I’m a train driver… I love my salary – but here is the biggest misconception about the job

A train driver has revealed the ‘biggest misconception’ citizens have about their job.

The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, has worked for the railway for six years and says she earns £70,000 a year.

But despite being ‘grateful’ for her salary, she spoke of the strict timetable and long hours drivers face.

She pointed out that they could be required to work 12 hours a day during a scheduled 9-hour shift if there is a disruption to the network.

There was, however, one aspect of the job that irritated her more than most.

The driver, who asked to remain anonymous in an interview, said she is grateful for the impressive salary of around £70,000 she receives after working for the railway for six years (File photo)

She said the Telegraph: ‘The worst part of my job is public perception.

‘When there are disruptions to the service, I give passengers all the information I have, but they often think I am hiding something from them.

“If I’m asked to run somewhere quickly and skip stations, passengers can get very frustrated.”

Although it may seem like an attractive job due to the generous pay, drivers who take part in strikes are subject to much criticism. This is due to a lack of public satisfaction with the state of Britain’s railways. There have also been frequent union strikes over the past two years.

It is estimated that 5.05 million days were lost to employment disputes in the UK between June 2022 and December 2023.

This is the highest total for a 19-month period in more than 30 years, as 5.34 million days were lost between July 1989 and January 1991.

Nearly half (45%) of working days lost between June 2022 and December 2023 for which data is available occurred in the transport, storage and communications sectors, an analysis by the PA news agency shows.

This reflects the frequency of rail strikes, as workers from several unions, including the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Aslef, decided to strike in a bid to secure better wages and working conditions.

Drivers must sit behind the wheel and concentrate fully in the cabin. They must control everything on the train, from speed and braking to how bright the headlights may be under certain conditions and when the doors close.

Drivers must sit behind the wheel and concentrate fully in their cabin, while checking everything on the train (File photo)

The driver said her job has a huge impact on her life and she often has to leave family and social events early to be able to focus fully on her work the next day.

As they say themselves: ‘If I’m tired, the consequences can be disastrous.’

Fortunately for the driver in question, there has never been a fatal accident while driving a train.

Reflecting on a well-known risk of the role’s job, they added: ‘We’re all aware that it could happen to any of us. I’ve had one heart-in-my-mouth moment.

‘Someone jumped off a platform to pick up his cell phone and then jumped back down.

‘I had just passed my signal on my way to the station, my brake was on, when this guy jumped down. I put my train in ’emergency mode’ and when he jumped back up, I took my train out of ’emergency mode’.

‘I walked into the station, opened the doors and contacted the signalman, saying, ‘I need a minute.’ I was shocked and had two welfare checks to make sure I was OK. All I could think was, was that worth it for a mobile phone?’

Another daily problem drivers face is the lack of opportunity to go to the toilet, as they have to wait until the end of the journey (File photo)

Another daily problem that motorists face is the lack of toilet facilities, which is impossible when they are speeding through the British countryside at speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour.

Since there are no toilets in the drivers’ cabins, they have to wait until they arrive at a terminal station before they can take a break.

But even finding the time to do that can be difficult when they only have a 15-minute break before they have to catch the next train.

Drivers can call the station dispatcher to request a PNB (personal needs break), after which the conductor will slow the train down so the driver can go to the toilet.