Youngest female driver?

[notadriver]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/train-enth...st-female-train-driver-171210164.html#tW4KHmC

Train enthusiast fulfills life ambition to become UK's youngest female train driver

Rachie Owen, 21, saw off competition from dozens of older men and will drive First Transpennine Express trains from next month.

A 21-year-old rail fanatic who is so obsessed with trains she has one tattooed on her hand, is on track to fulfill a life-long dream to become the UK's youngest train driver.

Despite train driving being a profession usually favoured by older men, Rachie Owen will soon be the youngest woman ever to take control on the tracks.

Miss Owen from Bangor, Wales, has already worked as an on-board catering assistant, but had to wait until she turned 21 before she could apply for a driver's role.

She won the place on the training course - beating dozens of men in their 30s and 40s after a tough assessment.

From next month, she will be driving trains for First Transpennine Express - taking commuters across the country from Liverpool to Hull.

 

[Monty]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/train-enth...st-female-train-driver-171210164.html#tW4KHmC

I saw that this morning too, good luck to her I say. I hope she has a long and prosperous career.

 

[Driver170]

Fantastic good on you !!!

 

[Cherry_Picker]

We had a 23 year old female driver at our place when she first passed out. Didnt get a mention in the newspaper though!

 

[175001]

She was with me for the Conductors Assessments with Northern 3 years ago in Manchester, and didn't get through. Good on her tho.

 

[Vicpaul]

Tattoo on her hand. Lovely face of the company that

 

[Monty]

Tattoo on her hand. Lovely face of the company that

Hardly noticeable, and since she is driving I don't see how this is an issue. Still I guess people will always try to take issue with something.. :roll:

 

[Vicpaul]

Things are acceptable in this day and age but having a front line member of staff with tattoos on her hands really doesn't cut it for me. Just an opinion

 

[ainsworth74]

I once had a guard (more frontline for passengers than a driver) that had full arm tattoo. He was one of the best guards I've every come across, even with a tattoo, he was a credit to his company (XC).

 

[Vicpaul]

And the surgeon that delivered my daughter was covered in tattoos. I just feel anything that can't be covered doesn't look good. Merely an opinion

 

[Crossover]

I saw that this morning too, good luck to her I say. I hope she has a long and prosperous career.

Likewise

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I once had a guard (more frontline for passengers than a driver) that had full arm tattoo. He was one of the best guards I've every come across, even with a tattoo, he was a credit to his company (XC).

I know the one you mean and completely agree.

 

[TheVicLine]

Saw her at about 3 of the assessments and interviews for the job and we were at the medicals together, didn't know if she was through or not. Nice story and well done to her she was 100% dedicated to getting the position. see you in Feb Rachie.

 

[Lanc688]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/train-enth...st-female-train-driver-171210164.html#tW4KHmC

Well done to the gal I say and I look fwd to meeting her !

Lanc

 

[trentside]

Congratulations to her - there was an article in Rail News a couple of months ago about a girl of a similar age at SWT who was the about to become the 3rd generation of her family to become a driver.

 

[david_VI]

I thought you weren't allowed to be an enthusiast!

 

[gazthomas]

This was added to the BBC news site recently:

A 19 year old female tube driver:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20837356

...The 19-year-old from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, understands why working on the Tube was not just a job for Mr Robinson.

The youngest ever Tube driver also likes to "keep it in the family".

Her father, Phelim, 38, is a manager at Wembley Park station, her 17-year-old brother Phelim is a trainee at the maintenance firm Tube Lines and her godfather is a driver on the Jubilee Line.

Shauni said she and her five younger siblings used to love visiting their father at work.

"I would always get really excited when I would go to see my dad at work.

"Also my dad would always let me make announcements.

"I was like a bubbly young child so when I made the announcement the customers on the platforms would laugh and you could see them on the CCTV.

"That's probably my favourite memory and who knew that about 10 years later I would be doing it myself."

She joined the Underground two years ago after her father told her about an apprenticeship scheme, and her colleagues became her "second family".....

Not sure if she's on the Victoria line

 

[AlterEgo]

Things are acceptable in this day and age but having a front line member of staff with tattoos on her hands really doesn't cut it for me. Just an opinion

What a shame that a positive thread about a young person getting into a decent career is brought down by such sniping.

Good for her, and I don't care if she's got a tattoo on her hand or not. Thankfully it seems drivers are employed for their ability to actually drive a train rather than whether they can resist the lure of a tattooist's needle.

 

[NHG66]

Good luck to the girl, she has achieved her dream job no doubt through determination and having what it takes, I for one wish her all the best.

I am pretty certain that she would not of been selected had she not met all of the criteria and shown the relevant attributes through the selection process.

I do not recall being asked if I had tattoos during my selection and see absolutely no reason why it should be an issue. It's not as though being tattoed is an exception these days.

 

[Max]

Shame there aren't more equally attractive young female rail enthusiasts out there (or maybe there are and they're just in hiding?)!

In all seriousness though, good on her, a fantastic achievement for somebody of her age (whether female or male!).

 

[aspierail]

This is excellent news and hopefully she has a successful career.

 

[Harbon 1]

I thought you weren't allowed to be an enthusiast!

I was under that impression as well!

Congratulations for her though!

 

[Ivo]

Shame there aren't more equally attractive young female rail enthusiasts out there (or maybe there are and they're just in hiding?)!

It was just a matter of time before someone made a post like this

Not to take away from the matter at hand though. Well done to the lass - the reasoning behind her deed poll says a lot about her love for trains! - and all the best for her at TPE. We shall just have to see what happens to her in the future, especially after the franchise changes...

 

[Beveridges]

I thought you weren't allowed to be an enthusiast!

Something which many people keep quiet in the Interview and sometimes don't even dare mention it to any colleges even after getting the job!
It's a shame the spotter has got such a bad name, the hobby's image being let down by a noteable number of neds.
If you work on the railway you instead have to talk about Football and Cars in the messroom, and moan about how bad the job is.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Shame there aren't more equally attractive young female rail enthusiasts out there (or maybe there are and they're just in hiding?)!

In all seriousness though, good on her, a fantastic achievement for somebody of her age (whether female or male!).

Its what most of us thought when we clicked on the link.

Congratulations to her. As with anyone else who gets a job!

 

[Crossover]

It was just a matter of time before someone made a post like this

Indeed it was...but I know who I expected to be the first to mention it :P
</offtopic>

 

[Lewisham2221]

Shame there aren't more equally attractive young female rail enthusiasts out there (or maybe there are and they're just in hiding?)!

In all seriousness though, good on her, a fantastic achievement for somebody of her age (whether female or male!).

She's probably thinking "Shame there aren't more equally attractive young male rail enthusiasts out there"

 

[Mintona]

She does come across as a bit strange in that piece, but then many would say that is an advantage for a train driver. I also know that journalists can be 'economical' with the truth.

I do resent being called old though!

 

[Silv1983]

The detective in me looked at her profile on Facebook. She's writing a book about her experience. Should be interesting. Other than that I won't judge..

 

[Max]

She's probably thinking "Shame there aren't more equally attractive young male rail enthusiasts out there"

They might just be playing their cards close to their chest!

And apologies, I certainly didn't mean to offend anybody.