Passengers thanking Drivers

[NoRoute]

It feels as though many passengers find it odd to thank a train driver ?

Well it is odd because as a train passenger you pretty much never see the driver, so there's no opportunity to thank them.

On a bus or coach you see the driver when boarding, purchasing or validating your ticket and see them again when you leave, so it's easy to say thank you as you get off the bus. Same with flight crew who wait by the doors when you leave.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I've only seen the posh woman on the old To The Manor Born program do that, she thanked her train driver.

That was my immediate thought as soon as I saw the title of this thread! It's at 02:00 in this clip

 

[D6130]

That was my immediate thought as soon as I saw the title of this thread! It's at 02:00 in this clip

Does anyone recognise the station?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does anyone recognise the station?

The "local" station featured on that particular episode of "To the Manor Born" is Maiden Newton on the Heart of Wessex line between Chetnole and Dorchester West.

You can briefly see the real station name near the end of the programme on the platform signage when the DMU on which the Richard De Vere character is travelling (as played by the recently deceased actor Peter Bowles) pulls out of the station.

Previously discussed here...

To The Manor Born Railway episode-Where was it filmed?

Hi, I was watching an old episode (1981?) of "To The Manor Born" recently, this was about the proposed closure of the local railway station, which in the programme was called, I think, Marlbury? I was wondering if anyone knows where the train and station shots where filmed.? Some of the...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Domeyhead]

I do if we are at a terminus and I have to walk past the front of the train. It's nice to be appreciated and a bit of friendliness doesn't cost anything.

 

[Ken H]

Well it is odd because as a train passenger you pretty much never see the driver, so there's no opportunity to thank them.

On a bus or coach you see the driver when boarding, purchasing or validating your ticket and see them again when you leave, so it's easy to say thank you as you get off the bus. Same with flight crew who wait by the doors when you leave.

pretty much like when there were back loader buses with conductors. You never saw the driver then except the back of his head!

 

[Tom125]

I live next to a request stop on the Cambrian coast, when I get off I normally wave to the guard as a thank you for arranging for the train to stop. Saying thank you to the driver is a little difficult because they are quite correctly in the cab, sometimes when I board I say “good morning” to the driver (when they have their head out of the window for a look) but that is rarer. Perhaps it’s branch-line life but I find the transport for wales staff on the coast very kind and polite.

 

[Requeststop]

I was taught from a very young age that politeness and curtesy costs nothing. Nowadays it's not always possible to thank a driver as you are rushed at stations to make your way out of the station if you are at an intermediate stop. Sometimes the driver at the terminal has rushed away to the loo already, or you cannot see into the cab to give them a wave of thanks as you've walked up from the opposite end of the train, collected you luggage and fought your way through the other passengers. I do think my thanks for a safe arrival often. It's instinctive. And to all drivers and other staff on board the train any train I've travelled on, even if for a ride from one station to the next - my thanks to you all.

 

[Whistler40145]

I always thank drivers on railtours, especially when they've given a good performance with the loco or locos

 

[Sprinter107]

We rarely get thanked. I can go months and months without a thank you. But its always lovely when somebody takes the time to do so.

 

[David57]

I always nod and say thanks to any crew members on the platform when I alight, unless of course they are at the other end of an 11 car Pendolino or similar.

I do sometimes wonder whether bus drivers get fed up with having to acknowledge maybe 30 passengers getting off at the terminus stop and each one saying thank you.

As a former bus driver, I never got tired of people thanking me, and I would respond accordingly.

 

[Edsmith]

A Southeastern driver said that during lockdown it became more common for passengers waiting on the platform to give a wave or a thumbs up or some sort of acknowledgement as you pulled in which was nice. I'd be more likely to thank the guard when leaving the train.

 

[peteb]

I've thanked SNCF drivers of loco hauled TER long distance trains, especially where they've rocketed between stops! On the Lyon to Paris route the drivers seem to have to lean out of the cab or stand at the door to get the right away at intermediate stops, and with slack timings and super fast loco driving they often have 2/3 minutes to chat. Topics have included which preserved lines they hope to visit in the UK, loco performance and driving techniques and the ability (seemingly) to brake to a stop from 100km/h in a platform length!!

 

[6Gman]

On smaller routes in London on quiet roads, two drivers in opposite directions can stop and lower their windows for a brief chat. The logistics of doing such a thing on the railway would be interesting...

There was an incident at Stafford some years ago where someone southbound had failed within the neutral section.

Northbound train stopped alongside to ask what was wrong.

Also within the neutral.

Bad idea.

A Southeastern driver said that during lockdown it became more common for passengers waiting on the platform to give a wave or a thumbs up or some sort of acknowledgement as you pulled in which was nice. I'd be more likely to thank the guard when leaving the train.

During the first lockdown our daily exercise usually took us alongside the WCML where drivers and (in particular) Train Managers were putting themselves at risk to keep things moving.

We would applaud passing trains (usually prompting a response on the horn).

I hope they realised why we were doing it (and that we weren't just the local eccentrics), and only sorry the TMs probably didn't see us.

I live next to a request stop on the Cambrian coast, when I get off I normally wave to the guard as a thank you for arranging for the train to stop. Saying thank you to the driver is a little difficult because they are quite correctly in the cab, sometimes when I board I say “good morning” to the driver (when they have their head out of the window for a look) but that is rarer. Perhaps it’s branch-line life but I find the transport for wales staff on the coast very kind and polite.

I was depot editor for Machynlleth and Pwllheli in Central Trains days (possibly because I was the only person in the office who could pronounce them correctly).

The staff at both depots were a pleasure to work with.

 

[D6968]

Always try to Acknowledge railway staff where I can, please’s and thank you’s don’t cost much, came to something a few years ago when 37425’s driver came over to me and asked if I’d enjoyed myself a few years ago one summer Saturday evening at Norwich!

 

[antharro]

When I'm out spending an afternoon/day on the trains and I end up and terminus stations, then I'll try to say thanks to the driver if they're around. Same with the guard if they haven't been through the train and I see them. When I'm commuting and not ending up at terminus stations then it's a bit harder unless I'm walking past the cab on the way out or the driver has their head out of the window - rarer these days.

Always say thanks to bus drivers when I get on and wave to their mirror on the way out (assuming a London bus with exit doors in the middle).

 

[Sapphire Blue]

I always thank the guard, either verbally or with a wave if at a different door, and also the driver if I see them - but this quite rare.

This thread, however, has got me thinking, especially the drivers who say they appreciate these rare acknowledgements.

Next time I travel (probably Friday HUD>SOP) I shall thank the guard and ask him to convey my thanks to the driver.

 

[LowLevel]

I can only speak as a guard but plenty of people thank me. I'm also surprised how many people who've gotten off further down the train wave goodbye as they leave the platform, especially at rural stations. It's nice - the railway should, where possible, be a friendly place for everyone.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

For me, it's usually a "thank you", "cheers" or "good night" to the conductor as I get off my train home as he's directly in the passenger role and usually ends up in my carriage after doing his passenger duties.

I will sometimes thank the driver at a quieter terminal if he's getting out the cab as I walk by but I won't disturb him/her unnecessarily

A bit of an isolated incident but I did try to remind a driver that he still had his tail lights on seconds before due departure; at first he didn't wish to acknowledge me, but then got huffy when he pulled down his window to ask what I wanted....

 

[Geezertronic]

If I got off at Euston from Coach A (last coach), I wouldn't know who the driver was from the few uniformed members of staff that may be walking down the platform. Thanking a bus driver is different because you actively interact with them on entry and exit so it is completely different to a train driver who, in the main, is hidden away from site

 

[Typhoon]

Similarly, if I am travelling towards the rear of the train, I will tend to walk away from the coaches in an effort to reach the exit gates with my ankles unbruised by those passengers who seem to use their wheely luggage as an offensive weapon.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I think back in the day tipping the train driver was a thing. Not sure it wasnt actually a bribe to achieve an early arrival. Think it was mentioned in an accident report.

I remember that one Sunday in August 65 arriving at Waterloo after a bashing trip to Southampton and Eastleigh. I think we had a rebuilt light pacific on the front and, standing at the buffer stops, I saw a passenger tip the footplate crew. Only time i ever saw it.

 

[Runningaround]

I might thank the guard after checking my ticket if I could ever find one.

I live next to a request stop on the Cambrian coast, when I get off I normally wave to the guard as a thank you for arranging for the train to stop. Saying thank you to the driver is a little difficult because they are quite correctly in the cab, sometimes when I board I say “good morning” to the driver (when they have their head out of the window for a look) but that is rarer. Perhaps it’s branch-line life but I find the transport for wales staff on the coast very kind and polite.

You wave to the driver before you get on though

 

[L401CJF]

Often get a thank you off folk as a guard when I'm on the platform, seems less common for drivers to get a thank you unless theyre standing by the cab door on arrival at the terminus - I have thanked the driver myself in the past - My old local station has the exit steps at the front of the train, you'd often get most people thanking the driver as they walked past if their window was open.

Not quite the same, but I was waiting late one night for a freight working to pass through. The last service of the night rolled up and the driver stopped next to me. He asked what I was up to etc - bit odd to lurk at a quiet station and miss the last train, told him what I was waiting for, and he replied with "I saw it on the way down, its waiting at Dee Marsh until we have cleared the section and the possession can commence".

I'm not one to talk to drivers about spotting etc, but thought itd be better to tell him why I'm there than have BTP phoned or something!

 

[BoroAndy]

On this thread, a few mentions of drivers being long gone by the time passengers go past the cab, so does this mean a driver can leg it quick, and does not have a series of procedures to check or complete before leaving his post?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

On this thread, a few mentions of drivers being long gone by the time passengers go past the cab, so does this mean a driver can leg it quick, and does not have a series of procedures to check or complete before leaving his post?

Depends on the traction

On most of the stock I travel on, the driver is able to leave the cab quite swiftly upon arrival at a terminus

 

[Dieseldriver]

On this thread, a few mentions of drivers being long gone by the time passengers go past the cab, so does this mean a driver can leg it quick, and does not have a series of procedures to check or complete before leaving his post?

Depends on the traction. I personally try to key off and run away as quickly as possible so I’m not mobbed by crowds of passengers trying to thank me

 

[L401CJF]

On this thread, a few mentions of drivers being long gone by the time passengers go past the cab, so does this mean a driver can leg it quick, and does not have a series of procedures to check or complete before leaving his post?

Id imagine its a case of stop, set brake to appropriate position, set tail lights, set DRA, desk off, key out, off you go - not necessarily that order, im not a driver! As far as I know most in cab systems GSMR etc all log out/deregister automatically once desk is shut down.

 

[NEDdrv]

Often used to get a thank you pre Covid when terminating in bays at Newcastle or at Edinburgh when passengers have to walk past cab, always reply and smile. Remember years ago getting an envelope from the Train Manager addressed to Mr Driver at Newcastle that had a handwritten kids letter thanking me for a safe journey with a £10 note in it as well, this was given to a charity collection my depot was running at the time. This really made my day.

 

[30907]

I got off a northbound train at Ribblehead. As I waited to cross the line*, I thanked the driver. And i have only travelled from Horton.

*I didnt think darting across the crossing while the guard was despatching the train was a good idea!

Glad you did. There's announcements on board now!