Is ‘shunter for British Rail’ a working class job?

[Correction]

Been dating a man for 7 months. He was born 1970 just FYI. His parents were both born in 1927 just for context and both long gone from this world.

I know his mum worked in a care home - but I really don’t know her level of seniority- could’ve bern a manager - could’ve had a more routine job - I haven’t asked.

Anyway - I know he was close to his Dad and seemed to be a happy family but had no clue what his Dad did for a living so asked him over the weekend and he said

‘Shunter for British Rail.

AIBU to ask if you’d class it as a working class job?

That might be because you didn't know what it was until a couple of hours ago.

Seriously, this thread is insane. First up you're worried about what "class" someone's father's job was.

Then you claim that you are asking because you might apply for it, despite having no clue whatsover what it is or what it entails.

"Oh I heard of a job, maybe I could do that".

And you're in your 50s? Have you ever worked?

Yes I’ve worked

I knew fall what a shunter job entailed

True...but this thread is actually about the job their father did......which is even less relevant.

Google the Wheel Tappers and Shunters Club, it will give you a general idea

What did you mean to say there because "I knew fall" could be anything.

Thank you - this is useful info - I appreciate it 🙌

OP, you did realise the previous poster was joking about coal mining, didn't you?

Sorry typos shoulda checked before posting

my interpretation of what a shunter job entailed was moving engines into sidings

Actually, it means more along the lines of the type of work. "Unskilled" or "blue collar" roles are working class. "Professional" or "white collar" roles are middle.

I would say that back then it would be described as a Blue Collar job rather than working class.

White Collar jobs were office based and Blue Collar jobs were manual work. Working class people did both.

So does your previous work experience lead you to believe you are in any way suitable to do this, considering you are hoping to come to it at a very late stage of your career?

You are confusing money and class

two completely different things

you can be a upper class duchess in a castle but be penniless and you can be a working class shunter and be well paid

builder =working class = millionaire
posh Hugh grant owns a book shop = bankrupt

That isn’t what working class means.

So, why are you a) asking b) so ignorant about the social structures of the UK? Of course 'shunter for British Rail' is a working class job, your BF's father probably voted Labour, too (also traditionally working class, not so much now). A shunter was a high-end upper working-class position, well-paid (relatively) and having responsibility. Had he been a train driver he would have been top of the working-class trees, btw.

No .. that’s the thing I may not be suitable.

However I’m willing to learn and I’ve got an excellent work ethic even if I say so myself ! Was often working over 60 hours aged 17!

I do a lot of cardio and weight training

but if I’m not what they want … I’m not what they want

Yes, that's me! My 'sister' turned out to be my mother.

I never met another person at school with a 'mum' as old as mine. Based on my experience it was rare for a woman to have a child in her 40's.

Spot on.

This is utter rubbish. I know plenty of self-employed tradesmen who earn considerably above the average salary who are all absolutely working class.

The things you list as essential to be defined as working class simply are not the case in the UK class system.

If you are talking about a more Marxist definition of the international working class then maybe, but that's an entirely different thing.

Yeah that isn't what working class means, I don't know where you got these ideas from .

The fact that you specify cardio and weight training leads me to think you may be confusing "a working class job" with "heavy manual labour".
What have you done in the past?

Mainly office jobs few cleaning

Class in the UK isn't about money. I'm very middle class, and the child in my class whose Dad is a builder is certainly working class. He earns a lot more than I do! And good for him too- he doesn't need to take his work home with him!

I always thought that you were middle class if your Dad went to work in a suit

I agree with pp about the decline of well-paid working class jobs. Though we should remember that back then these were seen as 'men's jobs'. I can't think of any traditional wc 'women's' jobs that were well paid.

Oh, and another one here whose gran had her first baby at 17 but was considerably older when she had her 11th. I know that baby was def hers because my mum was pregnant with me st the same time. I'm in my 60s and that gran is still alive and kicking!

‘Working class’ and ‘well paid’ are not necessarily mutually exclusive … not that it matters.