Becoming a freight train driver?

Phaser

Phaser

Phaser

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Joined
17 Mar 2004
Posts
1,562
Does anyone know anyone with experience of this job?

Had a quick look online and most companies are offering £35-40,000 for a 35 hour 4 day week.

Are you away from home a lot? Required qualifications etc?

Any specific websites I should be looking at?

Cheers for any help.
 
Usually they take peeps who are already passenger train drivers. If you mean overnight stays then no, start your day and end your day at the depot. It can happen though. Qualifications are minor, gcse english and maths c grade.
You will be tested on concentration, ability to do/concentrate on more than one thing at a time, comprehension, basic mechanical maths and problem solving, and essay and report writing.
 
big_white_dog84 said:
I suppose that's your whack for the rest of your days, but it's still reasonable money for doing not much.
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Doing not much? It's a very high pressure job with a LOT of responsibility. A moments distraction can result in a serious accident and a possible prison sentance.
 
big_white_dog84 said:
Scotrail were recruiting train drivers and paying over £30K!
I suppose that's your whack for the rest of your days, but it's still reasonable money for doing not much.
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Could you get a couple hundred tons of momentum to stop were you wanted to?
Though i must admit on first impressions driving a train does seem easy :)
 
big_white_dog84 said:
but it's still reasonable money for doing not much.
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I'm no train driver but I'm almost certain that driving one of the heaviest vehicles in the world is not easy job. :rolleyes:
 
On some trains you have to push a small foot pedal every 30 seconds or so otherwise the train stops.

Must get tedious but at least it stops accidents
 
My mate pushes buttons for a living for EWS. He has a 'contract' of hours per year, anything over the contracted hours is paid as overtime. Usually works 3 weeks on then a week of rest days (which he usually works), contract runs April to April he's on about £35k per year basic but he breaks his contract in about Jan so has a couple of extra months to make some more cash, usually ends up pocketing about £45k per year.

As for driving being easy, it aint. He took me down to the yard (after having done a 2 day Rail Safety course he sorted out for me - was bored and had a few days off) and showed me what he does, just starting them is a major undertaking, lot's of switches to turn, levers to pull, everything you touch is covered in **** and weighs a ton etc. Driving them is constant concentration, no radio in the cab so nothing but diesel engine to listen to for anything up to 14hrs! He has been doing it for a good few years, then slipped up one day and missed stopping at a signal by 10ft, he got ordered to wait for relief then got taken away and breath & drug tested, sent home on paid leave whilst a tribunal was called, eventually got some kind of warning for it and a permenant black mark on his record with his licence being downgraded to a point where it will take him 5yrs to get it back to the level he was at! It ain't a very forgiving job.


He started as a trolley dolly for GNER then took the psychometric tests showing he was suitable material for EWS then spent a few years shunting wagons round a coal yard until being able to go out on the track.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Doing not much? It's a very high pressure job with a LOT of responsibility. A moments distraction can result in a serious accident and a possible prison sentance.
Click to expand...

Its a doss job with little prospects, not to mention boring, thats just my opinion though and many will agree and disagree, taking the easy road imo.

or rather track :p
 
Am not sure nowadays, but years ago they trained you as a guard before letting you near the drivers cab. My dad retired after being a train driver for 37 years :cool:
 
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