A few questions

[armadillomaste]

Hi,

Not sure if this has been covered before, if it has i apologise.

1) Do you need a car driving licence to become a trainee train driver?
2) Does the db schenker pre check course thing help?
3) Is there any way of becoming a qualified train driver not through a trainee driver scheme? A bit like a car licence.

Any help greatly appreciated

 

[W230]

1) Do you need a car driving licence to become a trainee train driver?

Short answer = no. But... if working for a freight company you would need a drivers licence as part of the job will involve driving a van to a certain location and then taking the train from there while the other driver drives the van back. You may also find it hard to convince prospective employers how you would get to work at those ungodly hours without one. Driving public transport usually means you can't rely on it to get you to work!

2) Does the db schenker pre check course thing help?

Not sure what you mean by this "pre course"? Do you mean taking the assessments independently? Some say yes some say no. It can't do any harm in my opinion. However, I understand that assessments are no longer done by DBS and there are rumours of the assessments/recruitment procedure changing imminently anyway.

3) Is there any way of becoming a qualified train driver not through a trainee driver scheme? A bit like a car licence.

Again i'm a bit confused here - do you mean going and finding a driver trainer and then learning that way? If so, then no, that can't be done. The only way to become a qualified driver is joining a TOC/FOC, pass all your rules, traction, learn your routes and then after a successful assessment you then become qualified.

 

[142094]

1) Depending on which TOC, some say you have to be able to demonstrate how you would be able to get to your depot or booking on point when there are no other means of getting there - i.e. you have a shift starting at 0430 and there are no buses until 0530 etc. If you live close enough, such as within walking distance, then you might be able to bypass it as a requirement. Some TOCs also state that you must live within a certain distance of the depot too.

2) As has been said I thought they had stopped doing them, but it is still being advertised on their website. However, since the standards are changing soon, it would be a waste of time.

3) The Stafford SPaD report showed that someone with limited mainline experience can work as a driver on the railway, and the serious consequences it raised for the industry as a result. So in effect, no.

 

[armadillomaste]

Thank you guys!

My point with the third was if there were any courses you could do and pay for, like pilot's licence etc.

I thought it would be a no. But worth asking if you don't know for sure.

ALSO i don't drive, but plan to. If i got a trainee job then it would be a taxi (i could afford it) until i had learnt to drive.

 

[Class2ldn]

Thank you guys!

My point with the third was if there were any courses you could do and pay for, like pilot's licence etc.

I thought it would be a no. But worth asking if you don't know for sure.

I hope there never will be. These outside companies have completed put a downer on the airline industry so charging people to become train drivers is asking for trouble. Like has been said before the only proper way is and should be through a legitimate train operator