Hi folks.
Wondering if any current drivers for Scotrail (or any other TOC for that matter) can give me an insight into what their day to day routines are like.
- What time does your shifts start and finish?
- What do you do to prepare before driving?
- What do you do when you have driven to you last station? (Where do you 'park' the train)
These are just some questions that you folks can try and asnwer for me and if there is anything else you can tell me then that's just an added bonus
Shifts are categorised as lates or earlies and can really start and finish at all hours of the clock. Most earlies start between 0330 - 0800, lates can start from 1300 until 1800. You will generally have alternating weeks of earlies and lates, usually based on a four day week (average 35 hours spread over 4 shifts). Sundays may or may not form part of the working week. Depending on depot there will likely be occasional night shifts.
No real prep other than booking on (by doing this you are conforming you are well rested, free of drugs and alcohol and otherwise fit to drive), ensuring equipment is present and correct and reading notice cases. Shifts have a start time which allows ample time to book on, check notices etc. and walk out to where the train is.
At the end of the shift a terminating train may simply be left in a terminal platform or might continue in service, in which case you would be relieved by another driver. Alternatively you might be required to stable the train in sidings or at a remote location.
The shift will always start and finish at your depot and will contain some means of getting to/from the depot to where the required driving starts/finishes - this may be by taxi, or by “passing” (ie travelling as a passenger) on another service.
I don’t work for Scotrail but it seems that all TOCs essentially follow the above basic pattern, with some variations.
