Anyone work/worked as a train conductor?

[Wearescientists1]

I'm thinking of applying for one as the role could be interesting and pays well (circa 30k after training, but I've never earned more than 23k)
Just interested to hear from anyone.
I imagine you're liable to abuse from certain passengers and might end up dealing with long delays and so on.

I'd also be interested in train driver on one hand, very generous salary but I imagine highly competitive to get into and a lot of responsibility, plus the risk of suicide from passengers.

No but a lady bought a toy from us (train table 😁). She had a two year old and worked on Intercity trains as a conductor three days each week. Said it was a great job, overnights were generously paid for which supplemented her salary nicely.

Relative is a driver. He says it's easy work but very very boring and only does it for the good pay. 8 years doing it and he's never had a suicide. It's hard to get into, there are a lot of interview and training stages.

Go for it but they're trying to remove guards from the train hence the strikes so may not be a stable future. Most hide in the cab as the passengers are so aggressive and rude certain times of the day and night. Also it wrecks your knees long term. Well, it can do.

My Dad used to be a driver. He had a fatality on his train once in 30 - 40 years. The company provides counselling for it and you can have time off.
Some family friends are train guards. The money is ok as there's often scope for overtime.
You face a lot of abuse from the public though.
A woman I know was pushed and shoved by a man who didn't have a first class ticket, didn't want to pay for one but wanted to sit in first-class.
You are responsible for the safety of the train, every one on it and you have to make money on ticket sales all while not upsetting customers.
Our friends enjoy it though.
The perks of cheap travel help.

I think you definitely have to be a people person & not afraid of confrontations. Mostly I think they like the job.

What 'different job' do you think will be available for so many who will have their roles redundant?

Train guards,ticket sales, platform staff will all be disappearing at some point. Are people not aware of this ?

One of the reasons the train strikes are going on.
It's not just about money .

The TOCs are making it so they employee people for all roles at the station so could be gate line, dispatch, floor walking selling tickets and also saying you could be sent to other stations if short staffed.

These positions are already full though, and there are cuts being made in these area. There is not going to be a job for onboard staff in a station.

I'm a train driver. Go on to the website of your nearest train operating company and see if they have vacancies.

It will be very tough to get into - the fail rate on the initial tests is fairly high and hundreds of people apply, but you never know!

@cleanitup
True. They're getting rid of all ticket staff where I am so def no vacancies.

OP look at Network Rail jobs as well.

I think the perks of cheap, or fee, rail travel continue after you retire. We have a friend who was a signalman, now retired. He and his wife travel all over Europe on the trains. I think it is free in the uk, very cheap on the continent. We had a customer who was a guard on Northern Rail. He was very happy in his job and always had plenty of spare money. He was a Kraftwetk fan and went to every gig in Europe, by train. The shift work was a bit of a pita but if you are ok with that, go for it.