The job of a Travelling Ticket Inspector – TTI for short – is an important and rewarding role on the railway; you will be providing a valuable service on all of our train services. To many of our passengers, you will be the face of the railway; your main duties will see you clipping their tickets, talking with them and answering any questions they may have. Your happy and friendly interaction with them will make sure they have a great experience and a memorable day with the South Devon Railway.
Your duties will include the familiar job of clipping tickets and making sure that passengers have the correct ticket for their journey. You will also have other addition on and off train duties, for instance; assisting passenger boarding or alighting from the train, checking all doors have been closed correctly, and when the train is ready to depart, give the Guard a hand signal to confirm the train is safe to leave. On arrival and departure of trains you will need to be watching and ensure no one tries to open a door while the train is moving. You will help keep the train clean and tidy throughout the day and assist with sweeping it out at the end.
Before the departure of the first train you will be required to fill the train’s water tanks from the trackside equipment and check that the train is clean throughout, including the toilets and that have adequate supplies for the day.
Under direction of the Guard you will unlock the train before the start of the day and help secure it at the end of the day, when you may be required to stay with the Guard for safety reasons while he undertakes shunting duties.
Your basic uniform will be a white shirt or blouse with black trousers or skirt together with black jacket, black shoes, socks and a company tie. Advice on traditional railway uniforms is available for those who would like to take uniforms one step further. In addition to your uniform you will need an Orange High Visibility Vest, a rain coat, torch, and clippers. This role can involve getting dirty at times, so gloves are advised to perform some duties.
Your duty will usually start an hour and a half before the first departure of the train, this is to ensure everything is clean, tidy and ready to receive passengers. You will normally finish when your train has been cleaned and secured at the end of the day, although you may be required to stay longer in the unlikely event of something going wrong.
No specific fitness levels are required, although you should be prepared to be on your feet for a most of the day and you may, from time to time, be required to climb up and down from trains in sidings, particularly on Gala days.
Customer Service experience is not essential, your most important qualities will be a friendly manner, enthusiasm, a sense of humour and a willingness to help. Full training will be provided and you may be asked to attend refresher days on occasions.
For those suitable and interested in progressing further, qualifying as a TTI is the first step towards becoming a Guard.
