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Train Driver Apprenticeship Standard

Typical Job Titles
Passenger Train Driver, Depot Driver, Freight Train Driver and On-Track Machine Driver
Occupational Profile
Train Drivers are responsible for driving trains in a safe, punctual, economic manner over various
routes in accordance with rail rules, regulations and procedures. A Train Driver could work in a
number of rail environments, such as high speed, passenger, freight, underground, metro,
suburban, cross border, depots, sidings or maintenance sheds; moving passengers, goods, empty
coaching stock or driving on-track machines to perform infrastructure maintenance work.
Train Drivers can be required to work long periods of time on their own, they must be able to
maintain a high level of concentration and be able to make instant complex decisions quickly
during normal and degraded conditions e.g. severe weather conditions, infrastructure failures and
emergency working. They must be able to communicate clearly and accurately with stakeholders
and may be required to supervise others to enable compliance with regulations through safe and
effective rail operation. A driver has overall responsibilities for passengers, staff and goods on the
train. Responsibilities may include communicating with: the signaller, crossing attendant,
operations control, other rail industry personnel or the British Transport and the civilian police.
A Train Driver will work shifts that include weekends, evenings and nights. On freight or engineering
trains, train drivers usually tend to be rostered more night shifts. On long-distance routes, there may be
a need for overnight stays.
Main duties typically include:
• Responsibility for ensuring the train is fit to enter into service
• Driving the train safely and to time at all times
• Being fully up to date with the route features and how to react to changing conditions
• Ensuring the correct protocol is followed consistently throughout the duration of the journey
• Dealing with customer enquiries promptly, politely and in the correct manner
Train Drivers must have all the following knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Knowledge and Understanding Skills
A good understanding of relevant Continuously monitor area of
health and safety legislation, statutory responsibility to ensure compliance with
operating regulations within own role rail legislation and organisational
and organisation and how to monitor procedures. Overall responsibility of
Safety it. E.g. industry procedures and safety passengers, staff and goods to enable
requirements and instructions. compliance with regulations through
safe and effective rail operation.
Constructively challenge unsafe practice
at all levels and report through the
necessary channels.

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Requirements and process for Constantly maintain a secure

ensuring rail safety and security on environment and respond to security
the line, trains and at stations and issues and take appropriate action in the
depots. E.g. evacuation points. event of a breach of security and review
Security how effective the methods and actions
have been e.g. safe systems of work,
closing gates and doors when entering
secured premises, securing cab doors
when leaving trains on main lines and
stations.
Compliance and Knowledge of legislation, in-depth Monitor compliance with legislation,
Legislation understanding and competency in the procedures and regulations in a rail
rules applicable to rail operation, environment within own area of
safety and licensing and certification responsibility. Continuously keep up to
of train drivers. date with all relevant train legislation
and retaining vast amounts of
information.
Communication Know and understand procedures Clearly and accurately carry out verbal
and methods to ensure transfer of communications, face to face and by
information to different stakeholders using written methods and procedures
e.g. using report forms, phonetic e.g. using the PA system or train radio.
alphabet, codes and numbering.
Leadership Understand the importance of making Follow procedures to lead and manage
accurate, timely decisions and know incidents and emergencies until incident
how to lead and manage operational response teams arrive onsite e.g.
incidents and emergencies during overall responsibility for protecting
degraded and emergency working. passengers, other staff the train when
Understanding of their role within the deciding which line/s are blocked and
incident response teams and making a decision as to which line/s to
emergency services. protect first.
Inter-personal A sound awareness of the specific Considers and responds appropriately
skills professional and personal demands, to the needs and safety of themselves
such as working alone, with others, and others e.g. wears appropriate
shift work over a 24-hour cycle, personal protective equipment, uses
individual protection and security, authorised walking routes, informs all
reading and updating documents. relevant parties of hazards when these
are observed.
Supports other colleagues in demanding
work situations e.g. be cooperative and
give guidance to colleagues and
managers and communicate effectively.

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Driving An in-depth working knowledge of the Make instant complex autonomous

trains to be driven e.g. bringing a train decisions during normal, degraded and
into service, shunting operations, emergency working.
operating, stopping and taking a train Check and monitor rail systems
out of service. effectively, diagnosing and resolving
An in-depth understanding of how to problems upon identification of faults or
mobilise and immobilise, identify errors in a timely manner to minimise
faults or errors and any remedial risk and a delay to services. Remain
action to be taken. alert at all times and have the ability to
perceive any hazards, which may occur
during the journey.
Locate and prepare trains for service,
marshal and shunt trains, drive trains on
main lines, depots and sidings, deal with
operational incidents, emergencies and
berth trains.
Train Dispatch A thorough knowledge of the Dispatch trains under different
procedures associated with train circumstances e.g. Driver only operated
dispatch. services and guard operated services
from staffed and unstaffed stations.
Route Learning A thorough knowledge of the Ability to learn and memorise routes
principles of route learning. features within required timescales e.g.
signalling types, principle junctions,
tunnels, names of running lines and line-
speeds.
Degraded Recognise when to report a train fault Make autonomous decisions and work
situations or failure, infrastructure hazard or through altered methods of working
defective equipment on track or at a when in operation, communicate details
station. Fully understand the actions, of the hazard/defective equipment to
responsibilities and reporting necessary stakeholders using
procedures necessary to minimise appropriate methods. Ensure the safe
the impact to services. operation of the train in degraded
situations and carry out any necessary
protection arrangements according to
the situation.
Dangerous A good understanding of dangerous Effectively manage dangerous goods in
Goods goods relevant to a range of rail own area of competency, report and
operations and how to convey and protect other lines in a dangerous goods
deal with them effectively in an emergency.
emergency.
Special Good knowledge and understanding Able to identify and comply with relevant
Conditions of of the special conditions of carriage special conditions of carriage e.g. speed
Carriage relevant to your role. restrictions, heavy axle weight,
dangerous goods, tunnels and bridges.

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Commercial Awareness of how the rail industry Manage the speed, braking and driving
Awareness works, such as; franchising of trains to optimise fuel economy,
arrangements, railway organisations, reduce maintenance costs and minimise
rail specific terminology, business financial penalties for late or wrong time
goals, personal impact within the arrivals or departures and fail to call at
company. scheduled stops.
Professional A good understanding of professional Identify and manage individual
Development development planning and development needs, maintain and
responsibilities for maintaining develop skills, knowledge and
personal competency. behaviours, in compliance with the
competency management system.
Health and Understand the risk of ill health and Manage own fitness and lifestyle to
Wellbeing the impact of wellbeing on the safety enable work to be carried out
of an individual, others at work and competently in order to reduce the risk
the public. to health and safety to self and all
stakeholders.
Understand strategies for fatigue
management e.g. sleep quality and
environment, healthy lifestyle, diet,
time and stress management.
Customers A good understanding of information Deal with customer enquiries promptly
relating to company products and and politely and in the correct manner.
services. Redirect customer complaints and/or
Understand how to recognise both enquiries using the correct wording and
company internal and external tone to the appropriate personnel when
customers, focusing on the manner in unable to personally deal with them.
which the message is delivered.
Behaviours
• Act professionally, demonstrating dependability, determination, honesty and integrity
• Display a self-disciplined, self-motivated, proactive approach to work and your own health
and wellbeing
• Be risk aware, mitigate risks by checking information, concentrating on the task, maintaining
an awareness of changing circumstances and remaining calm under pressure
• Willing to learn new skills and to adjust to change
• Be approachable, respect others, act ethically and contribute to sustainable development
• Always seeks to support business goals and maintain an awareness of economic challenges

Entry Requirements
Individual employers must meet minimum requirements set by the Train Driving Licences and
Certificates Regulations 2010; due to the nature of the role candidates must meet medical standards of
physical health these are set out within the above regulations. To enter into an apprenticeship scheme
the minimum age of a train driver is 18 years.

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Duration
This apprenticeship will require rigorous and substantial training, typically of around 12-18 months,
depending on experience at entry.
Qualifications
Apprentices without Level 2 English, maths and ICT will need to achieve this level prior to taking
the end-point assessment.
For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeships
English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3 and British Sign Language qualification
are an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.
Link to Professional Registration
The Institution of Railway Operators and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport supports
the development of this apprenticeship standard. Successful completion of the apprenticeship
programme allows them to progress to the Associate or Affiliate level of professional registration.
Level
This is a level 3 apprenticeship
Progression
Progression from this apprenticeship is expected to lead to a number of different roles these include;
Train Driver Instructor, progressing to Train Driver Manager, Depot Driver Team Leader, progressing
to Depot Delivery Co-Ordinator.
Review Date
This Standard will be reviewed in 3 years

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