Trainee train drivers first time in the drivers cabin railroad australia duration. Back in the days of steam, train drivers were like gods. A drivers license is not required for the learn to drive a steam train experience. Individuals must have completed the fireman steam school class before.
You can apply to a train operating company and begin a train driver advanced apprenticeship. The east lancashire railway has a proven track record in providing cost effective driver training services to the rail industry, so for more information about how we can help you deliver an attractive and practical solution to your driveroperator training needs please email our general manager on tracey. This qualification may be undertaken as a traineeship. Driver experience days gloucestershire warwickshire. 1919, discussing qualifications for becoming an engineer and typical experiences on the job. On north american trunk railways, the conductor is in command of the train, however. How to prepare, fire and drive a steam locomotive topping, brian on. A steam train driver has become the youngest to qualify on the mainline for almost half a century. Ideal training courses for train driving hobbyists. The preserved railway driver, is the chap flying light aircraft, under considerable restrictions, on his day off. The driver uses the engine to push the wagons up a slight incline back onto the brake van.
You need know nothing about steam engines whatsoever when you join. Amazing train simulator game fun for both adults and children who have a passion for trains, locomotives, steam engines, rail and all things railroad. The mainline driver is the commercial or military pilot, flying jets day in, day out. Participants should have a good understanding and working knowledge of the environment in which they work. Online trainee train driver course brand new for 2020 learn exactly how to pass every stage of the train driver selection process and become a trainee train driver with this exciting, fastpaced and exclusive certification course which covers every element of the trainee train driver selection process with over 14 years industry training experience, we have compiled our blueprint. Now reconnected to the brake van, martello makes a spirited departure with the wagons. Gcses grades 9 to 4 a to c, or equivalent, in english and maths. The first two days consist of classroom instruction where you will learn some basic principles of engine design and the. Do you have what it takes to be a steam train driver. For those who might sit in the engineers seat of a museum steam engine, and wonder what they actually did to run it, heres what youd have had to do. Book well in advance for our train driving experiences though, as demand is. The day is all yours youll meet your friendly crew who will take you through the process of preparing the locomotive and putting together a typical freight train.
Jim clarke pulled out of victoria in london today in the belmond british pullman. There are even passengers waiting in stations as you drive your train along the track. This license covers the basic knowledge necessary for a. The driver of ex lbsc 060t martello backs some loose coupled wagons onto a brake van.
Puffing billy the puffing billy railway offers train driver experiences in a 120 year old steam engine, a couliett locomotive built in 1886 for use in paris. The mainline steam driver needs to be the equivalent of the. Dmu diesel train driver part 3 dealing with faults youtube. By concentrating on manoeuvring and shunting, candidates will gain an. Employers usually expect you to have gcses at grades 9 to 4 a to c in english and maths, or equivalent qualifications. Steam train driving and footplate rides are amongst our most popular activities. Online train driver course live webinar trainee train. When not firing and driving you will travel with the guard on a restored brake van and learn about how his job differs from a normal passenger train while the other participants have their turn on the footplate. Steam driver experience regulator king package for 1 person. Steam community guide driving and firing steam engines. Whatever the name people from all walks of life and of all ages have a love of trains and would relish the chance to drive a real life steam or diesel locomotive engine. It has to be one of the coolest jobs in britain but steam railways say theyre struggling to recruit volunteers to operate their trains. Next, apply for an entrylevel position with a railroad so you can gain experience in the field and get your foot in the door with a good company. The traditional career progression in the united kingdom for steam locomotives was engine cleaner, passed engine cleaner i.
On longdistance routes, there may be a need for overnight stays. This course offers one to one tuition on driving and firing a steam locomotive. The bellarine railway offers the opportunity to drive one of our steam or diesel trains. Be it steam or diesel, a drive a train experience makes for a fantastic gift for a family member or a friend, you can even purchase an open voucher so that the lucky recipient can choose when they want to embark on their journey. Certificate iv in train driving tli42615 railtrain pty ltd.
The licence is valid for 10 years and is the personal property of the train driver until it expires or is suspended or withdrawn. The training is an 8 hour 1 day training session 6 hours theory and 2 hours practical that is designed to give a trainee operator, who has experience in the operation of a steam engine at a plant, a more in depth grounding that will prepare them for the questions. In the north america, a trunk railway train driver is referred to as the engineernot the conductorand some journalists cant get this sorted properly. Full training is provided to nvq level, and with this training and footplate experience. These drawings and the mechanical principles they represent will become familiar to you. Railtrain offers training services to rail operators with cadet and traineeship programs.
All train drivers in europe have to acquire a train drivers license. The train driver live webinar course that covers the trainee train driver selection process, application form, interview and psychometric tests for train drivers. Depends on your country, but typically most train drivers steam, diesel, and electric are trained for about 2 years before becoming fullyqualified train drivers. The driver brings the engine and train into isfield station. In addition to driving the engine, the trainee also has to learn how to fire it without making black smoke. Duties prior to locomotive service signing on and checking roster, notice boards, operational instructions. Sign in to add this item to your wishlist, follow it, or mark it as not interested. Train driver institute for apprenticeships and technical. Driving and footplate experiences telford steam railway.
On freight or engineering trains, train drivers usually tend to be rostered more night shifts. The training is an 8 hour 1 day training session 6 hours theory and 2 hours practical that is designed to give a trainee operator, who has experience in the operation of a steam engine at a plant, a more in depth grounding that will prepare them for the questions asked by the national es high risk work assessment instrument. It was so interesting to get a snapshot of yesteryear and how different things ran compared to todays modern railway systems. First preparing the locomotive you will then haul a freight train from minehead to williton and back, driving one way and firing the other. Does someone you know always had a dream to drive a real live train to feel the power of a heritage locomotive in their own hands and experience the wonder of the steam era. Train simulators steam workshop scenarios are free and easy to download, adding many more hours of exciting gameplay. Rail operators transport passengers and haul freight through our cities, across the state, or interstate need a large variety of job roles filled to continue to operate efficiently and grow. Train driving licences and certificates office of rail. Completed scenario 9 the staff train west somerset diesels. The train driving licence is a document issued by us to the train driver once the train driver has passed the necessary general professional competence, medical and occupational psychological fitness examinations. These guys had almost mythical status that equalled that of an astronaut today so every young boy wanted to be a train driver. Supersedes tli40410 certificate iv in transport and logistics rail operations is superseded by and equivalent to tli42615 certificate iv in train driving. To become a train driver you need to apply for a training programme with an operating company. Beginning with a brief history of steam trains in the uk, this manual describes the basic components of a steam train the boiler, motion, running gear, cab, brakes, etc.
For a firsthand account of a participants experiences on a steam footplate experience course, click here. A train driver, engine driver or locomotive driver, commonly known as an engineer in the united. In recent years, all our steam and diesel driving courses have sold out within a few weeks of being advertised. Select a journey day out with thomas events and specials heritage train service train driver experiences if you cannot find what you are looking for please call us on 03 5258 2069 or send an. A wonderful train experience for my retirement from mainstream railway operations, my colleagues bought me an experience day at loughborough driving a classic steam engine.
Steam train driver experience the bellarine railway. A notforprofit, volunteer run organisation offering steam train rides, train driver experiences, group charters, as well as family events and specials. Why not undertake a train driving experience course on a british heritage. Train simulator 2020 puts you in control of authentic, licensed locomotives and brings real world routes to life. Once youve qualified, youll also typically benefit from reduced price or even free travel, which is a nice perk. Heritage driver licence training heritage steam training. Clives five day stage i and stage ii courses provide you with an insight into the knowledge and skills required of a steam engineman. You must be over 18 years old and have a valid drivers license to operate the. Since the beginning of 2016, training in europe has been aligned. This will help you to receive your steam driver licence. Railway driver training train simulators the most efficient way to learn and practice by using simulators the content and quality of train driver training could be enhancement, while at the same time training time will be reduced, and a constant high level of proficiency over the long term is guaranteed. To become a train driver, get a high school diploma or ged and enroll in a locomotive engineer training program to learn the basics of railroad work. The chance to spend a day at a heritage railway surrounded by steam and diesel locomotives is pure nostalgia and loved by all ages. Part 3 of a training film made in the 1950s to teach train drivers about the then new diesel multiple unit railcar trains bieng introduced to replace steam trains.
Learn how to become a train driver the easy way by attending this train driver training event. Drive a steam train train driving experiences into the. Before you start, its important to get some idea of how they work what components there are and how they interact some of this might seem basic and youll be tempted to skip it. Guided by an experienced west somerset railway instructor you will haul a train of coaches or freight wagons along part of the entire longest preserved railway in the country. Be the engineer run a locomotive nevada northern railway. A gruelling selection process and training programme separates you from the drivers cabin of a train, but your reward is a decent salary and potentially a job for life. Driving a steam locomotive requires years of practice and apprenticeship, along with knowledge of the route. Steam driver licence we can provide you with heritage steam training. A great gift for everyone over the age of 18 years. I personally feel that the only 2 people on the footplate of a steam engine should be the fireman and driver also anyone driving any train on the nr network should have the relevant competence in all fields this can only be done with qualified current drivers due to the training and competence management and this also needs to be addressed with. Steam driver shortage on britains heritage railways as call goes out. Drives a train to transport passengers and freight on railways. Completed scenario class 03 driver training west somerset diesels. Its based on the amount of time taken to complete this course and doesnt take into.
Depending on your choice of course you will learn how to prepare a locomotive, the principles of working a steam locomotive, signalling, braking, safety, driving. Steam engines are very different beasts to drive than diesels or electrics. This is an estimate of the time it will take to complete the most relevant course associated with this occupation. Begin your engineer experience by studying the safety training materials that our. A train driver will work shifts that include weekends, evenings and nights. Before aeroplanes and motor vehicles, these were the fastest things on the planet.
For me, the least favourite route has got to be the suburban area, because of the volume of people people at the side of the track, people on platforms, people on level crossings and unfortunately a lot of. While the retirements will be phased, the railway must act now as training a new steam driver can take at least five years. Depending on your choice of course you will learn how to prepare a locomotive, the principles of working a steam locomotive, signalling, braking, safety, driving and firing. Train drivers operate trains on the rail network, carrying passengers and freight around the country. The training period usually lasts between nine and 18 months, starting in a cab simulator. With scenarios being added daily, why dont you check it out now. The tasks associated with the occupation are to be used as guidance only. You can apply directly to a train operating company to become a trainee driver. Registrants must be at least 18 years old, in good health and physically able to operate a steam locomotive.