speech all the time every time isn't going to happen. As long as there is enough clarity it might not be an issue, it's just something to possibly consider.
357
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Nov 2018
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- 1,417
The more important thing than PA announcements is communication with other staff, especially in an emergency.
James12333
New Member
As a train driver, do you need to have a sentinel (Personal Track Safety) card or do you just cover basic track safety during your training?
AverageJoe
Member
I know a current driver with quite a bad stammer
You need to be PTS certified and at my TOC that's the first thing you have to pass on the training course. Most of it is common sense really, but people do fail it. If they're lucky they'll get another go but sometimes it means the training finishes there and then.
You need PTS in order to do your traction training etc.
You then get issued with a PTS card, but eventually it will become part of the driving licence once you've qualified.
James12333
New Member
Thank you. My son has worked on the railway before so he has held a PTS in the past.
Do you know if it is an actual sentinel card they give you as he still has his?
James12333
New Member
Brilliant. Thank you for your help.
nwbirch83@gmai
Member
Afternoon,
I am currently in the drivers pool for WMT. I have yet to do the medical assessment.
My question is regarding the medical, I have hearing loss in one ear and can hear perfectly in the other. Is there anyone with experience of similar, and would I be able to operate as a driver with the hearing loss in the one ear?
I am currently in the drivers pool for WMT. I have yet to do the medical assessment.
My question is regarding the medical, I have hearing loss in one ear and can hear perfectly in the other. Is there anyone with experience of similar, and would I be able to operate as a driver with the hearing loss in the one ear?
nwbirch83@gmai
Member
It's not completely gone, I still have hearing in it but not as strong as the other.
What's the difference between wearing a hearing aid for hearing loss and glasses for sight loss? Genuine question and I am serious.