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Train drivers favorite and least favorite routes to drive?

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wolfman

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Use to love driving the strood to paddock wood route.would have willingly done it permanently.yes you had the Medway towns crap hole of the universe bit,but it was offset by Maidstone to paddock wood.
 
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O L Leigh

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There is no set answer to the question, as everyone is different, and different people have wildly different preferences.

The only real themes are that suburban metro work (especially DOO) tends to be more intensive and draining. Otherwise it really comes down to individual preferences. Some people love long distance work, others prefer suburban work as it means never straying too far away. Some people love branch work, others hate it. Some people are happy doing the same route all day every day, others like variety.

Agreed.

I've always said that I don't really mind what I'm doing as long as I'm not doing the same thing over and over all week. I started at a suburban DOO TOC and moved to a long-distance TOC and find that there are positives and negatives to both. I'd often find that I'd really enjoy the inner-suburban work with stops every 2 minutes because you were kept busy and there was usually something going on to prevent the boredom creeping in. Blatting along for upwards of half an hour between stops can be novel, but it can also be a bit boring.
 

Dr_Paul

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Likewise with the Waterloo & City Line on the London Underground. I've always thought that must be one of the most boring, monotonous routes to drive - perhaps more so than your example of the Stourbridge shuttle, as the whole thing is in a tunnel. Out of interest, how do the drivers on the Waterloo & City Line work? Do they drive on other lines too?
I was once told that the Waterloo and City line was where drivers who had some trouble with management were sent as a punishment, although I have a feeling that this might not actually be true.
 

Acey

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Used to detest the London to Dartford via Deptford/Greenwich route ,also the Grove Park-Bromley North shuttle ,mind numbing tedium ,although if things went pear shaped on the region was the best place to be !
 

bramling

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I was once told that the Waterloo and City line was where drivers who had some trouble with management were sent as a punishment, although I have a feeling that this might not actually be true.

It may well have been the case in BR days, but I dont’t think it’s the case now.

I can’t claim to be able to say how popular the W&C is in terms of numbers, but there’s certainly a group of people who regularly swap to work it.

The Victoria Line is also surprisingly popular, I’d have put that down as one of the worst to work, but they all seem pretty chilled on there.

On LU the most popular depots tend to be those at the fringes, but this is more for housing and living reasons rather than work. Places like Hainault, Upminster and Rickmansworth are all well sought after with long waiting lists. Other lines like the Northern or Jubilee tend to be transit camps for newly qualified, but again this is more for location rather than quality of work. Having said that, you are unlikely to find someone who prefers something like the Northern / Jubilee over the Central / Met.
 

43066

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Agreed.

I've always said that I don't really mind what I'm doing as long as I'm not doing the same thing over and over all week. I started at a suburban DOO TOC and moved to a long-distance TOC and find that there are positives and negatives to both. I'd often find that I'd really enjoy the inner-suburban work with stops every 2 minutes because you were kept busy and there was usually something going on to prevent the boredom creeping in. Blatting along for upwards of half an hour between stops can be novel, but it can also be a bit boring.

Yep, having made a similar move, agree the longer distance stuff involves stints when you aren’t doing a great deal, just driving to the speeds watching green signals whizz by. That presents its own challenges, as does the varying stopping patterns we are presented with.

The main thing I prefer about the intercity side of things is how the day seems to go a lot quicker. Longer trips with a decent break in between just to pass much faster than five mins to change ends, forty mins driving (and fifteen stations), five mins to change ends etc. It’s a lot more chilled out, so I also feel less knackered after a shift, so able to make a lot more of life away from work.

Probably also helped by the fact that my operator has some of the shorter range “intercity” journeys - it’s rare for us to spend much more than two hours in the chair (although it can happen during weekend engineering). Our route is also a fairly “technical” one with a lot of speed changes and gradients to focus on even when you aren’t stopping much.


Used to detest the London to Dartford via Deptford/Greenwich route

Yep, the Cannon St rounders were most peoples’ bugbear in that part of the world! Dartford and Slade green had about the worst of the SE metro work (signed the least, worked the most!), Orpington and Grove Park had better work, but with the dreaded poppers at GPK.


The Sutton loop I used to dread. Lots of off side platforms with various gradients making braking a bit tricky. I was never keen on the mirrors and it took me a while to get confident with stopping. Lots of random speed changes and stations as close together as bus stops.

I’ve never driven it but can imagine that’s absolutely horrendous. I can imagine St Albans and Cricklewood are able the worst TLK depots now as the loop is pretty much their entire work content?! Isn’t it around 3.5 hours in the chair or something ridiculous?

Gillingham can’t be much better - considering how much time they spend on the north Kent.

On LU the most popular depots tend to be those at the fringes, but this is more for housing and living reasons rather than work. Places like Hainault, Upminster and Rickmansworth are all well sought after with long waiting lists. Other lines like the Northern or Jubilee tend to be transit camps for newly qualified, but again this is more for location rather than quality of work. Having said that, you are unlikely to find someone who prefers something like the Northern / Jubilee over the Central / Met.

That’s interesting. I’d certainly have assume the Victoria to be the least popular due to automation, all underground, intensity etc.

Are the bakerloo/Piccadilly lines popular (or unpopular!) due to their “heritage” nature and manual operation? I’d imagine ATO on the sub surface might change things potentially?
 

ChiefPlanner

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I was once told that the Waterloo and City line was where drivers who had some trouble with management were sent as a punishment, although I have a feeling that this might not actually be true.

I don't think so , it was integrated with the main line , so drivers got it maybe about every 12 weeks or so.

In my day as Ops Manager - though efficient to diagram drivers all day to a specific route - say 4 rounders on the DC from Euston to Watford, - it was better to break the work up so that they maybe did 2 rounders to Euston on the DC and then something else after a break like 3 to St Albans Abbey or a Milton Keynes and back. Conversely 12 trips to St Albans on the branch could be utterly boring - even in nice weather.
 

Ceat0908

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I don't think so , it was integrated with the main line , so drivers got it maybe about every 12 weeks or so.

In my day as Ops Manager - though efficient to diagram drivers all day to a specific route - say 4 rounders on the DC from Euston to Watford, - it was better to break the work up so that they maybe did 2 rounders to Euston on the DC and then something else after a break like 3 to St Albans Abbey or a Milton Keynes and back. Conversely 12 trips to St Albans on the branch could be utterly boring - even in nice weather.
The repetitiveness could increase operational incidents as well I can imagine.
 

ChiefPlanner

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The repetitiveness could increase operational incidents as well I can imagine.

Variety certainly does help - as one driver mentioned , you do not want to see Harlesden 8 times in a shift !

Some drivers enjoyed a night of preparing , washing and shunting units at say Camden - Euston or Bletchley - own master and useful , local work. (with probably a postioning move or two to leaven the shift - as agreed with Control on the night.
 

XAM2175

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The repetitiveness could increase operational incidents as well I can imagine.
Variety certainly does help - as one driver mentioned , you do not want to see Harlesden 8 times in a shift !

It was (and for all I know still is) a union requirement on the Melbourne suburban network that a driver not be rostered to drive more than two round trips on the same route in any given shift*, for exactly this reason.

* = with certain exceptions, but the spirit of the rule is the important thing.
 

craigybagel

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One thing I've found, both as a guard and as a driver, is that an hour long trip at 90mph + with only one or two stops seems to go by a lot quicker than an hour long trip in a 153 stopping at every station. We don't have all that much Class 2 work at my depot and it's nice to do occasionally for variety but anything more than a couple of hours and it feels like the whole day is dragging!

Personally, my favourite kind of driving is in sections of route with long broad curves that can be taken at a high speed, especially just before the sun sets and it's twilight. It feels like you're really flying along.
 

DaveTM

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I quite like driving semi-fast regional type services. The sort of services that stop at each station out in the country (typically 5-10 minutes apart), but then as you get closer to the city you start skipping some. I find this keeps the level of interest going as it provides a mix of enough to 'do' out at the country end, but as you get closer to larger levels of civilisation you get the sensation of whizzing through the closely spaced suburbs and their stations at speed - all experienced in one journey.

Some of the services I drive are suburban stop-start every 2-3 minutes, which I find can become a bit monotonous after a while. Very occasionally I'll pick up the first/final leg of an express type journey, so while not driving the whole end-to-end long distance journey I may still have 30-40 minutes between a pair of stops. These make me wonder if I'd be happy at a long distance operator, as I fear I may begin to find it tedious not stopping for long periods, once the initial high speed novelty wore off.

We do also have a little bit of branch line work which does feel a bit more relaxed and sedate, and therefore sometimes makes a welcome change from heading in/out the city (particularly if the mainline has all gone wrong but you're safely tucked out the way!). That said, going up and down the same bit of track all day can start to grate if you go through a spell of picking up such work several days on the bounce!

Overall though, I feel I'm lucky working where I do as I get to experience elements of branch line, busy stopping, semi-fast/regional, and a little bit of express work, rather than being stuck with just one type.
@Flange Squeal What fantastic variety! Which depot? Where can I join the queue to get in? And how long is the waiting list?

Back to the original question, for me my least favourite drive is the one I have done several times over the last few days, and my favourite is doing something out of the ordinary. For instance, after the 5th trip up and down the valley in 3 days I would rather replace the 6th trip with a visit to a sadistic dentist. However, a surprise empty coaching stock "ghost train" up and down the same valley to scrape the ice of the conductor rail, in the middle of a moonlit night with spooky mist is wonderful.
 
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One thing I've found, both as a guard and as a driver, is that an hour long trip at 90mph + with only one or two stops seems to go by a lot quicker than an hour long trip in a 153 stopping at every station. We don't have all that much Class 2 work at my depot and it's nice to do occasionally for variety but anything more than a couple of hours and it feels like the whole day is dragging!

Personally, my favourite kind of driving is in sections of route with long broad curves that can be taken at a high speed, especially just before the sun sets and it's twilight. It feels like you're really flying along.
I've wondered how popular is the run from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth? I guess the middle bit between Caersws and Mac might be a bit boring in the dark or when the cloud has come down, but nearer the coast, there is the Dyfi estuary in all its moods.
 

bramling

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That’s interesting. I’d certainly have assume the Victoria to be the least popular due to automation, all underground, intensity etc.

Are the bakerloo/Piccadilly lines popular (or unpopular!) due to their “heritage” nature and manual operation? I’d imagine ATO on the sub surface might change things potentially?

Agreed about the Vic - personally it would fill me with horror. I think the main attraction is that they're never on the same train for longer than Walthamstow to Brixton or vice versa, and never more than that length of time away from "home". On top of that it rarely goes up the wall enough for late finishes to be too much of a regular occurrence, and everyone knows each other creating a bit of a family ambience.

I'm not sure that many people choose based on ATO/non ATO, apart from those with a tendency to have SPADs. Certainly a few people have tended to drift to lines like the Met, but this is more for the slightly less intense work, more open-air running, more relaxed culture (not being chased over a 2-minute delay) and stuff like that. This may change as more of the Met goes ATO of course.

I'd say the Bakerloo and Picc are probably about the median in terms of popularity - some people will transfer out as soon as they can to get where they want to be, a few will transfer in for the same reasons, and a core will stay for life. Both these lines are also more unionised than average, which might have a bearing on things, though I'd say greater unionisation tends to be associated with crapper work - the Picc was for a time the "Thameslink" of LU, though with timetables tending to get less intense over the years (especially since T5 opened) this isn't quite as much of a thing as it was 20 years ago.

There has always been a bit of a saying that people get sent to the Bakerloo as a punishment. Partly this is simply due to its colour on the map, but also as it has a bit of a stigma for being the simplest line. The latter is actually quite unfair, as nowadays it has the most complex rolling stock (the 72 stock is pretty complex, partly simply due to age, but more due to the amount of equipment which has been bolted on over the years, often in bodge form), as well as staff having to work to two rule books.
 

craigybagel

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I've wondered how popular is the run from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth? I guess the middle bit between Caersws and Mac might be a bit boring in the dark or when the cloud has come down, but nearer the coast, there is the Dyfi estuary in all its moods.
Whilst it is a nice run, I believe it suffers a bit from having a small pool of crews working over it a lot of the time. Only Machynlleth and Pwllheli drivers work run, and they're over it most days - sometimes multiple times in a day. Anything can get boring if you do it often enough! I believe the Cambrian crews in general much prefer going up the coast.

Plus dragging a fully loaded 158 up Tallerdig bank in the heat of summer can be a bit tedious.
 

D6975

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I've often wondered about the guy on the Stourbridge shuttle. Easy job option, or enough to drive you potty?

Gets paid the same as any other driver presumably?
The shuttle staff are both drivers and revenue collectors. They take it in turns, swapping roles regularly. This undoubtedly helps with concentration and boredom minimisation.
 

Blinkbonny

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The shuttle staff are both drivers and revenue collectors. They take it in turns, swapping roles regularly. This undoubtedly helps with concentration and boredom minimisation.
Cheers D. That is of interest.
 

Stigy

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surely some places are a bit rough to drive. Always the risk of vandalism, obstructions places on the track or kids chucking stuff at trains. That must be wearing.
Loads of places like this. The Chertsey/Addlestone area has a reputation, as does the Aldershot area and Chessington South line on SWR.

I don’t sign much to be honest (there’s not masses of routes at my depot anyway, but I’ve only signed my core route since passing out), but I enjoy the route I do sign. Some great scenery in the Wiltshire countryside and being 90% class 1 work it’s a bit of a buzz whizzing through some stations.

It’s nice when we get a stopper (of sorts) too, as it makes a change and breaks things up a bit.
 
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baz962

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Thought I would update , as I now have two weeks into my new toc. Absolutely loving the intercity work. It is much more relaxing so far. At the moment I have excellent driver instructors sitting with me and there are a lot of speed changes and other stuff to learn. Very surprised that 125 actually feels not that fast and even going through a station at that speed doesn't feel it. Nearly two hours in the seat also seems a lot quicker than the hour on the NLL felt and is so much more relaxing. The shorter journey we do is feels even quicker.
 

Neptune

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Personally speaking give me a double Knottingley or a Leeds - Doncaster over the S&C or Leeds - Nottingham.

Always preferred quick fire local trips with a bit of breathing time over long distance stuff.
 

baz962

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Personally speaking give me a double Knottingley or a Leeds - Doncaster over the S&C or Leeds - Nottingham.

Always preferred quick fire local trips with a bit of breathing time over long distance stuff.
It all depends on the other work. My old metro stuff could be four hours from taking over a unit , until handing over and I could have three turnarounds of six minutes. Doing the long distance stuff , I had a 15 minute on the shorter trip and 1 hour 20 on the longer trip.
On my old metro was upto 132 stops doo , yesterday was about 28 over both trips and no doo.
 

Neptune

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It all depends on the other work. My old metro stuff could be four hours from taking over a unit , until handing over and I could have three turnarounds of six minutes. Doing the long distance stuff , I had a 15 minute on the shorter trip and 1 hour 20 on the longer trip.
On my old metro was upto 132 stops doo , yesterday was about 28 over both trips and no doo.
Double Leeds - Donny would be 4 hours but with 2 x 20 min turnaround at Donny and a 10 min turnaround at Leeds which is not too bad.

Double Knottingley is 3 hours with 3 x 5 or so minute turnarounds but has the advantage of long gaps between some stations and 2 different routings via Wakey or Cas to relieve any monotony.

Fortunately most local routes out of Leeds have larger gaps between stations and average about 35-40 minutes in length.

Long distance stuff can mean 4-6 hour round trips with just 1 x 20 minute turnaround.
 

_toommm_

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Double Leeds - Donny would be 4 hours but with 2 x 20 min turnaround at Donny and a 10 min turnaround at Leeds which is not too bad.

Double Knottingley is 3 hours with 3 x 5 or so minute turnarounds but has the advantage of long gaps between some stations and 2 different routings via Wakey or Cas to relieve any monotony.

Fortunately most local routes out of Leeds have larger gaps between stations and average about 35-40 minutes in length.

Long distance stuff can mean 4-6 hour round trips with just 1 x 20 minute turnaround.

I imagine S+C must be really monotonous in Winter/evening time, with there being next to no lights or any discernible features going through Ribblehead/Dent.
 

Demic

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I imagine S+C must be really monotonous in Winter/evening time, with there being next to no lights or any discernible features going through Ribblehead/Dent.
I think there's a viaduct and a big tunnel between Ribblehead and Dent to act as features
 

Neptune

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I imagine S+C must be really monotonous in Winter/evening time, with there being next to no lights or any discernible features going through Ribblehead/Dent.
It really doesn’t matter on time of day for me. Personally doing a long route dozens of times a year is boring, even the S&C. Local trips generally allow you to go over multiple routes in a day to relieve the monotony.
 

D6130

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I imagine S+C must be really monotonous in Winter/evening time, with there being next to no lights or any discernible features going through Ribblehead/Dent.
To be honest, I never tired of driving the Settle-Carlisle line. It's at its finest on a crisp, clear, cold winter's night with a full moon and frost or snow on the ground....although I did once have to drive a 158 back from Carlisle through to Leeds in a driving blizzard for the entire journey. That really tests your route knowledge....and with the reduced maximum speed and additional running brake tests required by the rule book, we were lucky to arrive in Leeds only 35 minutes late.
 

Robcuk

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Yep, having made a similar move, agree the longer distance stuff involves stints when you aren’t doing a great deal, just driving to the speeds watching green signals whizz by. That presents its own challenges, as does the varying stopping patterns we are presented with.

The main thing I prefer about the intercity side of things is how the day seems to go a lot quicker. Longer trips with a decent break in between just to pass much faster than five mins to change ends, forty mins driving (and fifteen stations), five mins to change ends etc. It’s a lot more chilled out, so I also feel less knackered after a shift, so able to make a lot more of life away from work.

Probably also helped by the fact that my operator has some of the shorter range “intercity” journeys - it’s rare for us to spend much more than two hours in the chair (although it can happen during weekend engineering). Our route is also a fairly “technical” one with a lot of speed changes and gradients to focus on even when you aren’t stopping much.




Yep, the Cannon St rounders were most peoples’ bugbear in that part of the world! Dartford and Slade green had about the worst of the SE metro work (signed the least, worked the most!), Orpington and Grove Park had better work, but with the dreaded poppers at GPK.




I’ve never driven it but can imagine that’s absolutely horrendous. I can imagine St Albans and Cricklewood are able the worst TLK depots now as the loop is pretty much their entire work content?! Isn’t it around 3.5 hours in the chair or something ridiculous?

Gillingham can’t be much better - considering how much time they spend on the north Kent.



That’s interesting. I’d certainly have assume the Victoria to be the least popular due to automation, all underground, intensity etc.

Are the bakerloo/Piccadilly lines popular (or unpopular!) due to their “heritage” nature and manual operation? I’d imagine ATO on the sub surface might change things potentially?

Yep St albans depot - 90% of diagrams would be a double Sutton loop with a 15 minute sidings before each. Painful when you're starting your first day of 7 and you know you have 14 ahead of you. 3 hours in the chair and 47 stops, have your one hour PNB and go and do it all over again. We occasionally get a treat and drive north of st albans which I enjoy as its so rare.
 

cnjb8

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Thought I would update , as I now have two weeks into my new toc. Absolutely loving the intercity work. It is much more relaxing so far. At the moment I have excellent driver instructors sitting with me and there are a lot of speed changes and other stuff to learn. Very surprised that 125 actually feels not that fast and even going through a station at that speed doesn't feel it. Nearly two hours in the seat also seems a lot quicker than the hour on the NLL felt and is so much more relaxing. The shorter journey we do is feels even quicker.
Is it quite common to go 125mph through stations?
 

centraltrains

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Are the Snow Hill Lines particularly tedious? Seem to be quite major staffing issues recently, even pre-pingdemic, despite already reduced service, curious as to if the route is at play at all.
 
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