Railway work

[Arran Turner]

I think this might be an option for me after I finish college and from what I've heard nights are worked?

Can it be explained what doing chainsaw work on the railways is all about and how you can get into it?

What Certs and ticket are needed?

I've got 30 31 38 39 woodchipper and soon to be first aid

Also how yo guys rate it

 

Thanks folks

 

Arran

[jltree]

You need a pts to work on the rails. You need to be sponsored by a company to do it who is link up approved.

Depends what your expecting!alot of thorn on railways and some crap working times. Good money if your on for the right firm and also good enough, being fresh out of college though means i doubt you will be as fast or as good as alot of the guys. You make a mistake and you put yourself and possibly employer out of work...

[Dendrophile]

Your CS units are ample. You need a PTS card though. A company would usually sponser you through that.

 

It's hard, relentless graft. But can greatly improve your climbing, felling and stamina. When I did it money was quite good and they throw tickets at you.

[Arran Turner]

Thanks for the replys so far, do the pts cards expire at all? The fast pace of work sounds like a challenge but I probably naive, what sort of companies am I looking to gain sponsorship through?

 

Thanks

Arran

[garth mc garth]

pts have a 2 year validity then you have to retake, about £140 quid a time from what i remember.

The work is all about time limits due to line possessions and hold ups cost big bills. Loads of people chuck crap either over their fences or outta the train windows so expect to find the usual consignment of dog crap, nappies and needles (even found a false arm once) on the embankment, hardly a nice environment! Plus plenty of wire, cable and track clips that have been discarded by line workers.

If anything you will learn to sharpen a saw well and will end up walking lop sided from standing on a steep enmbankment day in day out!

[WoodED]

a guy i used to work with described it as spiking up an ivy smotherd tree of thorn, pitch black on one side and blinded by spotlights on the other

[skyhuck]

Its very,very grim.

[Le Sanglier]

Its very,very grim.

 

Quite right, the worst, absolutely awful.

[Arran Turner]

How would i get involved with working on the tracks and who are the organisations that i would turn too. Also can track work be part time like subby stuff or is it a full time job? Sounds like a challenge and i would like the experience

 

Thanks folks

 

Arran

[skyhuck]

I was always a subbie when I did it, first just me climbing, then later with a mog, chipper and crew.