Day of a Train Driver

[Up_Tilt_390]

A question for train drivers, but this is a question of pure interest which you do not have to answer. I've wondered for quite a while what the day of a train driver would be like. Few question answers is all I want to know, but feel free to tell me more of your day if you're a driver should wish to. Here goes...

• When you are on your work to book on for your shift, how would you do so? Would you travel by car, bike, or public transport etc. Is it vital you have your own personal transport?
  
• If working an early would you have to drive to the depot to collect empty rolling stock to take to the starting destination, and if on a late shift would you have to take the empty stock back to the depot, or does somebody else do this such as a depot driver?
  
• How often do you get breaks? Do you take them in between journeys, or do you drive certain journeys with a break every few hours? This might be the case of both, such as an intercity driver going on one journey and taking a break, and a local driver making several journeys and having a break every few hours. Can somebody enlighten me on how breaks work?
  
• What do you do in your breaks? Do you get a cup of tea and something eat, take a toilet break, and go somewhere? If so where do you go and what do you do?
  
• Finally, which TOC do you work for, and do you love your job? How long have you been driving, and was it always your dream career?

Thanks for reading and feel free to tell me as much as you want. You may abstain from certain questions should you wish, but please make it clear that you abstain by simply saying "I abstain from this question". Thanks...

 

[ComUtoR]

[*]When you are on your work to book on for your shift, how would you do so? Would you travel by car, bike, or public transport etc. Is it vital you have your own personal transport?

Train Drivers are no different to any other employee. Get to work any method you wish. The issue we and many other employees in numerous sectors have is that getting to work for 0400 in the morning restricts your options.

[*]If working an early would you have to drive to the depot to collect empty rolling stock to take to the starting destination, and if on a late shift would you have to take the empty stock back to the depot, or does somebody else do this such as a depot driver?

I start and finish at my depot. I drive a specific set of routes and sidings etc and can be booked to take any train from any location I am route and traction competent for.

[*]How often do you get breaks? Do you take them in between journeys, or do you drive certain journeys with a break every few hours? This might be the case of both, such as an intercity driver going on one journey and taking a break, and a local driver making several journeys and having a break every few hours. Can somebody enlighten me on how breaks work?

It's very TOC specific. It will depend on terms and conditions. You are booked a PNB (personal needs break) on your diagram and they are taken at locations that conform to regulations at set out in employment laws.

[*]What do you do in your breaks? Do you get a cup of tea and something eat, take a toilet break, and go somewhere? If so where do you go and what do you do?

Again, I'm no different to any employee.

[*]Finally, which TOC do you work for, and do you love your job? How long have you been driving, and was it always your dream career?

I've been driving for over ten years. Never even considered becoming a Train Driver and it's certainly not my dream career.

Thanks for reading and feel free to tell me as much as you want. You may abstain from certain questions should you wish, but please make it clear that you abstain by simply saying "I abstain from this question". Thanks...

Whats with the questions ? Any specific reason ?

• Do you want to be a Train Driver ?
• What do you do for a living ?
• Do you like your job ?
• What do you do on your breaks ?
• Marvel or DC ?

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Whats with the questions ? Any specific reason ?

• Do you want to be a Train Driver ?
• What do you do for a living ?
• Do you like your job ?
• What do you do on your breaks ?
• Marvel or DC ?

Sorry, are you actually asking me these questions or just being hypothetical? If you're not then I'm just asking the questions out of interest. I may have just misinterpreted what you said then so forgive me if that's the case.

 

[ComUtoR]

Sorry, are you actually asking me these questions or just being hypothetical?

Actually asking.

 

[6Gman]

I wonder if the OP's second question is based on the thought that if, for example, you're a Birmingham New Street driver you would normally take over a train at New Street BUT early morning the unit will be at Tyseley - so how do you get there?

If so, the answer - at least in my time - was that you still book on at New Street but your employer will then arrange transport (effectively a taxi) to Tyseley. You don't have to find your own way there!

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Actually asking.

Okay then, fair enough.

Do you want to be a Train Driver ?

Yes I would personally, but these questions are asked based purely on the interest of what the average day is like. Nothing else was really the intention but to find out more about what the job's like from the inside.

What do you do for a living ?
Do you like your job ?
What do you do on your breaks ?

I'm currently unemployed, cause I'm only young, but I am starting volunteer work soon along with finding a customer facing job and that.

Marvel or DC ?

If you truly mean which of the two comic series do I like best, definitely Marvel, characters I particularly like are Iron Man and Black Widow.

 

[387star]

My sister is autistic also with aspergers

Just wondering how extreme you are I mean she has support workers etc

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

My sister is autistic also with aspergers

Just wondering how extreme you are I mean she has support workers etc

If you're asking me, then mine is classed as high-functioning, which means for the most part I can do tasks, but I am quite "derpy" and not very skilled. I'd say I'm along the lines of minor to problematic. I get DLA for it, and I am entitled to learning support if need be.

 

[ComUtoR]

I'm more a Marvel guy too. DC just hasn't ever really appealed to me. I hope Superman kicks the Bats ass as I really hate that moody git.

Cheers for the answers.

If you look through some of the posts here you will find one somewhere that goes into more detail of out typical day. I think there are many misconceptions about our jobs and some rose tinted specs view it much more than it actually is. We are like any other employee to be honest.

What is important about or role that can be quite hard to accept is that we are very much governed by a specific set of rules and regulations that allow no real deviation. Our day is written out for us with where we go, what we do, and even what time we are allowed to take a pee.We literally follow a printed out schedule. Some people just cannot accept that part of the job.

As to the Autistic spectrum. If you look at those who pass the assessments and become Drivers you can see a very similar set of traits. If your task orientated and do well with structure and order then you will do well. We can be pedantic and certainly tick high on the OCD scale. I see Drivers schedules marked very precisely and in the exact same way day in and day out. It is almost ritualistic. Even with driving style. Some driving errors are put down to introduction of new procedures and a small change in the day and we are easily distracted. We often balk at anything new because we feel that our way is the right way and we have been doing it that way since day dot.

I'm not sure if Autistic spectrum disorders are accepted and that would be down to Occupational health to decide.

 

[Skoodle]

I make my way to work through public transport. Train during day or night bus early morning or late at night. Own transport isn't vital, but depending on your depot location and where you live it can make things much easier!

In the morning I book-on in the depot, then take a train from the yard to start service or take a taxi to one of our stations furthest away to start from there. Other times I'd just pick up a train from station platform.

In the evenings at end of service I would take train back to depot, pop it through the wash then put it to bed, hand in any reports if needed then head home. Sometimes we stable the train at a station and then taxi back to the depot.

Breaks vary, from 30 minutes to nearly 3 hours, it just depends on the job I have that day. As we do fairly short routes (between 20 to 50 minutes driving), we get about 6 to 14 minutes each time we change ends. Time to top up water, go to the toilet or have a fag.

Luckily I live close to work, so I can pop home during my breaks if they're long enough, otherwise we have dedicated messrooms at stations to take our breaks. Read the paper, have some food, watch TV or gossip with other staff. Sometimes we take a wander, do some shopping, meet up with friends for a coffee, as long as you're back to take your next working you can do what you want.

I love my job, I have been doing it for 5 years now and wouldn't do anything else!

 

[Aivilo]

Just to reiterate no breaks are actually three hours. You may have that tine between trains but a break is 30 minutes and you can be utilised if necessary

 

[joshking5]

Hey Up_Tilt_390(is your user name a reference to smash bros?), Just wanted to say thanks for asking these questions. I am also an aspiring train driver like a lot of us lurking in these forums, and this thread has started a good conversation. On the all important subject of Marvel vs DC it has to be Marvel hasn't it?

Cheers

 

[Leebob34]

Err seriously guys .your all losing the plot ...its beano comics all the way ...can't beat a bit of the bash street kids and billy the whizz kid

 

[joshking5]

Err seriously guys .your all losing the plot ...its beano comics all the way ...can't beat a bit of the bash street kids and billy the whizz kid

Showing your age there mate

 

[Leebob34]

Hahaha. Did I say beano I meant top gear .

 

[Canonite]

Err seriously guys .your all losing the plot ...its beano comics all the way ...can't beat a bit of the bash street kids and billy the whizz kid

Beano for me too....I loved The Numskulls

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

Hey Up_Tilt_390(is your user name a reference to smash bros?)

Cheers

My name is not a reference to Smash Bros at all. Sorry lad.