Train driving suitable for a mum of 2

[Western Sunset]

Your choice:
1. Push Brio around on the carpet
2. Drive the real thing

Go for it! If it doesn't work out, a least you've given it a try. Better than thinking "If only..."

 

[Smelliott]

Your choice:
1. Push Brio around on the carpet
2. Drive the real thing

Go for it! If it doesn't work out, a least you've given it a try. Better than thinking "If only..."

I do both. Love a bit of Brio. Sometimes I even let the kids join in.

 

[Western Sunset]

Yep, three things we've kept from when the children were young: Lego, Playmobile and Brio.

 

[BrummieBobby]

In my opinion, go for it. For the following reasons:

1. This may be your only chance; could you live with a lifetime of wondering "What would have happened if I had taken that chance?"
2. Not to sound brutal, but its your life, live it. Being a mother is only part (Although obviously a massive part) of what makes you, you. I speak as a Dad to two kids; I love my kids and would die for them, but as parents we have to live our lives too.
3. Shift work allows you to attend more events in the week (Assemblies, sports days etc.) that a job with sensible hours ever would.
4. One of the justifications I have used for shift work is that I am setting my kids the example that going out to work provides the nice things in life. My son used to have difficulties when I left for a night shift when he was younger; my wife explained to him that Daddy was off to work to get money to pay for the eggs (His favourite food at the time) and this helped him; simplistic but it worked for us.
5. Not sure if you have worked shifts before, but I will be honest there are times when it is bloody exhausting. But alternatively, when you have just completed a night shift and you just want your bed, you will find the energy to stand in the rain and watch your son's rugby match / attend your daughters dance medal test / walk them around the park, because we are parents and its what we do.

 

[ComUtoR]

Looking at these posts about drivers start/finish times. Are there any passenger trains that run that run 3-4 in the morning or finish late?

My depots first one out used to be 0434 and the last one home was 0050.

The last late passenger service I was on hit the last station at 0150 in passenger service and then went ECS

One TOC I know run passengers services all through the night.

It's very much TOC / Depot dependent.

 

[skyhigh]

There probably 40 odd drivers who book on before 0500 across the country though

Will be a lot more than 40 across the country. There's 16 pre-0500 driver starts at my old depot alone.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Will be a lot more than 40 across the country. There's 16 pre-0500 driver starts at my old depot alone.

I was referring to the drivers at the TOC I work for which probably has about 600.

 

[GemGem]

As you’re the perfect person to give a view on this topic - do you (or your partner if you have one) ever regret you going in to the railway and consider switching to a 9-5?

Absolutely not. I would miss more with a 9-5. They would have to go to breakfast and after school clubs etc. shift work can work for families but you need to be super organised and realise that you can’t be there for everything.

 

[E27007]

Hi all, I finally have an interview date with southeastern after 10 months of checking my emails everyday! Anyway now I’m getting cold feet wondering if I can really do it. For context, I am a mum of 2 young kids (1 is in school the other is only 2). My partner is very hands on and works from home in the afternoon so does the school drop offs… in terms of working pattern can anyone let me know what it’s like at southeastern? Would I miss out on loads of my kids?

From your description of your circumstances i think you could manage a roster made up of permanent late turns . At the interview I would expect there will be many questions on your domestic family arrangements, so arrive prepared with robust answers to show you have given serious thought as to how you could dovetail the work and your domestic life.

 

[LCC106]

There shouldn’t really be any direct questions about domestic arrangements as home-life and family make up is none of the employer’s business. If rejected, the individual could have been discriminated against when their home set up may not interfere with work.

They could ask what impact the person feels shift work would have. I would imagine explaining you understand the varied shifts covering late nights and early mornings, the toll it may take on your health and the pact on social life should suffice. Up to the individual as to whether they say that they have a family and have discussed childcare etc with their partner but I personally wouldn’t even go there.

 

[12LDA28C]

From your description of your circumstances i think you could manage a roster made up of permanent late turns . At the interview I would expect there will be many questions on your domestic family arrangements, so arrive prepared with robust answers to show you have given serious thought as to how you could dovetail the work and your domestic life.

I disagree. Why would there be any questions on domestic family arrangements? An employer can reasonably expect that an applicant who has reached interview stage will have fully researched the role and be well aware of the requirement to work shifts, concluding that they can put the necessary arrangements in place to make the job work for them. And as for working permanent late turns, that may well not be possible without a permanent swap with another driver, or by asking for a family-friendly accommodation, neither of which would be ideal to request as soon as you join a company, from the employer's point of view.

 

[Carl98k]

When I had my interview they asked if I was happy working shifts, this is due to the nature of the business. I’m sure most drivers wouldn’t mind drivers being on some kind of flexible working due to unforeseen circumstances. However, without sounding unsympathetic, joining the railway knowing the shifts and then expecting to be accommodated to fit one persons needs isn’t on.

 

[43066]

When I had my interview they asked if I was happy working shifts, this is due to the nature of the business. I’m sure most drivers wouldn’t mind drivers being on some kind of flexible working due to unforeseen circumstances. However, without sounding unsympathetic, joining the railway knowing the shifts and then expecting to be accommodated to fit one persons needs isn’t on.

This sums it up very well.

Flexible working is all very well, but can only be made available to a select few, and should be prioritised for those who need it (and regularly reviewed). Unfortunately that isn’t always the case.

As things stand the”whoever shouts the loudest” system is pretty unfair and I can see why it causes resentment: I can think of a couple of examples of colleagues with flexible working whose kids are now plenty old enough not to really need it, while other colleagues who have caring responsibilities, or much younger families have to beg for swaps etc.

The negativity also doesn’t always come from the expected direction. I can think of a female colleague who was ostracised and bullied by other female colleagues for not requesting flexible working after returning from childbirth!

I’d advise the OP to consider the job warts and all (as to be fair she seems to be) - you will have a period with a DI where you’ll be working to their shift pattern in any case. Then consider asking for a permanent swap once you’re established and on the roster.

 

[Iamanoob]

This sums it up very well.

Flexible working is all very well, but can only be made available to a select few, and should be prioritised for those who need it (and regularly reviewed). Unfortunately that isn’t always the case.

As things stand the”whoever shouts the loudest” system is pretty unfair and I can see why it causes resentment: I can think of a couple of examples of colleagues with flexible working whose kids are now plenty old enough not to really need it, while other colleagues who have caring responsibilities, or much younger families have to beg for swaps etc.

The negativity also doesn’t always come from the expected direction. I can think of a female colleague who was ostracised and bullied by other female colleagues for not requesting flexible working after returning from childbirth!

I’d advise the OP to consider the job warts and all (as to be fair she seems to be) - you will have a period with a DI where you’ll be working to their shift pattern in any case. Then consider asking for a permanent swap once you’re established and on the roster.

Not rail related but one of my former colleagues who is now a manager at another branch told me recently that one of his staff requested time off for her kids birthday, no problem as she has flexible working for about a decade now. He later found out that the "kids" were in their twenties and when enquired about her flexible working status, she replied with "nobody asked me to stop, so I just kept it". That got changed almos straight away.

 

[LCC106]

A flexible working request should be reviewed annually to see if it is still needed. As said above, some with older children may still be accommodated but without knowing the age of the children, what support they have in place etc. it is difficult to judge - not that it’s our place to. Think too of those whose circumstances change after they have been in the job for some time. Eg new mums and dads, someone becoming a single parent, those with caring responsibilities for elderly or disabled relatives etc. Flexible working isn’t just for mums. Sorry to stray off topic a bit.

 

[Undiscovered]

I'm not sure if the same same across all TOCs, but I know that any guards at ours, on accommodated links/not working the full range of turns, lose the 'unsociable hours' portion of their wage. It's why there are some extremely convoluted swaps and exchanges between individuals, so everyone can get what they want without penalty. This falls down a bit at holiday time, but it mostly works.

 

[SteveL9]

There are unsociable hours payments? I thought the salary was the salary…

 

[12LDA28C]

There are unsociable hours payments? I thought the salary was the salary…

Depends entirely on the TOC and their Ts & Cs. Some sold all the shift enhancements / allowances for a higher headline salary, some still retain certain shift allowances.

 

[skyhigh]

This sums it up very well.

Flexible working is all very well, but can only be made available to a select few, and should be prioritised for those who need it (and regularly reviewed). Unfortunately that isn’t always the case.

As things stand the”whoever shouts the loudest” system is pretty unfair and I can see why it causes resentment: I can think of a couple of examples of colleagues with flexible working whose kids are now plenty old enough not to really need it, while other colleagues who have caring responsibilities, or much younger families have to beg for swaps etc.

The negativity also doesn’t always come from the expected direction. I can think of a female colleague who was ostracised and bullied by other female colleagues for not requesting flexible working after returning from childbirth!

I’d advise the OP to consider the job warts and all (as to be fair she seems to be) - you will have a period with a DI where you’ll be working to their shift pattern in any case. Then consider asking for a permanent swap once you’re established and on the roster.

At our depot examples of those on accommodated/flexible working are someone who lost their spouse suddenly (who was responsible for all the childcare of 2 young kids) and someone else who had a child born with unforeseen special needs that required additional support. Then you have the things such as marriage breakdowns or illness that cause restrictions and can lead to accommodated work. Someone coming off the street and wanting their choice of shifts for reasons that would have been obvious when they'd applied despite knowing the railway is a 24/7 industry wouldn't go down well.

To be fair I don't get the impression that's what the OP is looking to do.

 

[Undiscovered]

There are unsociable hours payments? I thought the salary was the salary…

I dunno the specifics, but we were told in Rules that that was the case.

I know also of a guard who took accommodated turns, for a truly honest reason and with the full backing of the union and the depot, and they have taken a cut in wages accordingly.