Which would you rather? LU Driver or an overground Driver?

[iWantIn]

Hello all. Im just trying to plan my career and im deciding what id rather do. Be a driver for the underground or overground.

As some of us know the underground pays 50k+ london travel etc,,,good pension etc...the cons being that your stuck underground and...im not entirely sure about the working pattern but ive been told its similar to the CSA.

Being a driver for southern,swt or another overground service the pay is from 35k-40k+ but i think the hours are less.

Am i right in thinking this?
what would you rather :
1. a 4 day week with fixed off days and youre on 40k...or
2. no fixed off days working any 5 from 7 for 50k?

id love to get the forums thoughts on this. Thanks

 

[Mojo]

London Underground doesn't pay £50,000 for ordinary Train Operators. Instructors aren't even on that! I do also believe that the Tocs pay more than £40,000. In reality, the wages are probably very similar.

Duties average out to 7 and a half hours paid (plus a 30 Min unpaid meal relief), however contract is for a 35 hour week, so you will accrue banked rest days. This is where the half-truth that you get 52 days leave comes from! What you actually end out working depends on the week, and depends on what 'Mafia' you are in (syndicates for mutual changeover of duties) and how well you do out of that.

 

[Temple Meads]

Overground every time, though I'm not claustrophobic, the idea of a good deal of my life being spent in a tunnel isn't a particularly nice one, not that I would turn down a LU driver role

 

[Dieseldriver]

I've done both! Enjoyed my time on the Underground but overall, the mainline is a much better option job wise. Pay rates aren't too dissimilar either.

 

[notadriver]

Current salary for a tube operator is more than 48k. The system is gradually moving to automatic driving so I foresee the role in the future as more like the Docklands Light Railway passenger service assistants. You do a 5 day week on the tube with extra holidays or on main line trains 4 days with less holidays. Beware if you do choose the tube and decide to go mainline you have to start from scratch but it can be done as diesel driver has proven

 

[Vicpaul]

think you need to research the roles a bit more.

ive done both and with the tube eventually going ATO mainline is where you wanna go

 

[whoosh]

Do a bit of Underground on the Northern City Line (FCC). The dirt and filth you breath in should not be underestimated.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Biased answer incoming because I am a mainline driver, but mainline is definitely the way to go. Salaries are virtually the same but mainline seems like a more secure job. London Underground is heading to automatic train control, and it will be coming in rather quickly too.

The Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines will all be ATC worked by 2018 if everything goes to plan. The rest won't be far behind. As far as I am aware, the current 'C' stock are the last tube trains that LUL plan to purchase equipped with a drivers cab. If you are thinking long term career, 2013 might not be the best year to sign up!

 

[causton]

The Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines will all be ATC worked by 2018 if everything goes to plan. The rest won't be far behind. As far as I am aware, the current 'C' stock are the last tube trains that LUL plan to purchase equipped with a drivers cab. If you are thinking long term career, 2013 might not be the best year to sign up!

I assume you mean S stock, the C stock is from 1969/77 and there have been many stocks built since then with cabs! :P

...I would agree with the mainline driving position being the best, simply for the job security. You only have to look at the Overground conductors to see how easily they can chop a large proportion of the workforce off... and how little they seem to care about the effects of them doing it!

 

[Dieseldriver]

Another massive selling point for mainline, once you're qualified and got a couple of years under your belt you could potentially move anywhere in the country where there is a driving job.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I assume you mean S stock, the C stock is from 1969/77 and there have been many stocks built since then with cabs! :P

...I would agree with the mainline driving position being the best, simply for the job security. You only have to look at the Overground conductors to see how easily they can chop a large proportion of the workforce off... and how little they seem to care about the effects of them doing it!

Yeah, my mistake.

I understand agreements are in place with the unions to safeguard the jobs of drivers currently employed by LUL even when trains are being driven by a computer. My big concern would be in ten years time when all this infrastructure is in place that LUL might change their mind about the agreement...


**edit**


http://www.aslef.org.uk/information/102222/102225/companies/

I'll throw this link in for mainline drivers terms and conditions too. Some company information might be a year or two out of date because it's only updated periodically, but it's still the best resource I know of for somebody who is curious about such things.

 

[RuralRides]

Overground - pay not bad, well run business, you're above ground, and you can move anywhere in the country once you've trained.

 

[iWantIn]

Than you all for your replies. I thought about it and decided to go overground with my decision. Once again thank you all for the insight.