Are there any train drivers earning £100k or more?

[kmck96]

Would be interested in seeing if any drivers have earned more than 100k if so, exactly how much did you make? And how much overtime per week to achieve this?

If not, what was your best paying year to date and again how much overtime per week to achieve this?

 

[dk1]

I would imagine it quite easy for many. One of my colleagues earned £107k during the commissioning of a new train fleet in 2018/19.

 

[Mojo]

Also depends on the year l suppose, if you have one of those annoying years with 14 pay days it’s probably more likely.

 

[Bald Rick]

I know of drivers who were clesrign 6 figures (gross) in 2012…

 

[kmck96]

Would be interested in seeing if any drivers have earned more than 100k if so, exactly how much did you make? And how much overtime per week to achieve this?

If not, what was your best paying year to date and again how much overtime per week to achieve this?

That’s pretty interesting. I wonder what sort of enhanced rate drivers get for that type of work.
Do you know if they were doing a mass amount of overtime on top to make that sort of money?

I know of drivers who were clesrign 6 figures (gross) in 2012…

Ha, I take your point. Wonder how much those same drivers earn these days then

 

[ThameslinkUser]

Can't wait to read this thread in the Daily Mail

 

[dk1]

Can't wait to read this thread in the Daily Mail

Let’s give them something to write about then

 

[ThameslinkUser]

I'm sure that will do wonders in the eyes of the public re the ASLEF dispute...

 

[dk1]

I'm sure that will do wonders in the eyes of the public re the ASLEF dispute...

They don’t like us anyway so who cares?

 

[BrokenSam]

I'm sure that will do wonders in the eyes of the public re the ASLEF dispute...

Aye can't have working class folk earning good money can we

 

[dk1]

Aye can't have working class folk earning good money can we

And legitimately paying shed loads of tax to boot. Bet there’s many a Daily Mail reader that managed to avoid theirs.

 

[kmck96]

And legitimately paying shed loads of tax to boot. Bet there’s many a Daily Mail reader that managed to avoid theirs.

Bang on.

 

[Systemwide]

Hi,

Would it not also be appropriate then, to also discuss the sacrifices that Train Drivers make in order to earn what they do? I'm talking of course about the varying alarm calls, start time variances, finish time variances, the responsibility of where the buck stops, the detailed knowledge retention, the intrinsic and highly specialist spatial knowledge and awareness, the self sufficiency/self discipline that is maintained by each of those individuals and the key moments in their and their Friends/Families lives that they miss out on because they're working the next day, such as Weddings etc?

I know Ive forgotten loads of things but my point is, there are actually people out there who think that the world turns off when they close their front door, who have no comprehension of the unseen workers or what their lives entail. These are the sorts who think a Newsreader for example, turns up at the studio at five to six and just reads the evening news.

Sure, let's educate the filth media ?


Sys.

 

[ainsworth74]

Aye can't have working class folk earning good money can we

Are drivers working class? Honest question! It doesn't strike me as a particularly working class profession anymore but I'm certainly interested in others thoughts.

 

[BPN2022]

I wouldn’t say many drivers are working class compared to say 20-30 years ago. Not really sure why everyone thinks they are.

 

[BrokenSam]

Are drivers working class? Honest question! It doesn't strike me as a particularly working class profession anymore but I'm certainly interested in others thoughts.

I am and most of my colleagues are too. Depends how you define it I suppose.

 

[ExRes]

Another Phantom Flan Flinger thread designed to stir people up for the umpteenth time, hopefully the mods will lock it before the usual verbal fisticuffs start

 

[muz379]

That’s pretty interesting. I wonder what sort of enhanced rate drivers get for that type of work.
Do you know if they were doing a mass amount of overtime on top to make that sort of money?

Generally if its new traction courses then they can be 5 days plus in length so with most shift patterns those on the course and delivering will have to work some rest days , and the "drivers" delivering the course are instructors so already on a slightly higher rate of pay .

If its something big like a new fleet then generally there are agreements with the union about the length of training days and travelling time if the course is being delivered away from the home location . Plus sometimes lodging can come into it which at many tocs has an allowance as well .

Are drivers working class? Honest question! It doesn't strike me as a particularly working class profession anymore but I'm certainly interested in others thoughts.

Id suspect that class identity is a far more complicated can of worms to open and would just derail the thread .Plus with a job that doesnt formally require any level of prior education or training I would say it would be difficult to say all train drivers are/are not working class , ive known some from what you would say are traditional middle class backgrounds with masters degrees or doctorates who made the career switch and some from traditional working class backgrounds who left school with no qualifications and walked straigt into the railway back when it was a less attractive industry to work in .

 

[Turtle]

They don’t like us anyway so who cares?

There seems to be a curious culture of hatred/envy mixture regarding train drivers in England* promulgated by the Right wing press. In other cases individuals earning such salaries would be treated as persecuted middle income earners taxed to the hilt etc etc.
As to the "working class" question, what is working class. My definition is anyone either employed or self-employed and relying predominantly on those sources of income. The cultural definition of working class is a separate issue.
* deliberately referring to England only.

 

[kmck96]

Another Phantom Flan Flinger thread designed to stir people up for the umpteenth time, hopefully the mods will lock it before the usual verbal fisticuffs start

Not the intention of the thread at all. Genuinely curious to find out the true earning potential.

 

[172007]

Not the intention of the thread at all. Genuinely curious to find out the true earning potential.

Gosh, does not take rocket science to work it our. First of all work out the hourly rate for someone on £55k. Then assume a 4 day working week so there are 3 days left to work a full shift each day which is how generally railway overtime is done. Then have every 14th day off as thats the requirement and assume that Sundays are time and half. Plus take the statutory annual leave off and see what you are left with.

Workers with Daily Mail headline annual earnings quite literally have no family life, get to see their partners, friends and children like passing ships except for the annual holiday in Benidorm. Massive sacrifice.

 

[muz379]

Not the intention of the thread at all. Genuinely curious to find out the true earning potential.

Not sure about your position or anything , but I wouldn't predicate any plans on the basis of "earning potential"

Seen that go wrong many a time ...

 

[northwichcat]

I am and most of my colleagues are too. Depends how you define it I suppose.

Working class roles are normally defined as unskilled or semi-skilled and normally where you are paid by the hour, rather than paid an annual salary. So a cleaner on £10.50 per hour would be working class. There's limited skills needed and they don't transfer well into other roles. A legal admin assistant on £25000 probably isn't seen as working class, as they'll have transferrable skills and have a possibility of moving into a more advanced role.

Workers with Daily Mail headline annual earnings quite literally have no family life, get to see their partners, friends and children like passing ships except for the annual holiday in Benidorm. Massive sacrifice.

Tabloids like to make comparisons with the PM's salary. It's also not a recent thing, they did it for Dr Beeching. As much as you might hate the PM, the holder of that role could be required to cut short an annual summer holiday due to a national emergency and has the possibility of getting verbal abuse about how they do their job, when they are away on holiday.

 

[jfollows]

My answer to the original question is that I hope there are drivers earning more than £100,000/year, although I don't know if there are. If people want to work more and earn more money, why not?

The Daily Mail seems to exist to promote outrage and dissent. Their points are irrelevant unless you get sucked in by them.

When I worked, I was only too happy to tell others my salary. There is a kind of "omerta" against doing so, but it's promoted by employers who hate the idea that their employees share this kind of information. Whether I earn more or less than you - whoever the "you" is - doesn't change my position. Either I'm paid enough for my job or I'm not.

Train drivers have a fascinating and interesting job but it's coupled with onerous requirements, difficult and anti-social hours and the need to suck up to stupid people in charge. The idea that they earn "enough" and shouldn't be given a pay rise in the light of serious inflation is ludicrous. In the end they're paid what they're worth and if they don't like it they can do something else - I know that's easy to say and hard to do, but I've resigned twice in my career which has nothing to do with the railway industry. No, good luck to them all, and those who work hard and earn lots of money get my approval, for what it's worth, not the contempt peddled by the tabloids.

 

[Class 170101]

Additionally it should be pointed out that if you are the unlucky soul who gets caught up in failure modes of which there are many in the rail industry you could easily be going over your maximum turn length upto the 12 hour limit. You will be paid for these.

 

[43066]

Another Phantom Flan Flinger thread designed to stir people up for the umpteenth time, hopefully the mods will lock it before the usual verbal fisticuffs start

This!

The OP has previously claimed to be a driver (or at least well through the recruitment process waiting for a start date), so surely they should know the answers to the questions they’re asking. It’s therefore a little difficult to understand any reason for the thread, other than what you suggest above.

 

[kmck96]

My answer to the original question is that I hope there are drivers earning more than £100,000/year, although I don't know if there are. If people want to work more and earn more money, why not?

The Daily Mail seems to exist to promote outrage and dissent. Their points are irrelevant unless you get sucked in by them.

When I worked, I was only too happy to tell others my salary. There is a kind of "omerta" against doing so, but it's promoted by employers who hate the idea that their employees share this kind of information. Whether I earn more or less than you - whoever the "you" is - doesn't change my position. Either I'm paid enough for my job or I'm not.

Train drivers have a fascinating and interesting job but it's coupled with onerous requirements, difficult and anti-social hours and the need to suck up to stupid people in charge. The idea that they earn "enough" and shouldn't be given a pay rise in the light of serious inflation is ludicrous. In the end they're paid what they're worth and if they don't like it they can do something else - I know that's easy to say and hard to do, but I've resigned twice in my career which has nothing to do with the railway industry. No, good luck to them all, and those who work hard and earn lots of money get my approval, for what it's worth, not the contempt peddled by the tabloids.

Couldn’t agree more.

 

[43066]

My answer to the original question is that I hope there are drivers earning more than £100,000/year, although I don't know if there are. If people want to work more and earn more money, why not?

The Daily Mail seems to exist to promote outrage and dissent. Their points are irrelevant unless you get sucked in by them.

When I worked, I was only too happy to tell others my salary. There is a kind of "omerta" against doing so, but it's promoted by employers who hate the idea that their employees share this kind of information. Whether I earn more or less than you - whoever the "you" is - doesn't change my position. Either I'm paid enough for my job or I'm not.

Train drivers have a fascinating and interesting job but it's coupled with onerous requirements, difficult and anti-social hours and the need to suck up to stupid people in charge. The idea that they earn "enough" and shouldn't be given a pay rise in the light of serious inflation is ludicrous. In the end they're paid what they're worth and if they don't like it they can do something else - I know that's easy to say and hard to do, but I've resigned twice in my career which has nothing to do with the railway industry. No, good luck to them all, and those who work hard and earn lots of money get my approval, for what it's worth, not the contempt peddled by the tabloids.

This is a great post.

 

[Krokodil]

Working class roles are normally defined as unskilled or semi-skilled and normally where you are paid by the hour, rather than paid an annual salary. So a cleaner on £10.50 per hour would be working class. There's limited skills needed and they don't transfer well into other roles. A legal admin assistant on £25000 probably isn't seen as working class, as they'll have transferrable skills and have a possibility of moving into a more advanced role.

Excuse me? "Skilled working class" is definitely a thing (C2 under the ONS system). What do you think welders and machinists are? Footballers earn millions but with a few exceptions (the Beckhams) they certainly aren't middle class (never mind upper class which means 'old money')

 

[northwichcat]

Excuse me? "Skilled working class" is definitely a thing (C2 under the ONS system). What do you think welders and machinists are?

I did say "Working class roles are normally defined as unskilled or semi-skilled"

Just checked C2 means Skilled manual. You seem to have added a working class label to a government category.

Using their definitions "Semi-skilled and unskilled" means "lowest grade occupations". What roles would be seen as lower down a hierachery than a machine operator? A machinist is the textbook definition of a semi-skilled role. They are only skilled as long as the machine they are trained on exists.

Perhaps you should look up some definitions in a dictionary, as you've confused at least three in writing your reply!

Footballers earn millions but with a few exceptions (the Beckhams) they certainly aren't middle class (never mind upper class which means 'old money')

A small number of footballers earn millions. Most footballers actually have another full time job and play in a competitive team at the weekend for pleasure, so their status depends on their weekday role. I think one GP at my local surgery used to play in a rugby union team at weekends when he was younger.