Thank you so much for sharing your experiences as a train driver. I have great respect for your dedication at keeping the passengers safe. You make us realise how much concentration is required to drive a train.
As a bus driver for a very large well known (f) group company we operate under the exact same rules & regs, also we too have the same style shift patterns currently on a 38 week Rota, but as you said.... Always subject to change last minute. Thanks for Sharing, always enjoy. Regards Jason.
I work for Norfolk Southern in the USA. The major freight carrier here. We work 70 plus hours week, but only allowed 12 hours on the trains at a time. But we have ten times the level crossings you have there and much louder horns here
London Underground was much better for me as a driver than the mainline. Much better shifts although I always worked late turns (personal preference!) and my colleagues were always happy to swap away their late turns! On the District (in around 2006 when I left) the earliest book on was about 0415 but that was finished by about 1000! My favourite late didn't book on until around 1900 and off around 0100 in depot. Another great vlog, keep up the good work!
Recently found and subsribed to this chan'. I am an ex, mixed traction, driver from the south-eastern region, back in the good old days of British Rail and slam doors (70's & 80's). It's interesting to hear how things have changed since those days. Well, some things have but of course some things are still the same. Oh those memories!
@@DadRail I have a good few stories to tell. I have included some in a book I am writing and also put quite a few on the Train Simulator forum (on Steam). Stories include such things as the 'Blind Train Driver', the day I tasted human flesh (accidently!), the dog that I killed, deliberately, with a whack from a short circuit bar, and the day that I 'slid' across an un-gated level crossing with a class 73 and a load of empty wagons - unable to stop and horn screaming (and toes curling up!). Ahh the good old days, gone forever but not forgotten.
In North America many younger seniority guys work spare. They haven’t seniority to hold a regular run. They are often on call 24/7. If there is an extra train, or someone takes time off, then the spare man gets called. Depending on the union agreement, it may be just 1.5 hours. My agreement is generously 3 hours. Do you have this in the UK?
I think the sign means there is an upcoming "Low Adhesion Zone" after the one with 2 lines there is the same thing with one line then after that the "Low Adhesion" sign.
Snow can cause a problem, the biggest being it can get stuck and compact underneath the train. when the drier applies the brakes, any snow on the brake blokes can become compacted and build up. this can effectively render the braking system useless. We combat this by making sure we are applying the brakes frequently 2-5 mins and observe a 10mph decrease in speed. this keeps the brakes clean and gets rid of any buildups before they can cause a problem. Other problems like snow in exhaust inlets, frozen coupler heads (Although some are heated now) Frozen waste and fresh water tanks on toilets. Snow compacting in point blades prevenient them being operated (most are heated now) And then of course there is the obvious snow drifts that can obscure signals and signs and in extreme cases block the lines complete. Ice is also a problem, forming on the conductor rail in 3rd rail areas and preventing trains taking power, again some are heated and SNITTs (Snow and Ice Treatment Trains) are used to apply ant ice chemicals. Interestingly enough snow and ice doesn't really make the track slippery though, it is similar to driving in normal wet conditions, not low adhesion conditions
I work in retail my shifts are all over the place. 6-30/7-14/15/16 in the morning in my shop, middle is anything from 10/12-18/19/20 then lates tend to be 14/15/16-22 but I'm always there 5 minutes before my start and on the evenings I'm in until 15/30 minutes afterwards. It's hell
When I was a passenger driver it was pretty much as your saying, now I’m on freight the terms are different, but it still has to comply with the hidden 18 regs
I was once offerred a job driving a DMU on a preserved railway, but as I was on holiday in a different part of the country I couldn't do it! Maybe you should retire to the K&ESR when the shifts start to get you down?
@@DadRail In that case I would troll along to Robertsbridge on Sundays - they need someone to make videos. See the RVR website for more info. I think I would only volunteer to be the cameraman. You obviously enjoy this as a hobby!
@@DadRailI think It would be wise to make the videos about a heritage line with a veiled reference to operational conditions on the main line! A change of operator could 'retire' you in which case the K&ESR has a DMU that often needs a driver ....?
@@AllensTrains ....Robertsbridge....in 2004 when our daughter was doing a GAP year at W House school in Tonbridge Wells, we in NZ were offered a place to stay for 3 nights' as it happened across the road from the (something) Halt pub,,,is it still going, I wonder... Lovely old parish church almost beside the house... at the time I knew nothing about the railway further to the..east..but by a pure fluke .. a photo taken from up in Bodiam Castle perfectly framed a steam loco in the window....
Can anyone help? I would really like to know how to become a train driver? Does the company train you? Which are the companies that I can recruit to ? I’m from Greece btw Thank you in advance!!
Do you different kinds of shifts in the UK/ at your company? even though im not a train driver, I know in the Netherlands there are at least three kinds of shifts: normal shifts, you drive trains from station to station, RET shifts (Rangeren elektrische treinen), you shunt electric trains in and out of the station and its sidings at your depot, and wait shifts where you literally wait until things go bad, and then get assigned a train.
Our shifts generally are made up of normal driving shifts. We have a team of dedicated drivers known as shunter drivers that move trains around the depot, they do not learn the same rules as drivers and are paid a little less as well, because they have less responsibility. We also have Wait Shits, but they are called cover shifts. typically there will be 1 or 2 drivers per shift who are booked there just in case something goes wrong. We also have spare shifts, this is where you have days that you are not assigned any booked work, and they are there to cover holidays, training courses and sickness.
@@DadRail Your rules there sound more like the same rules that airline pilots have too at least the airline that my friend works for the line pilots do regular shifts and standby shifts, granted they do deliver planes outside the hangar when they are scheduled for maintenance etc but they have other people that actually shunt them around the hangars using tugs when needed. I assume it's probably something similar if a train needs to go back to the depot after the last station call you just deliver it to a siding at the depot and if they need to move it around the depot staff handle that right?
Yep signal engineer at claoham - not train driver fatigue 👍 he came round a corner to see a red signal after having clear aspects, apparantly a wire was not cut back properly in a relay room & gave a short across somewhere it shouldnt!
Hi was wondering if train drivers drive more than one unit? For example would a driver at somewhere like Southern drive a 455 one day and then the 377 the next?
Absolutely! you can be chopping and changing traction all day. As long as your are competent on the traction and route. you could be on a 171 in the morning and then a 377 later and finish on a 455
Hi there James, currently learning to drive the class 378 on the north and west London lines and also the class 710 on the Gospel oak to barking line shortly after. It’s possible yes 👍
@@DadRail Did you find transition to freight very difficult? . Daughter started on freight did about 4 years now on passenger. Not driver myself just just maintaining them we are passed yard driver's though. Did loads of technical riding loco,s for faults found driving mainline quite scary not that I officially got in seat lol ..Got few runs out with daughter was impressed how well she handled 3,000 ton train even in thick fog and she was only 23 yo
To be seen for sure. the lights you see the triangular arrangement are actually maker lights with only 1 being a head light. Due to the new lighting technology and the triangular lighting arrangement trains are no longer required to have painted yellow fronts. The headlights are there to illuminate signs and HiViz jackets. I would say its like driving a car with parking lights on
Enjoyed this. (Shame about the name though; not keen on defining your identity by reproductive status. Why not pick on something unique to you...... Or at least, rare?)
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences as a train driver. I have great respect for your dedication at keeping the passengers safe. You make us realise how much concentration is required to drive a train.
As a bus driver for a very large well known (f) group company we operate under the exact same rules & regs, also we too have the same style shift patterns currently on a 38 week Rota, but as you said.... Always subject to change last minute.
Thanks for Sharing, always enjoy.
Regards
Jason.
Hi Jason, Many thanks for your comment glad you enjoy the videos! Keep up the good work on your own channel, Im a long time subscriber!
And sadly bus drivers aren't paid as well for having the accept the lifestyle.
And they should be paid better
I work for Norfolk Southern in the USA. The major freight carrier here. We work 70 plus hours week, but only allowed 12 hours on the trains at a time. But we have ten times the level crossings you have there and much louder horns here
London Underground was much better for me as a driver than the mainline. Much better shifts although I always worked late turns (personal preference!) and my colleagues were always happy to swap away their late turns!
On the District (in around 2006 when I left) the earliest book on was about 0415 but that was finished by about 1000! My favourite late didn't book on until around 1900 and off around 0100 in depot.
Another great vlog, keep up the good work!
All very interesting, brings back memories Richard!
Recently found and subsribed to this chan'. I am an ex, mixed traction, driver from the south-eastern region, back in the good old days of British Rail and slam doors (70's & 80's). It's interesting to hear how things have changed since those days. Well, some things have but of course some things are still the same. Oh those memories!
Still a great job, but nothing like it use to be. listening to some of the stories the "old boys" tell its remarkable.
@@DadRail I have a good few stories to tell. I have included some in a book I am writing and also put quite a few on the Train Simulator forum (on Steam). Stories include such things as the 'Blind Train Driver', the day I tasted human flesh (accidently!), the dog that I killed, deliberately, with a whack from a short circuit bar, and the day that I 'slid' across an un-gated level crossing with a class 73 and a load of empty wagons - unable to stop and horn screaming (and toes curling up!). Ahh the good old days, gone forever but not forgotten.
Sandite marker board. 2 black stripes=MPV to start appling Sandite to the rails.
At 11.55 they look like countdown markers for trains that spray the running rails in the autumn, think I've seen them on hastings - Tonbridge line
These signs are pretty wide spread now
In North America many younger seniority guys work spare. They haven’t seniority to hold a regular run. They are often on call 24/7. If there is an extra train, or someone takes time off, then the spare man gets called. Depending on the union agreement, it may be just 1.5 hours. My agreement is generously 3 hours. Do you have this in the UK?
Great vlog as always. I believe that sign is a sandite application marker, but not 100%.
It is to do with sandite
Some out there think it's a easy job they want to think again and I'm just a railway fanatic I'm on your side
I think the sign means there is an upcoming "Low Adhesion Zone" after the one with 2 lines there is the same thing with one line then after that the "Low Adhesion" sign.
Good guess it is related to low adhesion
The sign is an indication to a driver to start applying sandite :D
Thanks for another interesting video. Is it common for snow to cause problems, especially 'the wrong type'?
Snow can cause a problem, the biggest being it can get stuck and compact underneath the train. when the drier applies the brakes, any snow on the brake blokes can become compacted and build up. this can effectively render the braking system useless. We combat this by making sure we are applying the brakes frequently 2-5 mins and observe a 10mph decrease in speed. this keeps the brakes clean and gets rid of any buildups before they can cause a problem. Other problems like snow in exhaust inlets, frozen coupler heads (Although some are heated now) Frozen waste and fresh water tanks on toilets. Snow compacting in point blades prevenient them being operated (most are heated now) And then of course there is the obvious snow drifts that can obscure signals and signs and in extreme cases block the lines complete. Ice is also a problem, forming on the conductor rail in 3rd rail areas and preventing trains taking power, again some are heated and SNITTs (Snow and Ice Treatment Trains) are used to apply ant ice chemicals. Interestingly enough snow and ice doesn't really make the track slippery though, it is similar to driving in normal wet conditions, not low adhesion conditions
I work in retail my shifts are all over the place. 6-30/7-14/15/16 in the morning in my shop, middle is anything from 10/12-18/19/20 then lates tend to be 14/15/16-22 but I'm always there 5 minutes before my start and on the evenings I'm in until 15/30 minutes afterwards. It's hell
Ive worked in retail in the past so I know what you mean!
What is the best way to learn how to be a train driver
I think that sign relates to a warning about a section of track with low adhesion that is not listed in the section apendix as a warning
not exactly, but it is to do with low adhesion
We're limited to working no longer than 9hr job cards, must have 12hrs between shifts, and no more than 11 consecutive working days in a row.
When I was a passenger driver it was pretty much as your saying, now I’m on freight the terms are different, but it still has to comply with the hidden 18 regs
I was once offerred a job driving a DMU on a preserved railway, but as I was on holiday in a different part of the country I couldn't do it! Maybe you should retire to the K&ESR when the shifts start to get you down?
K&ESR is about 20 mins drive from me. And I've never been :-)
@@DadRail In that case I would troll along to Robertsbridge on Sundays - they need someone to make videos. See the RVR website for more info. I think I would only volunteer to be the cameraman. You obviously enjoy this as a hobby!
Thanks Allen, I may just do that. Ive been thinking about volunteering on a preserved railway or a long time now! I will have a look at the website
@@DadRailI think It would be wise to make the videos about a heritage line with a veiled reference to operational conditions on the main line! A change of operator could 'retire' you in which case the K&ESR has a DMU that often needs a driver ....?
@@AllensTrains ....Robertsbridge....in 2004 when our daughter was doing a GAP year at W House school in Tonbridge Wells, we in NZ were offered a place to stay for 3 nights' as it happened across the road from the (something) Halt pub,,,is it still going, I wonder...
Lovely old parish church almost beside the house... at the time I knew nothing about the railway further to the..east..but by a pure fluke .. a photo taken from up in Bodiam Castle perfectly framed a steam loco in the window....
what train do you drive?
Double sand board - start applying sand here 😎
Can anyone help?
I would really like to know how to become a train driver?
Does the company train you?
Which are the companies that I can recruit to ?
I’m from Greece btw
Thank you in advance!!
Ask Google
What railway company do you work with?
I enjoyed watching your video
Thanks Jack
There doesnt seem to be a Vlog 12 or anyuploads for a year...I wonder where he has gone?
Im here and planning a come back :-)
@@DadRail phew glad you're still around and doing well.
Couldn't have put it better
Thank you
11:55 Is this a warning of something coming up ahead?
One of 3 sandite markers. 3 lines you are approaching a sandite area, 2 start applying and one to stop
I always wondered why it was 3,2,1, and not 1,2,3 :-)
Do you different kinds of shifts in the UK/ at your company? even though im not a train driver, I know in the Netherlands there are at least three kinds of shifts: normal shifts, you drive trains from station to station, RET shifts (Rangeren elektrische treinen), you shunt electric trains in and out of the station and its sidings at your depot, and wait shifts where you literally wait until things go bad, and then get assigned a train.
Our shifts generally are made up of normal driving shifts. We have a team of dedicated drivers known as shunter drivers that move trains around the depot, they do not learn the same rules as drivers and are paid a little less as well, because they have less responsibility. We also have Wait Shits, but they are called cover shifts. typically there will be 1 or 2 drivers per shift who are booked there just in case something goes wrong. We also have spare shifts, this is where you have days that you are not assigned any booked work, and they are there to cover holidays, training courses and sickness.
@@DadRail Your rules there sound more like the same rules that airline pilots have too at least the airline that my friend works for the line pilots do regular shifts and standby shifts, granted they do deliver planes outside the hangar when they are scheduled for maintenance etc but they have other people that actually shunt them around the hangars using tugs when needed. I assume it's probably something similar if a train needs to go back to the depot after the last station call you just deliver it to a siding at the depot and if they need to move it around the depot staff handle that right?
Guess u meant Purley disaster when driver went through red light, Clapham was caused by a wiring fault,
No, Clapham (and Hidden Report) are correct. The signal engineer had been hugely overworked and through fatigue caused a fault in the signal wiring.
100% Clapham :-)
Yep signal engineer at claoham - not train driver fatigue 👍 he came round a corner to see a red signal after having clear aspects, apparantly a wire was not cut back properly in a relay room & gave a short across somewhere it shouldnt!
Hi was wondering if train drivers drive more than one unit? For example would a driver at somewhere like Southern drive a 455 one day and then the 377 the next?
Absolutely! you can be chopping and changing traction all day. As long as your are competent on the traction and route. you could be on a 171 in the morning and then a 377 later and finish on a 455
^^ Sometimes you may also drive trains for other operators. Redhill Southern drivers operate the class 166s for FGW
Hi there James, currently learning to drive the class 378 on the north and west London lines and also the class 710 on the Gospel oak to barking line shortly after. It’s possible yes 👍
You driven freight anytime as shifts on freight far worse than passenge. Great videos keep up the good work
Thank you, it so happens that I am a freight driver now!
@@DadRail Did you find transition to freight very difficult? . Daughter started on freight did about 4 years now on passenger. Not driver myself just just maintaining them we are passed yard driver's though. Did loads of technical riding loco,s for faults found driving mainline quite scary not that I officially got in seat lol ..Got few runs out with daughter was impressed how well she handled 3,000 ton train even in thick fog and she was only 23 yo
@@DadRail Hi what F O C you working for if you don't mind me asking
nounoufriend Do you work at Immingham? If so then we have met. He now works for the Blue team.
@@S2RUF Yes work at Immingham on Loco maintenance are you driver working into imm
Blue team ? presume that's GBRf
commencment of sandite application site though not sure if the orientation of the sign is important
Orientation is actually wrong in my picture!
Start applying sandite
Question. Front lights on Train s have got brighter over the years. Are white lights to see or to be seen?
To be seen for sure. the lights you see the triangular arrangement are actually maker lights with only 1 being a head light. Due to the new lighting technology and the triangular lighting arrangement trains are no longer required to have painted yellow fronts. The headlights are there to illuminate signs and HiViz jackets. I would say its like driving a car with parking lights on
PRK allowed for train driver plzz reply me any one
What do you mean PRK?
ConfidentUality? 😜
You get a free cab pass for picking that up :-)...
3:40 Why not just ask the train drivers to drive the rail replacement buses then? Would you mind doing that?
In the UK, you have to get a special licence to be able to drive a bus, and next to no train drivers in the UK have that licence
I wouldn't mind at all. And lots of our drivers are ex bus drivers! trouble is most of us don't have a PSV License
oh i am the baddie occupational health nurse ! sorry
ConfidenTIALity!?
Enjoyed this. (Shame about the name though; not keen on defining your identity by reproductive status. Why not pick on something unique to you...... Or at least, rare?)