Why do you want to work on the railway?

[Nevillehill]

I currently work on the Railway and reading through these forums wonder what the interest is in the railway.

 

[Tubeboy]

I joined LUL 12 years ago.

Good money, good pension, not the normal 9-5, interesting work. Great colleagues to work with.

 

[plastictaffy]

Plenty of overtime if you want it, and, to be honest, it's a good screw. I know of nowhere else I could earn what I earn for doing, frankly, not a lot.

The position I'm in is purely a stepping stone to driver.

 

[HLE]

Not the salary so much for me.

More about not being stuck in a 9-5 office job.

 

[l0c0m0t1ve]

I would say for me, apart from the salary and job security. The fact that it's something I enjoy (though I am fairly new), the people I work with and also the fact that every turn is different!

 

[ComUtoR]

I currently work on the Railway and reading through these forums wonder what the interest is in the railway.

What was yours ?

 

[leaffall]

I had worked in Road Transport for thirty years and I was fed up with steering

 

[scott118]

Plenty of overtime if you want it, and, to be honest, it's a good screw. I know of nowhere else I could earn what I earn for doing, frankly, not a lot.

The position I'm in is purely a stepping stone to driver.

you'll make the driver grade will you?

 

[HSTfan!!!]

It was following in family footsteps for me with an interest from a young age.

 

[jay3562]

i joined the railway about 6 years ago after becoming dissatisfied in retail management . For me I enjoy the fact that you only have to work till your booked time and then can go home without a care in the world .

The only time I ever "take work home" is when my rules are coming up and I have to get the books out and have a quick refresh . Apart from that you go to work , do your bit , come home and thing about anything but work .

The only thing I dont particularly like is that because of the shifts you have to keep your own means of transport . In jobs I have done before I could rely wholly on public transport and had no need for a car . Now though living 15 miles from work and having to be there before or after public transport is running means I have to keep a car and all of the associated costs and stresses of that

 

[wensley]

It's going to sound cliche'd ... but I enjoy the fact that every day is different; one phone call or email and your entire working day can have been turned upside down!

My role involves a lot of problem solving, and I enjoy being challenged to achieve goals in what can be very difficult circustances.

Aside from that, you get away from the 9-5, get to see some great parts of the country at all times of day in all seasons, and work with some great folk to boot.

Yes the hours can be long and there's plenty of stress from time-to-time, but that's all part of the fun

 

[Nevillehill]

It was following in family footsteps for me with an interest from a young age.

Reason I asked is that most people just want a job, but if your interested in railways some people don't mention this at interview because they might think you'll be looking at trains all the time.

 

[beavercreek]

Always wanted to drive trains and luckily enough I now do.

 

[Gemz91]

I just wanted a job, saw a job for a customer host and applied for it. Didn't quite realise how good the benefits were of working on the railways when I first applied.

 

[TDK]

Money, Security, Pension and only 35 hours a week

 

[leaffall]

Reason I asked is that most people just want a job, but if your interested in railways some people don't mention this at interview because they might think you'll be looking at trains all the time.

There's nothing wrong with having an interest. I recall at my interview I said that I was enthusiastic without bring an enthusiast, a bit if an oxymoron but it made them chuckle, alarm bells will only ring if you display an obsessive interest.

 

[cossie4i]

Always wanted to drive trains and luckily enough I now do.

Same here, it's the only job I ever wanted to do and like yourself count myself lucky that I do a job I enjoy.

I started straight from school as a Secondman and passed in 1991.

 

[plastictaffy]

you'll make the driver grade will you?

That's the plan. If I don't, I've lost nowt!!! I've already failed once, so the odds aren't exactly stacked in my favout, but positive thought and all that.

 

[carriageline]

Love the 'family' feel, the responsibility and knowing how many lives you are affecting with every mouse click. Personally, the 'mental' side of me enjoy it when we have bad days, as it's a challenge and get to do things we rarely do, but of course for the customer, and Network Rail it is awful. Oh, and as much as I loathe them at times, shift works. Affords me luxuries such as avoiding rush hours, normally have a good amount of the day before/after work, and get benefits like long weekends off FOC

And of course, it's as secure as can be these days, the money is fantastic, decent pension and my local management are pretty decent.

 

[TomBoyd]

with every mouse click.

a mouse! luxury!

I joined because i needed a job that wasnt teaching. I'm staying because I love it all. The pay, the work, the people.

 

[alxndr]

The military won't have me, and this is the only other thing I could imagine doing.
I wanted something hands on, but didn't fancy ending up coin a power station or factory. Shifts have always appealed for some strange reason, I enjoy seeing times of the day/night most others don't and the days off it brings

Being part of something with fantastic history and getting a flat out of them for a few years is just a great bonus.