Cycling to work as a train driver

[Dragon Breath]

I am looking for some advice from any train drivers (or conductors and guards on similar shift patterns), who cycle or have cycled to work as a means of commuting.

I’m just about to embark on a trainee train driver course. I’ve been a commuter cyclist for the last 20 years, and I’m keen to keep this part of my lifestyle going. I find it helps with releasing endorphins and kickstarts my day.

I’ve had the typical 9-5 role for some time now, and I’m aware of the challenging shift patterns that come with being a train driver.

I can drive, but my wife uses the car more than me (and for her work), so the likelihood is that I’ll get a second car eventually for times when the weather is apocalyptic and the shifts are extreme.

Just wondering how people have found cycling to work, when managing fatigue and tiredness is a key part of the role.

Is it something that is sustainable? Or is it a balancing act between cycling and driving?

I’ve been a reader of many forums on this website and have found information invaluable.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tomnick]

I use a combination of cycle/train to get to work when shifts allow, albeit only just over a couple of miles on the bike. I usually feel much better for a bit of exercise before work. I'm not sure that I'd want to cycle the full distance to work for early starts though, if only because it'd mean getting out of bed an hour earlier!

 

[iphone76]

Quite a few drivers at my place cycle and never complain of fatigue or the like. If anything they are at the fitter and more alert end of the spectrum at the depot. Lol.

 

[Dragon Breath]

Interesting. My commute is around 5 miles in, so about 20-25 mins cycling time, but add a chunk onto that if it rains and I have to change out of wet weather gear! Not an exciting prospect when doing the extreme shifts!

 

[tiptoptaff]

One of my instructors exclusively cycles to and from work, and does an average of 10000 miles a year. He doesn't suffer from fatigue.

Certainly doable. I'd consider it if I lived close enough.

 

[RedYellowGreen]

One of my instructors exclusively cycles to and from work, and does an average of 100000 miles a year. He doesn't suffer from fatigue.

Certainly doable. I'd consider it if I lived close enough.

Wow that's some serious mileage.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Wow that's some serious mileage.

Spends his rest days doing 100s of mile rides

 

[Flange Squeal]

We have a few cyclists at my depot. There are a few things to consider, but these will vary from company to company and depot to depot.

Shower facilities can be somewhat of a rarity, so if you have much distance to travel then it’s not necessarily a comfortable arrival after cycling in on a hot day!

Once at work, it’s then a case of can you get a locker for your gear. As services have expanded and drivers’ hours reduced over the years, more drivers have had to be taken on and some establishments have grown substantially. Locker rooms haven’t always matched that, so some locations do have a shortage of lockers. As a newbie, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get one straight away. This might be important for hanging up wet gear, storing your helmet while at work, and storing your work bag rather than lug it to/from home etc.

The final thing is secure storage for your bike. Finishing work at 3am to find your bike has been pinched from the bike racks isn’t an ideal situation to find yourself in!

All that said, you may find your depot is able to fulfill all/most of these points, or your ride in isn’t particularly far, so they won’t be so much of an issue. Some companies even take part in ‘ride to work’ schemes which, while I’m not sure exactly how they work, I believe contribute to/help with the cost of a brand new bike. Any effect from fatigue I guess would be a very individual thing and a case of see how it affects you personally.

 

[SignallerJohn]

One of my instructors exclusively cycles to and from work, and does an average of 100000 miles a year. He doesn't suffer from fatigue.

Certainly doable. I'd consider it if I lived close enough.

Have you ever recommended he contact the Guinness world records and tell them he’s broken the record by at least 14,000 miles?

Greatest distance cycled in a year (WUCA)

The Guinness World Records Official site with ultimate record-breaking facts & achievements. Do you want to set a world record? Are you Officially Amazing?

www.guinnessworldrecords.com

 

[paulmch]

I recently moved six miles away from my depot, and invested in an electric folding bike through the Cycle to Work scheme. I use the train when I can, but some of our earliest starts mean that I'm out of the house well before the service starts for the day. So far I've found it quite refreshing - it's a nice way to blow out the cobwebs after dragging myself out of bed at 3am! The fact that it has a motor means that I don't get sweaty and can go at a decent pace all the way. So far I'm managing about 30 minutes which is comparable to my previous 25 minute walk to work in the mornings.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Have you ever recommended he contact the Guinness world records and tell them he’s broken the record by at least 14,000 miles?

Greatest distance cycled in a year (WUCA)

The Guinness World Records Official site with ultimate record-breaking facts & achievements. Do you want to set a world record? Are you Officially Amazing?

www.guinnessworldrecords.com

It would appear I've fat fingered an extra 0!

 

[Gloster]

When I was young and foolish (and hadn’t got round to learning to drive) I used to cycle just over nine miles each way for a three shift job (06.00, 14.00 and 22.00 starts). That meant getting up at 04.15 in winter and a distinct lack of rest when turning round on Monday mornings (finish 06.00, back 14.00). There were other disadvantages, such as having to get on my bike even it was below zero or sleeting down. After a ride on a wet but warm day, even with - for the time - fairly expensive wet weather gear, I wonder now if it was probably an advantage that signalmen worked on their own. One problem that you probably won’t have is that I had to be prepared for problems and so carried about a fairly comprehensive toolkit, extra inner tubes, spare batteries, etc, in a saddle bag. You will probably have to factor in a greater proportion of ‘recovery time’ than would be necessary with a car to be sure of arriving on time. All the same, due to the exercise I was probably fitter and more up to the job than at any other time in my life. If you can sort out the practicalities and still want to do it, it’s worth it.

 

[Platform9]

I used to cycle to Liverpool to work that was around 10 miles including a final section through the Mersey tunnel with its 1 in 30 and sometimes 1 in 20 gradient. It certainly got the blood pumping and ready for early shifts better than any amount of caffeine.

Thats said as others mentioned you have to factor in and prepare for crap weather, carry spare inner tubes and tools etc.

Luckily I had the train to commute inside normal hours so I didn't do it all the time, but if it was 5 miles I would have done it more.

 

[alxndr]

I did for a about five years on shifts starting at either 0600, 1400, 1800, 2200 and finish times the same. After I got a car and the bike started to fall to pieces that's dwindled though, turns out the option of a few extra minutes in bed is too tempting for me.

The biggest problem I found was ending up staying longer at work than necessary purely through struggling to find the energy to cycle home, particularly in the height of summer or winter. And perhaps also my tendency to fill my rucksack up with more and more stuff so that it gets heavier and heavier.

 

[C J Snarzell]

I'm not a Train Driver but I have cycled to work quite often in the past, particularly during the summer months.

You do need to plan your journey well by allowing plenty of time and of course getting to work early so you can shower and have maybe 10 minutes to sit down with a brew before you start your shift. I use to ensure my locker was kitted out with plenty of fresh work clothes so I wore fresh each day and took dirty laundry home with me in the rucksack.

The only down side to cycling to work is sometimes cycling home from work is not always practical. When I worked in the police, I once had to work 15 hours as I stayed on duty to deal with a particularly unpleasant job and the last thing I needed was cycling home at 10pm having been at work since 7am! I ended up getting a lift home and the bike was left at work.

CJ

 

[Aivilo]

Definitely a great thing to do. Make sure the depot has the facilities you need before committing and allow your self plenty of time for the inevitable's.

 

[JeffH16]

I'm a signaller but ride 8 miles for 0600 and 1800 shift starts.

I have a car, but do my best to cycle as for an extra 10 mins at the start and end of the shift it saves me having to set aside in excess of an hour to do something like go to the gym.

 

[SlideintomyTMs]

Train Manager out of London, I cycle everyday to work and it’s amazing. Beats the early morning night bus for early starts and I find it wakes me up

They’re is the odd occasion when I am on lates and I have been held up by disruption and I think why tf did I cycle but as soon as I am back on the saddle i feel better

My cycle commute is about 50/55 mins

Do yourself a favour and do it!

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

A secure dry place to leave the cycle is important
Left my cycle at the station once, the front wheel had been nicked when I got back. Now I always lock front wheel + frame and back wheel + frame to a 'Sheffield stand'

+1 for cycling to work instead of driving to a gym club!

 

[DwayneB8z]

I don't work on the trains but I work at Heathrow and my job role requires me to be focus at all times and my Concentration levels have to be on point!. I cycle to work and have to be in work by 4am. its about 17 miles to my work place from my house & I find cycling good for early shifts it wakes me up and gets me going for the day. I also find this helps me sleep at night as well.

 

[sw1ller]

I’ve just checked the mileages on google. We have a driver at our place that cycles in, then on the way home he catches a train to A station 103 miles from his Home Depot then cycles home. Not quite what you were asking but there’s plenty of people that cycle in. I want to but I have too much fun on my motorbike and I just can’t seem to make the change over.

 

[CreamNCookies]

This has been a great read.

I live about 9 miles from my current job and cycle to work on one of those new fangled electric bikes that assist you when cycling.

Yeah its cheating a bit and you do have to put a bit of effort in still. But when I get to work, I'm not dripping in sweat and can just go straight to my desk, or on wetter days just take off my waterproofs and I'm ready.

I'm mid applying for roles, and it's good to see there are drivers that cycle in rather than rely on a car.

 

[185]

Many have cycled every day during their career regardless of weather. If you are used to it, you don't notice the difference.

My biggest issue with cycling to work is ignorant & lazy employers - quite happily paying hundreds of thousands on staff car parking, but seemingly unable and unwilling to provide a 10ftx10ft "cupboard", indoors, inside a depot building where staff property will not be stolen whilst they are out working the company's trains. During summer, one employee's bike was stolen from a (visible to the public) area just 2m from where a manager was sat. This was the "designated secure place" - also just feet from a British Transport Police full-time station. Network Rail's (former) Duty Manager at one major station even claimed staff bringing cycles inside the buildings was "a severe terrorism risk".

 

[the sniper]

I’ve just checked the mileages on google. We have a driver at our place that cycles in, then on the way home he catches a train to A station 103 miles from his Home Depot then cycles home. Not quite what you were asking but there’s plenty of people that cycle in. I want to but I have too much fun on my motorbike and I just can’t seem to make the change over.

Personally, if I were willing to put up with the risks and downsides of road cycling (particularly commuting), I'd be far more likely to get a motorcycles instead an enjoy the benefits of that. I'm surprised more haven't taken up motorcycling in recent times given how many people are now seemingly willing to accept the downsides of being on two wheels.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Personally, if I were willing to put up with the risks and downsides of road cycling (particularly commuting), I'd be far more likely to get a motorcycles instead an enjoy the benefits of that. I'm surprised more haven't taken up motorcycling in recent times given how many people are now seemingly willing to accept the downsides of being on two wheels.

I think the only downside to motorcycling and maybe also cycling too, is the vulnerability to other traffic.

I've never actually got into motorcycling myself but from doing regular cycling I get quite appalled by the behaviour of car drivers who don't give me an ounce of consideration.

As a cyclist, I tend to use routes to work off road (like canal towpaths) which are much more enjoyable to use than being on a busy road.

I do think that areas like London and Manchester have much better conditions for cycling on roads where cyclists have the edge over motorists thanks to investments in cycle lanes but sadly many towns are still lacking behind.

I do think its important as a cyclist to wear the helmet and a reflective jacket - I bought the latter from Aldi for £15. A fantastic investment.

CJ

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Just been out cycling for fun, Sunday afternoon, quite cold plus windchill
It is worth spending a bit on warm clothes, winter tyres, even spiked tyres are available for cycles too

 

[the sniper]

I think the only downside to motorcycling and maybe also cycling too, is the vulnerability to other traffic.

I would feel far more comfortable on a motorcycle moving with traffic than on a bicycle in this respect, wearing proper safety gear. People can pull out in front of either, though modern motorcycles are pretty well illuminated headlight wise and can be more noticeable than your average bicycle/cyclist. Of course you're going faster on a motorcycle though. I feel like your fate is more in you own hands on a motorcycle than on a bicycle, as when the latter goes wrong it generally seems to happen very quickly, from out of nowhere, from the perspective of the cyclist, with little to no potential for defensive action. I've personally also known motorcyclists who've lived to the the tales of fairly big offs/hits and a cyclist who was killed.

Like I say, if I were up for dealing with the dress up/down required, weather and risks involved in either cycle, I'd take the advantages of a motorcycle.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I’ve just checked the mileages on google. We have a driver at our place that cycles in, then on the way home he catches a train to A station 103 miles from his Home Depot then cycles home. Not quite what you were asking but there’s plenty of people that cycle in. I want to but I have too much fun on my motorbike and I just can’t seem to make the change over.

Trying to puzzle out where this might be, I guess he does not cycle 103 miles the other way %)

 

[Dragon Breath]

Fab response, thanks all. I think I’m more convinced to cycle after reading these replies. Just depends on the facilities available at my depot. Not to bothered about a shower. Would want a locker and a safe secure place to lock my bike (ideally under a roof).

 

[trundlewagon]

Having spent the last 7 years working 25 miles and 40 minutes in the car away from home, I'm very much looking forward to being able to cycle the 6 miles into Brum for work as much as possible when I finally start with WMT next year.

My only concern is over secure storage, but I've got a ratty old 'pub bike' that I'm happy to leave locked up and not be too disappointed about losing in any case...