Any Metrolink Drivers On Here?

[mexman]

I've just got a job driving for Metrolink and as you'd imagine I'm absolutely made up about it.

I meant to ask this question at the interview but with all the good news I totally forgot, but was wondering if there's any literature I could be reading up on to help me before my course starts next month?

Thanks in advance for any info or help.

 

[beavercreek]

Congratulations.I was a driver at Metrolink and now a driver on the heavy rail.Pm me if you have any questions.
It's a great job and I really enjoyed my time there.

 

[mexman]

For some reason it won't let me send a PM, maybe as I'm new to the forum?

I was just really wondering what to expect from the training and if there's anything I could start reading in advance to help me along the way?

Really excited by this opportunity everybody I speak to who works at Metrolink seem really happy with their job.

Which TOC did you get on with?

 

[TOCDriver]

I wouldn't read up on anything about the job. The best piece of advice is to wait until your training starts and learn what they give and tell you, from the horses mouth so to speak.. Backgroiund reading beforehand can be counter productive.

 

[mexman]

To be honest i did think that after i posted, as i had the same issue with the psychometric testing, read up on it on the net and it seemed pretty daunting and in reality it was nothing like what i'd read so your point is very valid.

Cheers for the reply

 

[TOCDriver]

To be honest i did think that after i posted, as i had the same issue with the psychometric testing, read up on it on the net and it seemed pretty daunting and in reality it was nothing like what i'd read so your point is very valid.

Cheers for the reply

Best of luck - you'll enjoy it. Exciting time to be joining with the new Airport route opening soon and the extra city route being built. You'll have a fair bit to learn!

 

[beavercreek]

You should be able to PM after Five posts.I work for FTPE.The course is nothing to worry about.You will learn the rules and regs,PTS,route learning,the M500 tram,depot work and practical handling.By the end of it all you will be ready to go alone and you will enjoy it.

 

[mexman]

Yes really looking forward to it, apparently my route will be the new airport line so really looking forward to that.

Course sounds good, ive already done both Metrolink & Northern Rail PTS so i'll know about that already which will help.

TPE Eh, nice trains youre on there, decent routes to.

 

[TOCDriver]

Yes really looking forward to it, apparently my route will be the new airport line so really looking forward to that.

You will not be confined to just that. You'll learn every bit of the network. You'll have to

 

[mexman]

Yes they said I would eventually, but for the foreseeable it's the new line.
I'm extremely excited to get going and learn

 

[theshillito]

One bit of advice I would give is to not write off passenger interaction. The cabs have windows and people *do* knock on them and ask for help, more-so during the summer as you'll want some airflow to keep cool. The more efficient your responses, the less time you have to make up later on.

 

[mexman]

I'm currently in a customer related role on public transport now, so I'm used to that.
Customers are what keep you in a Job

 

[beavercreek]

One bit of advice I would give is to not write off passenger interaction. The cabs have windows and people *do* knock on them and ask for help, more-so during the summer as you'll want some airflow to keep cool. The more efficient your responses, the less time you have to make up later on.

You would never drive with the cab door open as it's a fully air conditioned cab.Ive only had Two occasions when somebody has knocked on the cab door and I would never even turn round to look if I was driving.You are paid to drive people from A to B as safely as possible.My advice is to keep passenger interaction to a minimum as this leads to distractions which in turn may lead to an incident.

 

[mexman]

Oh yeah 100%, I was assuming he meant knocking on the side window when in a station, as I know the northern rail drivers get that a lot when at a station, usually asking is this train going to........
I would of thought opening the driver door would be a big no no anyhow.

 

[302PS]

He did say the window but there both valid points

 

[Beveridges]

I am lead to believe the new trams have cab air conditioning and opening cabside windows... unlike the old T68's which didn't have either of those and apparently got very hot in Summer.

 

[mexman]

Yes the M5000's from the little i saw did have AC in them.

 

[Beveridges]

All the T68's have now been withdrawn from service so the job is now driving M5000's permanently.

 

[beavercreek]

I got confused regarding the windows/doors, It must be the long shifts.Yes people do ask for advice at your window and the best advice I would give is to answer their questions and then start your station duties all over again.

 

[Beveridges]

When I used to despatch trains I would normally answer questions while despatching at the same time.

 

[theshillito]

Yeah, I did mean window, but interesting to know about A/C in the cab. I wouldn't have expected it to have A/C if it had opening windows.

 

[TOCDriver]

You would never drive with the cab door open as it's a fully air conditioned cab.Ive only had Two occasions when somebody has knocked on the cab door and I would never even turn round to look if I was driving.You are paid to drive people from A to B as safely as possible.My advice is to keep passenger interaction to a minimum as this leads to distractions which in turn may lead to an incident.

I quite often get a nice 'Good Morning' from driver if I board at a terminus and they're changing ends. Makes a refreshing change.

 

[Beveridges]

Yeah, I did mean window, but interesting to know about A/C in the cab. I wouldn't have expected it to have A/C if it had opening windows.

Why not? 158's, Clubmans, 170's, 175's, 180's, 185's, most modern EMU's and locomotives, not to mention even most modern Cars have both A/C and opening cab side windows, so why not the new trams ?

 

[craigybagel]

When I used to despatch trains I would normally answer questions while despatching at the same time.

That sounds like a very safe method of despatch........

 

[Tomnick]

That sounds like a very safe method of despatch........

Agreed entirely - I did think it was rather a contrast to the recognition, throughout the industry, of the danger of distractions and the need to manage them - as far as possible - accordingly!

 

[Beveridges]

That sounds like a very safe method of despatch........

It was safe enough.

 

[Tomnick]

"Safe enough" - but could presumably have been safer if it wasn't for the unnecessary distraction?

 

[302PS]

Pretentious hats on today again I see

 

[Tomnick]

Who, us? Mine's a professional hat, thanks, albeit not a dispatcher's. It's worth challenging, as I think it's very poor advice to give to newcomers (to the industry generally) to allow themselves to be distracted in that manner.

 

[302PS]

I'd say it's a fine line, especially on metrolink
Since the invention of twitter everyone has the ability to complain instantly and ignoring metrolink passengers will bring that on in spades,
However I do agree with the a to b comment