Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

During my working life, the last 1/4 of which was in teaching, I have designed, built and run computer centres. That includes fire prevention, electrical safety, backup measures etc etc etc.. Pen pusher? Far from it. Train drivers are there, mainly, for when the "system" fails or outside influences, such as some idiot being on the tracks or a broken down vehicle at a crossing requires instant handling to prevent a crash. Of course, if it's a suicide attempt, that's likely to be a last second jump and they can't react quickly enough. You minimise the train drivers task. It's similar to an airline pilot, in essence. A train is perfectly capable of running itself but, as yet, there's no replacement been found for the human intervention when needed.

You over state the automation of main line trains at least, though metro and underground services, being predictable and on dedicated tracks are almost auto operated but as you say require intervention sometimes and of course at stations to make sure train doesn't depart before passengers on board. On the main line however, other than the auto breaking if a red signal is passed, the driver sets the train moving, handles breaking and acceleration and reacts to signals, has to respond to different weather conditions and know the route so they know where they are in the dark or bad visibility. Plus of curse fault finding, its less physical obviously than in steam days, but still takes knowledge and skill and vigilance. Plus of course one the early starts, late finishes and 7 day working.

The salary level now is largely due to privatisation, whereby the different train companies poach staff off each other, because there are not enough to go round. The pay rates aren't uniform and depend upon whether your driving long distance or local trains etc. Not sure why train drivers should be demonised for managing to get higher wages due to a shortage of drivers, any more than HGV drivers should be for taking advantage of a shortage of drivers to push up their wages.

[MadAmster]

You over state the automation of main line trains at least, though metro and underground services, being predictable and on dedicated tracks are almost auto operated but as you say require intervention sometimes and of course at stations to make sure train doesn't depart before passengers on board. On the main line however, other than the auto breaking if a red signal is passed, the driver sets the train moving, handles breaking and acceleration and reacts to signals, has to respond to different weather conditions and know the route so they know where they are in the dark or bad visibility. Plus of curse fault finding, its less physical obviously than in steam days, but still takes knowledge and skill and vigilance. Plus of course one the early starts, late finishes and 7 day working.

The salary level now is largely due to privatisation, whereby the different train companies poach staff off each other, because there are not enough to go round. The pay rates aren't uniform and depend upon whether your driving long distance or local trains etc. Not sure why train drivers should be demonised for managing to get higher wages due to a shortage of drivers, any more than HGV drivers should be for taking advantage of a shortage of drivers to push up their wages.

That'll teach me not to fact check GP