A Freight Driver's Kit Bag.

[Wivenswold]

While sat at a signal in a passing loop at Marks Tey watching a seemingly endless line of overtaking express trains on Train Simulator today, I got thinking about the life of real Freight train drivers.

They must be a breed apart from passenger train operators but I don't think I've ever chatted to one. Do they pack loads of essentials in their kit bag such as food, flask, books, maybe even a cushion for those occasional long-breaks between driving? Or is my image of them being the nomads of the rail network a distance from the truth?

 

[A Challenge]

I think that that must be their break with the distances some of the trains go as well?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

While sat at a signal in a passing loop at Marks Tey watching a seemingly endless line of overtaking express trains on Train Simulator today, I got thinking about the life of real Freight train drivers.

They must be a breed apart from passenger train operators but I don't think I've ever chatted to one. Do they pack loads of essentials in their kit bag such as food, flask, books, maybe even a cushion for those occasional long-breaks between driving? Or is my image of them being the nomads of the rail network a distance from the truth?

Mentioned this before - but some freight crews (including guards when they had them) , could survive for about 72 hours on the contents of their bags....least they do not have to carry paraffin any more...

 

[Wivenswold]

I'd love to know the contents of that bag. Must have been like a supermarket in there.

 

[Bromley boy]

For some reason this thread reminds me of:

*pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile.*

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I'd love to know the contents of that bag. Must have been like a supermarket in there.

Your average train crew man in the 1970's (non Inter City) . if on 8 hours took food for 12 - if on 12 hours took food for 24 ! - canned food, tin opener , loads of tea and coffee , bottle of stera milk , sandwiches of course , blocks of cheese , etc .....newspapers etc etc.....(freight guards had mini shovels for brakevan stoves , firelighters , oil, toilet paper....)

 

[LowLevel]

I work as a guard exclusively on 15x Sprinters. I spend up to 6 hours on them with no access to drinking water etc. I can assure you my bag is also always well packed

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I work as a guard exclusively on 15x Sprinters. I spend up to 6 hours on them with no access to drinking water etc. I can assure you my bag is also always well packed

"Like" - hard work and this myth about constant tea drinking on traincrew ...

 

[Llanigraham]

I remember we had a long closure for engineering work at my Box, and had a string of 66's sitting outside waiting to enter the work. After one had been sat there for more than 30 minutes I asked the driver in as the kettle was (always) on. Was most surprised when she arrived with a fruit cake! And very pleasant it was too.

 

[Domh245]

this myth about constant tea drinking on traincrew ...

Is it a mix of tea and coffee now?

 

[Lockwood]

I take it that as a driver you know that you'll be sat at one of the long signal stops for an age, rather than playing the traffic light game of "Change... Change... Will it change now? Now? Come on. Change."

If you know you are going to be sat at a signal for a loooooong amount of time while everything overtakes you, do you still have to sit there prodding the vigilance device every so often or are you able to stretch your legs around the cab and have 5 minutes of not touching any controls? I'm having visions of someone trying to unscrew their Thermos, pour the cuppa, open their sandwiches and a packet of crisps while having to either keep a dead man's handle held down or pressing a button every minute as some strange desktop gymnastic display.

 

[GW43125]

I take it that as a driver you know that you'll be sat at one of the long signal stops for an age, rather than playing the traffic light game of "Change... Change... Will it change now? Now? Come on. Change."

If you know you are going to be sat at a signal for a loooooong amount of time while everything overtakes you, do you still have to sit there prodding the vigilance device every so often or are you able to stretch your legs around the cab and have 5 minutes of not touching any controls? I'm having visions of someone trying to unscrew their Thermos, pour the cuppa, open their sandwiches and a packet of crisps while having to either keep a dead man's handle held down or pressing a button every minute as some strange desktop gymnastic display.

I'm fairly sure that the vigilance device doesn't require input if you're in neutral. But I could be wrong.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Correct, when your at a red you put the thing in full service, neutral and set the dra. Then you can get up and stretch, make a brew etc if you have the time

 

[Wivenswold]

Correct, when your at a red you put the thing in full service, neutral and set the dra. Then you can get up and stretch, make a brew etc if you have the time

That's exactly what I did with my class 47 on Train Sim. Popped downstairs, made a cuppa, ham sarnie, returned, still red, so I tucked into lunch, it was at that point I thought about kit bags.

 

[BestWestern]

I remember we had a long closure for engineering work at my Box, and had a string of 66's sitting outside waiting to enter the work. After one had been sat there for more than 30 minutes I asked the driver in as the kettle was (always) on. Was most surprised when she arrived with a fruit cake! And very pleasant it was too.

And what was the cake like?!

Sorry!

 

[Stampy]

I take it that as a driver you know that you'll be sat at one of the long signal stops for an age, rather than playing the traffic light game of "Change... Change... Will it change now? Now? Come on. Change."

A friend of mine's dad was a driver for Central Trains - and he said that drivers used to nickname the approach to Birmingham New Street - "The Crucible"..

You always got a red, before you got a colour... (snooker reference)

 

[Lockwood]

That made me smile

 

[GW43125]

A friend of mine's dad was a driver for Central Trains - and he said that drivers used to nickname the approach to Birmingham New Street - "The Crucible"..

You always got a red, before you got a colour... (snooker reference)

Ditto Crewe South Jn. Never non-stop London to Crewe, always non-stop London to CE107.

 

[E_Reeves]

What about if a driver needs the toilet on a freight service? The enbankment?

 

[GW43125]

What about if a driver needs the toilet on a freight service? The enbankment?

Or the washer bottles (there's an awful smell sometimes)

 

[E_Reeves]

Or the washer bottles (there's an awful smell sometimes)

If they're in a loop near a station, would they be able to walk to the station for the toilet (if they know they'll be at the signal for a long time) or do they have to stay with the train?

 

[GW43125]

If they're in a loop near a station, would they be able to walk to the station for the toilet (if they know they'll be at the signal for a long time) or do they have to stay with the train?

I highly doubt you'd be allowed to leave your train but I don't work on the railways so I can't say.

 

[Llanigraham]

Well they can certainly leave their trains to come and speak to us Siggies, sign the TRB, and as I said earlier, bring cake.

 

[Elecman]

A friend of mine's dad was a driver for Central Trains - and he said that drivers used to nickname the approach to Birmingham New Street - "The Crucible"..

You always got a red, before you got a colour... (snooker reference)

And Preston South

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Old school Ipswich and Norwich driver always said that no fear of a German invasion in 1940 , as Shenfield Box almost always brought everything to a stand .....(off topic I know)

 

[Crossover]

A friend of mine's dad was a driver for Central Trains - and he said that drivers used to nickname the approach to Birmingham New Street - "The Crucible"..

You always got a red, before you got a colour... (snooker reference)

I've heard Sheffield referred to as similar - and given where The Crucible is, it makes sense!

 

[cin88]

What about if a driver needs the toilet on a freight service? The enbankment?

Open door, unzip trousers, do your business if you're hanging around for a while (and not in view of the public). Don't know how ladies fare if they're caught short though

Some drivers do unfortunately use the washer bottles, hence the oft quoted memos regarding such activities. Most just keep an empty plastic bottle to hand or (rather unhealthily) hold it until they get relieved (ha!) or reach their destination.

Infamously a DRS driver once became more than a bit desperate and ended up burning his parts on a still hot thermos he'd just emptied to use as an emergency urinal. The rest of Crewe depot have never let him live it down.

 

[Lockwood]

I remember reading here that this is the advantage of Oasis bottles

 

[pompeyfan]

At my local depot there’s a fair few female MPV drivers, I wonder if a ‘she-Wee’ has ever been deployed? I know the cess at quite a few shunt signals gets watered during Sandite/de-icing season.