Training on the Trains

We have had a Training and Assessment day at Apedale. This has focussed on re-assessing a group of mainline passenger drivers and Guards. We are required by law to have a training and assessment regime which is every bit as rigorous as a mainline operator. The days of "if the face fits, you can be a Guard" are long gone. Whilst this regime can be quite onerous, it does mean that both our volunteers and the management team know exactly who is authorised to do what job, and everyone is trained and assessed against a common set of standards - no favouritism and none of "clique problem" which afflicts some organisations. It also means that any of the volunteers can become part of the training process - but acheiving the necessary standard takes some time and commitment. A spin-off benefit is that we have documentation demonstrating the competence of our people, which is useful when Apedale locos visit other railways - we can demonstrate the competence of the crews which may accompany the loco. We are always looking for new volunteers, please get in touch here.