Have you ever wondered how subway drivers get home after services have come to an end?
Well, one Transport for London (TfL) driver knows the answer.
Sarah Russell, who drives trains on the Bakerloo Line, explained how her shifts work on her TikTok channel @traindriversarah.
When it comes to getting home at the end of her shift, it’s actually pretty easy.
She told viewers that there are two depots on the Bakerloo line – one at Queen’s Park and one at Elephant and Castle – and each driver has a “home” depot where they start and finish work.
Sarah began: “I’m a driver, I work at Elephant and Castle, late at night all our drivers will finish in the south, because our depot is there.
“We don’t actually end up at Queen’s Park.”
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While she says there are some duties that end at Queen’s Park, it’s only travel time when the subway is still running.
She continues: “For each depot, you have travel time, so if you finish at the other end of the line, you should be able to get back in time to get home.
“I will never finish at Queen’s Park at midnight or 1am because that’s not enough time to get to the other end of the line without a staff taxi.”
After clarifying this in the comments, she confirmed that if she ends her shift at Queen’s Park, she will always have enough time to send one of the last trains back to another depot at Elephant and Castle.
One user noticed that many train drivers delivered black taxis home, and Sarah confirms that this is the case.
“Yes, we make it from our own warehouses,” she replied, meaning she would get a black taxi, also known as a “work taxi,” if the subway was no longer running.
Someone else remarked, “National Rail crews on my site often have to get to their destinations in company taxis.
Clapham Yard to/from Waterloo is a good example.
Sara often shares information about her job on her TikTok, posting videos explaining everything from becoming a subway driver to dealing with angry people at stations.
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