Unsociable shifts and no colour blindness: Minimum requirements for £53,000 Nothern train driver job

Driving a train is the stuff of schoolboy dreams – and after rail firm Northern advertised it was looking for drivers, loads of people fancied getting behind the wheel for the £53,000 a year job.
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That’s the salary you’d get after three years of training.

But what else do you have to have in your locker to get the green light to become a driver?

Well, there’s quite a few rules and regulations stipulated by Northern that mean not just anyone can jump into the cab.

Fancy being a Northern train driver?Fancy being a Northern train driver?
Fancy being a Northern train driver?
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The firm has a list of minimum personal requirements that you need to become a driver.

"You don't need any train driving experience to apply,” said the advert.

“However, we look for people who can concentrate for extended periods, with an eye for detail and a have real sense of focus about them, even in the face of rotating shift patterns.

"If you're a great decision maker who can think on your feet and approach a situation logically and in a structured way, then you're the kind of person who can keep a Northern train running on time.

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And here are the minimum requirements needed - including sight and commuting

In order to become a train driver with Northern:

You must not have defective colour vision

You must be willing to work irregular and unsociable shift patterns

You must live within a 45 minute commutable distance from the location you are applying for

You must be aged between 20 and 62 years

Northern began operating the Northern franchise on 1 April 2016 and inherited units from the previous operator Northern Rail.

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Its trains call at 528 stations – about a quarter of all stations in the country – and of these stations 476 are operated by Northern.

But the firm has also been hit by worsening punctuality, perceived poor customer service, frequent industrial action by staff and delays in introducing new rolling stock.

The future of the Northern franchise is being reviewed by the Department for Transport, with some Government officals saying it will be stripped of the service.