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Women train driver ?

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rakoczigabi

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8 Nov 2015
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Andover / Basingstoke
Hello,

I started my railway carrier 3 months ago , and after my 6 months probation I've been told i can apply for internal jobs.

I always wanted to become a driver, but I'm not sure how many ladies do this job?

At my station I haven't seen any, I saw a few drive past us but I cant ask them.

Spoke with bloke drivers and they love their jobs and couldn't change it for anything else, and they told me that I should apply.

So now I'm really thinking to give it a go when I can.

Is there any women drivers are here? Could you please give me some advise?

Thank you.
 
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Cherry_Picker

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There are women train drivers about. I'd guess the grade is 90% male (certainly at depots I'm aware of) but it's far from a closed shop and more women are coming into the grade every year.
 

GMT

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I take my train very early mornings at Gillingham and I've seen women in the cabin perhaps a couple of times only. But I have the feeling that in the depots within London there are many more.

However, I have seen women driving trains a few times when catching trains in London (recently Herne Hill - Southeastern and Elephant & Castle - Thameslink).

Just apply, don't think about it; I think they have encouraged ladies to become train drivers, especially with the recent development of Crossrail. I know one who drives the tube in London.
 

trentside

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Plenty of women in the driving grade, though it's still male dominated.

Make sure you study up on here about what to expect from the application process and once you think you're ready then go for it. My advice would be not to rush anything, it's a competitive process to get a trainee driver role and some railway experience can really go a long way to helping you through.
 

ComUtoR

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The good thing about being a Train Driver is that its very gender neutral. The opportunities are the same and the application process is the same. You pass the tests the same as everyone else.

If you want to go for it then the only advice I can give is to man up and apply. <D

As to Women Drivers. We got loads of them.
 

Flying_Turtle

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Nowadays railways don't have any problems with women driverss. From the safety point of view they are even better than men as they can focus for longer periods of time doing repetitive tasks. The problem is to find women who are really prepared to accept the train driver life style and the impact it has on family life.
Let s face it, altough laws now,thankfully, gives us all fairness in job access, family life is still very traditional. Thus, it is my belief that even that companies, despite their best efforts, simply still don't have enough women candidates(you can be a bit more flexible on the requisites but not that much) to clear away the image of a male job.
 

Class2ldn

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Nowadays railways don't have any problems with women driverss. From the safety point of view they are even better than men as they can focus for longer periods of time doing repetitive tasks.

What a load of ****.
If they can do tge job great but to say they are better then the guys is ridiculous.
This isn't a job where gender is an issue, everybody makes mistakes regardless of gender
 
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R Trevithick

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Go for it.

There are loads of female drivers at my depot and many more throughout the company.

Good luck
 

HLE

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There's more than you'd think!! And generally the ladies are just as happy with the job in my experience.

The old style prejudice doesn't exist anywhere near as much as it used to.

Go for it. Many do. Some get in, some don't. Exactly the same as men.
 

jon0844

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Loads of female drivers on Great Northern going by the PA announcements a I've heard, and there are probably many more that I wouldn't know about unless checking the cab as the train comes in.
 

Johncleesefan

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The pa announcements will be the guard. We have a few women drivers at my depot.
Where's proof that women make better drivers then?
 

Johncleesefan

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Ah great northern is thameslink isn't it. But do doo drivers really have to announce stations, I thought it was all automated and they use pa when required
 

whoosh

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No auto PA on class 313's.

Plus I think most people can tell an automated announcement which has been recorded and spliced together, and a real life person speaking live!


And yes, there are quite a few female drivers on Great Northern now.
 
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amateur

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Only if you drive In heels. Pumps or flat shoes are strictly prohibited!
 

theironroad

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Only if you drive In heels. Pumps or flat shoes are strictly prohibited!

Very topical... I'd like to see it on the ballast.

More seriously, people who say that there are 'loads' of women drivers are being a little economical with the truth.

Iirc,from the aslef journal article a year or two ago, about 2% of drivers were women, yes 2%, which in my opinion is woefully low in 2016 and yes I'm a male driver and my Depot is less than 5%.

I'd be interested to know what the stats are at each stage of application/training to see what the reasons are for such low numbers.

I think the Tube and Heathrow Express have higher % women due to encouraging women to apply.

I'd echo the go for it message as there are really no reasons not to apply if its a job you wanted.
 

sarahj

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There are a few, but the numbers are low in that you know all their names. A lot of male drivers seem to come from a stamping shop*, you might know their faces, but their names????

But don't let that putt you off. Unless your the shy and retiring sort, you should have no problems. It's all about the team.

* shaved/short hair tick
Bit of stubble, tick
;)
When you see someone who is not a clone, it's sort of, oooooo :lol::lol:
 

jon0844

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Okay, loads wasn't meant to imply 50% (or more) but I'd say it's increasing.

The question is, is the number low because of discrimination or because few women are/were applying? If the latter, you can obviously try and encourage more - but that doesn't mean there's a problem.

I don't think that, bar the chef, there's a single male working at the nursery my child goes to. I assume there's no actual reason to prevent a male child carer? I know it's a bit different, as parents might be concerned, compared to a train where I'd hope nobody was concerned because a woman is in charge.
 

G136GREYHOUND

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Okay, loads wasn't meant to imply 50% (or more) but I'd say it's increasing.

The question is, is the number low because of discrimination or because few women are/were applying? If the latter, you can obviously try and encourage more - but that doesn't mean there's a problem.

I don't think that, bar the chef, there's a single male working at the nursery my child goes to. I assume there's no actual reason to prevent a male child carer? I know it's a bit different, as parents might be concerned, compared to a train where I'd hope nobody was concerned because a woman is in charge.

Loads of women drivers about ! Only difference is they have boobs and male drivers have moobs ! Makes no odds it's 2016 ! So what ? Go for it just research -,same as a man needs to - exactly what's involved in the life restrictions inherent in the job
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Nowadays railways don't have any problems with women driverss. From the safety point of view they are even better than men as they can focus for longer periods of time doing repetitive tasks. The problem is to find women who are really prepared to accept the train driver life style and the impact it has on family life.
Let s face it, altough laws now,thankfully, gives us all fairness in job access, family life is still very traditional. Thus, it is my belief that even that companies, despite their best efforts, simply still don't have enough women candidates(you can be a bit more flexible on the requisites but not that much) to clear away the image of a male job.

Rubbish I know poor female drivers I know poor male drivers but it has no bearing on what genitals they came with !
 

Flying_Turtle

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I generalised... human nature isn t set on stone. Each one is as himself. But in general women do can keep focus for longer periods of time when doing repetitive tasks!
By saying this I am not implying that one or other gender is better than the other. In my turf, one of the best drivers is indeed a woman... as one of the worst is also a woman...
 
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G136GREYHOUND

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I generalised... human nature isn t set on stone. Each one is as himself. But in general women do can keep focus for longer periods of time when doing repetitive tasks!
By saying this I am not implying that one or other gender is better than the other. In my turf, one of the best drivers is indeed a women... as one of the worst is also a women...

I must have misconstrued you and in fact agree with you on your repost
 

Flying_Turtle

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But I can also tell you that I believe that in the UK women have far more opportunies to drive trains than in the most of the world. As discussed on another thread, the UK TOC have no problem whatasoever in admiting people in their 30/40/50's at an age where many women have already rather independent kids (but still dependent on the parents wallet).
 

inthearea

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Great northern female driver over here... think im the 2nd youngest one out there right now ;)!
 

jon0844

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Southern was/is getting some grief for a Tweet showing two female drivers and referring to them as girls. I don't think there was any ill intent but it is the Internet so people will be offended by everything and anything!

Fortunately there don't seem to be the usual sexist remarks from keyboard warriors.
 

ComUtoR

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There is a piece on Women Drivers in the latest internal magazine.

Some figures for your edification.

29 Trainee Drivers 12.08%
62 Drivers 4.14%
 

rakoczigabi

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8 Nov 2015
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Andover / Basingstoke
Hello,

Thanks for everybody's answer. I definitely will give it a go when I can, till then I read everything about drivers on this forum and learn as much as i can.

Thanks again :)
 

Bellbell

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16 Oct 2013
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A Guardian article from a year ago quotes a driver as saying 5% of the grade is female and I feel like I've seen a similar statistic from somewhere else recently.
 

riotcop

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bury
I work at a railway depot and I now of 5 women drivers for virgin trains driving the pendolinos and quiet a few for northern drivers
Go for it i say
 
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