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Progression towards Train Driving as a Career Path

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DunfordBridge

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For ther past few days, I have been wrestling with the concept of how people progress towards the role of train driver (and railway careers in general) and the career paths they have chosen before attaining a position on the railways.

I understand that there are the usual options such as serving in the police, working as a bus or coach driver and maybe having qualified as an airline pilot. I would be somewhat interested in learning about the experience of others in pursuing the role of train driver.
 
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mick2472

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1 Apr 2014
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Ive just applied for a trainee driver . For the last 12 years ive been a firefighter and before that I was in the army
 

Mike-

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I don't think there is any set career. I have a Masters degree in Strategic Management and have spent the last sixth months working for a Share Plan Management company in an office :)

Although I'm not actually a train driver, I have passed assessments and I'm off for a medical next week.
 

jadam35

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For ther past few days, I have been wrestling with the concept of how people progress towards the role of train driver (and railway careers in general) and the career paths they have chosen before attaining a position on the railways.

I understand that there are the usual options such as serving in the police, working as a bus or coach driver and maybe having qualified as an airline pilot. I would be somewhat interested in learning about the experience of others in pursuing the role of train driver.

My last 3 jobs before my current role as Train Conductor: Postman, Lab Technician and..................Train Conductor.. my second time in this role.
 

Jydo

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10 Nov 2013
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I have a background in logistics, worked in a warehouse for 8 years on the nightshift for a parcel company called Lynx Express, moved onto driving and held a franchise within the same company for 3 years being self employed. I am now a UPS driver, they successfully bought Lynx a few years ago and I became a driver with them in 2008. I am 35 years old.

For any of you railway historians out there Lynx Express bought Red Star Parcels years ago...
 

Saltire

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I've just applied for a post as a trainee train driver too, I started off doing an apprenticeship on the railways, completing that then after only a year "on the tools" the threat of redundancy from privitisation made me look elsewhere - like mick2472 I am also working as a firefighter (19 years service) and need a change, I'm also a qualified driving instructor :)
 

Louby

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For ther past few days, I have been wrestling with the concept of how people progress towards the role of train driver (and railway careers in general) and the career paths they have chosen before attaining a position on the railways.

I understand that there are the usual options such as serving in the police, working as a bus or coach driver and maybe having qualified as an airline pilot. I would be somewhat interested in learning about the experience of others in pursuing the role of train driver.

I've just pasted all the assessments, currently work in the civil service but used to be a bus driver :D
 

Holt0121

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I'm ex army and currently in the police.... Been given a start date for june as a trainee train driver for southern....
 

HSTfan!!!

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Worked in fast food whilst at 6th form college, did various station roles, mainly train dispatch, then became a freight shunter for 8 months before being promoted onto a driving course.
 

peamix

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Currently working as Customer Services Manager dealing with issues raised by Network Rail infrastructure maintenance teams. Have passed stages 1 & 2 and now sat in the EMT talent pool for trainee driver.
 

Beveridges

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Starting as Platform staff or Guard then moving to Driver is extremely common in the companies that recruit regularly in large numbers.

These are the companies to target for beginners.

This is a very well trodden path.
 
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chrisinbeds

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For 18 years I worked in retail and retail distribution. I have been in the railway industry for 10 months now working in the Train Presentation area but have caught the railway bug and I like to drive and think I will love driving trains if I am successful through the selection process. Which TOC have you all applied for?
 

Minilad

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Pre railway I have worked in catering then bus driving then fork lift truck driving at Rover / Land Rover. Always wanted a job on the railway though.
Started on the railway in a ticket office with Central Trains at Longbridge then got a Senior Conductor job at New St before finally bagging a driver job with Cross Country in 2001
 

RB5Bird

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7 Nov 2013
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I'm due to start a training course in May. I applied last year as the timing fitted in with leaving the RAF, never really thought about train driving as a career, but I'm really quite excited about it now.

Will make a change from fixing Chinooks. If I'd not got through the driver assessments, I would have gone into the engineering side of it more than likely.
 

ctufudgey

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25 Sep 2013
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I've been in teaching for the last 10 years, in various roles, but next week I start training as a train driver. I have to say I'm really looking forward to it!
 

91104

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21 Jun 2013
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I think I got lucky,left school at 16 with no qualifications whatsoever and one day my Mum who was a carriage cleaner at Ilford depot at the time said "I've got you an interview on the railway,you need to bring some money in and pay your way" and despite my best efforts to flunk it they still gave me a job. That was back in 1991 and now driving trains for East Coast and still loving it!!
 

Bluebri

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Submariner - Civil Servant - Self Employed -??????

Passed my Driver assessments, awaiting a start date for MDD, also in the running for trainee Conductor and Driver positions. Would love to get straight in as a driver, but will be more than happy with the other roles I am applying for. From what i have heard from speaking to others already working in the industry, it is one of the last remaining 'jobs for life', with incredible pay and benefits i.e. the Pension.
 

TDK

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I was a Builder/Decorator running my own business for 20 years and one day I met a train driver mate and he told me that there were vacancies at a local depot and to apply and he would put a good word in for me. I applied off my own back without an application form with a letter to HR on a Thursday, I was called by HR on the following Monday to attend psychometric testing on following Thursday, passed all the tests, had my managers interview the following Monday and the medical the very next Wednesday and was doing my PTS training the following week. So from application to start was 17 days. Just got lucky I suppose
 

roystinho

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I've been in teaching for the last 10 years, in various roles, but next week I start training as a train driver. I have to say I'm really looking forward to it!

That bodes well, it's where I currently am and where I'm aiming for
 

DunfordBridge

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It was fascinating to read about the responses from various members who replied to my thread. Out of interest, has anyone on the forum ever attained the role of train driver having previously worked as a truck driver for any of the supermarket chains?

The reason I ask is that I have been subject to tail-gaiting by truck drivers on a few occasions this week and it strikes me that those drivers working for the supermarkets seem to be the most motivated for working to rules and procedures; ie, adhering to the national speed limit and not exceeding it by a significant margin. Not sure if anyone else has become aware of that.
 

Andy-mc

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I finished school after GCSE and ended up working at KFC. While there I gained enough customer service experience to pass an interview with a TOC to work in a booking office. Since then I've been trained on other station duties including train dispatch and am currently going through the recruitment process to drive for freightliner with the hope of being successful
 

Albatross

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I was just walking past Northerns offices at Piccadilly one day and somebody threw a sack over my head and dragged me into the building.

I've been here a few years now and they won't let me out.
 
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My background was food retail management with a couple of years on cruise ships in between! I applied last august and was on a training course in November! Just coming to the end of my driving hours and will hopefully be qualified by the end of October!
 

TDK

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My background was food retail management with a couple of years on cruise ships in between! I applied last august and was on a training course in November! Just coming to the end of my driving hours and will hopefully be qualified by the end of October!

Just ready for the leaf fall season :)
 

Legzr1

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The reason I ask is that I have been subject to tail-gaiting by truck drivers on a few occasions this week and it strikes me that those drivers working for the supermarkets seem to be the most motivated for working to rules and procedures; ie, adhering to the national speed limit and not exceeding it by a significant margin. Not sure if anyone else has become aware of that.

There are lots of truck drivers now driving trains both freight and pass.

Tailgating - I see it happening regularly on 50mph sections of road. There is no need for it.
However, on 70 mph roads I understand a truck drivers frustration when they're travelling at a (limited) 56mph and the car in front decides that 48mph is the speed he and the three mile tailback will travel at.
 

DunfordBridge

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Yes, 48mph is certainly quite strange on a road with a limit of 70 for cars that are not towing but at least on such roads you have the option of overtaking in the adjacent lane if conditions are favourable.

One of my bugbears is when I am travelling at 30 or 40mph in urban areas and a queue is forming behind me because no-one else seems to think the limits apply to them.
 
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