1. I am aware that Northern (and TransPennine Express) were previously organised as separate companies in the east and west, but given that this arrangement ceased on 12 December 2004, my question was actually why at no point in almost 20 years have any of the previous 3 incarnations of Northern harmonised the conditions for new starters?
2. So effectively if you are a guard first it just makes it easier for you to get yourself through the training. I’m not particularly keen on taking on the vast level of responsibility a train driver has and find myself more interested in the infrastructure, but if I was to pursue this career path I may prefer to be a guard.
3. This is good news. Do trainee guards also receive training on the former MML e.g. for emergency situations?
1. I think the idea of harmonising T&Cs at Northern has been mooted, but never seen through. Any harmonisation talks seem to fall down as it’s normally the East the end up actually benefitting, so I’m told.
2. Not easier per se. Starting your career as a guard gets you more adapt to the working environment, you appreciate why certain things do what they do or work how they work. They’re obviously very different roles and how you slot in to them is equally different. Some people enjoy being a guard, some enjoy being a driver. I know plenty guards who would never even contemplate driving, known just as many go from guard to a job in control.
3. Trainee guards get taught PTS at a Northern TMD (normally either Newton Heath or Neville Hill, sometimes Holbeck) and you demonstrate how you’d apply Track Circuit Operating Clips, but that’s it. You’ll certainly be taught how to lay emergency protection, but for guards, the reality is the first time you’ll do it practically is if you have to actually physically lay emergency protection. You may witness a train rolling over detonators at a depot whilst you’re training, but it’ll be the tutor that lays them.
