No leniency at Slough - 22/11

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Used to be booked services from Padd to Chippenham in 59 minutes, and Padd to Parkway in 65 minutes. Ah, those were the days! Though Chippenham only had 1 train every 2 hours, so it wasn't all better.   

In those days if a driver on a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) encountered anything other than a green signal, he had to refer to his rule book to work out what it meant. 

[Zoe]

he had to refer to his rule book to work out what it meant. 

Did they only have male drivers back then?

[IndustryInsider]

he had to refer to his rule book to work out what it meant. 

Did they only have male drivers back then?

Funnily enough, I deliberately used that language because it pretty much was the case. There may have been the very odd exception but the first females on the 'footplate' were Second(wo)men from around 1977 and then the first to actually progress to the driver grade were in the early 80's. Even now, as a percentage, it is probably loaded 95%-5% in the favour of male drivers.

[Btline]

he had to refer to his rule book to work out what it meant. 

Did they only have male drivers back then?

Out of interest, having only seen Male train drivers, does anyone know what is the male:female ratio is?

[Btline]

Even now, as a percentage, it is probably loaded 95%-5% in the favour of male drivers.

Ok - we posted at the same time

[IndustryInsider]

Even now, as a percentage, it is probably loaded 95%-5% in the favour of male drivers.

Ok - we posted at the same time

No problem, Btline - it does vary from operator to operator - Heathrow Express, for example, probably has a 60%-40% split.