Becoming a train driver in the UK

[Black9]

Hi guys. Been thinking of a new job/career for a while now. Done a bit of research online and from what I've read I'm interested in poss becoming a train driver. Problem is there's hardly any info on how to apply nor where to apply. Being such a big & helpful forum I thought I could get some advice on here.

Is anyone involved in the rail industry & possibly even a train operator. Any advice on how & where to apply would really be appreciated. Also what the training process involves, how long it can take and how difficult is it.

Thanks 

[Top Cat]

Firstly you need to take a train driver psychometric test, i believe you can pay for this yourself or if your lucky get a company to sponsor you. You do this by just applying to rail companies. ringing them up should get you all the info you need.
The psychometric test is not easy though, i seem to remember a 90% fail rate. You have to hit a sequence of lights with your hands and feet and the test speeds up. It is not how well you can keep up with the sequence it is how you deal with it when you cant. A certain personality type is needed and it comes out in the results. 

[toughster]

I used to work for GNER back in the day. All their drivers were promoted from within or else experienced drivers recruited from other operators. It used to be you worked your way up from guard to driver. The pay is pretty good so I expect it would be tough to get a start as a driver. Best thing would be to phone some local operators and see what they?

Nothing wrong with starting off as a guard, you get a right laugh with all the stupid passengers!!

To become a guard or driver you need to pass basic maths tests etc, nothing hard though! A kid could pass them!

[Eddie-NL]

no good if jump Red lights

[mb]

Hi guys. Been thinking of a new job/career for a while now. Done a bit of research online and from what I've read I'm interested in poss becoming a train driver. Problem is there's hardly any info on how to apply nor where to apply. Being such a big & helpful forum I thought I could get some advice on here.

Is anyone involved in the rail industry & possibly even a train operator. Any advice on how & where to apply would really be appreciated. Also what the training process involves, how long it can take and how difficult is it.

Thanks 

London Underground train operator or mainline?  I work for LU in maintenance so could make enquiries if so

[Rachael]

I'm involved in the rail industry. Spoke to a lot of conductors recently as jobs have just come out for London Midland (27k) a year, not bad!

Everyone said chances of getting in externally as a driver are extremely slim unless you're already qualified as previously stated. Once in the rail industry it's pretty much a work your way up the ladder scenario. I believe it's 12 months training, and hard graft! A lot of tests. And yer approximately 90% percent of people fail the psychometric test, but as said before its all about testing your personality and your decision making skills as to how you'd cope if something went wrong. However, 40k a years not too shabby. And they reap the overtime.. minimum 8 hours pay on a Sunday at double time regardless of how long your journey is!

I think there's a fair bit of training as to how to try and cope with suicides on the railway as some drivers never come back to the job after something that horrific.

[Top Cat]

You would be surprised how many rail companies do take on new starters for drivers jobs. A fresh face and a different contract is quite often preferential, to unionised drivers with lots of experience. I started with no experience as a driver along with 10 others at the time. I work with drivers all the time and most of them are as flexible as nut Brittle. 

The actual job is very easy once you know it, but learning the rules and regs ( the size of a bible ) and drivers routes is a task. 

[Rachael]

Look at all these conductors lying to me lol! I applied last year, got through the paper sift, did the online test, passed that and they said I need , engineering' experience. After I spoke to conductors they said That was bull. They just prefer to recruit internally. She said 3 of her staff had got through this year with no relevant qualifications or anything!


Yer I can imagine there's a hell of a lot to know. All I know is green signal means go   

[GrayMK5GTI]

I'm involved in the rail industry. Spoke to a lot of conductors recently as jobs have just come out for London Midland (27k) a year, not bad!

Everyone said chances of getting in externally as a driver are extremely slim unless you're already qualified as previously stated. Once in the rail industry it's pretty much a work your way up the ladder scenario. I believe it's 12 months training, and hard graft! A lot of tests. And yer approximately 90% percent of people fail the psychometric test, but as said before its all about testing your personality and your decision making skills as to how you'd cope if something went wrong. However, 40k a years not too shabby. And they reap the overtime.. minimum 8 hours pay on a Sunday at double time regardless of how long your journey is!

I think there's a fair bit of training as to how to try and cope with suicides on the railway as some drivers never come back to the job after something that horrific.

Hi Rachael (if you dont mid me asking), what do you do in the Railway industry?

I'm Network Rail projects 

Gray

[Black9]

Thanks for the replies. Im from Scotland so wouldn't be the LU.

As for the test a 99% fail rate is high any ideas how much this costs to do?

The best way for me to get the ball rolling to contact rail companies such as virgin and enquire how to go about training etc...

[Top Cat]

Thanks for the replies. Im from Scotland so wouldn't be the LU.

As for the test a 99% fail rate is high any ideas how much this costs to do?

The best way for me to get the ball rolling to contact rail companies such as virgin and enquire how to go about training etc...

Yep, give them a ring, they will point you in the right direction. Also give the Haulage firms a ring too, like EWS. They are a bigger part of the railway than commuter trains.   

[Black9]

Thanks. I'll give them a call :)