“I thought you’d ask more questions,” says driver Tristam.
‘Questions? Oh yes, questions. “I’m just mesmerized by the view,” I reply.
I’m in the 100 mph booth Southeastern train bound for Faversham in Kent, video camera in hand, to lift the veil on what train travel is like from the driver’s point of view. And I’m discovering that it can be fascinating, as my pictures show.
Regular travelers on this line will probably find the trip monotonous. But I am mesmerized by the footprints, looking in awe at the beautiful, green cuts we traverse and the magnificent vine-covered bridges we pass over. It’s almost from another world. And I’m surprised at how relatively mountainous the line is; Sometimes, it’s like a gentle roller coaster. Something that passengers probably won’t notice.
But in the cabin of this Class 375, every dip and slope is different.
Inside clue: MailOnline’s Ted Thornhill (above) climbed into the cabin of a South East train, video camera in hand, to lift the veil on what train travel is like from the driver’s point of view.
Ted and his vehicle: a 100 mph Southeastern Class 375
Knowing what awaits us increases the attractiveness of the taxi trip. As a passenger, knowing if a red signal appears in the distance is a guessing game. Up here with Tristam I can see when the coast is clear and when we are slowing down.
There are also some fun landmarks, particularly around Rochester, 40 minutes into the one-hour, nine-minute one-way trip. There, before crossing the impressive railway bridge over the River Medway, my gaze is drawn to the right, towards the city’s cathedral, the second oldest in England, and its 11th-century Norman castle.
As we cross the bridge, I look to the left at the Cold War-era Soviet submarine Black Widow, which is moored in the river.
The dangers of being spellbound by the journey do not go unnoticed in the Southeast, where drivers are trained to mitigate them.
One tactic boosters use is “risk-triggered comments.” For example, Tristam says the colors of the signs out loud to make sure he has registered what they are.
He’s been a driver and driver manager at Southeastern for 15 years, but he’s not willing to become complacent. Safety is integrated into the brains of those in charge.
The view from the cabin as the train leaves London Victoria station.
Fascinating: the train passes through Sydenham Hill station and enters a long tunnel
When I get into the taxi at London Victoria for the trip back to Faversham, Tristam tells me the taxi rules: “turn off the phone, don’t talk to me when the signal is red and let me concentrate when we approach the stations.”
And at the stations, I discovered another Southeastern safety rule: It is policy for drivers to get out of their seats to open the door if the platform is on the opposite side of the cabin from which they are sitting, to prevent the doors from opening in the wrong side.
Not only that, but Tristram is called out “doors on the other side” in these cases.
What’s more, trains must travel less than 10 mph at certain points along platforms in terminals and when approaching red lights elsewhere on the network.
At terminal stations and at higher risk locations such as crossings, a “train protection warning system” will stop a train that passes a red signal or is going too fast towards one.
Additionally, train speeds are monitored, and administrators can download a train’s performance not only after the trip, but live, as it moves along a route.
One tactic drivers use to avoid being spellbound by the sight is the “risk-triggered comment.” For example, saying the colors of the signals out loud.
Routes, their stations and speed limits, meanwhile, are memorized, with reference points that help drivers position themselves on the network and guide their braking points.
Tristam compares memorizing routes to learning the Knowledge, the fearsome London street layout test that black cab drivers must pass.
“I can sit in my office, close my eyes and imagine all the lines, their bumps and curves,” he says.
If a driver does not work a route for six months, that route is removed from their license or they take a refresher course.
Handing the keys to a train to the driver requires a lot of training, including three months of classroom learning and 255 hours of accompanied driving before a final assessment, including 40 hours in the dark.
The taxi gives Ted great views of Rochester Castle and Cathedral.
In Rochester, the train crosses the River Medway, where a Cold War-era Soviet submarine called the Black Widow is moored (above left)
Rochester Cathedral (center of image) is the second oldest in England and its castle (right) dates back to the 11th century.
Most drivers are then tested by a driver manager once every six months. In total, it takes between 12 and 18 months for learner drivers to gain qualification.
It’s reassuring. But perhaps it’s no surprise that there is a strict culture of safety and training, because the unexpected can happen at any time.
On our journey from the capital to the depths of Kent and back, Tristam reveals that he has had three “very close jumps” on level crossings and has had all sorts of animals running across the track in front of his train, including a horse .
The weather can also interfere with a trip.
I ask Tristam how he copes when visibility is affected. I wonder, in particular, how drivers deal with fog.
Tristam assures me that he knows exactly where he is when the fog envelops his train, although the speed will slow as the fog thickens.
A changing lineup is another potential issue that drivers should be aware of. It can change up to three times in one journey, as the train is split into separate services and then reformed for another leg.
If you remember incorrectly, there is a danger that a driver will stop at the wrong point on a platform and open the doors to carriages outside the station.
Pretty Faversham, above, is just an hour and nine minutes from London Victoria
“I can sit in my office, close my eyes and imagine all the lines, their bumps and curves,” says driver Tristam.
Tristam has the number of carriages displayed in front of him on a mini sign.
In light of all this and the challenging hours, with some shifts requiring a 3am wake-up call, it would be fair to assume that there is a coffee-drinking culture at Southeastern.
“I hated coffee when I started on the job; now I say, ‘Show me the beans!'” Tristam says.
We stop on platform 1 of the London Victoria after our walk and our passengers pass by, lost in thought.
Do they ever say ‘thank you’?
“Once in a while,” Tristam says. And it’s nice when they do. It makes a difference.”
I can understand why, because while the views, as I have discovered, are fascinating, the drivers have a lot to contend with, even when there are no horses playing chicken.
Do you fancy becoming a South East train driver? Visit www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/about-us/company/careers-at-southeastern/roles/train-driver. For general information about careers in the Southeast, visit www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/about-us/company/careers-at-southeastern. For more information on Southeastern routes and offerings, visit www.southeasternrailway.co.uk.
Most drivers are tested by a driver manager once every six months. In total, it takes between 12 and 18 months for trainee drivers to qualify to drive a South East train.