How do I become a train operator?

[shanx123]

hello,

I just graduated this july with a bsc in chemistry and forensic science, but i want to become a train operator. Can anyone give me some advice where to start to look, what qulifications do i need to become a operator. Can you start straight away as a trainee or do i have to join a company then do it internally? what skill and experiences do i need to becoma a train operator?

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you

Shanx

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Operator? How do you mean? Driver? TOC owner?

 

[driver9000]

London Underground call their drivers Train Operators. I don't think they recruit externally for the grade though. I think you have to work on a station first.

The route to Driving is covered in several threads in the Railway careers section of the forum.

 

[Steve1966]

LUL are indeed Train Operators.
If you live near London, I have it on good authority that they will be looking for station staff in the New Year.
So keep an eye on their website.
They are training station staff who have been promoted now so that's the way in.
They will never recruit for DROPS again.
(Direct Recruit Operators).

 

[185]

I'd become an operator

Do a better job of running the Transpennine franchise from my garden shed.

 

[387star]

hello,

I just graduated this july with a bsc in chemistry and forensic science, but i want to become a train operator. Can anyone give me some advice where to start to look, what qulifications do i need to become a operator. Can you start straight away as a trainee or do i have to join a company then do it internally? what skill and experiences do i need to becoma a train operator?

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you

Shanx

Don't you want to take on a job that is more closely connected to your subject area?

 

[gazza8]

LOL a bsc in chemistry and forensic science and you want to become a train driver??

the industry is definetly changing, why oh why would you want to go through uni at the taxpayers expense get your qualification and then leave and want to be a train driver??

its a complete waste of 4 or 5 years as you have as much chance as someone with zero qualifications

 

[wensley]

LOL a bsc in chemistry and forensic science and you want to become a train driver??

the industry is definetly changing, why oh why would you want to go through uni at the taxpayers expense get your qualification and then leave and want to be a train driver??

its a complete waste of 4 or 5 years as you have as much chance as someone with zero qualifications

WRONG! It's a student loan that will get paid back (in theory) and unlike the robbing Tories it'll be a third of the amount now being chucked about from the taxpayer.

As for degrees they are becoming increasingly valuable, some TOCs will take them into consideration more than others but if there are 100 otherwise identical candidates but one has a degree...it's common sense

 

[142094]

LOL a bsc in chemistry and forensic science and you want to become a train driver??

the industry is definetly changing, why oh why would you want to go through uni at the taxpayers expense get your qualification and then leave and want to be a train driver??

its a complete waste of 4 or 5 years as you have as much chance as someone with zero qualifications

You'd be suprised at how many drivers have degrees, certainly more than you think.

why would you want to go through uni at the taxpayers expense

Go away and do a bit of research before you make spurious arguments such as this.

 

[gazza8]

You'd be suprised at how many drivers have degrees, certainly more than you think.




Go away and do a bit of research before you make spurious arguments such as this.

LOL just a quote from me, i just find it bizarre that people want to study for these degrees then come along and be a driver. Is it just a case of oh theres no jobs for me so i fancy doing that?

also i can tell you when i started as a driver there were none infact most who started as 2nd men with me didnt even finish school! And currently on my roster of 120+ drivers there are 2! So its definetly in the minority.

 

[142094]

LOL just a quote from me, i just find it bizarre that people want to study for these degrees then come along and be a driver. Is it just a case of oh theres no jobs for me so i fancy doing that?

also i can tell you when i started as a driver there were none infact most who started as 2nd men with me didnt even finish school! And currently on my roster of 120+ drivers there are 2! So its definetly in the minority.

Driving jobs these days normally come with decent pay, and not everyone wants to go to some of the jobs that graduates used to go to (like finance in the City). Then again a lot more people are going to uni so obviously there'll be a lot more appliying for railway industry jobs.

I've come across quite a few who had either started or completed degrees, even if it was part time or Open University. Even know one who was about to start a part time PhD.

 

[martin2345uk]

I've wanted to be a train driver since I was at school (I'm now 29).

Unfortunately I was an idiot and let myself be influenced by everyone telling me that it wasn't the sort of job I should do (I went to a grammar school so I did buck the trend so to speak).

I went to uni, got a 9-5 job, it's well paid but... well needless to say I've never lost that desire, in fact it gets stronger with every year I suffer inane office politics, to the point where I finally thought "stuff it, if I want to try out for it, why shouldn't I??"

I'm realistic, and fully appreciate that my chances are not exactly great, never having worked near a railway etc, but if I didn't at least try I think I would die with a real sense of regret and "what if"... and no one wants that do they!

 

[Liam86]

I'm realistic, and fully appreciate that my chances are not exactly great, never having worked near a railway etc, but if I didn't at least try I think I would die with a real sense of regret and "what if"... and no one wants that do they!

Go for it mate..... I've recently just signed and returned my contract from SWT having been an external applicant with absolutely no railway experience, so it is definitely possible.

My previous role was also in an office, what I did whilst there was try and take on as much responsibilities as I could to develop myself as a potential candidate.

 

[martin2345uk]

Go for it mate..... I've recently just signed and returned my contract from SWT having been an external applicant with absolutely no railway experience, so it is definitely possible.

My previous role was also in an office, what I did whilst there was try and take on as much responsibilities as I could to develop myself as a potential candidate.

That's really encouraging mate thanks a lot plus major congratulations, you must be pretty chuffed right now!! Might end up PMing you at some point in the future..!

 

[Beveridges]

also i can tell you when i started as a driver there were none infact most who started as 2nd men with me didnt even finish school! And currently on my roster of 120+ drivers there are 2! So its definetly in the minority.

While on the Gateline I knew 50% of staff on there (2 in 4) had Honary Degrees! Then there are numerous agency and cleaning workers with them as well. Seems like all the qualified staff are kept at the bottom of the companies while all those without any previous qualifications are all at the top in higher management/mainline driver positions! If anything, putting a Degree down on your app form does more harm than good.

 

[driver9000]

I've wanted to be a train driver since I was at school (I'm now 29).

Unfortunately I was an idiot and let myself be influenced by everyone telling me that it wasn't the sort of job I should do (I went to a grammar school so I did buck the trend so to speak).

I went to uni, got a 9-5 job, it's well paid but... well needless to say I've never lost that desire, in fact it gets stronger with every year I suffer inane office politics, to the point where I finally thought "stuff it, if I want to try out for it, why shouldn't I??"

I'm realistic, and fully appreciate that my chances are not exactly great, never having worked near a railway etc, but if I didn't at least try I think I would die with a real sense of regret and "what if"... and no one wants that do they!

Good luck to you, it was my childhood dream to be a train driver and I managed it straight off the street. Its hard work and frustrating at times to get the job but its worth it.

 

[martin2345uk]

Thanks for the encouragement and well done to you for getting into it off the street..!

 

[fordylad]

Go for it mate, I've wanted to be a driver for as long as I can remember, I've just spent the last 12 years as a chef in the Raf, but in feb next year I start with FGW as a trainee driver. It's an Awful lot of hard work, to get this far. But if you don't try you'll never know!!

 

[Beveridges]

Its hard work trying to get in
I have been trying for 6 years.
Spent those years on the railway in various "other" roles in an attempt to become a driver. These other roles can be hard with bad hours and worse pay and would never have took them if the driver promotion opportunity is not there. For example, the job I am in now is less than a Driver by a gap of nearly £10k. That is 10k a year behind what I aimed to be on, and I believe I deserved to get this job 4 years ago when I missed out extremely narrowly twice within a few months. It adds up fast.
Been through the selection process 26 times and got nothing but "knock backs" or put "on hold" with no job at the end. Its a lot of stress & hard work for no pay or reward, especially frustrating when you come 6th place when there is like 4 jobs going. You put the effort in to get THAT close but dont get anything from it.
For my last attempt I just missed out due to my interview with the line manager not getting in the top 2. My word document I used to support my interview practice had been edited countless times. According to MS Word, the document had been open for over 300 hours! That is an idea of the amount of hard work you can put in and get absolutely nothing out of it and the goalposts are forever moving.