Is It Worth Working On The Railway

[thetom22]

I know the title sounds odd but here's why I'm asking:

As far back as I can remember I've always had an interest in Trains and the Railways and whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I got older I always said a Train Driver.

I'm now 21 (turning 22 in a week) and my interests have broadened a lot from when I was younger; I still love trains, but now I've got a huge passion for fitness and exercise (being a VERY active person myself who used to be an obese kid), Martial Arts (almost at Black Belt level and enjoy the challenge it presents me) and I just all around like moving about. I get restless if I sit for too long.

I know that Train Drivers whether they operate for Virgin Trains, TransPennine Express, Freightliner, etc. are on £30,000+ a year and no one faults the job. I have done my homework on the hours they work and I'm aware that its a shift-pattern sort of job that could have you starting as early as 3am and finishing later than 11pm and yes, I'm VERY aware that the drivers don't move about much aside from getting in and out of the cab.

I currently work as a Postman for Royal Mail which is a job that I enjoy a lot, however the most I can potentially earn in a year is £15,000 which isn't all that much compared to Drivers.

I have been thinking about doing something else as a profession and keeping the Trains as a hobby and would like to drive the Steam Engines of the East Lancashire Railway in Bury as a Volunteer someday when I can find the time and money (I live in Liverpool).

So pretty much what I'm asking is: Is it worth getting a job that I've sought after for years and give up on my other interests or keep enjoying my fitness and Volunteer on the ELR instead.

Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions, thanks.

 

[Saracen_83]

I think it is entirely your choice....... 22 is still very young, and no reason why you can’t try something else in mean time....

However driver are paid 50k+ due to responsibilities, the concentration and dedication the role requires....

As for fitness and hobbies yes drivers sit/stand still all day in a cab, however just means you ensure you workout and enjoy your hobbies in your free time. Don’t need to give them up!!!! Just work it around your job like any other role

Weigh up what you want more.... but only you can decide but as for your question, yes it is definitely worth working on the railway, hence why so many people apply for the roles.....

 

[hughavinalaf]

Why the need to compromise your fitness/training? There is plenty of time outside of work hours to pursue other interests,including fitness.

The industry certainly hasn't stopped me.

 

[Val3ntine]

Hmmmm, most drivers believe it or not don’t have a passion for trains or even an interest in the railway lol.
Having an interest in trains can’t be the sole reasoning for applying, a partial reason yes.

Working as a postman is great because it shows you have the discipline for shift work and getting up at untold hours. Your worry about being a very active person could be a problem however. You say you have done your research into the role of a driver so you should already know there will be plenty of time for fitness activities and hobbies after/before a shift and on days off. In knowing this already I’m assuming your primary concern is being inactive for long periods of time confined in the cab. If it is then you are correct, it is very boring and hugely inactive. Patience and a calm cool head is required. There could be times you’re sat at a red signal for ages just doing nothing but twiddling your fingers, or crawling from yellow signal to yellow signal at a pace of no more than 15/20 mph for miles and miles because of disruption. Funnily enough it’s no better (perhaps even worse) flying along at 100mph once again doing nothing but concentrating and remaining forcused for about 30 hard minutes with nothing happening before you come to your next stop. And then do it all again and again and again and maybe again.
Even out of the cab there’s a huge element of boredom, sometimes you can be rostered to be a “Spare cover” which means you just sit around in the mess room for 8 hours if you are not required as an emergency. Imagine doing this for a couple of days in a stretch? There’s only so much funny facebook videos you can watch before you lose your sense of humour let alone your will to live
You could also be standing at end of a platform waiting for your late train which is now going on 132 minutes late. But hey who’s counting, we’ve got much better things to do

You mention money, yes that is a great incentive for wanting to do the job. Again, interest in trains and money can’t be the sole reasons for applying, however both combined are great reasons for looking into the role (which you have) just as long as you’re sure you can handle the other aspects of the role. Don’t get me wrong there’s no job where you are required to like EVERY single part of the role that’s a fantasy, but it’s absolutely vital as a train driver you’re able to manage them at your highest form at all times.

 

[Highlandspring]

Believe it or not there are other (enjoyable, worthwhile and well rewarded) jobs on the railway that don’t involve driving trains...

 

[AlexNL]

There is no reason why you couldn't keep doing fitness and martial arts, while working as a train driver. Do keep in mind that it's a shift based job, so planning lessons or joint sessions might be harder as there is a chance that you'll have to work or rest when your classmates are exercising.

 

[Emmsie]

When I was young I wanted to be a pilot and I maintained this dream into adulthood. I moved to the US and after a couple of years enrolled onto a college course which included flight school and got my private license, I then continued to train for my instrument rating before finding out I was pregnant, however this did not stop me and I ramped up my training to try and gain my multi/commercial before giving birth. Unfortunately I had to concede that I was not going to be able to finish in the timescale so put it on the back burner and focussed on motherhood. When my son got to 18 months I resumed training and finally qualifed just before my sons 2nd birthday. However when I resumed training I knew that it was no longer the career for me, primarily because I couldn't bear the thought of sitting down for upwards of 10 hours a day with only 1 other person to talk to. The Railway is a little different as you won't be sitting for that period of time in one go however you will be spending plenty of time sitting on your backside in a cab on your own. That was a bit rambly but my point is that when younger we don't weigh up all the pros and cons we just get carried away by the romance of something.

 

[axlecounter]

Here where I live I find that those who started early working on the railway are, after a few years, sort of confined to the railway and struggle when they decide to change and look for a job in the “outside world”. Seemingly a job, for example, as a driver, is not regarded as one building the necessary “experience” so often asked in interviews. That’s a thing I would personally keep in mind, after all one could always go for the railway at a later stage.

Someone can surely confirm or deny all this.

 

[Raul_Duke]

Believe it or not there are other (enjoyable, worthwhile and well rewarded) jobs on the railway that don’t involve driving trains...

FAKE NEWS!!!



22 is young to throw away most of your social life. Going to bed at 18:00 on a Saturday night when your mates are going out etc etc.

It’s a fine balance, all the old boys I’ve spoken to have said that you’ll get on far better with the job if you have at least a mild interest in it.

The ones that don’t soon become stuck when they can’t find another job that pays as much.

You’d probably soon find that the absoloute last thing you want to do in your free time is be around trains. Although again, there’s drivers at our depot who go and drive heritage diesel charters / steam locos on their rest days.

There’s absoloutely no reason you can’t keep your fitness up. You’ll probably have more free time than someone in a 9-5 job and the gym will probably be quieter in the times you can go.

Also, much like a postman, you could find yourself in Wetherspoons at 14:00. (Assuming you’re off duty the day after etc etc)

It’s a great job, but it’s important to have balance. If you want to be a full on spotter then you’ll probably end up like the people who work at the Thornton’s factory where they’re allowed to eat much chocolate as they want. Great for the first few weeks and then they’re sick of the sight of it.

Good luck either way.

 

[whoosh]

A hard part of being a Driver (and other railway rôles), is being earlies one week and lates the next, and having varying days off.
It means you can't commit to doing a martial arts club once a week, or your partner (if you'e got young children) can't have a regular evening class, or go to a drama class or anything.
Anything that's a regular weekly thing you can't do like that. You'd have to do two-weekly or fit in when you can (which for going to the gym isn't a problem).

It's a good job and I enjoy it, but there are times when you are shackled a little. Having said that, I like the freedom of being off on a weekday while everyone else is at work. I found working in a 9-5 office job being shackled in a different way!

 

[TheEdge]

The driver job pays alot but it takes an awful lot as well.

As the above have said it will wreck your social life, you will be unable to commit to most regular things, like an martial arts club. If you can handle that and work things in around the shifts do it!

 

[Loop & Link]

Believe it or not there are other (enjoyable, worthwhile and well rewarded) jobs on the railway that don’t involve driving trains...

Very true! I started on the railway at 21, with the frame of mind being to go on to be a driver or conductor, I didn’t think there was much else to be apart from those roles, 5 years down the line and now a Train Service Controller, would never even give being a driver a second thought now!

 

[Up_Tilt_390]

22 is young to throw away most of your social life. Going to bed at 18:00 on a Saturday night when your mates are going out etc etc.

Not everyone at such an age will be up to stuff like that though, and maybe, like me, the OP isn't in to that sort of stuff. I myself don't go out on Saturday nights and get drunk (though to be fair that's partly down to having very little friends), and I am 21 and a half. If I was given the choice between working on the railway or going out Saturday nights, I'd pick the railway in a heartbeat. To be fair I don't have much of a social life, but I've tried it before and I really don't enjoy going the pub.

I know the title sounds odd but here's why I'm asking:

As far back as I can remember I've always had an interest in Trains and the Railways and whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I got older I always said a Train Driver.

I'm now 21 (turning 22 in a week) and my interests have broadened a lot from when I was younger; I still love trains, but now I've got a huge passion for fitness and exercise (being a VERY active person myself who used to be an obese kid), Martial Arts (almost at Black Belt level and enjoy the challenge it presents me) and I just all around like moving about. I get restless if I sit for too long.

I know that Train Drivers whether they operate for Virgin Trains, TransPennine Express, Freightliner, etc. are on £30,000+ a year and no one faults the job. I have done my homework on the hours they work and I'm aware that its a shift-pattern sort of job that could have you starting as early as 3am and finishing later than 11pm and yes, I'm VERY aware that the drivers don't move about much aside from getting in and out of the cab.

I currently work as a Postman for Royal Mail which is a job that I enjoy a lot, however the most I can potentially earn in a year is £15,000 which isn't all that much compared to Drivers.

I have been thinking about doing something else as a profession and keeping the Trains as a hobby and would like to drive the Steam Engines of the East Lancashire Railway in Bury as a Volunteer someday when I can find the time and money (I live in Liverpool).

So pretty much what I asking is: Is it worth getting a job that I've sought after for years and give up on my other interests or keep enjoying my fitness and Volunteer on the ELR instead.

Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions, thanks.

I can't say since I've never worked on the railways before, but you really wouldn't have to give up fitness and martial arts for the job, just work around it and be flexible, which might make it a bit harder, but pretty much every full-time job can have you losing free time. In fact I imagine with railways, you could potentially have an afternoon off to do your things, or even the evening if you done an early enough shift. A typical nine to five will have you working most of your routine day while a lot of classes are going on, and you'll have the same schedule all the time.

Believe it or not, I too take interest in martial arts, having done a bit of MMA and Muay Thai, and currently getting into Wing Chun, and I've only recently failed on a railway apprenticeship application. I didn't think about giving up, just working around things is all. For me though it might be against my interest since I'm still kind of new to what I'm doing, whereas I presume you will have more time with that sort of thing. I mean nobody earns a black belt in a martial art overnight do they? (on a side note, might I ask what it is you're doing?)

All in all, I'd suggest what others have and say that you should weight what you want out of both things. Unless it's an apprenticeship though, driving at an age of early 20s is pretty much next-to-impossible, what with 300 other applicants who could well have a great deal more life experience, who too are both facing fierce competition for the role. In this day and age, it's even become a meme with entry level jobs wanting a few years of experience, so I'd say you were lucky to come close at this point. Having said that, I'm also a bit inexperienced (and in some ways, a bit of an idiot) so don't be put off. I mean some here have gotten the job young.

 

[Teddyward]

Does Royal Mail really still pay that low? I was earning 2-300 a week nearly 20 years ago which was a lot for a young man. Was a 6 day week though. Used to work about 5am til lunchtime weekdays and 5am til about 9 or 10 on Saturdays. See postmen about at all hours these days. Don’t miss it. Apart from weekly pay, that was nice. I’ve been doing another job since I was 19 that precludes having a social life but I’m not that sort of person. If you can make do with seeing your friends a few times a year I say go for it.

 

[red2005]

If you can hack the multiple sacrifices required to carry out the roles successfully then most definitely! But I would say definitely do your research first as it could save a lot of time and heartache.

A lot of people see the £££ and the driver looking like they don’t have a care in the world as they pull into the platform and only really see the romantic part of the story.

Unfortunately they don’t see the alarm clock going off at 1am, the nights out with friends that are missed, the family functions missed, the not seeing the wife/husband/kids all week etc etc etc.

However with those sacrifices comes a lot of positives too if you’re disciplined enough within yourself to deal with the whole package.

I personally wouldn’t do anything else but it’s purely horses for courses. There are lots of drivers out there who are active people or just like to be around people, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make good drivers.

This is why the recruitment process has to be so stringent! They want bubbly, outgoing active people! But then they have to be sure that they aren’t gonna go to pieces sat on their own for hours on end. Most drivers who like to remain active are the ones that go the gym before/after work or simply make the most of their rest days by doing hobbies like yours.

There would be absolutely no need to give up your other activities! In fact with the time off awarded to safety critical staff you’d probably end up with MORE time to do them! Those sacrifices I mentioned earlier are definitely balanced out with other positives but that’s only my opinion.

Good luck with your decision making.

 

[Raul_Duke]

Bear in mind when I say social life, I don’t mean getting plastered in a provincial market town nightclub. (Although if that’s your thing then that’ll have to stop too.)

I mean the general flexibility to be able to do near enough whatever you want with your time off. You need to keep that booking on time at the back of your mind and make sure you’re fit for duty.

A lot of people on here (no one in particular before you get offended) seem almost unhealthily obsessed with getting the job at any and all costs.

Whether they feel the same enthusiasm when trudging around a windswept siding at 3am in the freezing rain, only they can answer.

 

[Bellbell]

All in all, I'd suggest what others have and say that you should weight what you want out of both things. Unless it's an apprenticeship though, driving at an age of early 20s is pretty much next-to-impossible, what with 300 other applicants who could well have a great deal more life experience, who too are both facing fierce competition for the role. In this day and age, it's even become a meme with entry level jobs wanting a few years of experience, so I'd say you were lucky to come close at this point. Having said that, I'm also a bit inexperienced (and in some ways, a bit of an idiot) so don't be put off. I mean some here have gotten the job young.

I know someone who got a driving job at 22 and another at 24. It's not impossible but yes, it's difficult in that you may not have had the opportunities to acquire examples of what they're looking for with regards to handling emergency situations, following rules and procedures etc. On the flip side, younger people often have more recent examples of studying for a long period, working towards a big goal etc. However, hobbies such as martial arts which demonstrate discipline and commitment and a desire to apply yourself to learning something over a long time frame are very positive when it comes to applying for railway jobs.

 

[387star]

FAKE NEWS!!!



22 is young to throw away most of your social life. Going to bed at 18:00 on a Saturday night when your mates are going out etc etc.

It’s a fine balance, all the old boys I’ve spoken to have said that you’ll get on far better with the job if you have at least a mild interest in it.

The ones that don’t soon become stuck when they can’t find another job that pays as much.

You’d probably soon find that the absoloute last thing you want to do in your free time is be around trains. Although again, there’s drivers at our depot who go and drive heritage diesel charters / steam locos on their rest days.

There’s absoloutely no reason you can’t keep your fitness up. You’ll probably have more free time than someone in a 9-5 job and the gym will probably be quieter in the times you can go.

Also, much like a postman, you could find yourself in Wetherspoons at 14:00. (Assuming you’re off duty the day after etc etc)

It’s a great job, but it’s important to have balance. If you want to be a full on spotter then you’ll probably end up like the people who work at the Thornton’s factory where they’re allowed to eat much chocolate as they want. Great for the first few weeks and then they’re sick of the sight of it.

Good luck either way.

when I was 22 I worked permanent nights cleaning station toilets etc and de-iceing in winter with two proper days off every five weeks. Now I'm a driver. . I quickly became a guard and worked up. Gives a you an appreciation for the various cogs as it were.

22 is a great time to join the industry

 

[driver9000]

I joined aged 23 and I have never looked back. It's not a utopian dreamland that some seem to think it is and there is no such thing as a perfect job and yes even the most enthusiastic Driver gets sick of the sight of trains. Yes the job takes a lot of your social life having to be up at 02:00 for earlies or working late but you adapt to fit around it and in some ways I actually have more free time than many of my 9-5 friends and don't have to bring a single piece of my work home. Unlike some office dwellers.

It's all about what you want from the role. If it's just a wage then it will probably destroy you but if you can manage what can be long days on shift work and not too fussed about going out for 3 for £2 shots each weekend then why waste time doing something that isnt what you want to do? Come on in, the water is lovely.......mostly.