Train Drivers: Passenger or Freight Trains

[thetom22]

What companies do drivers prefer to work for these days and what are the pros and cons for each of the services.

Transpennine Express vs. Freightliner
Virgin Trains vs GB Railfreight

etc.

 

[321446]

Speaking as a Greatly Angria Driver, if it wasn’t for the passengers, it would be a great job.

Mate has just left to go fright driving with a Depot that does lots of p-way work, so he’s looking forward to sitting on his arse all night moving one meter at a time. A thought which bores me rigid. He will have to sign various diesel and electric traction and lots of mileage/routes.

I sign one EMU class over about 2.2 different 40 mile routes. Love me job though despite the many moany twonks I haul about Essex. Love ‘em really. Some of them are my friends.

 

[Crazyb]

I was on the footplate, going 16/17 years old and started on the freight for nearly 30 years. I'm now at a TOC.

At a TOC, you are looked after, even though some drivers moan, and I still moan.

THE PRO's...

A sort of nice mess room, free tea and coffee, a TV to watch Corrie on, nice chairs to watch Corrie in, a toilet, toilet paper, proper PNB breaks, a better pension if the FOC's change their final salary scheme, max of 9hr30 day, free xmas party's and family do's, a better salary, no 12hr shifts, no driving vans, no grease on your uniform that transfers to your car seat !!, no stupid night turns that finish at 11am !!, no 1am starts, spare turns !!!, I see other drivers to speak too.

THE CON's.....

The same route and boring as ****.

At at FOC

THE PRO's

A different route nearly everyday

You are your own boss

You can stop and have a wee !!

My freight ipad was better than my TOC's ipad

THE CON's

Where do I start.

But being a Freight driver, and I noticed this alot when using other mess rooms, was being treated like **** when walking into X Country's mess room at Leicester a few years back and being ignored when walking into Doncasters Platform 3 mess room. This is something I will not miss whats so ever.

I forgot to add.....You can't compare Virgn WC or EC to GB Railfreight, That did make me laugh.

 

[Tom9748]

15 years as a freight tramp working on 66's,mostly driving at night and spending weekends in ballast sites. Now driving up and down the East Coast Main Line at a 125mph,absolute different world, for the better.

 

[boom boom]

15 years as a freight tramp working on 66's,mostly driving at night and spending weekends in ballast sites. Now driving up and down the East Coast Main Line at a 125mph,absolute different world, for the better.

Just wait till you’ve been bashing the EC for umpteen years .. You’ll be struggling to stay awake at 125 !!

 

[Mashud121]

H

I was on the footplate, going 16/17 years old and started on the freight for nearly 30 years. I'm now at a TOC.

At a TOC, you are looked after, even though some drivers moan, and I still moan.

THE PRO's...

A sort of nice mess room, free tea and coffee, a TV to watch Corrie on, nice chairs to watch Corrie in, a toilet, toilet paper, proper PNB breaks, a better pension if the FOC's change their final salary scheme, max of 9hr30 day, free xmas party's and family do's, a better salary, no 12hr shifts, no driving vans, no grease on your uniform that transfers to your car seat !!, no stupid night turns that finish at 11am !!, no 1am starts, spare turns !!!, I see other drivers to speak too.

THE CON's.....

The same route and boring as ****.

At at FOC

THE PRO's

A different route nearly everyday

You are your own boss

You can stop and have a wee !!

My freight ipad was better than my TOC's ipad

THE CON's

Where do I start.

But being a Freight driver, and I noticed this alot when using other mess rooms, was being treated like **** when walking into X Country's mess room at Leicester a few years back and being ignored when walking into Doncasters Platform 3 mess room. This is something I will not miss whats so ever.

I forgot to add.....You can't compare Virgn WC or EC to GB Railfreight, That did make me laugh.

i mate who did you use to work for as i have just been offerd a place with a freight company from london and am wondering if its the best thing to go for i havnt been told what the roster is like so was wondering if you could help me with that

 

[Willie mcbeath]

I was on the footplate, going 16/17 years old and started on the freight for nearly 30 years. I'm now at a TOC.

At a TOC, you are looked after, even though some drivers moan, and I still moan.

THE PRO's...

A sort of nice mess room, free tea and coffee, a TV to watch Corrie on, nice chairs to watch Corrie in, a toilet, toilet paper, proper PNB breaks, a better pension if the FOC's change their final salary scheme, max of 9hr30 day, free xmas party's and family do's, a better salary, no 12hr shifts, no driving vans, no grease on your uniform that transfers to your car seat !!, no stupid night turns that finish at 11am !!, no 1am starts, spare turns !!!, I see other drivers to speak too.

THE CON's.....

The same route and boring as ****.

At at FOC

THE PRO's

A different route nearly everyday

You are your own boss

You can stop and have a wee !!

My freight ipad was better than my TOC's ipad

THE CON's

Where do I start.

But being a Freight driver, and I noticed this alot when using other mess rooms, was being treated like **** when walking into X Country's mess room at Leicester a few years back and being ignored when walking into Doncasters Platform 3 mess room. This is something I will not miss whats so ever.

I forgot to add.....You can't compare Virgn WC or EC to GB Railfreight, That did make me laugh.

I don't know what TOC you work for but it sounds like you've landed lucky.
Any bothy I've been in guys from other depots of the same company get treated like ****
Most bothys have rat traps everywhere & stinking toilets that constantly run short of bog roll and soap.
The cheapest I've ever seen tea and coffee (if you can call it that) is a quid
And I've never heard of a free xmas night out.
No wonder you wouldn't go back.
Yes there is tv's with corrie on but i consider that in the con list tbf.
TOC'S can also change the final salary as easy a FOC.