jim8970
Member
What shift pattern do grade 2 signalman or women do?
It depends entirely on the box. Some have weekends off, some work 12 hours, some 8.
What box are you asking about?
This document might be useful - it won't tell you the shift patterns, but it will at least allow you to see whether your box of choice is open continuously or closes at night (or some nights at least). It's a bit outdated in places, but it's still a good guide.
So would 24 hours be 3 eight hour or 2 twelve hour shifts?
Yes. Most likely.
That said, where i work it is divided up into 7/8/9 for early/late/night respectively.
Like I said, you're best off calling the LOM, arranging a visit and talking to the signalman.
I work on the pway in the central belt and our regular visited boxes (Grangemouth junction, fouldubs jn & carmuirs East) all work a similar pattern of days, nights and back shift, so 8 hour shifts on a rotational basis with 2 rest days per week being normal.
Not saying it will be the same in the boxes around dundee as has been stated some boxes work a clock face roster of night/day shift or 12 hour shifts and some boxes are not constantly manned so work differing shift patterns.
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Just asked a lad who covers on call up that way and he thinks most boxes all the way to aberdeen are 24 hours but couldn't confirm exact hours for each box or which ones switch out
In common with the rest of the LOM Tayside area, Longforgan box works 2x12 hour shifts which comprise a 00:00 - 12:00 nightshift and 12:00 - 00:00 dayshift. The signalboxes on the Perth to Dundee line close at 23:59 on a Saturday night and reopen at 08:00 on a Sunday morning. Sunday (overtime) shifts are 08:00 - 16:00 early and 16:00 - 00:00 late. All shifts change over 30 minutes before the official booked times.
Longforgan is a very quiet box and you will become very bored, very quickly. For 90% lf the day there is just one train an hour in each direction. Both are scheduled to pass each other virtually outside the box so for 55 minutes of the hour you have nothing to do. The box gets roasting hot in summer and freezing cold in winter. The signaller supervises two Automatic Half Barrier level crossings at Templehall and Inchture, as well as the Manually Controlled Barrier level crossing right next to the box. It also looks after a heavily used User Worked Crossing at Kingston Farm - which is a pain - and a much less frequently used UWC at Pilmore West. Realistically there is very little opportunity for promotion within the local area so don't expect to move on to better things quickly unless you're prepared to move to Edinburgh, Glasgow or further afield.
A word of advice; don't just speculatively turn up at the signalbox looking for a visit without arranging it officially with the LOM first.
The shifts at Pitlochry are the same (12hrs, midnight/midday) but the box doesn't open until 10:40 on a Sunday morning. Pitlochry comes under a different LOM from Longforgan.
Signallers work a basic 35 hour week. The shift pattern at these boxes is 3 on 4 off over a 12 week roster cycle, with 2 Sunday shifts every four weeks. There's an additional Rest Day and a Safety Briefing every 12 weeks. Sundays are outside the working week so are technically overtime but if you can't find someone willing to work for you then you are contractually obliged to work. Long weekend is every four weeks. There's also an unpleasant short turnround from days to nights, where you do 3x 12-00s Thursday Friday Saturday then are out for three 00-12s on the Monday morning (which is really Sunday night), every four weeks.
I should also add that as signalling is a safety critical task you aren't allowed to use any electronic devices like ipads or TVs while you're on shift. Newspapers and books only (some signalboxes are allowed a radio but there are restrictions associated with them too). Oh and no sleeping either!
gross misconduct if you are caught; many have been over the years too. Not worth losing your job over something stupid like watching neighbours, as a colleague of mine did years ago.
If its 12 hour shifts for three days then my calculation is 36, so why is it a 35 hour week?
Different areas do things differently but in Scotland the extra hours are 'banked' to give an additional 12 hour Rest Day every 12 weeks (which is why it's a 12 week roster cycle). It did used to be a 36 hour working week but that changed in 2006. The shift pattern I have quoted is the actual shift pattern of the box... I should know.If its 12 hour shifts for three days then my calculation is 36, so why is it a 35 hour week?
If they ban electronic devices because signal staff need to maintain concentration(I presume) how do they justify 12 hour shifts.
My concentration would be shot by the end of 12 hours.
If they ban electronic devices because signal staff need to maintain concentration(I presume) how do they justify 12 hour shifts. My concentration would be shot by the end of 12 hours.
Sorry, but are you sure a signalman's job is for you?
I didn't say a signalman's job was for me tho. Did I? I guessing it is not for you either
I didn't say a signalman's job was for me tho. Did I? I guessing it is not for you either