A naked cyclist couldn’t distract me from the track
I see all sorts from the cab of my loco. Some may wonder how I retain resolute focus on the job at hand, says GB Railfreight’s Bessie Matthews.
When people picture freight drivers, they may imagine us rumbling through the countryside in solitude with nothing but tracks and signals ahead and a trail of cargo behind. The truth is, I’ve seen so much more from a cab window in the last year than I thought I’d see in a lifetime. And some sights have been odd, to say the least.
From naked cyclists and a full set dining table in the middle of a field, to a row of at least 10 garden gnomes arranged with precision to stare at the line and a spinning dog on a bridge, it’s not only track and signals. It’s all quite funny, until it’s not. These scenes make for a good story later, but in the moment they can distract me from my job.
My job is to keep an enormous train moving safely and predictably through an unpredictable world. For a driver, distraction is dangerous. Even a momentary lapse in focus can have serious consequences. Freight trains can’t stop on a whim. They don’t swerve or brake quickly, and they don’t get second chances. Every second in motion, we’re managing risk: acknowledging signals and thinking ahead, monitoring the line, assessing conditions, and staying alert to any deviation from what should be there. And yet the world outside the cab isn’t aware.
People stand close to the platform edge. Kids play football too close to the boundary fence. People try to beat the barriers at level crossings. And let’s not forget bizarre scenarios, like an individual waving their trousers at a passing freight train.
Drivers see it, but we don’t engage. That’s the discipline. Our commitment to safety isn’t just about ticking boxes or following procedures; it’s about creating a mindset where nothing is more important than getting from A to B safely. The freight we’re carrying could be anything: cars, steel, biomass, containers—but the responsibility we’re carrying is far heavier than any cargo.
It takes practice to stay focused. Early on in a driver’s career, the temptation to look, to react, is stronger. But over time, you learn: eyes ahead, mind focused, hands steady. You learn to clock the strange and let it pass because safety is built on attention, and attention is built on respect for the role.
That’s not to say we don’t talk about it. Every messroom is full of shared stories, laughter, and the occasional ‘you will not believe what I saw’ moment. Behind the cab window, we’re not just watching the world go by, we’re keeping it safe, one mile at a time.
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