I wish...

[Starmill]

If you are worried about hitting birds and their fledglings in the nests it is not the job for you. On average I must hit one a day at least, I have hit sheep, cows, cats, dogs, swans, geese, badgers, red kites, buzzards, a horse and an owl. Only one magpie and one crow though, they are clever birds, the most common is wood pigeons and pheasants, stupid birds, why would an animal try to outrun a 100mph train when it actually has wings I can never work out.

What!? Really?

 

[notadriver]

Yes pheasants are stupid

 

[Beveridges]

So are pigeons. On my last cab ride the driver repeatedly blasted the horn at the pigeon and it still didn't move in time. I've also seen a pigoen flying about 10 foot in front of the train for a while, not realising trains are anchored to rails and all it needs to do is fly to the left or right.

 

[Temple Meads]

Train driving is my career ambition (at least in a fantasy sense) both for the financial reasons and being a railway enthusiast, the thought of hitting people/animals/things, although obviously not a nice one isn't something that would put me off, as the train has to be there no matter who is driving.

I'd happily be a guard on intercity services, but I'm not as drawn to the job on local services, ticket office or platform roles, potentially, even if just as a stepping stone to a driving grade.

 

[Beveridges]

Train driving is my career ambition (at least in a fantasy sense) both for the financial reasons and being a railway enthusiast, the thought of hitting people/animals/things, although obviously not a nice one isn't something that would put me off, as the train has to be there no matter who is driving.

I usually get cab rides whenever a train is on a Depot test run or on Development days but the potential of hitting a bird puts me off sometimes to be honest. Even though I'm not driving it is just something I don't like seeing.
A person getting killed chose to be there and is comitting suicide more often than not. But a bird never wanted to get hit, and as birds normally get hit by trains while they are nesting, the hatchlings will also suffer from no food, as stated in an earlier post.

 

[mansfield_matt]

Just some thoughts like,

I just wish we could get so many enthusiastic people who would want to join the railway but not in a 'Driver' capacity. I realise that since everyone was a little boy they wanted to drive a train but the railway is a big old place and maybe working in a booking office isnt so glamourous as driving a train and working on pway can be terribly cold and miserable but surely with the amount of people who always do threads on here* about wanting to become train drivers 'at any cost' they could maybe jooin the rest of the ranks first and then apply in the meantime.
They are so entusiastic that I would give me left arm for some of them in one of my booking offices - even if it was just for a year or two before they became drivers.

Or is it because the pay is so much better in other grades?


*not having a go at those who do by the way its just my thoughts.

If working in a booking office equalled or improved my current salary of approx £20k I would jump at the opportunity (so bills could be paid etc.).
I've been in the NHS for 10 years in various admin/ICT roles but it's never been an industry I've been interested in. It was not until recently when my partner urged me to apply for a role in the rail industry to satisfy my ambitions, not necessarily as a driver but in a operations capacity but I had always thought the skills I had gained in the NHS would not reflect that would be required on the railways. I recently watched the 'Working on the Railways' series on BBC2 and there were many people that had worked in the NHS that were now on the railways; one that stood out was a lady that used to be a Health Visitor that decided to become a Train Dispatcher.
If you are happy in your working life, life at home is usually good to!

I've been invited to as assessment day with EMT as part of the process to become a Trainee Depot Driver. It was a speculative application, never thought in a month on Sundays I'd get this far. However, I am under no illusions.

 

[W230]

I've been invited to as assessment day with EMT as part of the process to become a Trainee Depot Driver. It was a speculative application, never thought in a month on Sundays I'd get this far. However, I am under no illusions.

We've got plenty of ex NHS where I work. Positive attitude - someone has to get that job!