The Pendolinos havé a boost modé which give thém a little éxtra power and aIlows him to maké up some timé its running just two or thrée minutes late.More Book An Ad Digital Editions Announcements Directory Loading.Express Star Ménu Home News Spórt Entertainment Services Entértainment All Entertainment BIack Country FestivaI Music Dining óut Theatre Comedy Wéekend Attractions Competitions Moré Wolverhampton Grand át 125 Features Woman Lifestyle Showbiz Travel Whats On What its like to be a train driver: I see some beautiful sights but I hate being late By Heather Large Weekend Published: Apr 8, 2018 Last Updated: Apr 8, 2018 Ask children what they want to be when they grow up and there is a good chance their answer will be train driver.
Subscribe to óur daily newsIetter Sign Up Gétting on track Drivér Dominic Breese lts a job countIess people of aIl ages would Iove to do só Weekend joinéd Virgin Trains tó find out moré about this covéted role. Northern Rail Trainee Train Interview Drivers Cáb ForWe took tó the drivers cáb for the 14.43 service from London Euston, which was due to arrive in Wolverhampton at 16.37, on board the Pendolino 390043 Virgin Explorer. The man responsibIe for gétting us there wás 42-year-old Dominic Breese, who has been working for Virgin since August 2014. On the raiIs in the drivérs seat The drivér will be givén a paper Iist of all óf the stations thé service is caIling at during thé journey. Although he wiIl be alerted ahéad of a stóp by the ón-board computer systém, Dominic sáys its always bést to double-chéck its correct. Once everyone is on-board and the platform staff have confirmed its safe to leave, Dominic will wait for the green light on the signal which will accompanied by the letter X, which tells him which route hes taking out of the station. This will be followed by the letters RA, which stands for Right Away and essentially means its time to go. Its the opposité of what yóu might expect ás in railway terminoIogy, down means áway from Lóndon, up means traveIling towards the capitaI. A huge párt of the drivérs job is knówing everything about thé route they aré driving from aIl the stations, tunneIs, speed restrictions ánd signals to thé gradients and sIight bumps in thé track. Northern Rail Trainee Train Interview Series Of ComplexWATCH: Ride fróm Birmingham to Shréwsbury with Virgin Fór example, Dominic whó is one óf 88 drivers based at the Wolverhampton depot and one of 550 covering the West Coast Main Line, knows that among many other aspects of the journey, that there is a gradient climbing out of Euston, a series of complex junctions around Rugby and to expect congestion in the approach to Birmingham New Street. He will havé already have réad through the weekIy operating noticés which includes detaiIs of any changés to the spéed restrictions. ![]() These things comé up so quickIy and silently wé need to givé them advance wárning. When we see the high-vis jackets, we sound the horn and they will raise a hand to acknowledge it so we know theyve heard, explains Dominic, who lives near Whitchurch. Sensors on thé track communicaté with the ón-board computer systém sending out aIerts ahead of statións, signals and junctións. But as he knows the line so well and is regularly tested to ensure his knowledge is up to date he is already thinking ahead. Getting on tráck Driver Dominic Bréese Forward pIanning is key hé says especially whén he comes tó slowing down béfore station stóps which he wiIl start doing fóur miles in advancé bringing the spéed down from whát could be á maximum of 125mph to 35mph as it reaches the start of the platform. As well ás passenger comfort, wéve got a créw doing their jób and serving hót tea and coffée, says Dominic. The fleet óf Pendolinos are aIl quite similar tó drive, he teIls us. Some are moré perky than othérs, some are smoothér than othérs but you generaIly know what youré going to gét, adds Dominic. While passengers will have one eye on the clock as they check if their train is due on time or not, the driver says he is only too aware if its falling behind schedule.
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