Would you give up being a train driver to be an electrician?

[Justmovedin]

As title says, what's the life of an electrician like, money, work load etc

 

[Bobster]

Depends on where you're driving trains.

From all accounts, from what I've heard and a friend who is a driver it's a decently paid cushy job. Albeit monotonous.

 

[Pete999]

As title says, what's the life of an electrician like, money, work load etc

If you like driving a train, and it pays well, and the work is regular, then stay a train driver for the world is full of Electricians some very good ones, some good ones and some cowboys who think they are Electricians, I'm retired now and never worked in the domestic field that much, but listening to those who do, I think they would agree it's a cut throat industry.

 

[Wilko]

Can I be a train driver?

 

[Pete999]

Can I be a train driver?

Deleted

 

[Squid]

Can I be a train driver?

Yes you can for a small investment........

 

[Wilko]

Deleted

Pete are you being bashful?
Some would say "as an Electrician, Wilko would make a good train driver"

 

[David M]

Can I be a train driver?

The spooky thing is I had a conversation over the weekend with a friend of mine who has given up being an electrician to go driving trains!
Best thing he has ever done, he reckons! Easy job, brill money, loads of free time on his hands.
So in answer to the OP - NO!!!!

 

[Pete999]

Yes you can for a small investment........

View attachment 37628

If that's the case I qualified as a train driver 62 years ago will my qualifications be OK today?

 

[sparkdog]

I would stick with the choo choos mate.

 

[David M]

If that's the case I qualified as a train driver 62 years ago will my qualifications be OK today?

Are you any good at playing cards?

If so you will be great at being a train driver

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

from what i gather being a train driver is well paid and you have some quite vocal unions covering your back. Even better is a london underground driver. i believe trying to get one of them jobs is like finding a unicorn, its very much closed shop you have to work your way up and be onside with the unions.

 

[Pete999]

Are you any good at playing cards?

If so you will be great at being a train driver

To be honest I thought I always was a good train driver, never had a head on smash and only a few derailments.

 

[David M]

from what i gather being a train driver is well paid and you have some quite vocal unions covering your back. Even better is a london underground driver. i believe trying to get one of them jobs is like finding a unicorn, its very much closed shop you have to work your way up and be onside with the unions.

I know 3 train drivers now, 2 of them live in big detached houses, drive nice cars and go on lots of holidays abroad. The other (my mate who I mentioned earlier) has just picked up a nice new 4x4 in place of his old work van.
So go figure.....
Drive a train or become a plumber if you want big money for old rope (tin hat on)

 

[Justmovedin]

Think I made my mind up suprisingly quick. What's plumber money then?

 

[Pete999]

I know 3 train drivers now, 2 of them live in big detached houses, drive nice cars and go on lots of holidays abroad. The other (my mate who I mentioned earlier) has just picked up a nice new 4x4 in place of his old work van.
So go figure.....
Drive a train or become a plumber if you want big money for old rope (tin hat on)

Train driver= job for life or as long as you want it,

 

[David M]

Train driver= job for life or as long as you want it,

Well at least until teleportation has been improved

 

[Pete999]

I know 3 train drivers now, 2 of them live in big detached houses, drive nice cars and go on lots of holidays abroad. The other (my mate who I mentioned earlier) has just picked up a nice new 4x4 in place of his old work van.
So go figure.....
Drive a train or become a plumber if you want big money for old rope (tin hat on)

Train driver= job for life or as long as you want it,

Well at least until teleportation has been improved

Well yes but I'm sure you get my drift David

 

[DJ Ovengloves]

I played with a train set when I was a kid...does that mean I'm qualified?

 

[Pete999]

I played with a train set when I was a kid...does that mean I'm qualified?

Think about what goes on in our industry sometimes

 

[telectrix]

can you swim?

 

[Squid]

If that's the case I qualified as a train driver 62 years ago will my qualifications be OK today?

Only if they still run on coal, bring your own shovel...........

 

[telectrix]

run on coal???? in pete's day they were pulled by horses.

 

[Pete999]

Only if they still run on coal, bring your own shovel...........

The ones I drove had a transformer, it went round and round and round, till I had to go to bed,

 

[Squid]

from what i gather being a train driver is well paid and you have some quite vocal unions covering your back. Even better is a london underground driver. i believe trying to get one of them jobs is like finding a unicorn, its very much closed shop you have to work your way up and be onside with the unions.

Most of the money is made up in OT, unsociable hours, shift allowances etc etc any job that paid that the workers would be minted.

As an apprentice the old sparks would tell me about height money etc and the scams the got up to to claim extra.

 

[Squid]

The ones I drove had a transformer, it went round and round and round, till I had to go to bed,

Electrickery was invented when you where a child now thats a fib..........

 

[Pete999]

Electrickery was invented when you where a child now thats a fib..........

Cheeky young git

 

[Pete999]

Train driver= job for life or as long as you want it,

Seeing as we are being honest, explanation would be nice

 

[Pete999]

Train driver= job for life or as long as you want it,

It's hardly a dumb statement rail workers are so well protected these days by the TU that they would need an awfully watertight reason to give anyone the Spanish Archer, the Unions would be all over the rail operators concerned like a dose of Ebola, hence my statement job for as long as you want it, true or false, I know which way I would vote.

 

[Octopus]

Just be aware that training to be a spark as a "mature" student, then getting a job could be an uphill battle.

Re-training and going self employed could be very difficult and it may take 3-4 years to build up a client base and then earn a reasonable income..

You are employed, with holiday and sickness pay and I suspect a decent pension ..... take all this into account........

 

[Pete999]

Just be aware that training to be a spark as a "mature" student, then getting a job could be an uphill battle.

Re-training and going self employed could be very difficult and it may take 3-4 years to build up a client base and then earn a reasonable income..

You are employed, with holiday and sickness pay and I suspect a decent pension ..... take all this into account........

That's not a dumb statement, that's the truth.

 

[Octopus]

That's not a dumb statement, that's the truth.

Who said I made a dumb statement?

 

[Pete999]

Just be aware that training to be a spark as a "mature" student, then getting a job could be an uphill battle.

Re-training and going self employed could be very difficult and it may take 3-4 years to build up a client base and then earn a reasonable income..

You are employed, with holiday and sickness pay and I suspect a decent pension ..... take all this into account........

That's not a dumb statement, that's the truth.

Who said I made a dumb statement?

No not you Murdoch, sorry just trying to make a point to someone else, should have explained sorry for any embarrassment.

 

[Octopus]

^^ just trying to be realistic .................

 

[Squid]

And if you get a "jumper" you get 6 months off.

 

[Pete999]

^^ just trying to be realistic .................

What you said mate is the reality.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I played with a train set when I was a kid...does that mean I'm qualified?

No less qualified than the 5 week wonders are as electricians. the powers that be accept them ......

 

[Pete999]

No less qualified than the 5 week wonders are as electricians. the powers that be accept them ......

That's my point Gavin

 

[The Ghost]

I already have.

 

[sparkdog]

Sounds like a plumb job.