Question for Drivers

[E&W Lucas]

There's lots of bandwidth expended on here wondering how to get our job. Many assume that you need to work in the industry first; that's not been what I've found, and was not the case with the majority that I have been involved in training.

Did any of you work in other roles within the industry, or did you go straight in as a trainee driver?

Personally, I had no prior mainline rail experience whatsoever.

 

[TDK]

There's lots of bandwidth expended on here wondering how to get our job. Many assume that you need to work in the industry first; that's not been what I've found, and was not the case with the majority that I have been involved in training.

Did any of you work in other roles within the industry, or did you go straight in as a trainee driver?

Personally, I had no prior mainline rail experience whatsoever.

I ran my own building company, applied off my own back with a letter and CV and got a trainee drivers job within 2 weeks one of the first driver 2000 applicants, best thing I ever did.

I think that many people on here asking what needs to be done may be better off doing their own thing.

 

[Latecomer]

I am not a driver yet but I commence training very shortly. I am in my mid forties and have never worked in the rail industry before. I got a sense that my new employers valued the experience I had obtained throughout my previous employment in dealing with incidents and challenging situations as well as my general life experience and reliability.

 

[turbo mick]

I joined the railway at 18 as a trainman G for 5yrs then passed my drivers aptitude test got trainman D job for two years then got my drivers job passed out April 96 till present.

mick

 

[apestyler]

Just about to start as a trainee driver. I have no prior Railway experience and I'm in my late 20s. First time I got passed the application sift (which took a few years trying) I made it all the way through first time.

My previous jobs were all in IT (various roles) but I also have some private pilot experience which helped me out massively at the structured interview.

 

[RPM]

I started as a booking clerk, then was a retail duty manager for a bit, then an area station manager. I enjoyed the latter job very much but the money was dismal. The opportunity came up to take the driver assessment and to my great surprise I passed. I was the only trainee driver in my group of 10 who wasn't new to the industry.

 

[driver9000]

I started as a Trainee Driver aged 22 with no prior railway experience.

I spent a lot of years applying for various railway jobs with various companies, most of which are no longer with us, until I struck gold with the offer of a place in the driving school

 

[Rugd1022]

Started as a Traction Trainee / Secondman in 1982, left the job after a few years (always regretted it) then came back as a Shunter with EWS, landed a Driver's job soon after and have never looked back. Still pinching myself on a regular basis, the good days always seem to outweigh the bad and I'm l lucky enough to have a quite varied route card. This coming week I'll be pootling between Oxford and Stud Farm from Monday to Friday, a favourite job and a rare treat on days

 

[garytmoss]

Hi,
I'm due to start as a trainee train driver on 31st October,early 40's, no previous railway experience,last 15 years in the Fire Service.

Can't wait!

 

[Minilad]

Applied for lots of jobs with BR in the early 80s but got nowhere. Went off and did other things until the mid 90s. Then got on the railway as a ticket office clerk. Then supervisor. After 3 years at that applied for and got a senior conductor job. Been a driver since 2001 and loving every minute. There were 10 on my course but only 2 had no railway experience

 

[pendolino]

Boil in the bag here, no previous experience.

 

[Redahead]

I worked within BR - not as traincrew or anything similar - for a few years in the 1990's at the start of my working life. However, for the 13 years prior to getting in as a trainee driver a couple of years ago (at the first attempt in my late thirties) I had a completely unrelated profession, and the BR years didn't even make it onto my application form or interview.

Good thread thanks!

 

[tirphil]

Started in TOPS in 2000. Also did a bit of train running monitoring, resourcing assisting TCS', bit of shunting before being appointed to the footplate in September 2004. I'm like Rugd1022 in that I can't believe how lucky I am.

Prior to the railway, I did various jobs, collecting trolleys and stacking shelves in a supermarket and working in a slaughter house amongst other things.

 

[Pacerpilot]

I was an RAF Aircraft Engineer for 9 years, then did a bit of shunting before being offered a position on a Driver's Course.
There were 7 on my course, (4 former Armed Forces engineers) but only one from outside the industry. Two fitters, two shunters, a Guard, a lad from Depot stores and Firefighter.

 

[Lady]

I'm in my early thirties with no prior railway experience and about to start as a Trainee Train Driver. It was my first application and I was lucky enough to get through. My previous experience was working in housing and, previous to that, working with adults with mental health and drug issues.

 

[Kneedown]

Started as a YTS trainee in 1985. Got taken on as messenger lad 6 months later. Had a short stint as a paytrain Guard before getting a Secondmans job in 87. Passed as a Driver just over 2 years later.

 

[Safety365]

BA: Film & Television Studies. Did stints at McDonald's, Sainsbury's, Forest labouring. Became a Conductor Aug '09. 18 months later, I got on a Trainee Drivers course with another TOC. All being well, I qualify end of November.

 

[wessex]

Aged 45, no railway experience before, but 20 years in the prison service, best move I ever made, I love driving trains