Ex Cops who have go on to be Drivers

[Frankie4763]

Thanks for the replies regarding pensions. I suppose ultimately it really does depend on personal circumstances. I have 19 years in Police and so it is a big decision. As it stands I only have 11 years left until full pension. I've been told they no longer can be transferred to trains pension. So police pension would defer to age 60 for 87 scheme (67 for CARE). However, the government can and will potentially change the pension again in the next few years.
I guess the fact I am considering a change says it all really. If I was truly happy, would I even be looking.

Hi...can I ask how old you are? Say for example you’re 45 and have a 15 year career with a TOC. How much pension would you amass in your rail career? Combining that with your police pension, would it be viable?

 

[Dan61]

Thanks for all your replies and private messages. If I am offered a position from the talent pool this thread has certainly confirmed my position even more to accept it. I'm 32 with 14 years in the police so still have another 30 years work in me lol

 

[greatkingrat]

Who says train retirement age is 62? I read that (usually, but not absolute due to the law) latest age for starting driving training was 62.

62 is the Normal Retirement Age for the Railway Pension Scheme (for non-protected staff). However you can still retire earlier if you wish, although the pension will be reduced.

 

[RGJG]

Hi...can I ask how old you are? Say for example you’re 45 and have a 15 year career with a TOC. How much pension would you amass in your rail career? Combining that with your police pension, would it be viable?

No problem. I'm 40, so in theory, there is 20 to 22 years in the rail pension. I'm not sure how lucrative it is but I would imagine that would be a decent amount combined with a 19/20 Yr police pension.
The trade off being working 10 years longer ‍♂️

 

[Frankie4763]

No problem. I'm 40, so in theory, there is 20 to 22 years in the rail pension. I'm not sure how lucrative it is but I would imagine that would be a decent amount combined with a 19/20 Yr police pension.
The trade off being working 10 years longer ‍♂️

I’m 45 and got 20 years in a fire service pension....potentially 10 yrs left before retirement.....decisions decisions

 

[Class2ldn]

Who says train retirement age is 62? I read that (usually, but not absolute due to the law) latest age for starting driving training was 62.

The retirement age is 62, used to be 60 but was changed a couple of years ago for non protected staff.
Very unlikely you'll get a drivers job at 62.
Obviously you don't have to retire at 62 but its not a job I would want to do longer then that.

I’m 45 and got 20 years in a fire service pension....potentially 10 yrs left before retirement.....decisions decisions

If you retire at 55 in the railway your pension takes a massive hit.
Its quite shocking how much it goes down for each year you retire before 62.

 

[DogDays]

I’m 45 and got 20 years in a fire service pension....potentially 10 yrs left before retirement.....decisions decisions

More likely 15 years left in the brigade it seems

 

[Frankie4763]

More likely 15 years left in the brigade it seems

If so I’d be better off switching to a TCO. However, the union are saying our original pension should be reinstated. I guess we’ll find out in March 2022. I might be a driver by then though (if my application goes well).

 

[Traffic71]

I left the police after 12 years working on numerous departments but just getting fed up of the cancelled rest days, never getting leave, late off duty, 30 minutes for the Queen, pension robbery and not to mention the growing email requests, lack of staff and constant paperwork. Thankfully I left prior to covid but believe its even more stretched now! I joined the police as a career but my final few years the work / life balance was just not right. Unfortunately the police pay is not to bad for an unqualified person so to find a similar paid job is limited, hence I looked at Train Driving. Plus, who doesn't want to drive trains!

Anyway two years on and I can say it is a breath of fresh air. Obviously, like the police you get a few of the oldies who think you should work your way up to become driver but I can honestly say the majority of staff are friendly and a great bunch of people. You get what you put in.. be friendly, chatty and appreciate their experience you should be fine, go in thinking you know it all then you will get burnt!

At my toc I work a 35hr, 4 day week, earn close to insp. salary, driving around the countryside getting some of the best views out of my office window. I have a guard that deals with most of the passenger's allowing me to concentrate on getting from a to b. Although repetitive, I drive several different traction and different routes so does add variety.

It has been a good move for me and my work life balance. I go to work and enjoy what I do, and when I finish, I switch off and go home until I am next in. The initially struggle of learning a huge amount and tge training salary was tough but it was for the greater good.

Points to consider I guess would be what you want out of life, OK the excitement of driving round on blue lights, dealing with the unexpected most days has gone, and once your a driver, your quite limited with promotion (instructor, dtm, trainer) but if your happy to work 35 hrs, knowing the rest of that time is for your own, plus your earning decent money in a industry that generally looks after you really well then go for it!

Totally agree with everything you have said. I’ve got 26 years in and have currently applied for GTR. Just waiting for a date for tests and assessments at Croydon.

I hated this. My skipper always used that every shift so I did it most days. I won't miss that at all

Hi. I saw some of your previous posts on other threads. I think you are ahead of me for the GTR application. Wondered if you are Sussex or maybe Hants, given your location? I’m Sussex RPU.

I’m 45 and got 20 years in a fire service pension....potentially 10 yrs left before retirement.....decisions decisions

The government can still stiff us on the pension issue. If you can join as a driver, do.

 

[whoosh]

Plenty of ex-Police and ex-Firefighters as drivers on the railway.
They all seem to encourage their former colleagues to come and join too!

Firefighters - the story goes that an entire watch at Bedford got jobs at Thameslink years ago, and it became the stuff of legend within the fire service as word got around and others looked into the railway as a new career.

 

[Vola_c]

Totally agree with everything you have said. I’ve got 26 years in and have currently applied for GTR. Just waiting for a date for tests and assessments at Croydon.


Hi. I saw some of your previous posts on other threads. I think you are ahead of me for the GTR application. Wondered if you are Sussex or maybe Hants, given your location? I’m Sussex RPU.


The government can still stiff us on the pension issue. If you can join as a driver, do.

Sent you a message

 

[Mbay]

Problem I find is the vacancies for trainee drivers. Rarely seems to be any in the Merseyside area where I live. 11 years in the Police and had enough now.

 

[2857]

Problem I find is the vacancies for trainee drivers. Rarely seems to be any in the Merseyside area where I live. 11 years in the Police and had enough now.

Just consider somewhere like Preston, two TOCs there (Avanti & Northern), its a bit further afield but some staff working there commute in from the Liverpool area daily.

 

[DogDays]

If so I’d be better off switching to a TCO. However, the union are saying our original pension should be reinstated. I guess we’ll find out in March 2022. I might be a driver by then though (if my application goes well).

As I understand it, anything you accrued on the '92 scheme up until 2022 remains under those conditions and then we're all moved onto the new pension next year. So, effectively, we'll have 2 pensions running concurrently because the 92 scheme cannot be reopened.

For clarity, I'm 45, have 22 years in and will jump at the chance if I'm plucked from my talent pool

 

[Frankie4763]

As I understand it, anything you accrued on the '92 scheme up until 2022 remains under those conditions and then we're all moved onto the new pension next year. So, effectively, we'll have 2 pensions running concurrently because the 92 scheme cannot be reopened.

For clarity, I'm 45, have 22 years in and will jump at the chance if I'm plucked from my talent pool

Hope you get out soon mate

 

[DogDays]

Hope you get out soon mate

Thanks pal, good luck to you too. I guess we should stop hijacking the failed firefighter's thread now

 

[Wba0986]

Today was my last day as a police officer after 17.5 years. Such a great feeling to leave and a nice break before starting my driver training next month ( on a bank holiday with no double bubble)

 

[steve73]

15 years ago I started my driver training course. There were 8 trainees in the room, 3, including me, were ex-police. That confirmed to me everything I thought I knew about where policing was going at that time. I don’t regret the career change one bit, ill happily see my my working life out on the railway & id have never said that when working for the police

 

[Lamchop]

Awesome forum... I'm nearly 18 years in and got an assessment day next week.

No one I know from the job regrets leaving, and if I am lucky enough to pass everything I can see myself leaving without any hesitation. Fingers crossed!

 

[pendy12]

12 years in the police and left in November. Although train driver training has been stop start due to covid, I can see already that it is the correct move. The way that those in my TOC have been with us during it has been night and day compared to the police. I actually went back to see some of my old mates a few weeks back and it appears to have got worse. The extra increase in money for being a train driver is a bonus. Its the cancelled rest days at short notice, the take toil not cash pressure, the lack of support from senior management and courts made the police an unenviable career in my opinion. For the avoidance of doubt the pension will revert back to CARE from 2022 with officers having received 7 years on their previous pension. If you have a family, then the rail is a no brainer.

 

[dk1]

I recently trained a police officer who had served around 15 years. To be honest I was quite surprised at the poor conditions he had been on compared to what we get on the railway. That coupled with the salary had him so keen on getting through the year plus of training as he never wanted to go back.

 

[Llama]

Just consider somewhere like Preston, two TOCs there (Avanti & Northern), its a bit further afield but some staff working there commute in from the Liverpool area daily.

Avanti & TPE at Preston, not Northern. Nearest Northern depots to Preston are Wigan & Blackpool but there's never many trainee driver jobs at Wigan. They have a waiting list of internal transfers to fill any vacancies there.

 

[DB0161]

Avanti & TPE at Preston, not Northern. Nearest Northern depots to Preston are Wigan & Blackpool but there's never many trainee driver jobs at Wigan. They have a waiting list of internal transfers to fill any vacancies there.

I think Blackburn take on Northern trainee drivers too

 

[Stevezee]

Currently with wmt , class of eight trainee's 2 of which are both ex police 20 years each , seems like a popular move

 

[joshuan542]

With driver roles there never is a set of who and what they want career wise, or genuinely is down to how you perform on the day.. across the GTR depots I know is a variance of backgrounds, some with no experience, some with little and some with crazy experience. I know some who are even ex drivers for other TOCs who don’t get in for example

 

[C J Snarzell]

I left the police service myself in 2018 after 15 years. I found after the Winsor review in 2012, the policing service was just desimated by the Tory government.

At one time, the police was a 30 year career. Sadly it is now a job where less and less officers will see it out to the end. From my point of view, the police are dealing with everything in society and taking on the responsibilities of the short comings of social services and the mental health teams which I find unacceptable.

The police are constantly under scrutiny from all sides and a bobby cannot breathe the wrong way now and not be criticised. The IOPC is a total disgrace (I won't get on my soap box about them!). It really is a thankless job and I have no regrets about leaving.

On the subject of rail careers - I have seen quite a few ex-police make the transition to train driver. However, as I have said in previous threads, just because you have been in the police - it is not necessary a golden VIP pass to step into the rail industry.

As my eye sight is not brilliant, I've avoided the driving roles. I've applied for various TOC customer service based roles in 2019/early 2020 only to recieve one rejection after another. One former colleague failed to become a train driver and she is now a HGV driver!

For those of you have successfully made the transition from the police to the railway - you have done really well and all credit to you for successfully making that change.

CJ

 

[Nige Appleby]

In January this year I left the Police with 2 months short of 20 years service to become a trainee driver. There are a number of reasons why I decided to leave, lack or resources, constant scrutiny for just trying to do the right thing, lack of respect, to name just a few. The role of Trainee Train Driver is very sought after and for good reason and I feel extremely fortunate to be in the position I am in now. I have just completed the rules 1 part of my training. Even at this early stage I have absolutely no regrets leaving the Police, my only regret is not leaving sooner. I am excited about the next stages of my training and I am looking forward to actually driving and having the responsibility that comes with it.

 

[dk1]

In January this year I left the Police with 2 months short of 20 years service to become a trainee driver. There are a number of reasons why I decided to leave, lack or resources, constant scrutiny for just trying to do the right thing, lack of respect, to name just a few. The role of Trainee Train Driver is very sought after and for good reason and I feel extremely fortunate to be in the position I am in now. I have just completed the rules 1 part of my training. Even at this early stage I have absolutely no regrets leaving the Police, my only regret is not leaving sooner. I am excited about the next stages of my training and I am looking forward to actually driving and having the responsibility that comes with it.

You’ll love it mate. Hope you get a good DI. I class many of my trainees as my best friends now.

 

[Teddyward]

Did 15 years. Been a depot driver for couple years. Start mainline rules course next week. No regrets whatsoever.

 

[Dan61]

Had an email from Olivia today stating medical email should be arriving to me soon with a date for the New Street course starting 5th July. Fingers crossed medical should be no issue