Advice on progression in the railway industry.

[HenchRail]

Only just joined the forums but looking for advice in terms of my career prospects.

I currently work on the Gateline and have done for 5 years, although in those 5 years I was working through a sub contractor/agency.

I’ve only just recently been employed working directly for my TOC (Northern) for the past 2 months now so have my foot in the door in terms of actually being in the railway industry.

My goal is to one day be a driver however I don’t know if it’s better to apply for a guard role as it will put me in a better position if I wanted to progress to driver or just go straight for a trainee driver position.

I’ve spoke to a few guards/drivers in the mess room, some saying apply to be a guard and others saying just go straight for driving. (I never mention wanting to be a driver btw)

That being said I don’t know if I have what it takes to be a driver, as not everyone can do it.

I don’t necessarily dislike my current job, (although can be stressful at times same with any role in the railway) However when I first had my induction on the day two months ago, the team leader said to me: ‘This is a dead end job if I’m being honest, I expect you to move on when your contract ends’.

Those words stuck with me and made me really think about my future. I’m in my late twenties aswell if that helps, after working on the barriers for so long I want to move on to safety critical roles.

I’m already quite knowledgeable in terms of tickets and STAR mobile (Gateline staff sells tickets at my station) and obviously have lots of customer service experience.

Just wondering what everyone thinks, like I said I don’t hate my current job, in fact I’m content but want to progress and better myself.

 

[king_walnut]

Apply for anything that gets you further up the ladder.

If a position for conductor comes up this week but you don't bother with it because you ultimately want to be a driver ... and then in 6 months driver comes up but you don't pass the sifting process ... then you're still stuck on gateline aren't you?


Just climb climb climb.

I started on gateline, then platforms, then revenue protection then conductor then driver. If I'd failed at becoming a driver then I'd still be a conductor and be on a salary much higher than if I had just stayed rooted to a gateline waiting for my chance.

 

[T-Karmel]

and then in 6 months driver comes up but you don't pass the sifting process ... then you're still stuck on gateline aren't you?

I second that.
And there's no harm in becoming a conductor and soon after becoming a driver if you're lucky enough.
Just think which jobs would suit you and apply for them - cause maybe even office based job would be interesting for you.

 

[Sly Sloth]

Apply for anything and everything you want to!
The concerning part of your post is the self doubt. That’s the only thing that would hold you back. Believe in yourself and go for it

 

[Cherry_Picker]

The room has spoken. Apply. Apply. Apply.

I will say don’t be afraid to apply beyond your TOC either. I’m not sure where you’re based, but if it’s in or near a big city then it’s worth keeping your eye on vacancies in the mess room on the other side of the concourse (so to speak) too.

 

[Efini92]

Apply straight for driving. Northern are constantly training drivers so you should be able to apply fairly soon.
If you were to become a guard then apply you may struggle to get released to attend the training course (depending on where you are based)

 

[paul weston]

I applied with greater anglia some 6 months ago and I passed the online assessment but I'm still waiting for them to give me a start date

 

[DNCharingX]

A little doubtful on whether using other positions solely as an anchor to a better job is a good idea.

I imagine if someone long-term Gates were to go onto Conductor, just to go onto Driver three months later, then that would leave quite a bitter taste with management, recruitment, training, etc.

Or, do they just not care? Other than that, heavily agree with this thread, climb when you can.

P.S: I don't think there's anyone Gateline/Platforms who hasn't heard that they're expected to be in another position in x months/years. It was so oddly familiar reading that, almost like they don't want station staff

 

[Fred Dinenage]

I joined a TOC, as a depot driver knowing that I want to progress to a Mainline driver, a mainline job came up 6 months after I started so I applied and passed everything and I start my course in may, so just apply… there’s no harm done.

Heard a rumour that the RSSB are saying that MDDs will no longer have to obtain psychometric passes…have you been told that?

I’m familiar with Heaton

 

[Efini92]

Heard a rumour that the RSSB are saying that MDDs will no longer have to obtain psychometric passes…have you been told that?

I’m familiar with Heaton

It makes sense, there was a driver operator when I sat mine.

 

[43066]

Apply straight for driving. Northern are constantly training drivers so you should be able to apply fairly soon.
If you were to become a guard then apply you may struggle to get released to attend the training course (depending on where you are based)

Yep I’d echo this.

I’d do the opposite of what some have suggested upthread and apply for driver first. That way, if you don’t get it in your two attempts you can decide whether you fancy being a TM, or doing something completely different. No point being a TM potentially for years only to find you can’t be a driver for whatever reason, and then be stuck in a job you don’t really want and potentially find it harder to change careers etc.

 

[LCC106]

Yep. Plenty of people go from street to seat. If you have the aptitude you could have a better salary and final pension pot than conductor first, no disrespect. Also some TOCs don’t like recruiting internally for drivers.

 

[WBFC345]

Heard a rumour that the RSSB are saying that MDDs will no longer have to obtain psychometric passes…have you been told that?

I’m familiar with Heaton

Not sure, haven’t heard anything so I couldn’t comment unfortunately

 

[Fred Dinenage]

Some who’re potentially moving from MDD at Heaton have been told they’ll need to resit the psychometric tests, they‘re out of competency in that respect. So rumour has it.

 

[Midlands5678]

Only just joined the forums but looking for advice in terms of my career prospects.

I currently work on the Gateline and have done for 5 years, although in those 5 years I was working through a sub contractor/agency.

I’ve only just recently been employed working directly for my TOC (Northern) for the past 2 months now so have my foot in the door in terms of actually being in the railway industry.

My goal is to one day be a driver however I don’t know if it’s better to apply for a guard role as it will put me in a better position if I wanted to progress to driver or just go straight for a trainee driver position.

I’ve spoke to a few guards/drivers in the mess room, some saying apply to be a guard and others saying just go straight for driving. (I never mention wanting to be a driver btw)

That being said I don’t know if I have what it takes to be a driver, as not everyone can do it.

I don’t necessarily dislike my current job, (although can be stressful at times same with any role in the railway) However when I first had my induction on the day two months ago, the team leader said to me: ‘This is a dead end job if I’m being honest, I expect you to move on when your contract ends’.

Those words stuck with me and made me really think about my future. I’m in my late twenties aswell if that helps, after working on the barriers for so long I want to move on to safety critical roles.

I’m already quite knowledgeable in terms of tickets and STAR mobile (Gateline staff sells tickets at my station) and obviously have lots of customer service experience.

Just wondering what everyone thinks, like I said I don’t hate my current job, in fact I’m content but want to progress and better myself.

When driver comes up, apply for it.

Reach for the stars, you don’t have to have experience as a SC to be able to get the driver job.

You are already at the very place many don’t even think to check, that puts you ahead of others regardless or Railway experience.

Believe in yourself. You’ve got it.

 

[GalaxyDog]

Apply for whatever you can, but if you go for guard at certain TOCs that will put you in the dead-end spot that you are wary of. Speaking from experience here - our TOC resolutly does what it can to prevent 90% of guards progressing to driver and managerial, and certain TOCs won't even sniff at us now even with experience and good records because of how bad things are.

You say you're currently with Northern, so perhaps you are in a more enlightened situation - so apply, apply, apply and good luck.

 

[Aviator88]

If you want to be a train driver, apply to be a train driver. You can do it

 

[Canonite]

Northern won’t release you from a role for internal promotion until you have been with them for 6 months.
It’s in the contract.
This is because people were just exploiting the low end jobs to get a foot in the door, then leaving or moving up before they had their monies worth.

I would just apply straight for Driver if that’s what you want to do, but it’s often a numbers game too.
Fierce competition for Drivers, less so for Conductors.
You could also look at Dispatch, that’s safety critical and will also give you some deeper insight into the operations side of things.

 

[43066]

Apply for whatever you can, but if you go for guard at certain TOCs that will put you in the dead-end spot that you are wary of. Speaking from experience here - our TOC resolutly does what it can to prevent 90% of guards progressing to driver and managerial, and certain TOCs won't even sniff at us now even with experience and good records because of how bad things are.

I’ve heard similar murmurings where I am.

Most of our drivers are recruited from the shed or as qualifieds from elsewhere. Those of our guards who do go driving mostly seem to get trainee jobs with other TOCs, or else (for those who live near the relevant locations), get jobs as shed drivers themselves, but this isn’t that much more money than a guard, and almost permanent nights, so certainly not for everyone.

A couple of years ago the TOC ran a “street to seat” trainee driver scheme for a new depot being established and those guards who applied weren’t particularly successful. Obviously there can be an element of sour grapes where people are knocked back, but it did genuinely sound as though the TOC was actively avoiding poaching their own guards for trainee driver jobs.

This stands to reason when taking on an external candidate won’t cost any more, and won’t then require backfilling a guard vacancy.

 

[Sly Sloth]

The guard to driver progression route that so many think exists really does not exist! I had a long chat with a trainee who said the guard on their course was familiar with PTS, signal systems and railway signs and infrastructure so had an obvious head start but it soon levelled off and by the end of the classroom all the trainees were at the same level roughly. Same with route learning as the guard knew the line of route so was aware of certain crossings and platform starter signals but again by the end of route learning they’d all levelled off again. I do think there’s a small advantage of being a guard before driver but it’s not advantageous to the toc as they have to train an extra person to replace the guard

 

[16.19]

Apply straight for driving.

If you go the guards route there is a chance that they might not release you to become a driver, it’s happened recently and said guard and potential driver is now stuck waiting.