Lanc688
Member
Hi mate....The FTPE jobs closed already
FR8 would be something I would love to do one day in the distant future (10 years away), however to get in the industry would be great in any shape or form and so i wish you luck !
Lanc
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Freight drivers
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Hi mate....The FTPE jobs closed already
FR8 would be something I would love to do one day in the distant future (10 years away), however to get in the industry would be great in any shape or form and so i wish you luck !
Lanc
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Beveridges
Established Member
I was talking to an ex-DB Schenker driver who used to sign all their current traction; 08s, 09s, 60s, 66s, 67s, 90s & 92s. He said 66s were crap, none of the other locos used to struggle with the work they were put on anywhere near as often as 66s.
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Working for DB Schenker, and signing 66 and 92's, I think it's fair to say that I have a good understanding of both these locos. The 66 is a fine machine, hence why they're so widely used in the industry. The 92 is also very good, but only on OHLE and not the 3rd Rail.
Wel to be fair beveridges you havn't driven on the main line so I personaaly do not think you are qualified to judge the difference between freight and passenger work, for a spotter, yes, freight is probably the prefered job but for a train driver who has done both Loco and unit work I would have a unit any day of the week and also the passenger work, less hours, less sitting about, more comfortable cabs with usually good aircon, quiet cab so to me passenger work in units far outweighs the driving of freight trains!
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Gradients are a plenty all over the network, 37's are has beens and are totally usless these days for freight work. 66's are cheap relaible and do the job they were meant to do that is why there are so many of them.
Beveridges
Established Member
saying totally useless does not do these locos justice. They used to be used on the heaviest trains in the UK, now they are used on the lightest. But a few years ago I saw a DRS one a few years ago rescue a 66 on a fully loaded coal train, its not exactly complicated to work out that a 37 can pull a freight train from A to B if needed. The only good thing about 66s is their extremely high pulling power as they were built in USA which specialises in this type of thing. But I hear they have some extremely serious design flaws which is totally unacceptable for a class of loco which has been built in such large numbers.
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They are old and very outdated Beveridges, they look nice but have not been properly maintained, they are for enthusiasts or used by FOC's on the cheap, it is like comparing a new ford focus to a Mk1 escort, a Mk1 escort is great if you are into vintage cars but in comparison to a Ford Focus they are a pile of junk.
Geargrinder
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Beveridges
Established Member
As mentioned in a previous thread Driver Operators mainly drive trains on depots but are also qualified to drive on mainline for the occasional short-distance trip working or light engine movements.
Very repetetive job I've been told where you are usually shunting with the 08 up & down the yard over 100 times in a row.
I take it you've never driven Northerns units then! I don't think any traction can be worse than the cabs in 142s, 153s and maybe some of the worse 150s. Sometimes when I get on some of these knackered units I think thank God I'm not stuck on one of these for hours as I'm only doing a shunt move. I take it you drive 175s which look like they have much better cabs when I've looked inside them.
Very repetetive job I've been told where you are usually shunting with the 08 up & down the yard over 100 times in a row.
TDK said:
I take it you've never driven Northerns units then! I don't think any traction can be worse than the cabs in 142s, 153s and maybe some of the worse 150s. Sometimes when I get on some of these knackered units I think thank God I'm not stuck on one of these for hours as I'm only doing a shunt move. I take it you drive 175s which look like they have much better cabs when I've looked inside them.
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Beveridges
Established Member
34k not really that great "for a shunting job" It is an average salary for a shunting job. Then considering you have to be qualified for mainline as well as depot work, and training is only 20k, its not even average for the work you are actually doing.
Shunting jobs should always pay at least £30k and if you go mainline as well then it should be substantially more as you'd have to additional training, while on a lower salary.
Shunting jobs should always pay at least £30k and if you go mainline as well then it should be substantially more as you'd have to additional training, while on a lower salary.
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Have to admit £20k training rate not great especially when its for 2 years.
Thats a pretty extreme example I think.
Different focs, and for that matter different depots, have different requirements.
Ours is nothing like that,
Set the road
Train arrives
Loco detached
Loco drawn forward
Loco run round
Loco attached
XXX wagons split off
XXX wagons drawn forward
XXX wagons propelled to a different line with main line loco.
...and the reverse for the departure 5-7 hours later.
Even Freightliner who have many more trains than us don't do 100 moves in a row....in a full shift maybe but certainly not in a row.
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If 34K is not that great for a shunting job (and by that I mean ground staff nothing else) then clearly I am with the wrong company!
We, with no driving duties are on just short of 29k.
Beveridges
Established Member
Maybe I worded it wrongly. I should have said a Shunting job that includes Driving duties.
Most of the TOCs are paying very similar for a Depot Driver/Shunter to what DB Schenker are paying for a similar job that additionally has mainline duties thrown in as well! Thats why I don't think its that great
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Even Freightliner who have many more trains than us don't do 100 moves in a row....in a full shift maybe but certainly not in a row.
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I know that the lads up north have a week on wagons in a yard and it can be non-stop some days shunting with a 66, getting sets ready for tyre turning trips, knocking out wagons that have blown their PPM, making up/reducing sets as well having trains arrive and depart and moving cripples onwards for repairs to shed. The driver on the 66 has normally 1 day booked on to drive with a different driver the next day. The following day can just be a few moves or fetching cripples.Don't forget to knock 1 wagon out equals 4 moves, forward back forward back.
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I know that the lads up north have a week on wagons in a yard and it can be non-stop some days shunting with a 66, getting sets ready for tyre turning trips, knocking out wagons that have blown their PPM, making up/reducing sets as well having trains arrive and depart and moving cripples onwards for repairs to shed. The driver on the 66 has normally 1 day booked on to drive with a different driver the next day. The following day can just be a few moves or fetching cripples.Don't forget to knock 1 wagon out equals 4 moves, forward back forward back.
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I have driven all sorts of traction including VEP's REP's, Thumpers etc, 455. 456, 319, 150, 153, 158, 175, 168, 165, 67, DVT's and all of them were better than the cab of a 66. The best by far to drive was the DVT's followed by 175, 168 & 165's. I cannot vouch for Northerns units but comparing the work and the hours and shifts I would personaaly prefer Passenger work to freight
Beveridges
Established Member
153 cabs better than a 66 seriously?? Even the Number 2 end of the 153?
Dont think the number 2 end of a 153 can really be called a cab. More like a small box with a few controls in it
Dont think the number 2 end of a 153 can really be called a cab. More like a small box with a few controls in it
However the visibilityI feel in the No.2 end of a 153 is good and to be honest, yes I would sooner be in a 153 no.2 end than a 66. ATW have refurbished one of the 153's cab wise and it is very acceptable!
Beveridges
Established Member
The problem is the number 2 cabs were converted from a toilet and the Northern ones still smell like one. I wonder how ATW managed to get rid of that smell, assuming they must have done if you prefer them to anything else on wheels?
The other problem (as well as being very small and the complete lack of legroom) is that they get extremely hot if the sun comes out. Those very small windows only open half way down on our 153s, giving a very poor breeze, if any at all! very bad when you've got no air con. What kind of idiot designed them windows. I'm just glad I'm only doing a shunt whenever I'm on one of these.
The other problem (as well as being very small and the complete lack of legroom) is that they get extremely hot if the sun comes out. Those very small windows only open half way down on our 153s, giving a very poor breeze, if any at all! very bad when you've got no air con. What kind of idiot designed them windows. I'm just glad I'm only doing a shunt whenever I'm on one of these.
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I never said I prefer them to anything else on wheels, I prefer them to a 66 cab, the reasons being as the 66 cabs are flithy (as were the 67's) when WSMR aquired them, they are noisy and the seat is like sitting on a wooden board with no suspension. When you go over 5mph Beveridges there is quite a breeze that comes in through the window. The 153 cab either end ins't ideal and I would rate it as poor but in compaison to a 66 it is good!
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