Confused with future rail job..

[Nym]

And like I said, everywhere is desprate for postgrad engineers on an IET aproved course (always check first), ith 2-1 or better

 

[adamp]

Is it relatively good pay being a driver?
and what about platform staff too?

considering just starting out being platform staff.

 

[Nym]

Platform staff, or Customer Service Assistants start at somthing like 14k, upto 20k for middle managment, onboard is 17 - 22 with northern and TPE

 

[adamp]

ahhhh right.
I heard drivers for virgin and long distance companies get more...that true ?

 

[Jordy]

AFAIK Yes

 

[Nym]

I think so, not certain on it though, not many companies advertise their saleries, Driver Team Managers for Virgin are on 44k I think

 

[SuperVoyager]

Could be insurance reasons; they don't want to take a young person into the cab or are not insured to do so? Maybe trying when you're a bit older is the solution.

I wrote Virgin and asked them if me and my friend could have a look in a voyager cab and maby a ride in a Pendolino cab, and they said yes.
So now we're going from Euston - Wolverhampton and back in the cab of a Pendolino with Driver and Driver Manager.

 

[adamp]

You jammy git ! haha !!
how old are you?

 

[SuperVoyager]

You jammy git ! haha !!
how old are you?

13 xD

 

[adamp]

Who did you write to ?

 

[SuperVoyager]

Who did you write to ?

Virgin Customer Services

 

[adamp]

Hmmm, I might try that one sometime soon!

In the meantime, im also considering now being (I dont know the correct name) but an engineer who goes out to fix trains that have broken down etc...that seems like an interesting job!
Can anyone tell me abit about that job?

 

[VirginTrainFreak]

lol i cant wait till Tour And Cab Ride adamp do tht make me a You jammy git :P

 

[Respite]

I wrote Virgin and asked them if me and my friend could have a look in a voyager cab and maby a ride in a Pendolino cab, and they said yes.
So now we're going from Euston - Wolverhampton and back in the cab of a Pendolino with Driver and Driver Manager.

You poor soul, having to be in a pendo cab! Please dont let this experience become a negative thing for rail transport. Honestly try & cab a 47, 37 even a HST just to experience what a train is actually like.

P.S. If the driver is named Lawrence tell him he owes me a beer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hmmm, I might try that one sometime soon!

In the meantime, im also considering now being (I dont know the correct name) but an engineer who goes out to fix trains that have broken down etc...that seems like an interesting job!
Can anyone tell me abit about that job?

That would be a fitter, clever people these guys. They know all about electrical & mechanical stuff that goes on in these things. Quite intensive training for that job mind.

 

[1D53]

You have the same fitters we do Ghostcav? Ours come armed with a hammer and watering can only!

 

[Respite]

You have the same fitters we do Ghostcav? Ours come armed with a hammer and watering can only!

Yes but have you seen the amount of things that can be fixed with that hammer!!!hock:

Our station fitter thinks he's a level 5 tech as he's always trying to fix bits that are supposed to be only fixed on a depot.

 

[SuperVoyager]

You poor soul, having to be in a pendo cab! Please dont let this experience become a negative thing for rail transport. Honestly try & cab a 47, 37 even a HST just to experience what a train is actually like.

P.S. If the driver is named Lawrence tell him he owes me a beer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


That would be a fitter, clever people these guys. They know all about electrical & mechanical stuff that goes on in these things. Quite intensive training for that job mind.

lol, i did write to FGW and ask if we could get a ride in a hst cab... but they said no passesgers arnt allowed in this area.
and Pendoino is my fave train =] have allready been in the cab twice for about 20 mins =] on between Crewe and Stafford and one about 30 mins away from Glasgow Central =]

 

[adamp]

lol i cant wait till Tour And Cab Ride adamp do tht make me a You jammy git :P

Didnt understand a word of that!


Which companys still have old engines like 47's and 50's ?
Isnt it more freight now ?

 

[SuperVoyager]

Didnt understand a word of that!

He is the friend who is riding in Pendolino Cab with me.. i think he meant he wanted you to call him a jammy git :???:
I have no idea why...:grin:

lol

 

[Kneedown]

I really couldn't agree more.

I went to Uni at 18 and followed a non-vocational degree course, ending up with a good pass mark. Initially I found it hard to find work, but I eventually lucked-in with a casual admin post in the office where my Mum worked. Strange to think, but this was my big break. Once you've got a job it becomes much easier to get another one. And so I spent the next ten years going from one office to the next and progressing a little further up the ladder in each. In the end, I found the tedium of office life and the futility of the work too much and came onto the railway as a trainee driver. I wouldn't say that I'm the best qualified driver in my depot (9 GCSE's, 3 A-Levels and that Degree), but I'm probably not far off it.

Did the degree course help? Well, not in the sense that I was able to directly apply what I'd learned to my job. However, it did a lot for me in the sense of my own personal development and helped me to get a better appreciation of people. As such I don't regret it in the slightest because I feel that those three years away had a large part to play in creating the person I am now. I also believe that it opened a number of doors that would otherwise remained closed to me. While the days of graduates going into a higher grade of work are long gone, it is still an indicator of aptitude, intelligence and perseverence that I believe employers still look for.

Having been through all that I have so far, my advice to any young rail enthusiast is don't close off any opportunities that are open to you. It's lovely being able to scrape a living from something that you're passionate about, but you really don't want to be putting all your eggs in the one basket. The money on the railway seems to be in driving, but that is an aptitude based position that you are either cut out for or you're not. The worst thing you could do is to mark time in some dead-end job until you're 21 only to find that you don't have the qualities that you need to become a driver. What do you do then? The opportunities on the platforms, the trains or in the booking offices aren't that exciting.

If you have the opportunity to lay the foundations of another career that offers greater interest or the opportunity to earn a decent living you really should take it. You may get on to the railway in the position you want, but at least if you don't you still have the basis for the rest of your life in the form of an alternative career.

one TN

Nice story. Just goes to show that the people we become and the personalities we develop are a result of our experiences in life. We are like sponges and soak up all that we encounter. We should take every opportunity we can to achieve this.
I've been on the railways for a good while now, but also spent 15years in the Police and a very short time in the TA. My only regret is not spending longer there, but i was young and foolish, got the ultimatum from the lass i was with at the time (it's the Army or me!), and like a complete muppet chose her. Biggest mistake i ever made!
As regards my qualifications, 1 "O" level and 8 "CSE's". I was never the academic type, but i think i've done alright in life. Got a good steady job that has plenty to keep me interested, nice house and about to move to a nicer one, and the most wonderful wife to be. I couldn't ask for much more really.

 

[Nym]

Would you say that semi-vocational subjects at loonyversity would be a reasonable Idea?

Electro-Mechanical Engineering (E&EE)???

 

[AlexS]

Anything bar the HST, leccies and APT built before 1990 can be fixed with a hammer, wrench, screwdriver, bardic lamp acting as above, or a pen to write 'FHD' or 'No Fault Found' in the repair book.

 

[Nym]

So Jermemy Clarkson could fix anything by his methods?

"Right Where are my Hammers?"

 

[Kneedown]

Would you say that semi-vocational subjects at loonyversity would be a reasonable Idea?

Stay away from "soft" subjects such as Psychology at Uni. My Mrs's Sister in Law interviews a lot of applicants, and the amount of people with degree's in the above, and similar, is absolutely huge. So huge that it ceases to be of any advantage to applicants.

 

[Nym]

Well, I'm on a combined course of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, I think that might be appropriate to today's railways, no chance on a heritage railway though...

 

[Kneedown]

Well, I'm on a combined course of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, I think that might be appropriate to today's railways, no chance on a heritage railway though...

I'm not an expert, but it certainly sounds like an appropriate course, and i'm sure it would be useful on heritage railways too, they need to maintain their rolling stock as well, and although technology is more advanced these days, the basic principles still apply!

 

[Nym]

Yeah, but the second I even utter somthing like AWS I'll be trown out the gates by some pepole

 

[Kneedown]

Yeah, but the second I even utter somthing like AWS I'll be trown out the gates by some pepole

Ahhh, but when they want the cylinder head on a class 45 changing.....!
....... Perhaps you'd better have weetabix for brekky too! :grin:

 

[MKempster]

Hi. I'm currently at the Uni studying a Transport and Logistic Management degree. I'm in my 3rd year which involves a year’s placement out in industry. I'm currently on a placement with FCC and learning a lot about the industry and all the complexities of it. I have always wanted to work for the railways since I was back in school and was very determined to get a placement in the Railways as I could not see myself working for a logistics company. It took me a long time to find a railway placement with a lot of TOC unable to commit to a placement student because of a lot of TOC having very little resource to commit to a student or the position available for a placement. I did eventually find one and by the sounds of it a lot of TOC do look for graduates to bring into the industry. A good example of this would be the First Group graduates’ scheme and there are a lot of similar schemes for Network Rail and other companies. Also a lot of railway consultants look for graduates.
So from my personnel experience getting A-Levels and a Degree could be a good way of getting into the industry but this will only get you into position in an office and not down on the ground to begin with anyway.
A word of caution though! I’m only on a placement and it does not guarantee me a job when a graduate from Uni so I could end up with looking at other industries but there are many others ways to get involve with the railways from outside the industry.

I hope this helps