Home > Rail Work Experience > Thursday 23rd March 2006

THURSDAY 23RD MARCH 2006

One of the days I'd been eagerly awaiting finally came! Matthew and myself arrived in time for the 09:00 start and were soon walked along to the training centre by one of the Basingstoke based guards. We were taken into a classroom by one of the trainers who told us a bit about how South West Trains recruits it's staff, particularly the drivers. She then took Matthew into one of the four Class 450 'Desiro' simulators. I watched what they were doing through a camera that films everything that is going on inside. It's image is shown on a monitor on a control desk in the classroom area. A man entered the room and spoke into the microphone to try and scare them by saying "This is the voice of the mysterons..."

Another man then entered the room who took me into the simulator beside Matthew's. The simulator looks exactly like a real Class 450 cab (one of which can be found in the photograph gallery). He showed me what the various buttons did and he let me get on with it alone! Only twice did someone enter the simulator afterwards so I was left alone pretty much for all of the 46 minutes which was good as it sort of showed me what to expect should I ever become a train driver later in life.

After setting the train up from berth I formed an all stations stopping service. I was in charge of two Class 450 units coupled together to form an 8 car train. I was to drive 36.4km (22.75 miles) with a maximum speed of 100.9mph (0.9mph over the unit's design speed!) which gave me an average speed of just 33.5mph.

The journey went pretty smoothly (if I may say so myself!) although I did do a few things wrong. It was my first time driving so therefore had absolutely no traction or route knowledge. I went straight through one station that I didn't see when travelling at 90mph after passing through a long tunnel. I then got myself tripped by the TPWS! I was apparently let off with my fanning of the brake as it was my first time at driving and it isn't something that can be learnt straight away (or so I'm told).

My print-out is 12 pages long and is like a download of an OTMR 'black box recorder'. It tells the reader the time I did something, what I did at that particular time, my position, my speed etc. It records absolutely everything from that short 46 minutes such as brake applications (in %), movement of the master controller, horn on/off, panel light control, DRA application/removal and even the communication buzzer!

After that it was back home I went on the 11:54 train (which myself and Matthew had helped on two days previously!). There was nothing for us to do as we were expected to be at the training centre all day and our work experience organisers (Pat/Ruth - guard managers) had a meeting so therefore we were given the afternoon off. We do, however, know we are visiting the 'box tomorrow!

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