My dad's plaque was unveiled at King's Cross station last week as 'BRITAIN'S FIRST BLACK TRAIN DRIVER'. Great video and advice, my dad would have loved watching your videos 👍🏾

Hi, and thanks for a great video. I applied in 2020 and did all the assessments, which I passed! (I will be passing out in 8 weeks!) I can confirm they are quite intense tests, and the assessors were poker faced and didn't give anything away at the time. I left the assessments thinking I did awful, but I was wrong. The classroom side of it is a LOT of headwork and homework, and when you finish the classroom part and get out driving with an instructor, you don't just finish work and switch off, go home, read rules, make notes, get prepared for the next day and then go to bed. Expect to pretty much cancel your social life for the next year! It will be so worth it in the end though. Its not a criticism, just advising to anyone that is interested the reality of dedication needed to succeed. I'm 48, I wish I started this many years ago. Thanks again for the videos!

You literally read my mind. Thank you so much man 👍🏿

I’ve been seeking advice and yesterday i came across your KZfaq channel. Thank you tons for this and I will definitely be looking for a train career soon.

I’m interested in becoming a train driver, I’ve always thought about it but never really thought it would pay off. This has been the most in depth video, all my questions were answered thanks so much for this it help out me 1 step closer. Amazing.

Thanks for the help and advise mate. I'm very grateful

My Dad drives for TPE and has been on since the back end of 2004 - early 2005 ish. I’ve just joined the railway this year having spent 7 years trying and landed a shunting role for DB Cargo with the aim of working up to being a driver. Got to be very patient! But it’s so worth it in the end.

Oh my gosh! So helpful! I’m an A-level student aspiring to be a train driver, and you’ve given me so much helpful advice!

Thank you so much for this lovely advice.

I passed my psychometrics testing and both interviews earlier this year. Got medical soon and a start date towards the end of the year. 22+ years in light rail And 4 years as guard to back to my application helped Certainly getting in anyway you can will help . Be good to see a psychometrics video Granted not all are the same but overall they're very similar and the info I found certainly helped prep me for the days testing. Great video

Excellent video really fascinating. I've always wanted to get into this field thanks for such an amazing video

I've worked in the industry since I left school.I went solo as a Traindriver nearly 28 years ago.It's not for everyone but I'm glad that I found my nieche when I did.I honestly couldn't imagine doing else for a living.Go for it!

Thanks Richard :) 21 years ago I applied to be a train driver with Chiltern, I was 19. I passed the interview, the isometric & Scaat tests and the final interview. Got to the medical annnnnnnd.....partially colourblind 🤦‍♂️

Good video mate, great tips

It was a lot easier to get a job as a train driver in the 1970-80's than it is today. The pay was so bad then. When the average wage in Britain was £100 a week, train drivers were on £60 a week. My dad used to have to work overtime to get his salary up to a decent level. The train companies were forced to increase train drivers basic pay or they would eventually have no drivers to drive their trains.

Nice video and it was a pleasure to see you working for south-eastern when 😅was driving 375'a and me on the gateline Richard

Fantastic video very good advice

I did the test in May this year (and thankfully passed) and I can confirm it’s still as intense as it’s always been! It’s a lot more refined than it’s previous guises but the core tests are still there. Reaction, memory, interview etc.

Excellent, very helpful.

Loving your videos, currently going though the application process with LNER

3 months on the railway and one thing i can't get over, is abbreviations we love them

This is very helpful thank you so much for your time

I'm a train and I approve this informative video!

Getting psychologically tested for DB in 3 weeks, that helps me a lot, thank you!

My dad was a 2nd man on numerous freight locos like Class 66’s and 73’s back in the 80’s and he loved it! He had to quit though which was a shame.

Just what video I needed to see. Leaving school next year so it's a big year as to wether I get my dream Job.

Hi, I'm nearly 43 and currently Class 1 HGV driver. I've always had a dream of wanting to be a train driver since being a kid. Getting to end of high school I learnt that you had to start off on platform duties and work your way up, which more or less put me off as I don't really like dealing with the general public. As for starting in this career now I don't think I would do well in any competency tests as I'm not good at expressing things in writing etc. I still would love to do the job, but I think in reality that I would be better at just sticking to my Train simulator games (less stress and responsibility). Great video though, thumbs up!

I tried to get into the train industry here in America it is hard I wanted to get into the train industry but sadly my disability wont let me but I do enjoy the train sims and keep up the work and be safe out there

I work as an engineer for GWR and also went for a driver job. I passed all of the relevant tests but unfortunately failed the final interview. I shall definitely apply again once jobs are advertised,hopefully soon. Great video, thanks.

Thanks very much for the information! I'm currently waiting to be allocated a date for psychometric testing - getting increasingly nervous to be honest... It sounds like a dream for someone like me who thrives on a bit of solitude.

I've now given up on becoming a driver, I've watched all the videos, have a very good education, CV is spot on, been in current job 20 years, 44 years old, fit as a fiddle, no medical issues, I never hear a thing when I apply 14 times now. I have friends who are drivers they have helped with my application forms etc. Can't be bothered anymore

I was thinking about joining the rail way like 2 days ago then I find this, good timing

I started with BR as a fireman at eastfield traction depot Glasgow in 1974 my uncle was a mainline driver in the same depot after 6 weeks at BR training collage I went straight to mainline work within 3 months I was in the drivers seat of class 37s going up the west coast line too Oban with my uncle sitting in the Fireman’s seat loved the job but hated the shifts plus at the time was told it would be at least 8 to 10 years before I would become a mainline driver spent 3 years in the job then changed careers

Thank you Sir. Very interesting video, I worked for 10 years on A derailment gang, Truely well done video lighting audio working off a tripod and attention to your surroundings, when I applied for my position I was brought in as a 90 day recruit, quite simply my co workers voted if they wanted me in that gang, Again I'm a first time viewer and now a subscriber, Safe travels.

I’m second generation at the job, following my uncle. He encouraged me to graduate Uni before applying. As Richard said, who knows what the future holds. It isn’t all warm and cozy. The he bosses don’t just get cross and forget about it like on Thomas the Tank Engine. The responsibility is real. With that said, my class was comprised of uni grads and military veterans. I guess that the company thought that the commitment, following directions, and adapting to new ideas were good attributes in prospective employees. They also look at people who’ve had other safety critical jobs.

Greetings from a train driver in Sweden!

I was a train guard in Victoria Australia for 12 years. We were in the traffic branch and they (drivers) were in the rolling stock branch , and there was no crossover . You either started as a station lad and a shunter as I did or you started cleaning locos then fireman if you wanted to be a driver . We even had different unions .

I’ve been a shunter with a South Western train operator for the last 18 months and I’ve passed driver assessments and the multi modal interview just waiting for a driving job to come up now

I came in via the shunting grade , basically at the time loads of drivers retiring and they needed new blood . You could say the timing was good , worked for the biggest freight operator back then EWS now with the Blue team.

Hi richard, really enjoying these vids and looking forward to future content. I'm looking to change careers from a bricklayer to passenger train driver hence my interest, in the medical examination do both eyes get tested together or separately?

We need more people like him because dad rail is the best

How it's changed. Father was a steam engine driver and I went onto the railways in the seventies. As a secondman worked with the old steam engine drivers and former fireman who were now drivers and carried on the tradition. Some of those drivers were so in so but looking back they were gentlemen. It was great. Of course the hours were bad but the pay was good. You made a mistake and the inspector would say '' tell me the truth and we'll sort it'' so you did as they worked through the ranks. 1982, and the ASLEF flexible rosters strike seem to change it all. There was a station master nicknamed ' Snuff' cause he got right up our noses. Then came the university students. I remember being at Eastleigh when it came through they were ' off the road at Botley'. The Area Manager who came from British Gas said '' what does that mean'' ? To think when I joined they couldn't recruit the staff to today where the job is the most sought after. So with all things modernisation and technology but that cannot over ride the characters , memory's and banter. Yes, I am an old BR man but a proud one.

Wow! What difference from my experience back in 1961 when I was 14. I went to see this guy in an office in Hull for a job as an steam engine cleaner, the start on the ladder to an engine driver. He asked for my school report & leaving certificate of which I had neither. He then said I don't know you and you don't know me so tell me why I should give you a job. I said my dad works on the railway, he said that will do for me, medical next week then start soon as your 15. I stayed on the footplate for 46 years as a fireman then driver on all types of traction including HSTs/91s. THANKS DAD.

Recently applied to Irish rail. There were a total of 76,000 applications apparently for a total of 60 positions. I got through to the final 100 and had an interview panel (after all the written, online, and computer program tests). Shame I didn’t get the job, but was an interesting experience.

I've spent three years on a Railway maintenance apprenticeship by a certain infrastructure stakeholder.... I'm now looking at moving my expertise over to being an OTM operator/driver for a tamper. Hopefully it's an easier time getting one of these roles. Worried about passing any kind of testing

I did my assessment centre earlier this week and have just found out that I'm through to the driver manager interview! Just got to lose some weight ahead of the medical if I'm lucky enough to get that far :)

Companies add extra tests, the latest is fault finding then there's the enhanced element that baffles me.. I've failed testing twice, firstly lift chimes and phone book together then the 32 minute grey box all other tests passed to enhanced standard. Unsure if I get another go without going private?

Sadly, luck plays a big role if you are successful. My experience was much of the testing is not relevant to the job. It just there to cut down the applications from say a 1000 to a more manageable number. I think the testing is design for 90% of the applicant pool to fail. My pathway in was my career in public transportation. I started off as a taxi driver and then became a transit bus driver. I was also working train substitute services in the bus. This experience gave me a good opportunity to network so I had good reference from current train driver supervisors. The rail network here was restructure and basically nearly all the drivers were replaced (long story) so about 100 train driver roles were vacant. With the demand for driver at a all time high the testing requirement was seriously reduced. I passed with no problems and was hired. I had failed the old testing requirements a year earlier. I am now a qualified mainline, first year train driver and my train driving has been assed multiple times by the driver mangers and senior drivers. I been told my driving is A+ and they are very happy with it. I think that show how none relevant the old testing was. So sadly guys much of it comes down to luck. Make sure you make a plan B if you are not successful. If you are successful it is the best job in the world. The pay is also insanely high. The only downside is this job will give you nightmares. I regularly have nightmares about SPADs and people jumping in front of my train. That is pretty much the only downside is those regular nightmares. Do not feel bad if you fail the pre testing. It design so 90% of people will fail and it really say nothing about what type of train driver you could be.

Brilliant - 1st time found you so this might be out of date, can you possibly tell us your career on the rails please?

I did the GWR, then FGW, driver assessment day back in 2004. It was OK but the engineering comprehension test was solid. I don't think any of us at that day were successful. I was a network rail signaller a year later and now a grade 7 in a ROC.

I'm very interrested in becoming a train driver. Reason is a change of career. Currently a security guard and, working all nights is absolutely killing me. My dream job is working in northern Australia, hauling from the mines to the ports, for 3 main reasons. 1: I work nights and I crave sunlight. 2: its damn cold down here (south-west Victoria) so I crave warmth. 3: money, I wanna buy a house someday abd anything less than a very high paying job makes that impossible.

Hi richard, i'm mad about trains and am a train spotter, for now the nearest i've been to train driving is at an open day at derby maintenance depot sat in the cab of my favourite train the hst 125, unless model rail counts, but i am thinking about what i want to do as my health gets sorted, i have struggled with heart failure issues but thanks to a recent operation i'm a lot better than I was. Anyway I'm thinking the only way I might get the chance to be a train driver is as a volunteer at a preservation railway, I know that I would still need to pass as a licence train driver to do so, but would I need the same level of training considering I would be looking to drive BR diesel engines which thanks to the Train Sim World game I was able to impress my Mum and others when at an open day at Crewe on the cab of a class 86 electric loco and in the cab of the APT I recognise and had full know-how of how to set the controls ready to drive the train and thats was when I decided I what to be a preservation railway engine driver. Any tips? 👍

I passed all my tests and interview and was awaiting depot managers interview 2 years ago but the job application was stopped by the FOC. Ive applied to many TOC's but fall short on the customer services questionnaire. Any tips to pass this?

The railway is its own world and it's hard for people from the street to understand easily.Thats why getting a railway job first(station staff, conductor,etc) is the best way for you and management to get the best applicant.Previous experience on railway goes a long way towards becoming a driver.Passenger train driving is more intense than freight because of course you have responsibilities for passengers on board(especially D.O.O ), timetable committment and more pressure from management.Freight is more relaxed,just you and the train and less management intensity.Worse part about job is shift work.i.e weekends,nights,early morning starts(0400) and late finishes (0100/0200).Money is excellent and a lot of camaraderie (less than old days though).Keep a good record(safety,sickness, attendance) and you'll have a job for life!Not many train drivers leave once qualified (except to work for other rail companies).

1000% agree, I’m a shunter for a very large TOC, I joined as revenue in our more northern based counterpart with some flashy new trains I’m now with the green boys and loving my job! Shunting is such a great lead up to driving and that’s my ultimate goal

Wow you really open my eyes on this point yeah I want to pursue this course. I want to become locomotives 🚂 engineer sir so I need more advice from you sir.

I’d love to drive a train, but time is running out due to automation. Also, I have a red-green colourblindness, however I can see red/green signals perfectly fine. Don’t know if his would be an issue.

Have you made a video on British train signals and signs? I am aiming to become a driver and would like a ahead start and more knowledge if a vacancy arises.

Hi Richard, great video, I'm just about to leave my current role with a TOC and start my career as a (trainee) train driver for Team Green freight company based in the South, hopefully our paths will cross at some point in the future, all the best.

Great information. Will like to know if it is possible to be considered as a foreigner to work in UK as a trainnee train driver and eventually as a train driver?

Hi mate, just recently found your series. I’m currently working in a corporate job as a senior QS, which I hate, and have recently started to consider train driving as a feasible “way out”. Looking at the video, I see the pros and cons of both passenger and freight. Do you know if it’s relatively easy to switch career paths between the two as the only vacancies I have found to date are for freight, which wouldn’t work for me in the long term with family commitments etc., but I do think I would enjoy. Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers, Billy

Great vid ill leave the driving to the professionals and stick with train sim world 2 lol

Suppose you have heard about new rail operators including Lumo. Which they are to create new jobs and to run a direct service from Edinburgh Waverley to London Kings Cross which starts from 25/10/21 (25th October) this year. And have ordered 5 Class 803 AC Electric only IETs.

I'm a train technician Apprentice with Alstom - while I'm not a train driver we still get to drive them around the depot haha!

Ok, with becoming a driver, and you apply and you get in to training, what are the tests like? is it like a GCSE retake sort of thing alongside the concentration tests etc. Or is it just your medical, concentration and simulators?

It’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know!

Train Driving, mmm, 25 years a train driver from BR to about 10 years ago, the money is good, the shifts are horrendous, lonely job on the freight side at least, the managers are mostly incompetent, only no longer working for the railway did I realise how soul crushing the shifts were, If you can't get up at 03:00 and survive starting at 20:00 when your friends are going out then think on, still a good job, good luck to anyone who wants to be a train driver.

Im a 40 year old floor layer and condindering a change of emplotnent ( no one can lift heavy things for ever ) one question . As you get near retirment age how does thay work with being a train drive ? At 67 would you have the reactions do drive a train ?

Wow I thought the demand for train drivers is as high as in germany. But with so many applicants for one position i am driving trains in germany, but i d also like to do that abroad for a certain time.

Out here in the States the railroads are begging for employees....They are even giving sign on bonuses...I am a Locomotive Engineer for BNSF Railway and have been an Engineer for 32 years.

Hi sir I really like your video. I want to ask as i m international student of bsc buss management can i able to perform this job ??

Unfortunately I won't make a train driver and my dream was working for freight as it looks awesome to drive 66s and Gbrf 73s but hopefully I'll get a job on the railway not driving but how ever I remember you from Tonbridge and you the mountfield to Southampton a few month's ago

got a question u know with trainsimworld 4 when u create your own train how do u put them into service

How many routes does an average mainline passenger driver need to learn? I know it will depend on who you drive for and their route network, I just want to get a rough idea. The details you need to learn for each route sounds like a lot. How long do they give you to learn each route?

Hey there, I am Canadian and do not have a high school education, or will be getting a ged likely, if I move to Wales what chance do I stand at being able to drive trains? I’m fine shunting or something like that just want to know what chance I stand.

Have you come across any Aussies working as train drivers in the UK? I'm a passenger train driver in Australia.

What if you have allergies ? Do they care and how tall SHOULD you be minimum?

As I 'might' have my chance of a freight driver position in 2022 can I'm curious to know when driving into direct sunlight or extreme fog....are there any measures to help drivers from missing signals ? also do you have any methods to keep alert as I'm sure there are many times you might be feeling 'noddy donkey' :-D

I’m a signalman at present and going to the dark side….(driver) lol. Have my assessment centre tomorrow, most of the psychometric tests I’m good with, although the interview part I’m dreading as I’m hopeless at interviews. Fingers crossed it’s not to stressful….at least I’m in a good position, I already earn the same as drivers and the Working Hours aren’t too bad either. But I would like the challenge so I’ll give it my best, if I don’t get it then every drivers is getting yellows for a day or two when I go back into work. 😂

I do really enjoy the vedio motivate me. Please l like to become train a driver, but I don't know where to start and I don't know which company I can apply for and train me. Please advise me

I sat the exams with a TOC about 4 years ago, passed them all except the easiest one , the black square. 🤦‍♂️ Do you know if I reapply with another TOC whether them results will still be on file or will I have to resit them all?

Hi there Iam thinking of applying for a role as one of the Trainee drivers positions but have a spent drink driver charge on my License from 5 yrs ago Would this be a massive NO to the TOC or is there still a chance ?

Some time ago I applied with Southern and was invited to an assessment day, at the time my life circumstances weren’t right for. However, I want to go for it again but I am wondering if being 50, more life experience could be valued over a mediocre school education? Also is there some recognised courses that are taken in to consideration by train companies? I have seen some adverts regarding prep work for a train exam as it was put, and other materials geared to towards prep work for assessments. Some I imagine is dubious, but is there an actual reliable course that can be done pre assessment day?

Hi its been a 9 months in England. I love railway jobs it doesnt matter its cleaning or train driving i just want to take advice from you sir ..please recommend me any position so i can search and put my years in it. BTW i love that people who checked tickets near barricades ..

I cant currently see any vacancies on TRAINEE TRAIN DRIVER APPRENTERSHIPS, how long does it take for a company to display an advertisement for a vacancy? I want to apply asap

How realistic is it to become a shunter driver first on the path to becoming a trainee train driver? How many years are you likely to spend shunting? Should you hold out for a trainee train driver position or take the shunter route?

Hiya Richard, I have a concern about colour-blindness, I am very slightly colour-blind but still struggle with the colour-blindness tests, is it possible to become a train driver even if you are infact colour-blind, is there a minimum requirement to how many you can get wrong and are colour-blind glasses in particular permitted?

Ive found people who can get me to work on railways hoping i get grade 4 english and maths and pass the interviews and trainings when im older 🤞🤞

Hi. I am a train driver in Australia. Is transferring to the UK realistic, or something they companies are interested in? Thanks

I hope the train companies over there are better. Here in the USA they suck. I'm a train driver for a major company here and I would not recommend my worse enemy to take this job. Either way this is a great video though.

So can you apply for a driver’s job without ever having driven a train and just assume that training will be given? As I can’t seem to find a job with training and just driver’s jobs.

I wanna work for Southern Railway, and im learning the routes :)

Nice videos. Thank you very much. I was train driver for over the 17 years and I tried to aply so many times and got rejected. To be honest I gave up. Don't know where is the problem. I try to aply for apprentice jobs and same thing. I was driving passenger and cargo trains on one of the most demand rail line in Europe with 30 promiles grade and high wind and snow in the winter and hot weather with 40c in summer. One hour of braking on this grade and temperature or going up on slippery tracks covered with leafs. Also I was working on shunting on really bussy places, shunting containers, coal and all type of fuel cars. I was also mentor for more than 20 train drivers which pass the test with excellent grades. When I was 21 I wrote the book and I was also graduate like the best on whole school 2003. And I don't know where's the problem. I'm working like facilities manager now and living in UK for more than 3 years and my English shouldn't be a problem. 😉

Why did you pick freight over passenger?

Does being a bus driver help with becoming a train driver? Currently bus driving for First Group and want to apply to the TOC First Great Western which is owned by First Group. Do you know any one that has successfully become a train driver from bus driving? Thanks in advance loved the video.

I don’t want to be anything ,just want an easy job that pays well ,,,or slightly hard but not too stressful

Not first, but I just saw this

Hi I want to become a train driver but the I am a bit confused and I don’t know what to do basically I’m from Pakistan and I have done my high school from Pakistan and I don’t know which test I would have to give ( GCSE) or different test because I wasn’t born and studied in uk 🇬🇧 Can you please help me with

Much of what was said in the video is correct. However one point that was not really covered was the difference between peoples perception of driving trains, and the reality. Few people outside the industry, and quite a few inside, have little real understanding of the job. Firstly the extremely testing hours of duty. Few, if any, other industries have the kind of shift work that drivers must do. It would be a completely different life if drivers only ever worked 9-5. They rarely work office hours. Far more likely is a succession of 3 or 4 am starts followed by late afternoon starts, then full night's. There is very little pattern to it at most depots because of the range of designated work. Some might think that attractive but until you actually work month after month with disrupted sleep patterns, a restricted social life, and trying to sleep during the day when neighbours and traffic noise are doing their best to keep you awake. Imagine having to go back to work night after night with just a few hours sleep during the day. It's hard to say the least. And your employer rightly expects you to be on top of your job 24/7 regardless of how much sleep you've had. I joined the railways in 1971 on the first Traction Trainee course on the Western Region. 24 young men were on that course, some dropped out during the training to be Secondmen, but most passed the exams at the end, and went out to various depots to start work. Within 18 months very few were still on the railway, the realities of the shift work were just too much for the majority. Only three stayed in the industry long term. Secondly, today's drivers are monitored perhaps more closely than any other comparative job, with the exception of airline pilots. The slightest infringement of rules or approved driving technique are picked up via on-train recorders, or during competency checks. In view of the responsibility drivers have these checks are perhaps these days to be expected, but nevertheless it puts huge additional pressure on individuals which is only really appreciated by fellow drivers. All that said, I spent 40 marvellous years driving all sorts of trains and at speeds from diesel shunters 15mph to Eurostar's 183mph. It's been a great career but at times hugely challenging too.

Do you know anything about driving steam locos on heritage lines? As in do you need to already be trained as a mainline driver before driving on a heritage line. I'd love to be able to do that in my spare time, however I'm more interested in different full time jobs than being a train driver. Great video as always!