Lots of small children want to be train drivers, but what if you still want to drive trains when you’re an adult – what do you do?
How to Start
You do not require any formal qualifications to become a train driver in the UK, but applicants must be over 21 and face a host of online tests and psychometric assessments as well as a number of interviews. This process can take up to 6 months to complete. Becoming a train driver is an extremely popular profession and there can be up to 1,000 applicants for each vacancy.
Applicants will be assessed for the following skills:
- Concentration
- Observation
- Abilty to perform under pressure
- Customer service qualities
- Attention to detail
- Abiltiy to follow strict rules and safety procedures
- Equipment, computers and other device operating skills.
What Next?
Once employed as a trainee train driver it can take between 12 and 15 months to qualify, depending on the individual train operating company.
The course will consist of both practical and classroom-based exercises. Some of the areas you will be training on will be:
• Train driver rules and regulations
• Train handling
• Knowledge of traction
• Route knowledge
• Safety procedures
Apart from the training modules you will have to complete a set number of hours in the cab of a train, both accompanied and unaccompanied. These hours vary between TOCs but are usually between 200 and 255 hours.
What Do Train Drivers Earn?
One of the reasons train driver is such a popular occupation is the excellent salary.
A trainee train driver starts on about £25,000 but this increase quite dramatically to an average of around basic salary of around £48,500 pa, with some train operating companies offer well in excess of £55,000 for qualified train drivers.
Therre is the potential to earn even more in speacialist services such as Eurostar.
Before you rush off and apply for a job as a train driver, bear in mind that it is a stressful job which requires intenses concentration and also some very unsociable hours!
