I work out of Bristol Temple Meads. Used to be at Paddington though a few years back, so yes, passed on 57's and the Night Riviera.

Cab rides are pretty much a no-go now sadly, similar to flight deck visits...
I'm unsure about the simulator though? may be able to get in there and play for a couple of hours.....i'll ask the question!! I've looked at doing an hour in the sim at Heathrow, about £600!! Gotta be worth it for me though.

It is a pretty cool, 'different' job,very similar to your own in many ways just on a smaller scale. We have a BA 747 ex flight engineer with us, i love talking to him, however he kind of agrees with you about me being mad? lol!!

Hey, we should do a job swap for the day.......? ;) :ok:

retired
 

hi there
im retired now rockrats,

its no fun any more sorry,

just like now trainspotters are treated like terrorists then the airline industry has also issues like that v crews/staff etc...

i do miss the aircraft and the crews a wee bit, maybe the passengers too
a little (depending where u flew to and who for, then the pax could be charming or vile)
i worked mainly for holiday charter airlines so it was lotsa camardarie and lotsa fun...

i cannot bear the security problems/abuse/aggression/pc'ness that crews and staff have to endure and lack of freedom that the aviation industry once was,
cant do this and cant do that has ruined it for me.
cant even take a bloody yoghurt to work is madness....

they heydays for me were in the mid1960's-80's of jet flying and props
all this has now sadly gone.
(yes i like steam engines too btw so yes i am nostalgic but we had standards then LOL)
so you can see why i have gone....

i had fun, lotsa fun....

rog

I personally would not recruit anyone whose tattoos could not be hidden by the uniform. But in bizjets we are probably more strict as there is much more pax interaction.

Bottom Line - there's ten guys for one job even after selection. Why choose the guy WITH the tatoos over the one without given that some customers have a negative view of people with them? Choose the other identical guy without the ink. Easy.

So if you've got 'em, hide 'em.


I have no view either way as I have friends with them but I'd have to be at gunpoint to have one myself.

Good luck with your dream. I'd love to have you as a guest in my flightdeck in return for a trip in the cab of your train. I've often wondered how the operations differ/compare. Unfortunately the stupid irrational illogical rules made by the little people shrieking SECURITY means it will never happen.

WWW

trains!
 

hey weasle

u like trains too! me too......

isnt it funny how the train geeks like us come out the woodwork when discussing airline pilot tattoos...how funny is that,

come on rockrat, cab rides in your HST please LOL

cheers rog

I once heard a story from a senior driver that years back (in the good ol' days!!) he had a Captain up frontfrom Paddington to Bristol.

It was very thick fog, and the Pilot found it hard that there where no radar's as such or in fact anything at all to tell the driver where you were... Doing 125mph in the fog with only your knowledge of the route to guide you, you were basically driving blind?! You look, or 'feel', marker points along the route to confirm where you are.

Also back then there were only the very basic of safety systems fitted, unlike todays HST's. They now give you advanced warning of speed changes, and signal changes, so its not all so 'last minute' to react, thus giving a safe, smooth ride.

Should anything happen, a full brake applicaton made would still take 1.5 miles to stop from 125....on a dry rail in good conditions..

The Pilot sadly got out after the first stop (Reading) and went to sit with the pax. I think in my opinion, he got a little disorientated, not knowing exactly where he was, kind of an 'out of control' type feeling if you get me??

God how i wish we could have people up front......:(

fog
 

yes rockrats thats a great story re fog at high speed...

like driving yer car too and u look at the speedo and its 40-50 mph you feel nothing and u cant see 50 yds in front,
then a very weird feeling and i guess in your train u must be cr***ing yer pants?

do you not have to slow down the train in extreme vis?

i guess the colour light signals have good fog intensity,

fog..
 

No, we keep on going at line speed, to keep time. Obviously if the rails are slippery, or leaves on the line, then those factors change the braking performance of the train; 417 tonnes on a couple of inches of metal rail, travelling at 125, when braking occasionally the wheels can lock up, and the speedo goes to '0', and it feels like an ice rink. When you know you're approaching a red aspect, with a junction in front of you, thats quite scary....!!!

As regards to signals, they are better now, as they are being replaced by LED singnals. Sometimes you cant see them though until they go past your cab.

I have to admit, i feel a great sense of pride, skill and a little buzz when its thick fog, night time, 125mph and you brake for a station, hit the platform at 60mph and stop in a trains length at a small marker saying 'HST Stop'.
Rather the same as the smoothest of landings in the worst of conditions....??