When ever I hear about someone jumping in front of the train I always feel sorry for the driver as there's nothing that he or she could do to stop the train from 100 miles an hour
MisterMistake Thank you. It was the second time. This is something we are told to except sometime over our careers. The train doesn’t have to be traveling at 100 mph. Both of mine happened at night. This most recent incident happened at about 4:30 am, and I was only going 25 mph on a freight train. In my case, I was traveling through a city. There is lots of rubbish on the tracks there. By the time I saw that it was a person, it was too late to do anything except apply the brakes in emergency.
Train driving is a great job. It is the best job I've ever had. The only thing i do dislike is the regular nightmares i have about the job. I regularly have nightmares about SPADs and people jumping in front of my train. Btw I love spending hours by myself locked up in the drivers cabin.
Yeah, but that's down to lack of training, common sense or sheer stupidity of the car/truck/bus drivers 99% of the time. We 🇬🇧 have half barrier crossings that we go over at 85mph without blowing the horn once. It's very rare that there is an incident. Motorists are better trained here to respect trains.
As a Conductor I can concur on number 5, though 99% of the time they are one of the best things about the job, some of them seem to be out just to ruin your day.
Completely agree! Particularly the shiftwork (I loved lates so was always popular in the depot for swaps). Repetitiveness. You don't know this until you get a shift of Olympia shuttles! Olympia-Earl's Court-High Street Ken and back... over and over! Luckily there were drivers who liked them so could generally swap! LU signallers are a different breed compared to mainline! Regular wrong routes set, even more regular reds! Amazingly enough, most of the reds cleared the instant the radio button was pressed or the SPT picked up! Suicides and near misses were (and sadly still are) very common. There's no way to prepare for one. All you can do is try and follow procedure. LU have an excellent trauma team who drivers can talk to. Pretty much everything else I loved on LU. Got boring on mainline at times because, as you said, your mind can wander if you aren't careful even just for a few seconds and if you're flying along at 90 and suddenly get that cold shiver of "where am I?" Can be very nasty especially at night with no landmarks!
I'm surprised that technology solutions to the situational awareness problem aren't standard in all train cabs: moving GPS map, current speed limit and time and distance to next, electronic (georeferenced) display of special operating notices, etc etc. Train cab seems a bit primitive compared to, say, airliner flight deck.
@@christopherwright8388 the short answer? Infrastructure. Changing an aircraft cockpit doesn't really rely on any infrastructure changes. Putting in systems that make trains aware of line speeds etc would require the infrastructure to be adapted for this. Also, concentration is key on trains, so having systems that require the driver to be aware of their surroundings mean less complacency than someone who can glance down and see where they are. Complacency is a massive issue in aviation where whole flights can be conducted using the pilots pre-planning, requiring little input from them other than R/T. Numerous accidents can be put down to lack of situational awareness of pilots when the automation or position assistance suddenly stops working. The difference being, the incredibly robust backups that aviation requires, meaning that this is a rare occurrence.
@@underwaterdick Agreed re complacency, but a certain amount could be done with no added infrastructure, which is why I mentioned GPS moving map. I've noticed in my car that if I'm on one of two closely spaced parallel roads, sometimes the mapping app gets confused about which road I'm on. So maybe it wouldn't be good enough to support speed limit display. Nevertheless, it seems to me that a good idea of current position would help a driver to maintain SA without being able to overly rely on it, especially in cases of poor outside visibility.
You're absolutely right about number 10; exactly fifteen years ago today (6/11/04) the train driver was killed in the Ufton Nervet Crash, as were five passengers. I had a minute's silence today for that incident. It was serious.
Being a train driver for passengers (I won’t name my TOC) when you get to do some ECS (empty coach stock) movements it’s lovely because you know no one is going to be pulling pass comms, egresses etc 😂😂
My cousin use to drive freight trains here in Australia until someone jumped in front of the train. I like playing train simulators its the closest I'll get to drive a train.
Hi Richard Stumbled across your videos by accident, but I find them really interesting. I worked on the railways most of my life and, for the most part, have no regrets about that. In retirement I've worked in healthcare and on the fringes of the railway industry. There is a great promotional structure in the industry, always has been but these days it's even better than it was. Don't close your eyes to mastering your skills as a driver and then moving on to greater (if not better) things in the industry. Good luck!
@@drunkweathervids9950 even when there is a guard there is a lot of interaction with customers as a driver. At stations (when walking too the train, changing ends or people asking when stopped through the cab window) and when alarms are activated.
I wanted to be a train driver but love being with people so would hate being on my own for long periods. Solution, I now run a tourist model rail show so I get to drive trains but entertain my customers at the same time. Click on the loco icon to see vids of my setup.
Missing a bit more detail, I think, but we get the gist. I witnessed a fatality for the first time this year. It's traumatic for everyone who does. Obviously the driver is powerless if someone jumps in front at 70mph.
RichTurnerMusic same with cars. Even if you have a dash cam with the evidence, you can be charged if they think that you could have been able to stop, even if its not your fault
@@DannyBoi2112 There is no comparision whatever, between people jump in front of a train and car. A car can stop on a dime practicly, thus reducing the impact allowing the victim to survive. A train on the other hand does not stop even half as quickly, takes quiet a bit of distance to stop, meanwhile the victim has achieved what they set out to do, KNOWING the train can't stop.
One of the things I hate as an onboard member of staff are obstructions on the line. The line I work on, the Settle - Carlisle line, is prone to having trees blown onto the tracks in high winds so during or after bad weather, I get slightly nervous when we go hard on the brakes - only on Sunday we hit a tree on the line. We also get a lot of sheep/deer strikes so whilst I’m used to it, it’s the nervousness of waiting for the next ‘thud’ as an animal goes under. The event itself isn’t very distressing, but it’s just waiting for it to happen...
I like your comment about how railway knowledge isn’t transferable outside. My wife is a rail enthusiast, and she’d been complaining about my not spending time with her. I’d been on back to back runs, then had to go to a union function. This made me go out with her to photograph. There was a 17 year old boy who plans to go on the railway after he finishes school. My advice was to learn a fallback trade first. I suggested heating and air conditioning, electrician, plumbing, carpentry, auto repair, or even commercial driving license for busses or trucks. I have a question. Here in North America low seniority crew members often hold the least desirable runs. Sometimes they are placed on a spare or extra board. These people cover for extra trains, or on regular ones, if the regular run’s owner is off sick or holidays. Does it work similarly in Britain?
Yes. There can be several groups of drivers at a depot. They top group get the best jobs, the weekday runs and the daytime working. The new boys and girls get the bottom group with the worst jobs etc. Its a case of working your way up.
Your trouble my friend you were born to late, I joined the loco department in July 1947, you would have been in your element in the steam days,Kind regards 🚂🚂🚂
Maga Yout I’ve been at it for 20 years. Sometimes you just have to tell your family that you need to go to bed. Other times you get caught out. A call comes to go to work when it isn’t expected. Your only recourse is lots of caffeinated beverages. Some guys smoke or chew tobacco. I work in the US and Canada. I don’t know if things are the same in the UK, but expect so. Crews choose their runs based on seniority. Some of the lowest cannot hold a regular run. They are on call. If someone calls in sick, or the railway decides to run extra trains, then these young on seniority spares substitute. I’ve just been off for a couple of days. I am a union official, and had a meeting. A spare man substituted for me.
@@brianburns7211 hello from Greece sir I want to be a train driver in the us cause our railways are not that good especially with the payment.... How can I be a union pacific train conductor it's my dream to drive a us train.... Thank you and have a nice day ❤️
GrEkK MiLlItArY If you can get a work visa, you can get on the railroad web site to apply. Union Pacific has been downsizing, so you might be out of luck with them now. There are plenty of other companies. You could even try for a Canadian visa too. I’d advise looking more at passenger. The lifestyle is more normal. They have more set hours. It’s also cleaner work. In many cases the passenger companies are subsidized by the government. They tend to pay more.
@@brianburns7211 Too right Brian. I have actually told the time keeper when signing on, I had difficulty sleeping during the day and was not properly rested, I believed it'd be dangerous for me to go on the line. They told me to go home get proper rest and sent someone else out in my place. I got paid for my shift anyway. We had a major issue with the Roster Clerk, who seemed to get enjoyment of screwing around with our jobs. Complaining didn't seem to do anything, but when Drivers rocked up for work then stating they were very tired, (a safety hazard) it was up to the management to resolve that issue. After a couple of weeks of this, the Roster miraculously resolved it'self. Funny that.Coffee gave me an ulcer, can't even stand the smell of it now. So glad to hear you have a good Union, IMHO very important for the job.
I can't believe that you don't get overtime pay! Yea, its one of those things that delays happen, but if in a heavily unionised industry like the rail industry, you'd of thought they'd of been all over that! Doing a 10 hour shift and then having to work an extra 1 or 2 hours unpaid is just ridiculous. Having said that I get it that you don't want to rock the boat too much.
I would totally agree with point number 4!-and its even MORE infuriating and annoying when you get stopped momentarily at a red signal for no apparent reason with a 2500 tonne stone train right at the bottom of a steep bank and its a horrible damp greasy rail !!- not a good combination to try and get your train re-started up-hill !! BUT I must disagree with point number 6 - the "old hands" learnt how to drive ALL types of trains( classes 1 thro to loose-coupled class 9,s and with BOTH air and vacuum brakes) through many years of experience - so they normally have a good idea of just what their talking about and on the other side of the coin ,I find a fair few of "younger ,less experienced junior hands " have quite a arrogant attitude whereas they think they are the superior drivers and know it all !!- train driving is a job that thrives on confidence and experience BUT if you become to confident - it WILL bite you !!
The comment about the railways being political is the most accurate point. When i joined the railway and had an induction with the union i was told your under no obligation to join the union but on the other hand non of your colleagues are under any obligation to talk to you....... with that type of attitude what are you suppose to do?
One thing I hated about being a train driver were the team leaders who got there by dropping bollocks and being grounded, then telling me how I should do my job.
I'm currently training to become a mainline train driver in the UK. Would anyone be interested if I made a channel and dedicated it to the training process, what to expect on the course and other bits and pieces I pick up that you might not know?
There is one thing that bugs me, as I think I know the company you work for. There is a terminus station that begins with B, but every half hour there is a train that runs just one station to the next station that begins with H, 4-5 minutes up the line, then it runs back to the terminus station. It seems such a pointless service considering its only about a mile long, there must be a reason why it runs, could you please enlighten me?
At a guess, it is connecting onto another service out of L going to or through somewhere called W and then possibly on to somewhere else called (another) L or B...
@@devoniantt1562 My guess is his depot is H and bulk of work is to CC or CX as it's more commonly called, via TW with the occasional service to CS and maybe the odd trip to E or AI
I'm 33 (based in Canada) and this is a career that interests me, however I'm not sure if I'd be too old or too much above the average age to apply and if I do end up securing a career as a train driver and plan to retire at, say, 65, I fear the risk or likelihood of the job being replaced by automated trains a bit high. @Dad Rail would you say the risk is high for the near or far future?
I am realy silent, very observant and always wanna be atleast5 feet behind the yellow line and will be close to any oposibg wall / around the middle of any doubleside plattform (like balham), and after carefully minding even the miniscule gap even with levelplattformboarding
My wife is Portugeses :-) we visit a lot. my favourite line is the Linha do Vouga. Id like to drive a series 1400 on the Douro Valley. Have you seen my portugal videos?
50k+ for driving a train is well over a average ,so be glad you have this salary.People can study for years at university or say become a nurse or junior doctor and earn nowhere near this amount !
Do you think all jobs should be equal pay? Becoming a driver can take 18 months to 2 years and as the company pays for your training it can cost them over 100k to recruit and train each driver. The pay is a golden handcuff so drivers don't leave for better paying jobs. You'll find it even more upsetting as working days off a driver can make 100k a year or more depending on which TOC they work for.
Hi Mate, I’m new here and love your videos. I was wondering if you’ve got any advise on becoming a trainee train driver?? Meaning like GSCE requirements or career routes into that? Thanks pal :)
First of all how old are you? Most TOC require you to be at least over 21. But that shouldn't stop you doing other safety critical roles First like platform dispatch etc.
Thanks for replying, I’m currently 20 but I’ve been in contact with companies and they say that I can apply at 20 years 9 months I believe and I have. Then if I were to get that job I will have to do it after my 21 birthday.
@@oliverclarke5678 yes that makes sense as the application process and training takes a very long time. So you will be 21 at time of start. When I applied it was 6 months plus before starting the course and then the course took 14 months. And I passed out beg of last August.
@@oliverclarke5678 word of advise. Don't do it for the money. I sold my business to do it and have found out that I don't like the job anywhere near as much as I thought I would. I controls your entire life. If you want to know more about it and the life let me known or message me
Ljs_adventure- Thanks for this, that does sound like the same as my current career, I am a bus driver for a company called Stagecoach and the hours, the overtime just takes over your life so it’s generally the same.
Minimum age is 21, it's ultra competitive. I got the job back in 2010 and there were 3000 applicants for each position of 8. It's worse now. There are no qualifications needed but your CV must be full to set you apart from the crowd. Which believe me will be huge!
Hello, I’m 13 years old aspiring to be a train driver ( freight or passenger i don’t mind. ) I was wondering if it’s easy to become a train driver and do you need lots of good grades?
Driving freight trains is far less stressful. Animal strikes cannot be predicted, but consider driving a freighter and striking a herd of cows grinding them underneath at 0200 on a cold wet night, is the stuff of nightmares for drivers. Especially when you are unable to release a cow that's got caught up in the running gear of rolling stock.
Things train drivers hate: 5) when you can't get the stop perfect 4) leaving late 3) overshooting platforms 2) passing red signals 1) being involved in accidents
Very interesting video I would only add to young people that the shifts play havoc with your social life and outside interests. Due to the railways safety culture medical standards are very strict and any incident can lead to a random drug and alcohol test - even some prescribed medication is banned for driving trains.
In Ozz, regular drug and alcohol testing is conducted with spot checks. If discovered with either in blood stream, counciling will result. If caught again D.C.M. issued. (Don't Come Monday) Four yearly medical tests required which company usually covers. If you don't pass the test, you get what we called a RED CARD, which means you cannot go on the mainline until your medical issue has been brought under control. Most times it incurrs a considerble loss of income whilst driving only shunters. But, in my experience, those medicals saved quiet a few lives that I personally know about.
10 things I hate about being a train PASSENGER: 1: Being held in a train with no facilities in the middle of nowhere when the driver is also angry... 2: Other passengers (the bad ones) 3: Overcrowding... 4: Missing the train (I come onto the platform and my train is just pulling out) 5: When there are no toilets or aircon on a 1.5 hour and more journey... 6: Bad smells, on older trains there are sometimes bad smells. (I feel sorry for the driver stuck in the train all day) 7: When you literally fall out of the train as there are so many people 8: Massive gaps, they just hurt. 9: Not being able to get to a seat 1 meter away because somebody is on their phones and cant hear me asking them to move, or they cant see the seat. 10: Loud music on the train, who likes that just who!
I’m not personally worried about it. It will happen at some point in the future, but the technology for full automation on mainline networks is still in development, and will cost millions to install. I can see semi autonomous trains being common place like Thameslink and cross rail that run automated through the core sections, but I think the job will see me out.
unions are what put me off from appyling to be a train driver, im concerned about being forced to go with the herd even if i don't have an issue with something to avoid being ostracised.
In my experience the relationship between the companies and unions is normally very amicable I would go as far to say that it is symbiotic. In 15 years on the railway I have never been involved in a dispute. I think the media make the unions look far more militant that they actually are. Industrial action is a last resort every time.
With my old company we had to be at least 30 mins late to claim overtime. Any delay over 30 mins you could then claim the overtime. If you were 25 down most drivers would deliberately loose time to make sure they were 30+ mins late and you could claim the overtime. - Not good for the passengers but you can see why they would.
Are there any true 'branch' lines anymore? This term is used by a lot of people to describe a lesser-patronised route but what is the difference between a branchline and a/the mainline? Isit the maintenance regime?
It's easy to imagine as a literal branch of a tree or tributary if a river. Mainline: Brighton-Bedford Branchline (splits off from Mainline) Preston Park-Littlehampton. There are hundreds of these lines
Hi There. No there is no set speed that a driver should pass yellow or double yellow signals. In the UK the distance between signals is not standardised therefore it is down to the drivers route knowledge to know where the signals are and what speed is suitable. In the London area for example signals can be spaced every 500m or so therefore when you see a yellow you will know that the red is not very far away (the maximum line speed takes into account stopping distances between signals) where as on some country lines, there may be 1 or 2 miles between signals. It is all down to route knowledge. I think in other countries like Germany there are set speeds for passing each signal but not in the uk.
Each company will have a set of standards on top of the national rules, mine states that on passing a double yellow the speed of the train will be reduced to no more than 60mph. Many of the signals have TPWS + now so you will receive a brake intervention if you exceed this depending on the signal placement and local instructions.
@@itchyvet not really. When the railway was privatised the new operating companies soon found out it was cheaper to raise pay and poach already experienced drivers from another company. In defence the other companies had to raise pay to keep their drivers. Pay now is used as a golden handcuff so drivers don't leave for better paying less arduous work. If pay was in the 30k area drivers could find work elsewhere but 50k plus keeps them locked in. We'll that's my theory.
There are some right tools on this job nowadays, they aren't and never will be "railwaymen". I've never known such a bunch of greedy, self centered selfish wankers that the job is now attracting. It sickens me and I'm glad I'll be gone soon
I have been on the job for 13 years now, so still a boy :-) In that time I have seen a lot of changes in attitude. A lot of the proper railwaymen are leaving, or being forced out by idealistic management that have never driven a train before. Its a shame. The stories and experience that the old boys have are amazing and I have always got time of day to help them out.
YEP, agree with your comment totally. AND I've been of the job now for 20 years, though my son does still drive and keeps me updated of the sad developments these days.
No way in hell. The Private Corporations have had sufficient time now to prove what they always claimed, that they could them better at less cost. How has that worked out ??? In Australia, the TAXPAYER still subsidises the maintenance of the per way, whilst the private companies reap the profits. How is this fair ??
No, fool. Standards are rock bottom, the costs are sky high and the infrastructure and rolling stock is miles behind the rest of Western Europe. The railways aren't even private any way. It's pseudo-privatisation; companies get massive subsidies, paid for by the taxpayer. And then make profits on top of those subsidies. Does that sound like private enterprise? Nationalise the railways - take profit out of the equation and EVERYTHING will improve.
When ever I hear about someone jumping in front of the train I always feel sorry for the driver as there's nothing that he or she could do to stop the train from 100 miles an hour
I just close my eyes and wait for the bang 😞
I’m going back to work for the first time following having run over a guy who laid down on the tracks.
Brian Burns Sorry to hear that, respect
That happened at Ufton Nervet, exactly 15 years ago TODAY (6/11/04).
MisterMistake Thank you. It was the second time. This is something we are told to except sometime over our careers.
The train doesn’t have to be traveling at 100 mph. Both of mine happened at night. This most recent incident happened at about 4:30 am, and I was only going 25 mph on a freight train. In my case, I was traveling through a city. There is lots of rubbish on the tracks there. By the time I saw that it was a person, it was too late to do anything except apply the brakes in emergency.
Train driving is a great job. It is the best job I've ever had. The only thing i do dislike is the regular nightmares i have about the job. I regularly have nightmares about SPADs and people jumping in front of my train. Btw I love spending hours by myself locked up in the drivers cabin.
Try being one in America....we have WAY more level crossings that people love to ignore
I knew an engineer (driver) who hit a car. He quit his job after he learned the victim was one of his neighbors.
Thats sad.
Yeah, but that's down to lack of training, common sense or sheer stupidity of the car/truck/bus drivers 99% of the time.
We 🇬🇧 have half barrier crossings that we go over at 85mph without blowing the horn once. It's very rare that there is an incident. Motorists are better trained here to respect trains.
That's why our engineers (drivers) sound the horn more often at grade (level) crossings.
@@christophercarey3232Sound the horn? You can hear them in England! 😂😂
As a Conductor I can concur on number 5, though 99% of the time they are one of the best things about the job, some of them seem to be out just to ruin your day.
As a train driver in Sweden I can really relate to the list. But we are getting paid for overtime
My dad is also a train driver
He always rants about most of these things after he comes back.
Must be a train driver thing :-)
Completely agree! Particularly the shiftwork (I loved lates so was always popular in the depot for swaps). Repetitiveness. You don't know this until you get a shift of Olympia shuttles! Olympia-Earl's Court-High Street Ken and back... over and over! Luckily there were drivers who liked them so could generally swap!
LU signallers are a different breed compared to mainline! Regular wrong routes set, even more regular reds! Amazingly enough, most of the reds cleared the instant the radio button was pressed or the SPT picked up!
Suicides and near misses were (and sadly still are) very common. There's no way to prepare for one. All you can do is try and follow procedure. LU have an excellent trauma team who drivers can talk to.
Pretty much everything else I loved on LU. Got boring on mainline at times because, as you said, your mind can wander if you aren't careful even just for a few seconds and if you're flying along at 90 and suddenly get that cold shiver of "where am I?" Can be very nasty especially at night with no landmarks!
I'm surprised that technology solutions to the situational awareness problem aren't standard in all train cabs: moving GPS map, current speed limit and time and distance to next, electronic (georeferenced) display of special operating notices, etc etc. Train cab seems a bit primitive compared to, say, airliner flight deck.
Christ the nights are killers, I always swap them out.
@@christopherwright8388 the short answer?
Infrastructure.
Changing an aircraft cockpit doesn't really rely on any infrastructure changes.
Putting in systems that make trains aware of line speeds etc would require the infrastructure to be adapted for this.
Also, concentration is key on trains, so having systems that require the driver to be aware of their surroundings mean less complacency than someone who can glance down and see where they are.
Complacency is a massive issue in aviation where whole flights can be conducted using the pilots pre-planning, requiring little input from them other than R/T.
Numerous accidents can be put down to lack of situational awareness of pilots when the automation or position assistance suddenly stops working.
The difference being, the incredibly robust backups that aviation requires, meaning that this is a rare occurrence.
@@underwaterdick Agreed re complacency, but a certain amount could be done with no added infrastructure, which is why I mentioned GPS moving map.
I've noticed in my car that if I'm on one of two closely spaced parallel roads, sometimes the mapping app gets confused about which road I'm on. So maybe it wouldn't be good enough to support speed limit display. Nevertheless, it seems to me that a good idea of current position would help a driver to maintain SA without being able to overly rely on it, especially in cases of poor outside visibility.
You're absolutely right about number 10; exactly fifteen years ago today (6/11/04) the train driver was killed in the Ufton Nervet Crash, as were five passengers. I had a minute's silence today for that incident. It was serious.
2:02 this almost made me laugh at loud when he said we can’t say for legal reasons
Being a train driver for passengers (I won’t name my TOC) when you get to do some ECS (empty coach stock) movements it’s lovely because you know no one is going to be pulling pass comms, egresses etc 😂😂
😂😂😂
My cousin use to drive freight trains here in Australia until someone jumped in front of the train. I like playing train simulators its the closest I'll get to drive a train.
Your colleagues at your new employers’ “Northamptonshire depot” have found this channel.
Hello from us on the other side of the big smoke!
Hi Richard Stumbled across your videos by accident, but I find them really interesting. I worked on the railways most of my life and, for the most part, have no regrets about that. In retirement I've worked in healthcare and on the fringes of the railway industry. There is a great promotional structure in the industry, always has been but these days it's even better than it was. Don't close your eyes to mastering your skills as a driver and then moving on to greater (if not better) things in the industry. Good luck!
Thank you
Train driver in belgium here, i gotta say i have the exacts same complaints as you ! Anybody who wants to be a train driver should watch this video.
A lot of these account for guards as well...especially number 5 lol. Should be passed out this time tomorrow :)
Congratulations! #keeptheguardonthetrain
I'm surprised he talked about customers because train drivers don't interact with customers.
@@drunkweathervids9950 even when there is a guard there is a lot of interaction with customers as a driver. At stations (when walking too the train, changing ends or people asking when stopped through the cab window) and when alarms are activated.
I wanted to be a train driver but love being with people so would hate being on my own for long periods. Solution, I now run a tourist model rail show so I get to drive trains but entertain my customers at the same time. Click on the loco icon to see vids of my setup.
Missing a bit more detail, I think, but we get the gist.
I witnessed a fatality for the first time this year. It's traumatic for everyone who does. Obviously the driver is powerless if someone jumps in front at 70mph.
RichTurnerMusic same with cars. Even if you have a dash cam with the evidence, you can be charged if they think that you could have been able to stop, even if its not your fault
@@DannyBoi2112 There is no comparision whatever, between people jump in front of a train and car. A car can stop on a dime practicly, thus reducing the impact allowing the victim to survive. A train on the other hand does not stop even half as quickly, takes quiet a bit of distance to stop, meanwhile the victim has achieved what they set out to do, KNOWING the train can't stop.
cheers for this - i've just found i can't be a train-driver so this vid actually makes me feel better ;)
That's a shame - why not?
Point four is interesting. Often a caution is not warranted, but clearing on approach might be 😀
One of the things I hate as an onboard member of staff are obstructions on the line. The line I work on, the Settle - Carlisle line, is prone to having trees blown onto the tracks in high winds so during or after bad weather, I get slightly nervous when we go hard on the brakes - only on Sunday we hit a tree on the line. We also get a lot of sheep/deer strikes so whilst I’m used to it, it’s the nervousness of waiting for the next ‘thud’ as an animal goes under. The event itself isn’t very distressing, but it’s just waiting for it to happen...
Just one fallen tree on the railway and the whole railway network is cancelled.
Only thing I hate about 'not' being a train driver is failing to meet the interview standard at the trainee driver managers interview.....
How does it work regarding route knowledge with the Yellow HST measurement train ? Do they have to keep changing drivers ?.
Stuck? On £50k? Yes please....
Yes, this. I'm pouring with sympathy...... most people are grateful to have a job on half that.
When i grow up i want to be a train driver but my grandmother says i should be a pilot
I like your comment about how railway knowledge isn’t transferable outside. My wife is a rail enthusiast, and she’d been complaining about my not spending time with her. I’d been on back to back runs, then had to go to a union function. This made me go out with her to photograph. There was a 17 year old boy who plans to go on the railway after he finishes school. My advice was to learn a fallback trade first. I suggested heating and air conditioning, electrician, plumbing, carpentry, auto repair, or even commercial driving license for busses or trucks.
I have a question. Here in North America low seniority crew members often hold the least desirable runs. Sometimes they are placed on a spare or extra board. These people cover for extra trains, or on regular ones, if the regular run’s owner is off sick or holidays. Does it work similarly in Britain?
It works on seniority regarding certain depots rules, but yeah the lower links usual get the worst work lol
@@ExplodingPiggy L.O.L. same here in Ozz.
Yes. There can be several groups of drivers at a depot. They top group get the best jobs, the weekday runs and the daytime working. The new boys and girls get the bottom group with the worst jobs etc. Its a case of working your way up.
Always wanted to be a Train Driver as a kid. I'm a Crane Driver now though
Great video - just wondering what happened to your vlog series? All episodes except number 10 have been made private.
Please can you do a video about dealing with signallers and any aspects of signalling?
You should make a video about what customers complain about
Your trouble my friend you were born to late, I joined the loco department in July 1947, you would have been in your element in the steam days,Kind regards 🚂🚂🚂
I think your probably right :-)
I didn’t see DOO in this video. As of yesterday, hate DOO 🤔😂
I think Richard is best off not discussing DOO here!
Please provide advice for new train drivers... the shift work messes with your ability to sleep!
Maga Yout I’ve been at it for 20 years. Sometimes you just have to tell your family that you need to go to bed. Other times you get caught out. A call comes to go to work when it isn’t expected. Your only recourse is lots of caffeinated beverages. Some guys smoke or chew tobacco.
I work in the US and Canada. I don’t know if things are the same in the UK, but expect so. Crews choose their runs based on seniority. Some of the lowest cannot hold a regular run. They are on call. If someone calls in sick, or the railway decides to run extra trains, then these young on seniority spares substitute. I’ve just been off for a couple of days. I am a union official, and had a meeting. A spare man substituted for me.
@@brianburns7211 hello from Greece sir I want to be a train driver in the us cause our railways are not that good especially with the payment.... How can I be a union pacific train conductor it's my dream to drive a us train.... Thank you and have a nice day ❤️
GrEkK MiLlItArY If you can get a work visa, you can get on the railroad web site to apply. Union Pacific has been downsizing, so you might be out of luck with them now. There are plenty of other companies. You could even try for a Canadian visa too.
I’d advise looking more at passenger. The lifestyle is more normal. They have more set hours. It’s also cleaner work. In many cases the passenger companies are subsidized by the government. They tend to pay more.
@@brianburns7211 Too right Brian. I have actually told the time keeper when signing on, I had difficulty sleeping during the day and was not properly rested, I believed it'd be dangerous for me to go on the line. They told me to go home get proper rest and sent someone else out in my place. I got paid for my shift anyway. We had a major issue with the Roster Clerk, who seemed to get enjoyment of screwing around with our jobs. Complaining didn't seem to do anything, but when Drivers rocked up for work then stating they were very tired, (a safety hazard) it was up to the management to resolve that issue. After a couple of weeks of this, the Roster miraculously resolved it'self. Funny that.Coffee gave me an ulcer, can't even stand the smell of it now. So glad to hear you have a good Union, IMHO very important for the job.
Moody guards is one.
Please come back
When your driving a train Do you ever see the graffiti artist actually trespassing on the railway? If you do do you report them
Nope never
If 80k is fair pay for sitting on one's @rse in Westminster, then fifty plus k is fair enough for the responsibility attached to the job.
I can't believe that you don't get overtime pay! Yea, its one of those things that delays happen, but if in a heavily unionised industry like the rail industry, you'd of thought they'd of been all over that!
Doing a 10 hour shift and then having to work an extra 1 or 2 hours unpaid is just ridiculous.
Having said that I get it that you don't want to rock the boat too much.
Can you talk about what’s next after becoming a train driver? What are the career progressions?
He discussed that as his last point
I wouldn't know where to start to become a teian driver in the UK.. Tired everything
Train Drivers are ballers. Have you seen their salary!???!! 🤑
I would totally agree with point number 4!-and its even MORE infuriating and annoying when you get stopped momentarily at a red signal for no apparent reason with a 2500 tonne stone train right at the bottom of a steep bank and its a horrible damp greasy rail !!- not a good combination to try and get your train re-started up-hill !! BUT I must disagree with point number 6 - the "old hands" learnt how to drive ALL types of trains( classes 1 thro to loose-coupled class 9,s and with BOTH air and vacuum brakes) through many years of experience - so they normally have a good idea of just what their talking about and on the other side of the coin ,I find a fair few of "younger ,less experienced junior hands " have quite a arrogant attitude whereas they think they are the superior drivers and know it all !!- train driving is a job that thrives on confidence and experience BUT if you become to confident - it WILL bite you !!
We call us Locopilots here in India. I drive the train as an asst. Loco pilot. Let me know
The comment about the railways being political is the most accurate point. When i joined the railway and had an induction with the union i was told your under no obligation to join the union but on the other hand non of your colleagues are under any obligation to talk to you....... with that type of attitude what are you suppose to do?
Can you please do a video about what do drivers do in short platforms?
A railway staff announces some news about the short platform and long train. They say which train carriage's doors don't open.
You can pass on this question - which three parts of your position would you like see change? Regards, Patrick
One thing I hated about being a train driver were the team leaders who got there by dropping bollocks and being grounded, then telling me how I should do my job.
Great video as always
Thank you
I'm currently training to become a mainline train driver in the UK. Would anyone be interested if I made a channel and dedicated it to the training process, what to expect on the course and other bits and pieces I pick up that you might not know?
yes please! I have applied for position of apprentice train driver and would.like to prepare if I hopefully do get selected :)
There is one thing that bugs me, as I think I know the company you work for. There is a terminus station that begins with B, but every half hour there is a train that runs just one station to the next station that begins with H, 4-5 minutes up the line, then it runs back to the terminus station.
It seems such a pointless service considering its only about a mile long, there must be a reason why it runs, could you please enlighten me?
At a guess, it is connecting onto another service out of L going to or through somewhere called W and then possibly on to somewhere else called (another) L or B...
@@devoniantt1562 My guess is his depot is H and bulk of work is to CC or CX as it's more commonly called, via TW with the occasional service to CS and maybe the odd trip to E or AI
Sounds like Brighton & Hove to me
@@ExplodingPiggy it was Brighton and Hove. I see no need for such a service just running between the two stations when they are already well served.
Why didn't you just say Brighton and Hove in your first comment?
I'm 33 (based in Canada) and this is a career that interests me, however I'm not sure if I'd be too old or too much above the average age to apply and if I do end up securing a career as a train driver and plan to retire at, say, 65, I fear the risk or likelihood of the job being replaced by automated trains a bit high. @Dad Rail would you say the risk is high for the near or far future?
Hiya, is there a sign or indicator that shows that a signal is out of use? Do they just cover them with an orange cover like traffic lights? Thanks
kieranhendy it's covered with a black bag marked with a white cross, also will be listed in the WON & PON
In Ozz, it's simply a white cross and the signal is not illuminated.
I am realy silent, very observant and always wanna be atleast5 feet behind the yellow line and will be close to any oposibg wall / around the middle of any doubleside plattform (like balham), and after carefully minding even the miniscule gap even with levelplattformboarding
thanks for the information! I want to be a train driver in portugal (cuz i am portuguese) and I believe i will be
My wife is Portugeses :-) we visit a lot. my favourite line is the Linha do Vouga. Id like to drive a series 1400 on the Douro Valley. Have you seen my portugal videos?
@@DadRail yes, I saw. And I liked really much!
I have worked as train driver 34 years.
I hate night dut
How often do you miss the AWS signal and the train stops
never done it in 10 years driving, and then done it twice in a month !
Hi there, I want to change my career.. where can i do my course to become a train driver? Thank you in advance!
Lodi Malameme you can't do that I'm afraid. You have to be successful and secure a trainee driver position at a train operating company.
50k+ for driving a train is well over a average ,so be glad you have this salary.People can study for years at university or say become a nurse or junior doctor and earn nowhere near this amount !
Do you think all jobs should be equal pay? Becoming a driver can take 18 months to 2 years and as the company pays for your training it can cost them over 100k to recruit and train each driver. The pay is a golden handcuff so drivers don't leave for better paying jobs. You'll find it even more upsetting as working days off a driver can make 100k a year or more depending on which TOC they work for.
Hi Mate, I’m new here and love your videos. I was wondering if you’ve got any advise on becoming a trainee train driver?? Meaning like GSCE requirements or career routes into that? Thanks pal :)
First of all how old are you? Most TOC require you to be at least over 21. But that shouldn't stop you doing other safety critical roles First like platform dispatch etc.
Thanks for replying, I’m currently 20 but I’ve been in contact with companies and they say that I can apply at 20 years 9 months I believe and I have. Then if I were to get that job I will have to do it after my 21 birthday.
@@oliverclarke5678 yes that makes sense as the application process and training takes a very long time. So you will be 21 at time of start. When I applied it was 6 months plus before starting the course and then the course took 14 months. And I passed out beg of last August.
@@oliverclarke5678 word of advise. Don't do it for the money. I sold my business to do it and have found out that I don't like the job anywhere near as much as I thought I would. I controls your entire life. If you want to know more about it and the life let me known or message me
Ljs_adventure- Thanks for this, that does sound like the same as my current career, I am a bus driver for a company called Stagecoach and the hours, the overtime just takes over your life so it’s generally the same.
I am in group of 10 trainee train driver. We already had near misses and we not even out of training.
I work on the railway, how can I become a train driver? I’m 19 and really wanna do it
Same man i'm 19 too. I don't want an office job.
Any ideas what qualifications you need to become a train driver
Minimum age is 21, it's ultra competitive. I got the job back in 2010 and there were 3000 applicants for each position of 8. It's worse now. There are no qualifications needed but your CV must be full to set you apart from the crowd. Which believe me will be huge!
I’d love to be a train driver but I’m too much of a durrr.
I’m a bus driver and can relate to most of these lol
This isn't related to the video, but are train drivers allowed to listen to music whilst driving?
Unfortunately not. I think it should be allowed though.
@@DadRail Yeah, I think so too, as long as you don't wear earphones, and can still hear things like the AWS
Just landed a traineeship in locomotive driving, start tomorrow to train in shunting then on to the driver after that
Good luck, hope it goes well for you
I wanna be a train driver I rather work on a heratige line though
the railway guy 2019 that's not proper train driving
@@ExplodingPiggy it is though you have to have a degree in engineering
the railway guy 2019 no you don't you just have to go through a more laborious trainee program lol. It would make more sense to have been a plumber 🤣
@@ExplodingPiggy wow how to fucking ruin someone's dreams you twat
Try the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway! They're the best!
The politics section just gave me an idea for a movie 😂
A rated 15 movie about a train driver.
Hello,
I’m 13 years old aspiring to be a train driver ( freight or passenger i don’t mind. ) I was wondering if it’s easy to become a train driver and do you need lots of good grades?
Stefan.Morris.Karting you don't NEED them mate but anything that makes you stand out is a must!
How many animals per month can I expect to hit?
Is it easier to drive freight trains than passenger trains?
Driving freight trains is far less stressful. Animal strikes cannot be predicted, but consider driving a freighter and striking a herd of cows grinding them underneath at 0200 on a cold wet night, is the stuff of nightmares for drivers. Especially when you are unable to release a cow that's got caught up in the running gear of rolling stock.
Hallo sir , how to become a Railway 🚂 train driver . I am belong India but i want a Railway train driver , what's process ...
I'd love to be a train driver!
Josh Churchill No you don’t!
You would up until your first month 😞
What is the song used in this video
Loving all these videos, what do you use to edit your videos?
Thank you, Adobe Premier Pro, and After Effects for all the screen overlays.
Things train drivers hate:
5) when you can't get the stop perfect
4) leaving late
3) overshooting platforms
2) passing red signals
1) being involved in accidents
Very interesting video I would only add to young people that the shifts play havoc with your social life and outside interests. Due to the railways safety culture medical standards are very strict and any incident can lead to a random drug and alcohol test - even some prescribed medication is banned for driving trains.
Very true. It is like being permanently jet lagged.
In Ozz, regular drug and alcohol testing is conducted with spot checks. If discovered with either in blood stream, counciling will result. If caught again D.C.M. issued. (Don't Come Monday) Four yearly medical tests required which company usually covers. If you don't pass the test, you get what we called a RED CARD, which means you cannot go on the mainline until your medical issue has been brought under control. Most times it incurrs a considerble loss of income whilst driving only shunters. But, in my experience, those medicals saved quiet a few lives that I personally know about.
10 things I hate about being a train PASSENGER:
1: Being held in a train with no facilities in the middle of nowhere when the driver is also angry...
2: Other passengers (the bad ones)
3: Overcrowding...
4: Missing the train (I come onto the platform and my train is just pulling out)
5: When there are no toilets or aircon on a 1.5 hour and more journey...
6: Bad smells, on older trains there are sometimes bad smells. (I feel sorry for the driver stuck in the train all day)
7: When you literally fall out of the train as there are so many people
8: Massive gaps, they just hurt.
9: Not being able to get to a seat 1 meter away because somebody is on their phones and cant hear me asking them to move, or they cant see the seat.
10: Loud music on the train, who likes that just who!
Are you coming back at last? I do hope so. I just got a Gmail to say you had but the video was removed.
Music far too loud at the start (and this track is used on so many vids) - it's drowning out your voice.
Thanks for the feedback.
I have dreams of working for DRS at Crewe.
Are you worried about the automation of the trains?
I’m not personally worried about it. It will happen at some point in the future, but the technology for full automation on mainline networks is still in development, and will cost millions to install. I can see semi autonomous trains being common place like Thameslink and cross rail that run automated through the core sections, but I think the job will see me out.
This is my friends dad, My friend is Called Joshua Evans.
Say hello for me 👍👋
What company does this guy work on ?
Oooh I wanna be train driver proof look a my proflie
unions are what put me off from appyling to be a train driver, im concerned about being forced to go with the herd even if i don't have an issue with something to avoid being ostracised.
In my experience the relationship between the companies and unions is normally very amicable I would go as far to say that it is symbiotic. In 15 years on the railway I have never been involved in a dispute. I think the media make the unions look far more militant that they actually are. Industrial action is a last resort every time.
22 years driving had 1 strike day.
@@snafufubar I know right, and yet we are always on strike, or so the media say!
Train drivers don’t get paid overtime? Never heard of this ever, and I’ve worked for 5 different companies
With my old company we had to be at least 30 mins late to claim overtime. Any delay over 30 mins you could then claim the overtime. If you were 25 down most drivers would deliberately loose time to make sure they were 30+ mins late and you could claim the overtime. - Not good for the passengers but you can see why they would.
@@DadRail sounds like a really T&C there
@@DadRail 30 minutes late running went years ago.
@@snafufubar It was still in place 3 years ago with my previous TOC.
Are you going to post more videos?
I've got some new content in the pipeline.
Dad Rail cool thanks! Love the channel. 👍
love th is channel
Why dislike?
Are there any true 'branch' lines anymore? This term is used by a lot of people to describe a lesser-patronised route but what is the difference between a branchline and a/the mainline? Isit the maintenance regime?
Cornwall has a lot of them, such as St. Erth to St. Ives, or Liskeard to Looe.
It's easy to imagine as a literal branch of a tree or tributary if a river.
Mainline: Brighton-Bedford
Branchline (splits off from Mainline) Preston Park-Littlehampton.
There are hundreds of these lines
Consider a branch line like a tree branch coming off the trunk. The trunk being the mainline and the branch feeding traffic to the trunk.
Is it me or did I see him on All The Stations
You did :-)
I saw southern Railway
dont u have any pov vids... r u still driving ?
ruclips.net/video/kjH3nFiL2B0/видео.html
This was the last one I uploaded, although not me driving.
@@DadRailThank you... hope to c ur pov vid also
I have been searching on line to see if there is a speed restriction when passing double yellow and yellow signals. Can you help please?
Hi There. No there is no set speed that a driver should pass yellow or double yellow signals. In the UK the distance between signals is not standardised therefore it is down to the drivers route knowledge to know where the signals are and what speed is suitable. In the London area for example signals can be spaced every 500m or so therefore when you see a yellow you will know that the red is not very far away (the maximum line speed takes into account stopping distances between signals) where as on some country lines, there may be 1 or 2 miles between signals. It is all down to route knowledge. I think in other countries like Germany there are set speeds for passing each signal but not in the uk.
Thank you very much for the information. I will have to remember that when I use my Simulator.
Each company will have a set of standards on top of the national rules, mine states that on passing a double yellow the speed of the train will be reduced to no more than 60mph. Many of the signals have TPWS + now so you will receive a brake intervention if you exceed this depending on the signal placement and local instructions.
@@DadRail Same in Australia. Which is orignally based on the older U.K. systems.
So what trains do you drive
Freight trains, class 66 as well as others. At the time of this video I was driving Electrostart units
@@DadRail cool
You should build a model railway
If only I had the space!
WHY ???
You just remember that those BR drivers who are still working around you, lost money for your working conditions
Blushing Green a BR driver made peanuts compared to our pay now
@@ExplodingPiggy But they fought very hard for what you enjoy today.
I think the point is they’re not god though
@@itchyvet not really. When the railway was privatised the new operating companies soon found out it was cheaper to raise pay and poach already experienced drivers from another company. In defence the other companies had to raise pay to keep their drivers. Pay now is used as a golden handcuff so drivers don't leave for better paying less arduous work. If pay was in the 30k area drivers could find work elsewhere but 50k plus keeps them locked in. We'll that's my theory.
Does anyone find him really attractive?
Why do you call it a train driver when there is no steering involved? Train Operator is more accurate (switch on, switch off, then brake.)
I video as always
There are some right tools on this job nowadays, they aren't and never will be "railwaymen". I've never known such a bunch of greedy, self centered selfish wankers that the job is now attracting. It sickens me and I'm glad I'll be gone soon
I have been on the job for 13 years now, so still a boy :-) In that time I have seen a lot of changes in attitude. A lot of the proper railwaymen are leaving, or being forced out by idealistic management that have never driven a train before. Its a shame. The stories and experience that the old boys have are amazing and I have always got time of day to help them out.
YEP, agree with your comment totally. AND I've been of the job now for 20 years, though my son does still drive and keeps me updated of the sad developments these days.
I agree with that, you could say the same thing for Conductors as well, reporting your colleagues, mfa, OBSMs all crap
Keep the railways private
William Connolly HERE HERE, I like my monthly pay packet 🤣
No way in hell. The Private Corporations have had sufficient time now to prove what they always claimed, that they could them better at less cost. How has that worked out ??? In Australia, the TAXPAYER still subsidises the maintenance of the per way, whilst the private companies reap the profits. How is this fair ??
No, fool. Standards are rock bottom, the costs are sky high and the infrastructure and rolling stock is miles behind the rest of Western Europe. The railways aren't even private any way. It's pseudo-privatisation; companies get massive subsidies, paid for by the taxpayer. And then make profits on top of those subsidies. Does that sound like private enterprise? Nationalise the railways - take profit out of the equation and EVERYTHING will improve.