My Train Driver Journey

I started my railway career in 2013 with Virgin Trains, based at London Euston. My first role was as an onboard caterer, working in First Class and the onboard shop. After several months, an internal vacancy arose at Manchester Piccadilly for a GPR Multifunctional role, where I worked across the ticket office, on the platforms as a dispatcher and in the cash office processing revenue from Train Managers. In 2016, I became a Train Manager with Virgin Trains, still based at Manchester. During this time, I completed a Diploma in Railway Operations with the Chartered Institute of Railway Operators. It was a real eye-opener and gave me a much deeper appreciation of the complexity of the railway beyond my day-to-day role. A couple of years later, I took the opportunity to step into management on secondment at Liverpool Lime Street. It was a valuable experience, but after several months I realised my passion lay on the operational frontline, so I returned to Manchester as a Train Manager. Shortly afterwards, I was offered the chance to become an Instructor and Assessor, training Train Managers on the Pendolino fleet and delivering operational safety briefings. During this period, I also achieved my TAQA qualification, which proved to be an important step in my professional development. In January 2020, I left Virgin Trains to become a trainee train driver with Grand Central for its proposed Blackpool–London Euston service. Unfortunately, after several months of uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was cancelled and I was made redundant before qualifying. Thanks to the support of both Grand Central and ASLEF, I was able to secure a trainee train driver position with Northern, based at Manchester Victoria, for which I will always be grateful. In 2023, I joined TransPennine Express as a qualified train driver based at Preston. Since then, I have been fortunate to progress into roles I never imagined when I first started on the railway. In 2025, I became a Driver Instructor and, in 2026, a Driver Assessor. It has been an unexpected but incredibly rewarding progression and a real privilege to play a part in developing and supporting other drivers while helping maintain the high standards our industry demands. I also had the honour of doing a driving video for Don Coffey from Carlisle to Glasgow Central, which helped raise money for Samaritans. That has been a real highlight of the past few years since joining TPE.

Before becoming a train driver, I worked in universities. I was elected Student Union President, so while I got to spend extra time living the student lifestyle, it also taught me leadership, communication, teamwork and the importance of staying calm under pressure.

Absolutely. I lost my job at Grand Central due to redundancy. What most people who know me do not know is that there was a gap of a few months between being made redundant and being taken on by Northern as a trainee. During that period, I worked in a supermarket on night shifts because I needed to keep paying the bills. It taught me fortitude and resilience. I was living in a period of great uncertainty where my entire career and everything I had worked towards had a chance of slipping through my fingers. They were tough days, but my experience of shift work and doing unsociable hours kept me going. I worked hard on ensuring I could get back onto the railway one way or another. More broadly, like many people in the railway, I have experienced setbacks and unsuccessful applications during my career. It took me a few goes to even get onto the railway, but I learned from each rejection and reflected on how I could be better next time. In a way, this taught me the art of being self-reflective.

As a trainee driver, being self-reflective is a very important skill. Some days, especially in the early days of practical handling when my confidence levels were not there yet, I took onboard the feedback my fantastic instructor Graham would give me. For example, if I could have controlled the train’s braking into a station a little better or needed to focus on a particular area for route learning. I took the feedback away and worked on doing it better or more efficiently the next time. If it involved route learning, I would focus on my maps or watch route videos so I could gain the deep knowledge expected of a qualified driver. I take this same approach with trainees today, giving them feedback on areas for improvement and supporting them when there is a setback.

Maintaining concentration for extended periods is probably the biggest challenge. You cannot afford to switch off, even for a moment. You also need to manage fatigue, changing conditions and occasionally difficult or unusual situations without allowing them to distract you. I love using risk-triggered commentary — talking out loud about what I see ahead of me or what I am dealing with in the moment, to keep me focused on the task in hand, especially during unusual situations. For example, if I start encountering yellow signals, I could say, "single yellow, red ahead", so I am keeping focused in the moment to mitigate an error being made, while actively pointing at the signal as I do so.

They are absolutely fundamental. Every driver develops routines that help ensure nothing is missed. Consistency creates safety, and good habits become second nature over time. A good instructor should embed this attitude into trainees so they start creating their own strategies by role-modelling how this is done.

The amount of preparation, route learning, rules knowledge and continual assessment that goes on behind the scenes. They also do not see the responsibility drivers carry every time they take charge of a train.

I have always enjoyed helping others develop. It was something I was apprehensive about when I started as a Train Manager instructor at Virgin. However, I quickly realised I got a lot of job satisfaction from imparting my knowledge to others and watching them develop. Becoming a Driver Instructor allowed me to combine operational experience with my previous coaching and mentoring experience. More recently, moving into the Driver Assessor role has enabled me to support competence while helping maintain high professional standards across the depot. I love it and derive a lot of enjoyment from it. My approach is firm but fair, with a high expectation for a professional approach to the role, while building a strong rapport with whoever I am instructing or assessing at any given time.

Driving is usually a lonely job and is focused on your own ability on any given day. Instructing is about someone else’s ability and the requirement to get them up to a particular standard. You need patience, adaptability and the ability to explain complex concepts in different ways depending on how each individual learns. You need to be vigilant and watch like a hawk what the person at the controls is doing. This must be done in a relaxed, friendly and welcoming environment, but with the expectation that when we are in the cab, we are focused on the job and we will do it professionally. This blended approach creates the right atmosphere for the trainee, where they are not feeling nervous or overwhelmed. A nervous or overwhelmed driver is more likely to make mistakes than a relaxed one. An instructor also needs to create an atmosphere of trust where the trainee is not afraid to ask questions or lean on you when they are unsure. That is the approach I take and I believe it has yielded good results for those who have been with me in the cab environment.

A positive attitude, humility, professionalism and a willingness to learn. Technical knowledge can be taught. The right mindset is much harder to develop.

The strongest trainees ask questions, accept feedback and take ownership of their development. They do not assume they know everything and they are always looking for ways to improve. Attitude is everything. I have seen strong trainees and weaker ones. If you take the right approach, you will have a much more fruitful and safer driving career than someone who does not treat the role with respect.

The variety, the responsibility and the people I work with. I have been fortunate to work with incredible colleagues who are passionate about doing the job properly, and I have had opportunities to progress into roles I never imagined when I first joined the industry. There are a lot of good people in the industry who will advise and guide you. I have leaned on them countless times and I would not be in the role I am in without their support. I owe them a debt that can never be repaid. I love that every day is truly different, from uneventful days to very eventful days. You have to be mentally prepared for this sudden shift in what the day can bring. I have learned to embrace the saying: expect the unexpected.

100%, without question. It is demanding and carries significant responsibility, but it is also one of the most rewarding careers you can have. Every day presents new challenges, and there are opportunities to continue learning and developing throughout your career. It is a great honour to say you are a train driver. To people outside the industry, when they ask what you do for a living, it is an instantly recognisable role and you will end up being bombarded with questions about what it is like.

Do not doubt yourself. Opportunities often come from simply putting yourself forward. Do not be afraid to stick your head above the parapet. Keep learning, accept setbacks as part of the journey and never stop striving to improve. The railway rewards professionalism, patience and persistence.