How long does it take for drivers to learn a new route?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/borders-railway-will-be-ready-by-september-2015-1-2824805?

^Transport Scotland and Network Rail expect to see the line completed in summer 2015 and services operating soon after. The line will be complete in June of that year with services beginning three months later to allow for driver training on the route.^

It takes 3 months to route learn 30 miles of single track!

[Ollie]

I would suspect it's not 3 months for 1 driver, rather 3 months to train all the drivers that they want to know the route.

[paul7575]

The recent LO extension to Clapham Jn over the South London Line, (albeit perhaps more complex in terms of junctions and signalling) ran a shadow service for a good few months while training of all the staff was completed.  Another point is that they'll invariably plan some free time into the project to cater for any delays and eventualities, and new timetables almost always start at defined calendar periods if they are affecting diagrams elsewhere.  IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') the new service is integrated with existing services across Edinburgh so probably cannot be just started at random.

A longer period will also give any brand new signalling a better work out, and hopefully cover varied running conditions, lastly it will be a final opportunity to tune the timetable for real running times rather than predicted times...

Paul

[gaf71]

I've recently learnt Bristol to Cardiff and was given 13 days. Bristol to Westbury, I was given 8 days. Depends on distance and complexity of lines.

[Network SouthEast]

The other thing which has been overlooked in this thread is that the line is being served by a new traincrew depot, which is expected to be operated by first time train drivers. The South London Line, and the lines referred to by gaf71 are established routes, where the risks have been long known such as multi-SPAD^▸ (Signal Passed At Danger - very bad!) signals and areas of known low rail adhesion etc...

On the Tweedbank route, a training plan will have to be devised by ScotRail's training department. This then needs to be taught to the Driver Instructors. The Driver Instructors will have a little longer to learn the route as not only do they need to be competent to drive it themselves, but they need to be then able to instruct to a certain standard over it. Then the other drivers will start route learning. As many of the drivers at Tweedbank will be new to driving, ScotRail may well decide to give a little extra time to learn the line to build up driver's confidence to ensure smooth running when the line opens.

The other thing is that just because a route is 30 miles single track, that doesn't mean driving it is easy. I don't know what the Tweedbank line is like, but there could be many changes of speed, various signal sections, local instructions, varying breaking points, distractions etc...

[TonyK]

I've recently learnt Bristol to Cardiff and was given 13 days. Bristol to Westbury, I was given 8 days. Depends on distance and complexity of lines.

That's interesting. As a layman with absolutely no idea, I would have thought the Westbury route to be more complex, although it doesn't have a Severn Tunnel.

[phile]

I can recall back in the early 90s some drivers new to Carmarthen were taling 5 weeks to learn each route to Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven.  They were taking advantage of some weak management.   There arenow, I believe a set number of days for any route but, also, the driver should feel completely confident before signing.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... the driver should feel completely confident before signing.

Well, as a mere passenger travelling on board behind them, I'd prefer my driver to be completely confident about driving that route. 

[IndustryInsider]

A fair amount of mickey taking still takes place with some drivers.  Some drivers are that adverse to actually driving trains, that it's almost as if they change depots deliberately as soon as they pass out on a given depot's routes.  They're collectively known within the industry as 'Professional Route Learners'. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

... for which they are paid an average basic annual gross salary of some ^47,678.75, apparently? 

Train drivers' basic annual gross salary in West Midlands

London Midland..........^42,619

Arriva Cross Country...^53,171

Virgin Trains..............^49,620

Chiltern Railways........^45,305

Source: Aslef trade union website

[GBM]

Again fascinating - thank you.
As a bus driver, we're lucky if we drive a new route twice with a pilot.  Generally once is 'yer lot' and occasionally a verbal briefing & a few sketches - tho' I decline the latter, no pilot, no drive.

[bobm]

I don't know if they still do, but in the 1980s in Reading they also used to put aerosol paint marks in the kerbstones by some junctions to show drivers when to start turning.  Was particularly the case in housing estates where some of the roads were not so wide.

[Brucey]

... for which they are paid an average basic annual gross salary of some ^47,678.75, apparently? 

Time to pack in the career in medical research and become a train driver...!

[eightf48544]

I've recently learnt Bristol to Cardiff and was given 13 days. Bristol to Westbury, I was given 8 days. Depends on distance and complexity of lines.

That's interesting. As a layman with absolutely no idea, I would have thought the Westbury route to be more complex, although it doesn't have a Severn Tunnel.

Don't forget Severn Tunnel Junction to Cardiff is 4 track so two lines to learn each way whereas most of Westbury Bristol is double track.

[Tim]

Again fascinating - thank you.
As a bus driver, we're lucky if we drive a new route twice with a pilot.  Generally once is 'yer lot' and occasionally a verbal briefing & a few sketches - tho' I decline the latter, no pilot, no drive.

Maybe we would get fewer bridge-bashes if the bus industry was as safety concerned as the rail industry