Becoming a train driver

[flukey-lukey]

Rob, as you know (I think) I work for Freightliner maintenance in Leeds with 5 other guys. We look after/fix/maintain the entire fleet of coal hoppers (27 sets, 18 wagons in a set) so I know a bit about what the drivers have to deal with on a day to day basis.

 

Pros

-Excellent money for what you actually do (£38k PA starting salary for freightliner drivers + bonus)

-Some days they will have very few jobs to do, so drinking tea/coffee for 3 hours straght is a common thing

-They get to conversate with excellent people like me when 'out in the field'

-lots of 'down time' when tracks are blocked, signals fail etc to laze about in your cabin

 

cons

-Someone throwing themselves infront of your train

-12hr shifts starting at unsociable hours

 

The above are just a few pros and cons. You WILL get rained/snowed on when shunting or inspecting your set before departure and if us wagon guys haven't done our job properly the screw couplings will be stiff as hell for you to hook up to your loco

 

I'm not sure about other companies, but Freightliner heavy haul only recruit/employ from within their own company OR already qualified drivers from other companies.

 

I think the saleries are generally a little less if your thinking of driving a passanger train?

 

The training is intense and up to two years long, but hopefully in say maybe 5 years time I'll be a freightliner driver too

[RobSheffield]

Awesome info, thanks Luke

 

So general advice would be to train on passenger stuff, and move to freight?

[flukey-lukey]

Awesome info, thanks Luke

 

So general advice would be to train on passenger stuff, and move to freight?

 

Aye, or do what I do and work your way up in a few years time. Plus I know everything I need to know about the wagons I'd be dragging behind me incase of any failures, which I should imagine will go in my favour

 

Some drivers don't have a clue and end up causing more damage to the wagons.

 

*** I must point out that if you go the route I've chosen you will end up looking like a pit man every day and grafting hard is very tiring

 

 

Good luck anyway

[Kieran]

Hmm, Freight train drivers on £37k. Thanks for that link mate

 

I could haul coal all day i think (not by myself, obviously in a train!)

 

Just had a look at that and it's for the transport division of Jarvis, the company I work for. So that vacancy is to drive the engineering trains that are always stopping me from doing my signal testing at weekends and just generally get in my way.

 

Seems like a nice cushy job to me. Might apply myself!

[RobSheffield]

grafting hard

 

Woah *alarm bells* you mean ACTUAL work?

 

*shudders*

[flukey-lukey]

Woah *alarm bells* you mean ACTUAL work?

 

*shudders*

 

Oh yes my friend! PROPER grafting in sun, rain, sleet, snow. Although full waterproofs and PPE is supplied

[jamesmark]

As Luke has said I worked for GNER and I enquired to go onto the foot plate devision (train driver). GNER only employed people that came from train haulage companies as they have more respect on stopping trains and are more cautious and also time served conductors. You are best applying to the likes of Northern Rail or Metro.

 

You will sit a lot of tests and have to be physically fit as said before the hours are long, however I believe they follow strict rules on how long drivers are in charge of a train, when I was with GNER drivers never went further than York from Edinburgh(delays excluded)