Ouch, I had to lug all that around certainly don't miss it! Should have mentioned the flask!

I preferred my BR pack and uniform Jeans T shirt reversible bomber jacket yellow on inside. Plastic carrier bag with Bardic and news paper. Always know a posh driver coz he would have a M&S bag or Debenhams.

Yeah they’re used on Elecrostars and Turbostars mainly I think. It’s called a Southco key.

Correct, also make room for the £60,000 plus a year wages

Thanks So much, and best of luck with it

That's true! Those old bags were made to last!

@@DadRail Still got mine, after 44 years. One strap could do with replacing, but it leads a life of leisure now. Has that backpack fell apart yet ? Mine was knackered right out of the placcy bag it came in ! You have to be a bit savvy at editing your kit, else you'll be weighed down good style ! Pity about the full orange malarkey, but understandable, as you're going on somebody else's turf , and they make the rules. If I wasn't going into private areas, staying more or less on B.R. metals, a high-vis dustcoat was all I'd need.Our kid's at FL intermodal/G&W , and their policy insists you wear your safety specs , even getting out of your car in the car park . Draconian? Yes. Ridiculous? Undubtedly. No mention of the bulk quantities of limestone dust I must have inhaled in quarries over the years. Leave the window open on a 'too-hot-to-touch' 66 , and if the cab was clean to start with , ( unheard of on DB engines!) , in 2 minutes it would be thick in dust. As for the tablet devices for books, docs and notices, etc., they're a joke, being Android, and the DB software packager is definitely of the bargain basement variety. Cripes, it sometimes even works briefly!! And as for toilet palavers......Buddleia is your friend. But not in January. Don't ask how I know. I'll never see that York-bound passeger again, and he'll never see me, either. I hope.

Trust me if you carried what you should of in the black leather bags they where too heavy to carry ....straps dug in to your fingers and once on loco you tripped over handles several times a day! Manchester Victoria drivers in 80s to 90s use to use a old tesco bag with a cup in it!

@@grahamallen1970 here's a company that sells a modified version of the traditional bag, including shoulder strap and wrap to secure the handles upright.

@@tcc300892 shoulder strap.....on a drivers black leather bag!? Would of got shunted straight out of saltley mess room....a driver with a shoulder strap....what next replacing Billy can with a flask it will never catch on....... I cut my handles off bolted some steel brackets on end and used a strap....but it still was a drivers bag!

Love the idea of the single use poncho. Especially good for those surprise summer showers when you don’t have your coat.

@@DadRail exactly, like when I got caught short. My shoes and bag took three days to dry, a thunder and lightning soaking. Paperwork ruined. Had I had one, most of me, including the bag would have been ok.

Thanks Pat. I eventually found out it’s a panel key for Bombardier units.

@@DadRail the key will also open the flap to give access to the battery switch on a MPV

Thanks I will have a look at it

Another silly question, do you think striking for more money, will push up ticket prices

Platform waste bins use them as well.

I've just remembered, it's called a Kaba key

Also that square key is pretty standard on Continental railways for all kinds of things: doors, cupboards, bins, soap dispensers etc.

I think I got issued it when I was driving class 375s so that makes sense

Thank you

Good to know, although I’ve had about 20 messages from people telling me what it is :-)

@@DadRail please enlighten me lol

That's a valid point!

Haha I remember a mad dash into Asda Bournemouth on my way to Swanage to get another wire because mine had broken 🤣

You can take multiple bags of you want but sometimes it’s not practical. On long shifts i sometimes carry a small canteen to heat up food on the loco hotplate.

@@DadRail that's great to know, thank you for the information I appreciate it ☺️

That's in its own bag :-) The orange fob is for the tracker in the company vans.

@@DadRail Ahh I see and thanks for the reply. I never thought I would be watching videos like yours I've never been into trains but I've been trying to get on the railway for 10 years now and I'm finally on. I'm hoping to be a driver one day but think it's just out of my reach but am finding your channel very helpful keep up the great videos mate😁👍

Depends on the station and type of train, but normally there is a bit of tolerance. For example if you have a 4 car train and a 12 car platform you’ve got lots of room to play with, but a 12 car train on the same platform maybe tight

It does :-) I’m gonna have to check if it fits

We can carry our own, and many people do.

The loco has a hot plate, and we have bottled water and wet wipes on ours. Most crew rooms will have microwave and kettle ect. In the past large stations had staff canteens but all that has gone now.

I think full automation is still many years away on the mainline at least. The technology does exist for automatic operation, but it is one thing getting it to work on a simple network with only 1 type of train, compared to the mainline with many different types of trains with different handling capabilities. It can be done and is being tested in the uk as we speak, but I think full automation is still many years away. We will see partial automation (Thameslink core) and more semi automatic trains in the next 10 years or so. I think regardless of what happens, on the mainline with stations miles apart you will always need someone on the train, in case of failure train evacuation tree on the line ect. The drivers role will continue evolve as it has done since trains were invented.

EP / Master key is pretty standard. Some classes such as the 66/67/69 have a different key.

Its a secret. ;-) got given to me when exchanging keys on handover.

Can’t be used in the cab whilst on the move. Most companies will mandate it should be in your bag and switched off. Some companies allow phones to be used when the train is stopped for a prolonged period. During some situations the signaller will ask for a phone number to contact you I.e when taking a line block.

Back in the 90s before cards became a thing :-)

It is for the tracker on company road vehicles so they know who is driving.

@@DadRailwell I did not know that I was expecting you to say it is to access offices and canteens etc.

Always in each cab, at least on passenger.

Detonators, TC Clips and red flags can be found in the cab.

Normally in a clear plastic box in the cab, 1 red flag, 2 TC clips and a tube of 6 Dets

BR1 key? Not so much on freight but 100% on passenger

That’s a good idea. When I was driving passenger trains, they use to have them in the emergency cupboard on the train.

yep, green red white. that is part of your standard kit

They are on the locomotives, we do not carry them in our bags

@@DadRail oh ok thank you for your reply I Got Two more question Have You Ever Ran A Train To Devon Or The South West b4 ? And My Final Question Is What The Different Between A 59 And A 66 I Was Told It Had The Same Engine But A Modified Shell Can You Tell me If This Is True

No longer a requirement, it was removed from the rule book recently, to reflect the fact that many trains and locos have clocks on the TMS system in cab, or on the drivers iPads when used for train running.

I can’t possibly comment on who my employer maybe, but I have worked for my current employer for 3 years 😅

@@DadRail Lol fair play! 😄

It depends on circumstances. You can’t leave the train unattended, but If the cafe was next to the cab and you had time then certainly. There often isn’t time as most station stops are only a minute or 2. I didn’t notice that! I’ll mention it to Ethan, and maybe buy him a dictionary 😂 (and one for me)

All of our diagrams are now electronic. We have an app on the Ipad

I think I’m all out of apostrophes ;-)

Doesn’t fit unfortunately

All in a separate bag, along with my mess tins for the hot plate

If you were glasses you have to carry a spare pair with you at all times. The Safety glasses are only required when working on certain sites where mandated as PPE.

No, The locomotives have them in the cabs.

I have a separate bag for the flask and cooking pots for the hot plate.