driver or guard

[Vinnie]

Hello people, I've had two job offers in the space of a week. Tram driver or guard on national rail. Which one is best!

 

[Urban Gateline]

Hello people, I've had two job offers in the space of a week. Tram driver or guard on national rail. Which one is best!

Those are quite different roles! Do you prefer to be out amoungst the passengers or in isolation in the driving cab? Only you know the answer to that and it should help to make the decision! I'm guessing pay is similar if not slightly more for the Tram job?

 

[TOCDriver]

Those are quite different roles! Do you prefer to be out amoungst the passengers or in isolation in the driving cab? Only you know the answer to that and it should help to make the decision! I'm guessing pay is similar if not slightly more for the Tram job?

Depends on what you want to do. Yes, people may say a drivers job is more lonely, which it is. But there is nothing preventing a driver from mixing it with the passengers if they choose to do so when not driving or on a PNB. Personally, when inbetween services, I like to walk around the platform or sit in the saloon and make my presence felt for any assistance that I can offer to our customers.

 

[Vinnie]

Thanks for your input. The guards job pays more actually about 26 ish and tram driver 24k.

I have decided to decline the driving offer. But just hope I am not making a mistake.

 

[Gene and Tonic]

Well done on the job offers! Your decision depends on what you're looking for as others have said, and also future career prospects. Where is the tram job btw? Each place I've looked haven't been recruiting each time I've checked, but admittedly I haven't been looking too often!

 

[185]

Pay is almost identical, to be honest.

Railway is probably better choice if you want the travel benefits.

Tram is probably better choice if you want less aggro from passengers.

 

[TOCDriver]

Pay is almost identical, to be honest.

Railway is probably better choice if you want the travel benefits.

Tram is probably better choice if you want less aggro from passengers.

Oh, I don't know about that! You try swapping ends at Eccles or Media City on a match day!

 

[beavercreek]

I'm a driver and it's a great job although as mentioned a very lonely one.

 

[notadriver]

I think in reality with commission the guards job will pay much more than 26k with Sundays outside the working week. I'm not a tram driver but I'm guessing that's a lot more stressful than being a guard with all those people walking around in the city centre.

 

[Beveridges]

I know Metrolink Tram Drivers leave that job to become Guards with Northern Rail so in the North West area (at least) the Guard is the better job.

If your thinking medium or long term, a Guards job gives you far more chance of progression.

A Guards job gives you far more chance of later going Train Driving (MDD or Mainline) than a Tram Drivers job due to internal vacancies. Progression can be quick, like in 1 year. Tram Drivers would have to apply for external vacancies and they do not come up as often and when they do they are well over-subscribed.

 

[TOCDriver]

I know Metrolink Tram Drivers leave that job to become Guards with Northern Rail so in the North West area (at least) the Guard is the better job.

If your thinking medium or long term, a Guards job gives you far more chance of progression.

A Guards job gives you far more chance of later going Train Driving (MDD or Mainline) than a Tram Drivers job due to internal vacancies. Progression can be quick, like in 1 year. Tram Drivers would have to apply for external vacancies and they do not come up as often and when they do they are well over-subscribed.

Tram driving the metrolink is not a bad little job, especially with the routes being extended all the time. You just have to be on your guard all the time, especially when it's very busy during concerts and match days and travelling through the city zone. Not something I would relish being a heavy rail operative. Kudos to them.

 

[beavercreek]

In my Five years at Metrolink I've never known one driver to leave to become a guard.
I'm know that a couple went to NH as depot drivers and another Seven left to work as drivers, Five at Northern.

 

[TOCDriver]

In my Five years at Metrolink I've never known one driver to leave to become a guard.
I'm know that a couple went to NH as depot drivers and another Seven left to work as drivers, Five at Northern.

Only because the money is a lot better! I wouldn't mind having a little stab at driving those M5000's you know

 

[beavercreek]

The M5000 is quite nice to drive at low speed but at 50mph it feels like your going to come of the rails.

 

[Vinnie]

I was talking to a ex metrolink driver, he left metrolink to become a carterer at cross country trains. He was a caterer for them for two years before becoming a driver on northern rail. This did help my decision to be honest.

 

[TOCDriver]

The M5000 is quite nice to drive at low speed but at 50mph it feels like your going to come of the rails.

That's probably because they weigh a hell of a lot less than the T68's

 

[Beveridges]

I spoke to an ex-tram driver he says the tram job was repetitive and harder worked compared to the trains. One thing he didn't like about the job was the breaks, he said you don't get many.
I also know about a Northern Guard who was ex-trams but this could have been more than 5 years ago!

 

[TOCDriver]

I spoke to an ex-tram driver he says the tram job was repetitive and harder worked compared to the trains. One thing he didn't like about the job was the breaks, he said you don't get many.
I also know about a Northern Guard who was ex-trams but this could have been more than 5 years ago!

I can believe it about the breaks. Perhaps 5 - 10 minutes after a 1hr 30 min run from Rochdale to East Didsbury before going back again. Not long at all

 

[Beveridges]

I wouldnt even call 5-10 minutes a "break"!

Makes me realise how much of a skive MDD'ing is

 

[beavercreek]

We get a turn a round time between 4-12 minutes which depending on which line we are working.
The longest route is East Didsbury-Rochdale Railway Station at the moment which is 1hr 16mins.Our breaks are not for going for a cup of tea but enough time for a PNB.
Our break is 45mins and upwards depending on standby time is half way through our shifts.The longest half is a 4hr 25mins.
As for it being repetitive, no it's not due to each line requiring a different style of driving.
In the segregated sections we run faster with longer gaps between station over old BR routes with block signalling.Then we have our own signals which routes are set by codes entered by the driver and then onto street running with cars and the public.
All quite interesting and we need to be on our guard all the time.
This is light rail so I can't compare it to depot driving or being a guard but I'm sure somebody will advise the original poster on what these rolls involve.

 

[TOCDriver]

We get a turn a round time between 4-12 minutes which depending on which line we are working.
The longest route is East Didsbury-Rochdale Railway Station at the moment which is 1hr 16mins.Our breaks are not for going for a cup of tea but enough time for a PNB.
Our break is 45mins and upwards depending on standby time is half way through our shifts.The longest half is a 4hr 25mins.
As for it being repetitive, no it's not due to each line requiring a different style of driving.
In the segregated sections we run faster with longer gaps between station over old BR routes with block signalling.Then we have our own signals which routes are set by codes entered by the driver and then onto street running with cars and the public.
All quite interesting and we need to be on our guard all the time.
This is light rail so I can't compare it to depot driving or being a guard but I'm sure somebody will advise the original poster on what these rolls involve.

The variety and style of driving is what makes it so interesting for me. The Eccles route is fascinating with its gradients, street and road running ( I sometimes do note that you lot pop into Morrisons or the local papershop when turning around) . The biggest difference regarding light and heavy rail is the braking. Your braking is nearly as sharp as that of a road car, especially in street running mode; heavy rail is nowhere near as efficient and takes a lot more getting used to.

 

[Beveridges]

Trains actually have more powerful brakes thsn trams and road vehicles but they are extremely heavy compared to them that they take longer to slow down. They dont call it LIGHT rail for nothing.

Does anyone really think TOCs with billions to spend have saved money on the brakes by getting cheap brakes that are less powerful than ones on a tram or a bus ¿?

 

[beavercreek]

I can't comment on how efficient the brakes are on a train but at low speed our Lrv's will stop very quickly should you need to apply an emergency brake application.This action is very uncomfortable for the passengers and you need to report this incident and is the last resort pending an imminent collision with a person or car.
Because they are so light and when the rain starts to fall they tend to slide, a comfortable brake application at 50mph in Normal conditions is about 350 metres from the start of the platform.
During leaf fall season then I would normally see how it feels but if Im approaching a platform with a signal at danger then my hand is over the sand and track brake button.
Take away block signalling and moving on to line of sight, coming out of a blind bend and seeing the service in front on the platform ahead keeps you on your toes.

 

[TOCDriver]

Trains actually have more powerful brakes thsn trams and road vehicles but they are extremely heavy compared to them that they take longer to slow down. They dont call it LIGHT rail for nothing.

That's why i used the word 'efficient'

 

[plastictaffy]

I think in reality with commission the guards job will pay much more than 26k with Sundays outside the working week.

Should be no reason you can't clear 2 grand a month with a sunday and a couple of rest days. I try to do 2 rest days a month, if I do that and take about 120 in commission, I can clear 2050. My salary is nearly 3 grand more than the job the OP mentioned but over 13 paydays that won't be a lot of difference. The natural progression for a Guard is then driver, which will pay a lot better then the Tram driver job ever will.

 

[Beveridges]

Should be no reason you can't clear 2 grand a month with a sunday and a couple of rest days. I try to do 2 rest days a month, if I do that and take about 120 in commission, I can clear 2050. My salary is nearly 3 grand more than the job the OP mentioned but over 13 paydays that won't be a lot of difference. The natural progression for a Guard is then driver, which will pay a lot better then the Tram driver job ever will.

2k before or after tax?

 

[jadam35]

2k before or after tax?

Im a guard with Northern and clear 2000 to take home most months. That includes the odd Sunday and a couple of rest days plus your commision. This is after you have payed your pension as well.

 

[Beveridges]

Thats about 35k gross per year ?

 

[GB]

deleted

 

[plastictaffy]

Around 2 grand a month take home - after tax, pension and RMT subs. As stated above, I usually do 2-3 rest days a month, around 100-120 a month commission, and rarely a sunday - although I have to work tonight, sad times!! If I look at what I've earnt YTD, then yes, I would say 35-36k a year is easily acheivable. Some of our guards are earning in a year more than the basic drivers money - our drivers are on 44k.