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Chris the Driver

@christhedriver

Hello, I am a driver for SWR. All views my own and don't necessarily reflect those of South Western Railway. DM always open.

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Latest posts by Chris the Driver @christhedriver

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Break over and I have a 455 set waiting for me on P1 at Waterloo. 455721 & 455720 will form 2D23 down to Guildford via Epsom today.

17.11.2025 10:52 πŸ‘ 37 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
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Time to leave the seaside. There’s a brisk northerly down here, making it rather chilly. I’m out on P5 at Portsmouth Harbour now with 444008, ready to work 2P94 all stations to Woking and then fast to Waterloo.

17.11.2025 07:28 πŸ‘ 22 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Down on P5 at Guildford to begin service this morning. 444004 is my first unit, ready and open now to work 2P03 to Portsmouth Harbour.

17.11.2025 05:06 πŸ‘ 25 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Morning world! Day 3/5 is here, I signed on at 04:44 and I have job 4 - the β€œFirst Pompey” - today. Off to the seaside, stopper all the way back to Waterloo, down Epsom and a Farnham shuttle.

Who turned the heating off?

17.11.2025 04:45 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Yes!

16.11.2025 13:23 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Yes!

16.11.2025 13:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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a group of people are starting a race on a track . ALT: a group of people are starting a race on a track .

Nothing doing today, I have been released. Back tomorrow!

16.11.2025 12:46 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Have a word!!

16.11.2025 07:39 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Morning all. Sorry, forgot to check in to social media today!! Signed on for day 2/5 at 06:45 and I am a spare driver today. Due to engineering works, there is only one line in and out of Guildford (the New Line) so there are few trains and fewer opportunities to do favours.

16.11.2025 07:22 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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Last bit. It’s getting a little gloomy now, so I have switched to night lights. Can’t remember the last time I used nights at the end of my shift!

450058 & 450013 are on P5 at Guildford, now boarding if you want 2P50 to Waterloo. I’ll be relieved at Woking as my job ends there.

15.11.2025 15:55 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Change of stock at Waterloo. 450013 & 450058 are now with me for the rest of my day. We’re on P12 now, ready to work 2P43 back down to Guildford, this time with Clapham Junction & Worplesdon thrown in for good measure.

15.11.2025 14:41 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Break over and time for bigger trains and faster speeds. Enough of the 15/20/25mph stuff, let’s do 90!

450054 & 450027 are turning back on P5 at Guildford with 1P40 fast to Waterloo next on my sheet.

15.11.2025 13:14 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Someone evidently heard me moan! Now on P2 at Aldershot, my last bit with 450004 is 2J23 back to Guildford and my break.

15.11.2025 11:39 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Now on P3 at Ascot (I can’t escape P3s, can I?), 450004’s next role is 2N23 to Aldershot. Once there, it will magically transform back into a 2J!

15.11.2025 10:51 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Turning round on P3 at Aldershot, next on the list for 450004 is 2N26 to Ascot. Fog still hasn’t lifted…

15.11.2025 09:58 πŸ‘ 20 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Change of scene-ish now. Still with 450004 on P6 at Guildford and our next working is 2J14 but only as far as Aldershot this time. Once there, the unit turns into an Ascot service.

15.11.2025 09:22 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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And now on P1 at Farnham, back we go to Guildford with 450004.

15.11.2025 08:32 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Right-o! 450004 will be with me for the whole of the first part of my job today. Now on P6 at Guildford, we have 2J08 to Farnham first on the agenda. Some fog around right now but it looks like it should lift later on.

15.11.2025 07:50 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Morning all! 07:28 sign on for day 1/5 and it’s special turn 8007 today. Lots of trundling around for the first half and then some fast blasting for the second. Here we go!

15.11.2025 07:38 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

GONE!!

(I told you to be quick!)

12.11.2025 18:05 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Turning back on P2 at Alton, next job for 450001 is 1A38 to Waterloo. I will be relieved at Woking on this one for cushions home.

12.11.2025 12:12 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Break over and back to the Desiros. A sport model 4-car this time. 450001 will make the run down to Alton as 1A25 today.

The most excellent Alain is in the back so we’re just waiting on time and signal.

12.11.2025 10:21 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Next up is 1D07 down to Dorking. As it was late in, we are having to run fast to Raynes Park to recover service. 455873 & 455870 will do the honours.

12.11.2025 06:53 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Delay Repay for Delayed & Cancelled Trains | South Western Railway Delay repay is a compensation that you can claim when your train is delayed or cancelled. Claims can be made up to 28 days after your journey.

2/2 Apologies for the issue today, if you were delayed by 15 minutes or more because of this, you may be eligible for Delay Repay. You can claim here:

www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-...

12.11.2025 06:22 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

1/2 OK, this is what happened: overrunning engineering works meant that the stock to form my 2D06 couldn’t get out of the sidings, nor could it run via Effingham Junction. We were re-allocated stock & ran up the Main, stopping at Woking & Surbiton then Raynes Park then as booked.

12.11.2025 06:22 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Problem with our first service: there is a line block at Guildford and the train can’t get out of the sidings. Will post more when I get it.

12.11.2025 04:51 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Morning world! Day 3/3 is here, I signed on at 04:30 for job 2. Up Epsom, a Dorking, down to Alton and back to Woking today.

Another Red day.

12.11.2025 04:36 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Search Page Job Search

Live near Woking, Staines or Wimbledon?

Fancy a shot at the best job in the world?

Get in quick!!!!

careers.southwesternrailway.com/jobs/search?...

11.11.2025 16:25 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Delay Repay for Delayed & Cancelled Trains | South Western Railway Delay repay is a compensation that you can claim when your train is delayed or cancelled. Claims can be made up to 28 days after your journey.

So sorry, I discovered a fault with the train so it has had to be cancelled (and 2G34 back up, I suspect). If you have been delayed by 15 minutes or more due to this, don’t forget you can claim Delay Repay here:

www.southwesternrailway.com/contact-and-...

11.11.2025 10:41 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Hehehe

11.11.2025 10:32 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0