First solo shift after passing out - experiences?

[Lumbar]

As per the title I know there many ex trainee drivers that have gone on to become qualified on this forum.

I’m just generally interested in peoples experiences of their first solo shift without the comfort of DI’s/Mentors

did you feel ready? Apprehensive? Etc

Thanks Lumbar

 

[iphone76]

At our place we had to go up to head office and collect our licence / shake hands with the head of drivers then make our way down to Liverpool Street and cut out a driver.

My first trip was an all stopper metro to Shenfield just before the peak in a 315. I'd say it was a mix of nerves and praying nothing out of the ordinary happened. Once I got Close Doors / Right Away, it was fine. If anything it was better being on my own, as I could finesse my way of driving.

My first full shift was fine. It involved prepping a unit in the yard then doing a few rounds. My confidence grew as the shift went on. I guess the training set me up nicely and I enjoyed being on my own polishing off what I'd learnt. I'm based at a friendly, supportive depot so that helped a lot. Something I did notice on that first shift once qualified is that some people who barely acknowledged us whilst training, were like our best friends once passed out.

 

[DA1]

I only passed out last week and had my first solo shift over the weekend. What a weird but exciting experience. Baptism of fire with a full prep, unusual short formation and an attachment at a terminus (all of which are very rare at my depot) but agreeing with the above post this is what all our training prepares us for.
One thing I would say is do not change how you have driven during your driving hours as I feel it’s easy to fall into bad habits but over time you will then slowly develop your own way of driving. My first shift all went swimmingly and I’m sure yours will as well.

Good luck!

 

[43066]

As per the title I know there many ex trainee drivers that have gone on to become qualified on this forum.

I’m just generally interested in peoples experiences of their first solo shift without the comfort of DI’s/Mentors

did you feel ready? Apprehensive? Etc

Thanks Lumbar

It’s natural to be apprehensive to start with (in fact, if you aren’t apprehensive, that’s something to really worry about!). First couple of journeys you worry everything will go wrong then, when it doesn’t, you begin to relax into it.

The biggest thing I noticed over the first few weeks was feeling absolutely shattered from the concentration, but that diminishes. Also being alone in the cab for as long as you are doing this job really hits home for the first time. That’s something else that takes a bit of an adjustment, or at least did for me.

I only passed out last week and had my first solo shift over the weekend. What a weird but exciting experience. Baptism of fire with a full prep, unusual short formation and an attachment at a terminus (all of which are very rare at my depot) but agreeing with the above post this is what all our training prepares us for.
One thing I would say is do not change how you have driven during your driving hours as I feel it’s easy to fall into bad habits but over time you will then slowly develop your own way of driving. My first shift all went swimmingly and I’m sure yours will as well.

Good luck!

Congratulations!

 

[Efini92]

When you get your first yellow, that’s when it gets real.

Thanks peeps for the experiences! Just seems a bit surreal that I’ll be on my own lol.

 

[Chuggachugga92]

As per the title I know there many ex trainee drivers that have gone on to become qualified on this forum.

I’m just generally interested in peoples experiences of their first solo shift without the comfort of DI’s/Mentors

did you feel ready? Apprehensive? Etc

Thanks Lumbar

I loved it because my minder just used to fart all shift lol was nice to breathe moderately fresh air in for a change

 

[Lumbar]

When you get your first yellow, that’s when it gets real.

Lol very true statement

 

[387star]

I remember having nightmares of spads etc before my first shift
First ever shift I was sat spare so it wasn't till the next day I drove solo. I'd also had a two week holiday immediately after pass out
I vaguely remember a Three Bridges to Bedford being my first working at quite a sociable hour. My first ever drive from Bedford to Bellingham sticks in my head more !

 

[Frankie4763]

When you get your first yellow, that’s when it gets real.

What’s that?

 

[Stigy]

I had annual leave immediately after my “handshake”. However, I hasn’t been assessed during my passout week(s) on 158 tractions which my DSM and RDM scratched their head’s about, before checking to see when the next 158 was due down. We then jumped on that for a short hop to, once we reached the end of the line I was asked how I felt about my assessment, I said I felt okay and he told me to take it back to Fratton whilst he passed back and did the paperwork on another service. It felt surreal .

On my first proper shift by myself, as I wasn’t in the link I took a full job off someone else, who had the job I would have had, had I been in the link. He was happy enough with that and asked if I wanted him to travel pass as it was my first trip. I was grateful for the offer, but said I’d be fine with it. Nothing went wrong and I was pleased it went well. Had a couple of weeks of nicking jobs off people before being put in the link properly.

Now been qualified for around 11 months and still loving it. I kind of like it more when we have to earn our money though as it makes you think I find. It’s good to be able to hone your driving style too. Every day’s still a school day as they say. It’s also only once you’re out by yourself that you realise just how bad communication on the railway between signallers/control/drivers really is too I’ve found.

 

[sei108]

A very interesting thread!! Must be surreal on your first trip alone!!

 

[Lumbar]

Thanks everyone for your sharing your experiences, really enjoying reading them

 

[Flange Squeal]

I found it a bit of a weird feeling for around half of the first trip, turning to my right to see an empty (and silent!) seat. That said, I think you end up so focused that you soon forget about what's not going on next to you anymore, knowing that there's no longer a second pair of eyes double checking what's going on in front of you! I found the first few shifts quite knackering, but at the same time got that nice feeling of accomplishment that I was finally doing what I'd set out to do what seemed like so long ago. I think it's important to remain open minded as I found I continued picking up and noticing new things for a long while afterwards. I'd argue that route knowledge is something you continue building long after being signed competent over a route, and that it is important to remain open to advice, pay attention to what you overhear in messrooms (particularly if someone is recalling an incident they once had as you can often learn from their experiences) and new things you notice about routes. Don't consider your training "finished" just because you've got your key and are now out and about on your own.

 

[Tube driver]

Ain’t called a sweat day for nothing…

 

[godfreycomplex]

I did hear of one unfortunate driver whose first solo involved evacuating passengers on a viaduct in a raging snowstorm but don’t quote me on that.

Not a driver but my first solo as one of your lever-pulling brethren (in a single crewed box at the time) involved an engineers’ block with no trains whatsoever, and a glorious 12 hour Sunday with precious little to do. I could hardly believe my luck!!

Now my third or fourth shift where I had multiple track circuit failures, where I was wracked with terror for the entire 8 hours and prayed that the ground opened up and swallows me, was a very different story. But I got through that, and when I actually did it correctly, it was a bit of a thrill, tbqh. I would think it’d be the same for a driver.

Peace and love if you’ve got yours coming soon x

 

[king_walnut]

My first shift on my own was an absolute riot:


First train out was single line working with a pilotman. Very nervous but the guy was great so that was okay.

Then I was sent out to rescue a failed unit which involved quite a long wrong direction movement, picking up the driver holding a red flag, going over detonators, coupling to the failed train then doing all sorts of checks whilst on the phone to fleet. The adrenaline was enough to kill a small horse I'm pretty sure.

Then at the end of the shift taking the train into the yard I gapped it and had to be rescued myself. Cost me a box of biscuits.


Quite thankful I got all that as my first ever shift though. Everything was still super fresh in my head, and now because I've done it, I'll always be confident in exactly what to do.

 

[dk1]

1999 & remember it like yesterday. Was asked if I wanted HGD for the first time. Asked to walk out to Crown Point, prep & bring 153309 into Norwich Station for a later service. All went well until I departed the reception road & the engine cut out (the same reason it was taken out of traffic earlier that day). I managed to coast & get in clear of the signal on platform six. Not a great start lol.

 

[TheEdge]

Operationally my first drive on my own was easy, nothing interesting happened. However the conductor was my (recently) ex-wife. So that added a fun dimension.

 

[43066]

I remember having nightmares of spads etc before my first shift

Still have those occasionally after a few years of doing the job.

My first ever drive from Bedford to Bellingham sticks in my head more !

Bellingham sidings brings back fond memories of being out with my DI. Bellingham station was a toilet of a place to wait for a late pass train, though.

 

[Llama]

Operationally my first drive on my own was easy, nothing interesting happened. However the conductor was my (recently) ex-wife. So that added a fun dimension.

That's surely unlikely to ever be topped for sheer pressure on a maiden solo voyage!

 

[43066]

First train out was single line working with a pilotman. Very nervous but the guy was great so that was okay.

Then I was sent out to rescue a failed unit which involved quite a long wrong direction movement, picking up the driver holding a red flag, going over detonators, coupling to the failed train then doing all sorts of checks whilst on the phone to fleet. The adrenaline was enough to kill a small horse I'm pretty sure.

Then at the end of the shift taking the train into the yard I gapped it and had to be rescued myself. Cost me a box of biscuits.

All of that seriously happened on your first day out on your own? I suspect a little poetic license, when there are drivers out there with 20+ years in the grade who haven’t done pilotman working, or long wrong direction moves to assist a failure!

If so, fair play, I think I’d have resigned immediately after that!

 

[Efini92]

That's surely unlikely to ever be topped for sheer pressure on a maiden solo voyage!

Until Eccles1983 posts his first trip.

What’s that?

Yellow signal. Meaning the next one is at danger.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Not me but a guy I worked with had a fatality at his third station. He’d gone less than ten miles. Rough start.

 

[Llama]

I take back what I said about pressure, that's terrible, hope it didn't affect him too much.

 

[Bigfoot]

When you get your first yellow, that’s when it gets real.

Especially when it's somewhere strange, in the fog on a slippery morning.

 

[2192]

Your experiences as freshly qualified drivers sound the same as mine: a freshly ordained Christian minister doing my first funeral, and later, first wedding: Dead nervous, but they went OK. "Where should the bridesmaids stand?" I was asked at the rehearsal. I hadn't a clue. "Where would you like to stand?" I replied. "They usually stand there" pointed out the mother of the bride. So that's where they stood at each wedding that followed that I did....

 

[Stigy]

Your experiences as freshly qualified drivers sound the same as mine: a freshly ordained Christian minister doing my first funeral, and later, first wedding: Dead nervous

 

[class373]

On my last trip on my first day I had a gentleman have a epileptic fit onboard, when I went back to help the nurse helping him didn’t believe I was the driver. (Passed out at 23) Then whilst waiting for an ambulance a guy suggested I throw the gentleman having the fit off the train as he needed to pick up his son from school. When I went back in the next day I found out control tried to pin blame on me.

 

[185143]

I was asked on my first day solo as platform staff if I could radio the driver and ask him to come back by a passenger who turned up late. He was being serious as well...

 

[FatContr0ller]

Not a driver, but my first shift alone in the booking office was the 21st May 2018, AM peak.... (For those who don't know- was the day the railway had a meltdown due to timetable change)
Was interesting to say the least - never had so much abuse in any other job, and I definitely practised refunds and assorted enquiry procedures that whole week xD