Anyone a train driver...need a career change!

[careercat]

Need a complete change of career. I'm done with teaching - it has destroyed my soul. The only thing that I'm really interested in is becoming a train driver. I know - bit random! I know it's super competitive though.

Is anyone a train driver who could walk me through the process? - How long did it take to get trained up? Anything that helped with your application? Any advice would be much appreciated.

In London you need to work at the station as other staff really to wait for a position to become available

I'm from Leeds and couldn't move as have dd. There is a large depot here so would be applying for any posts that come up there.

When I briefly worked at the job centre a lady tried out twice, she was a primary school teacher. It's incredibly cut throat and she only ever got to stage 2. There are special events to try to get women involved.

You absolutely don't need to work as station staff before applying - but its true that its very competitve. You can expect that the training will include basics of train operation and fault-finding / resolution, safety critical phone calls, report writing and maths, as well as how to 'drive' the signals, junctions etc. Plus lots and lots of route learning! (Where the signals are, speed limits, when to start braking for stations etc)

The salaries are excellent too.

Thanks for the replies. It's something I really would love to do.

@Meadowbreeze - do you remember what the special events were called that you mentioned?

I advice but the "teaching has destroyed my soul" definitely spoke to me. I want to work in a registry office but the jobs are hard to come by!

I know someone who has become a train driver. He started as a guard, then joined a training scheme with the railway company.

Are they just striking for the fun of it then?

Good luck with that.
When someone I know applied, he was one of 6000 who passed the FIRST assessment.
It is so well paid, and a highly sought after job.

It’s immensely competitive to get into and the money isn’t worth it for the shitty shifts and the number of people who end up under trains in my opinion. There’s a lot and it’s increasing.

You can buy books to practice the tests. You need very good concentration levels and speed at them.

This might interest you if you are in Leeds. I'd love to do it too but I can't even drive a car 😂

www.northernrailway.co.uk/careers/our-roles/train-driver

My neighbour has just started as a train driver, she got in through a contact in management though, who coached her through the interview process.
Good pay but very early starts.

Someone I know trained as a driver in his 40s. Lots of different aptitude tests (observation skills / reaction times etc) and interviews he had to pass . He then had to wait many months before a selection course. Then was offered a job. In training he had tests every week or two which he had to pass. Pay started off very low and then went up in steps as he passed each stage.

He did lots of on line past papers and training exercises as part of his preparation.

Hehe, this made me chuckle. Thanks 😄

My understanding is train drivers are striking about job cuts and changes to terms and conditions, including pensions and pay.

www.theguardian.com/business/2022/oct/04/uk-train-drivers-strike-on-wednesday-over-pay-and-conditions

Rail workers are also striking about pay, job cuts and changes to terms and conditions, including pensions. My understanding is this includes station staff etc.

inews.co.uk/news/rail-workers-striking-why-today-train-strike-explained-how-much-uk-rail-earn-1763730

I think you’ll find that it is mostly lower paid rail staff striking (signallers, train managers/guards, ticket office staff, etc)
and if you read a bit deeper into it, it’s also about staff having to do ‘forced’ overtime (ie the train company don’t have enough staff and expect their staff to do overtime like work 12-13 days at a time before a 1 day break!) and conditions for passengers - they’re trying to remove station staff out of peak hours - not sure if you’re disabled how you’re supposed to get off a train if they’ve also removed your guard (which some companies are trying to do!)

www.traindriver.org

I found this - might be interesting to you?

DH looked into this for a while. After speaking to a friend who was a train driver he decided not to apply.

Immensely competitive and the vast majority of new recruits were already employed as station staff or similar. The remainder already worked in a clearly advantageous industry, driving or operating machinery where they could clearly demonstrate excellent observation skills, hazard perception and all the rest...or advanced knowledge of trains and the rail system for various reasons.

I think the chances of being successful when applying from an office type role are probably so small then it's not worth the effort unless it's really your passion.

Good point about hours (family work on railway so have a bit of an insight!)
early starts, not unusual to start at 3am and then do a 10 hour day, lots of weekend work, lots of late finishes too as they have to put the trains to bed!
I think most do over a 40 hour week (I’m sure the family member does a 44 hour week)
Also, I believe in the depot, 70% have had at least one person “under” - unfortunately the train normally wins 😢
I know their friends and one had 4 within 5 years ☹️ Depends on how you deal with this

That's a lot to deal with - and sad.

Thank you - definitely helpful.

I’m not one. So this is second hand.
great pay, long hours but huge number of rest days in between. Overtime if you want it.

downside for women, being dumped at the wrong station to your car and no trains making it an arse to get home.

Be prepared for shift work, your only guaranteed day off is Christmas day, your holidays are given to you, you do nights, whole weekends off are very rare. Holidays start on a Sunday.

I only know about Tube Drivers and it is no good for family life.

train driver.org seems like a good resource for the OP.

The working day and other aspects seem to depend on the Train Operating Company (TOC)

"The Working Day: Being a train driver involves erratic train driver shift pattern and Conditions of Service which vary from one TOC to another. In theory, turn lengths can vary between about five and eleven hours but in practice most come in at around seven to ten hours. Working hours are subject to what are known as the Hidden Regulations* which specify that you cannot work a shift longer than twelve hours and then only if there is no driving involved after the eleventh hour. You must also have a minimum of twelve hours off between shifts.

At a typical passenger company you might do a week of early turns booking on between about 0430 and 0730, a week of so-called ‘middle’ turns booking on between about 0930 and 1300, then a week of late turns booking on between 1300 and 1700 and finishing after midnight. More commonly these train driver shifts may simply be arranged as alternate weeks of lates & earlies. There may be the occasional week of nights during which you will carry out preparation and positioning of trains ready for the next morning’s service."

ref: train driver.org