Years ago when it was British Rail and the wages was low all you had to do was ask for a job, now the wages are so high everyone applies
robroy:
All you lot on here who knock unions, spit when they are mentioned, and think solidarity is a dirty word, should notice the wages compared to ours.Can of worms wide open
Apples and oranges. Saying look what could be achieved, whilst pointing to an industry that is a union advertising man’s ■■■■■■■■■.
If you swapped all the train drivers and truck drivers around, the drivers now driving the trains would always be better off. It’s not that they are smarter for sticking together, it’s their industry that allows them to get the results
Malky80:
The train driving exams are rock hard. I went for a job a couple of years ago with a company called Direct Rail Services. They had me going down to Crewe for the 1st exam, which I passed. The 2nd one in Carlisle I passed too. That still wasn’t good enough to get to the 3rd stage in Watford.That was down to the last 31 from 900 applicants I was told.
But just for interes -how long in Uk training for train drivers if he pass some initial requirement■■?
My mate applied for a train driving job with Connex South Eastern about ten years ago but failed at the first hurdle because he was late for the interview. He was late because the Connex South Eastern train on which he was a passenger had broken down on the way to the interview in London. No amount of explaining this got him a second chance.
My younger brother has been a train driver since leaving school (he is 54 this month and on for Virgin at Preston these days) but he reckons that neither him or his mates would do the job again as like most things it has gone downhill from when they started. Yes the money isn’t too bad but the stress of driving at 100+mph for long periods is high, no chance to relax in traffic queues or pull into a cafe to break the monotony or tiredness!
Pete.
Andrejs:
Malky80:
The train driving exams are rock hard. I went for a job a couple of years ago with a company called Direct Rail Services. They had me going down to Crewe for the 1st exam, which I passed. The 2nd one in Carlisle I passed too. That still wasn’t good enough to get to the 3rd stage in Watford.But just for interes -how long in Uk training for train drivers if he pass some initial requirement■■?
I’m sure it was 2 years before you’d be allowed out on your own. I think it was 10 months at their training centre in Carlisle too, before you got assigned a depot. The advertised salary for that job, which the included average overtime payments, was £54k.
My uncle drives trains for Scotrail and he says its stressful. Money isn’t everything though. Unlike back then, I have an easy enough number with not bad wages now, so I doubt I would apply again unless that changed.