Different types of Driving

[Moterman31]

Morning All,

I Drive for a commuter TOC and so starting and stopping every few minutes, (could be up to 30+ stations on a 3 hr round trip) and with them being older stock when trying to maintain speed i am constantly on power, off power. Also, with the start and stopping i find i am "busy" so keep the concentration going, is it harder to maintain when going for longer stretches without stopping, or is it easier to concentrate because you are obviously going faster and need to plan ahead alot sooner?

I notice avanti are currently recruiting for qualified drivers, but have no idea what its like driving at 125 or trying to maintain route knowledge for such long routes. With the majority of avantie, cross country, lner all having newer fleets, do you have additional driver assistance in cabs, like a cruise control or something?

Any drivers moved over to longer distances, how have you found it?

I am just curious more than anything.

 

[baz962]

I went from London Overground doing 132 stops on the worst jobs to doing 125 on the. MML. Much prefer long distance fast work and I find it do seem to have higher concentration.

 

[martin2345uk]

I went from freight (so no station stops although a fair few signal stops!) to long distance high speed work where its pretty much non stop for 2h20m, I have always wondered if it would be easier to maintain concentration with stopping services. Fortunately our trains do have pretty decent "cruise control" and the signalling system is quite vocal when it wants to you start slowing down!

 

[baz962]

I went from freight (so no station stops although a fair few signal stops!) to long distance high speed work where its pretty much non stop for 2h20m, I have always wondered if it would be easier to maintain concentration with stopping services. Fortunately our trains do have pretty decent "cruise control" and the signalling system is quite vocal when it wants to you start slowing down!

You Eurostar drivers don't count

 

[driver9000]

I went from local intensive stopping services to long distance "Intercity" services and I haven't looked back. I find my concentration hasn't suffered and there's usually something going on even on long cruising stretches. Maintaining your route knowledge is no different to driving suburban trains in that you're over the route day in day out and I found it easier to learn them by breaking them up into chunks. I work on the basis of "15 minutes" where I break the journey up into 15 minutes segments to help maintain my situational awareness and use Risk Triggered Commentary as necessary too.

I drive a very young fleet of trains which probably unusually for new stock one of them doesn't have speed-set available so I'm always having to monitor the speed.

 

[martin2345uk]

You Eurostar drivers don't count

Discrimination!

 

[REO Nate]

Discrimination!

Hahaha

I’ve often also wondered about underload on longer journeys. My largest gap between stations is about 15-20mins, which is absolutely fine, but I don’t know how I’d go extending that to 40-45 mins.

 

[Moterman31]

All very interesting.. cheers all

 

[Owen2323]

This is an interesting thread - I work for a stopper TOC with generally 5-10mins between stops (but can occasionally do up to an hour or so ECS). Before I joined the rail industry I thought I would have preferred the intercity high speed type work (which tends to be the better paid as well). My only real reservation was the length of the train and the underload between stops. I've joined late in life and have no intention of jumping ship but it's interesting to see people's perspectives. At the end of the day just about everyone has multiple applications in and if you're lucky enough to get a job you take it

 

[baz962]

Hahaha

I’ve often also wondered about underload on longer journeys. My largest gap between stations is about 15-20mins, which is absolutely fine, but I don’t know how I’d go extending that to 40-45 mins.

I prefer it. My favourite is Leicester to London non stop , or Derby to London with the one Leicester stop.

 

[Ses16]

The class 390s have speed set, which is like cruise control. I’m not sure about the 800s mind you.

 

[DA1]

I notice avanti are currently recruiting for qualified drivers

Thanks for the heads up, gone for it again!

 

[driver9000]

Hahaha

I’ve often also wondered about underload on longer journeys. My largest gap between stations is about 15-20mins, which is absolutely fine, but I don’t know how I’d go extending that to 40-45 mins.

The longest gap I have between station stops is 60 minutes but in that distance there are speed changes, level crossings and junctions so there is always something to be doing and you develop ways to keep your concentration levels up.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jan 2025 ==

The class 390s have speed set, which is like cruise control. I’m not sure about the 800s mind you.

80x have a speed limiter.

 

[357]

I left commuter work for intercity and didn't look back.

Mentally you're far less drained than on stopping work, and I've found no issues with concentration levels.

The rates of operational incidents also reflect this.

 

[Sly Sloth]

The rates of operational incidents also reflect this.

I’d be interested in the stats here. In my opinion it should be 90% metro/commuter work 10% intercity.

 

[43066]

I’d be interested in the stats here. In my opinion it should be 90% metro/commuter work 10% intercity.

I would too.

Logically you’d think it should be as you’ve described above. However, at least in my experience, the same proportion of intercity drivers still manage to cock up big style. Failure to calls and TPWS/TPWS+ activations/interventions are the key ones where I am.