How insulting. Do you really think that all of us, all of the time just sit in the cab 'watching receding track'? Yes, there are a minority of Guards who do that, but your comments are a slur against those of us that take pride in our profession.
As a Guard, I control the safety of the train, inside and out, well beyond the occasional pressing of buttons. I analyse and monitor the platform train interface, reacting to anything with the potential to affect passenger safety. I check and issue travel documents, I offer journey advice to passengers. I keep them updated when things go wrong, and my professional route knowledge and operational understanding means I have full understanding of what can cause delays and affect journeys. I observe and report train faults, from vital safety systems when the driver needs to concentrate on driving to plug sockets and WiFi. I manage other staff, from ticket examiners to catering stewards, and look after their welfare and make sure they're delivering a good service. I assist passengers who are less able on to and off the train, and can use all kinds of tools to make their journeys as seamless as possible. I have helped my driver clear trees from the line, been a competent person during the failure of vital safety systems, and made emergency calls to signallers to protect my own train and others.
I am a Guard - not a supervisor or a host or whatever other buzzword is the next - and I have value to my passengers, to my driver and to the wider safety of the railway.
I know some people on here would relish the end of staff presence on trains so there isn't someone to challenge them on this week's ticket loophole or charge them for being on the wrong train with an Advance ticket - but I really believe there is a case for the safety trained, passenger-focused, hard-working guard.
On the other hand, a common observation at my TOC is the ones wearing the yellow RMT campaign badges are the ones who live in the back cab...