Route learning

[Ndlx]

I’m starting with Scotrail as a trainee train driver on 26th August and looking for some advice:

- How hard and intense is it to learn your routes and what’s the difficulties in doing so?
- How many hours driving do you have to do before you achieve your licence to drive a train solo?
- I’m going to be based at Motherwell. Does anyone know that routes they go?

Thanks

 

[ComUtoR]

- How hard and intense is it to learn your routes and what’s the difficulties in doing so?

Not very tbh. You will pick up a lot of route knowledge by the sheer number of times you drive over them during training. The 'difficult' bit will be the technical knowledge. Specific crossover speeds that are rarely used etc.

- How many hours driving do you have to do before you achieve your licence to drive a train solo?

The RSSB states a minimum of 225hrs

 

[paepo]

I’m starting with Scotrail as a trainee train driver on 26th August and looking for some advice:

- How hard and intense is it to learn your routes and what’s the difficulties in doing so?
- How many hours driving do you have to do before you achieve your licence to drive a train solo?
- I’m going to be based at Motherwell. Does anyone know that routes they go?

Thanks

As stated already, routes are fine as you learn them naturally as you drive, they're probably the easiest thing you'll learn and due to driving them all the time they should stay fresh in your mind. Traction and rules are what many find harder to understand and then remember. The training academy do a good job of teaching these during your first 3 months but then it's up to you to keep on top of your learning and revise them so you don't forget.
ScotRail currently require trainee drivers to do a minimum of 263 hours over a minimum of 70 days driving. On top of that you may need to complete a minimum amount of trips over certain routes and you have to do a certain amount of hours in different traction that you'll drive once passed out.
All the best with the new job, don't worry about what you'll need to learn as the trainers and instructors will deliver it in small amounts that are easy to learn. Even when out of the training school for a week at a time you start to pick things up when doing cab turns just looking out the window.

 

[Ndlx]

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.

How many hours of the 263 are night hours? You mentioned this had to be over a minimum of 70 days, I thought it took around 9 months once our training to get your licence? This is more about the pay aspect, do you achieve your wage rise as a newly qualified driver soon as you achieve your licence?

How intense is the first 3 months training?

Cheers guys

 

[paepo]

Minimum of 70 days but most people go over this, some by a considerable amount due to not having managed all the trips for routes, etc. I know you're obviously keen to know what lies ahead but my advice is to just assume it will take the time it takes. During your time with your DI they will take annual leave, you may also do this so combined that could 4 × 2weeks that you're not driving for due to the DI or yourself being on A/L. You will have a couple of weeks back at the training school doing risk/rules courses, you'll have nightshifts where you're shunting sets about the depot and won't be counted as a day of driving and no hours clocked up as you're not out on the mainline. You could also be sharing a DI with another trainee so only get half the hours driving for that day. Lots of things make it take longer than just 18 weeks with a DI (18 weeks × 4 day week = 72 days driving) Your money goes up the moment you get your licence as that's you out on your own but it goes up in increments as stated in the job advert you applied for.
The first 3 months is slightly harder for some than others. Some breeze through and naturally absorb information, some need to look over notes in the evening when travelling home or when in their hotel room. Some people find the rules easy but the traction difficult as they don't have a mechanical mind and find it daunting. Once they realise it's not anything scary they get on fine.
Don't worry about it, enjoy your time as a trainee and read what your trainer tells you but nothing else. Trying to read ahead leads to problems with misunderstanding, do as your told, follow instruction and you'll fly through with no problems.
Congratulations on getting the job, sit back, relax and look forward to it.

 

[baz962]

Also to mention, the rule book isn't ad daunting as you might think. A lot of the sections, such as aws, tpws, speeds and signs, you will learn day after day while driving. Much of the rule book becomes easier and more clear, while driving with your di.

 

[Ndlx]

I’m looking forward to it but just struggled through the application process to find more off the actual training and shifts etc.

How often do you do nightshifts? I currently do them every 3 sets of shifts so not a hassle if it’s often but just so I know.

 

[ComUtoR]

Put all your fears in a box and close the lid. The hard part really is, finally over. Every course and training plan is designed for someone with no knowledge and no experience. Start to focus on what is immediately ahead and that is PTS/Rules. You still have to pass that before you pass the manual handling stage.

Put a little faith in the system and let yourself learn at your own pace. Manual handling is where you start to apply rules to your role and see how they relate in real time. You need to build a relationship with your Instructor and that is where you need to lean on someone and to learn about how the railway and your depot works.

Learning as each stage comes is invaluable as you get to see it in action. I can sit here and discuss route learning in great detail but much may sound meaningless. Same with rules and traction. There have been posters in the past who have come her asking for knowledge and getting the wrong end of the stick and missing vital understanding. Same with things like rostering and Driver diagrams. Seeing the processes in action and asking the questions when you need clarity and deeper understanding is where you are truly learning.

What also happens is that you start to build up an certain expectation. 263hrs become a target and your frustration will increase the closer you get if you aren't meeting your own expectations. Dark/Night/Day tends to be very imbalanced due to the time of the year you are driving. It's difficult to get dark hours in this time of the year because there is so much daylight. A few Trainees will hit (our) 40hr target and little more but others spend a lot of their hours driving in the dark. It also depends if your Instructor swaps shifts etc. too.

Chill out, plan for PTS and Rules, keep an open mind.