A career as a signaller

[LAX54]

No Cambridge signallers are located in Cambridge PSB and apart from the much delayed and still waiting Upminster IECC moving to Romford ROC as TMS workstations, there doesn’t seem to be much signalling moving on Anglia at the moment apart from and stand to be corrected on this, but even the Great Yarmouth area that is being resignalled is moving to the existing Colchester PSB.

Correct, Cambridge PSB is there for the foreesable future, good few years yet ! and yes the NYL resignalling will be moving into Colchester ASC in March 2019, no doubt due to the amount of staff needed there will be external vacancies at a guess.

 

[Meister]

Anyone heard back about an interview for any of the London roles yet?

 

[Saracen_83]

Nope...... if you count tbroc as London??

 

[Meister]

Nope...... if you count tbroc as London??

Did you get an interview for TBROC?

If so, when did you apply?

 

[Saracen_83]

Currently at “application under consideration”

Applied November, last change in status was 11 dec

 

[Freckles]

Morning all,

I'm starting as a grade 2 signaller in early Feb and whilst I know what my base salary will be, I have a question about the allowances.

Basically I'll be working in London so know I'll get the £2400 pa Inner London Allowance, but was wondering if I will also get the London Area Operations Supplement (LAOS)? I'm not too sure what the LAOS actually is and my contract doesn't make it clear, but going by the definition (basically I will be working within 16 miles of Charing Cross) I don't see why I wouldn't be eligible for both...?

If anyone could shine any light on this I'd appreciate it. Cheers!

ALLOWANCES

1. LONDON ALLOWANCE:
Inner London Allowance: payable to employees with a base location up to 16 miles radius of Charing Cross - £2400 p.a.
Outer London Allowance: payable to employees with a base location over 16 miles and up to 40 miles radius of Charing Cross - £1390 p.a.

2. LONDON AREA OPERATIONS SUPPLEMENT:
LAOS Inner - payable to employees with a base location up to 16 miles radius of Charing Cross : £1260 pa
LAOS Outer: payable to employees with a base location over 16 miles and up to 40 miles radius of Charing Cross : £ 630 pa

 

[mitch.swiggins]

Morning all,

I'm starting as a grade 2 signaller in early Feb and whilst I know what my base salary will be, I have a question about the allowances.

Basically I'll be working in London so know I'll get the £2400 pa Inner London Allowance, but was wondering if I will also get the London Area Operations Supplement (LAOS)? I'm not too sure what the LAOS actually is and my contract doesn't make it clear, but going by the definition (basically I will be working within 16 miles of Charing Cross) I don't see why I wouldn't be eligible for both...?

If anyone could shine any light on this I'd appreciate it. Cheers!

ALLOWANCES

1. LONDON ALLOWANCE:
Inner London Allowance: payable to employees with a base location up to 16 miles radius of Charing Cross - £2400 p.a.
Outer London Allowance: payable to employees with a base location over 16 miles and up to 40 miles radius of Charing Cross - £1390 p.a.

2. LONDON AREA OPERATIONS SUPPLEMENT:
LAOS Inner - payable to employees with a base location up to 16 miles radius of Charing Cross : £1260 pa
LAOS Outer: payable to employees with a base location over 16 miles and up to 40 miles radius of Charing Cross : £ 630 pa

Did it not say in your formal offer letter? The one they sent me had the wage for my grade as well as the wage during training listed and just below that the following line - “In addition, you will receive an Outer London Allowance of £1,800 and an Outer London Area Operational Supplement of £630 per annum.” - you might want to double check that.

 

[Freckles]

Hiya @mitch.swiggins, my contract just stated:

3. SALARY Your salary is £xx,xxx per annum. London Allowance and London Area Operations Supplement will be paid in addition where appropriate.

It was the 'where appropriate' bit which got me. Geographically speaking I'd qualify but I just wasn't sure if there was any other criteria it is judged against. I suppose it's a perfectly legitimate thing for me to ask HR about so I'll fire them off a message and keep my fingers crossed!

 

[mitch.swiggins]

Hiya @mitch.swiggins, my contract just stated:

3. SALARY Your salary is £xx,xxx per annum. London Allowance and London Area Operations Supplement will be paid in addition where appropriate.

It was the 'where appropriate' bit which got me. Geographically speaking I'd qualify but I just wasn't sure if there was any other criteria it is judged against. I suppose it's a perfectly legitimate thing for me to ask HR about so I'll fire them off a message and keep my fingers crossed!

I see. Yeah, perfectly legitimate question for HR.

 

[Norm88]

Anyone got the 2018 pay matrix after the % was confirmed in December? I know there was one posted a while back, but this was based on speculation it seems, and doesn’t quite match up with the latest advertisements on the NR careers site.

 

[edwin catflap]

Hi Sunset Route just wondering how those rosters work with the 35 hours a week?

 

[Gartcosh]

Paignton SB is an office with a small panel behind the ticket office.

I believe it’s 8hr Mon-Fri, with 12hr weekends.

You operate the LC at Paignton and the interchange between NWR and PDSR.

Not quite. Paignton is a two-shift box with three resident positions. Weekday hours being 05.30-14.50 & 14.50-00.10. Saturdays are 05.45-14.55 & 14.55-00.05. Sundays 09.00-16.15 & 16.15-23.30. Box closes overnight but does remain open for additional traffic or engineering work at various times as necessary. There is talk of possible 24hr cover but this hasn't been decided yet. There are two Level Crossings. Paignton North is controlled from the box (CCTV) and Paignton South is trainman operated. The connection to the Dartmouth Steam Railway is via a ground frame, this being released by means of a NR key and the DSR's Annetts Key. Whilst there was previously a fully signalled connection, this was removed when Paignton South box closed many years ago and trains now transferring to the DSR have to be talked by the appropriate protecting signal.

 

[Llanigraham]

Hi Sunset Route just wondering how those rosters work with the 35 hours a week?

On our 12 hour roster, you got an extra day "not rostered" every 12 weeks, but most of us in my Box used to work it as overtime. Kerching!

 

[Sunset route]

Hi Sunset Route just wondering how those rosters work with the 35 hours a week?

Easy, 35hrs X number of staff on the roster, divided by 8 or 12hrs shifts as appropriate equals the amount of days you’ve got to work over the cycle of the roster, then just add your Sunday’s which are not part of the working week and hey presto you’ve got a roster. Now getting one that pleases most of the staff is the difficult bit, while conforming to the “Nation Roster Principles “ NRP. lol

Our old roster (that came to an end last weekend) had 65 staff on it, which an equals 65 week roster X by 35hrs a week, divided by 8hr shifts equals 284.375 shifts rounded down to 284 shifts and 106 rest days over 65wks not including Sunday’s. Then we worked 41 out of 65 Sunday’s on our base roster, which in effect is compulsory overtime.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Not quite. Paignton is a two-shift box with three resident positions. Weekday hours being 05.30-14.50 & 14.50-00.10. Saturdays are 05.45-14.55 & 14.55-00.05. Sundays 09.00-16.15 & 16.15-23.30. Box closes overnight but does remain open for additional traffic or engineering work at various times as necessary. There is talk of possible 24hr cover but this hasn't been decided yet. There are two Level Crossings. Paignton North is controlled from the box (CCTV) and Paignton South is trainman operated. The connection to the Dartmouth Steam Railway is via a ground frame, this being released by means of a NR key and the DSR's Annetts Key. Whilst there was previously a fully signalled connection, this was removed when Paignton South box closed many years ago and trains now transferring to the DSR have to be talked by the appropriate protecting signal.

I stand corrected, there’s a girl from Paignton SB not long landed at our place.

Thanks for the info

 

[edwin catflap]

Hi Sunset, got a cold which must be affecting my brain, still dont get it?

So is it essentially 35 hours plus any rostered Sunday in 7 days? So how would that fit into 8hr days, 4 and a bit normal shifts plus Sunday?

Easy, 35hrs X number of staff on the roster, divided by 8 or 12hrs shifts as appropriate equals the amount of days you’ve got to work over the cycle of the roster, then just add your Sunday’s which are not part of the working week and hey presto you’ve got a roster. Now getting one that pleases most of the staff is the difficult bit, while conforming to the “Nation Roster Principles “ NRP. lol

Our old roster (that came to an end last weekend) had 65 staff on it, which an equals 65 week roster X by 35hrs a week, divided by 8hr shifts equals 284.375 shifts rounded down to 284 shifts and 106 rest days over 65wks not including Sunday’s. Then we worked 41 out of 65 Sunday’s on our base roster, which in effect is compulsory overtime.[/QUOTE

 

[SignallerJohn]

In my limited experience if it goes from “Test Completed” to “Application Under Consideration” it’s a no no and a waiting game until it updates to “Application Unsuccessful”. It needs to go straight from “Test Completed” to “Application Under Consideration For Assessment 2” for it to be a positive.

That’s just my experience and I do stand to be corrected, I currently have 5 live applications, 3 at “Application Under Consideration” which I have mentally written off and 2 at “Test Completed” which I remain hopeful for.

I’ve had an application go from Application Under Consideration to Under Consideration for Assessment 2 - so it’s possible!

 

[Saracen_83]

I hope so!!!! I check everyday, however with each day that passes I get a little bit more assigned to the fact that I won’t get invited to interview

 

[Freckles]

I hope so!!!! I check everyday, however with each day that passes I get a little bit more assigned to the fact that I won’t get invited to interview

I wouldn't get too disheartened Matt; I originally applied in May '17 for my role and had completed the online tests within a a couple of weeks, but then heard next to nothing until October when I got invited to interview.

I'd say your best bet would be to put it to the back of your mind and if you hear something in the future then great, if not then just keep trying and you'll nail it eventually

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hi Sunset, got a cold which must be affecting my brain, still dont get it?

So is it essentially 35 hours plus any rostered Sunday in 7 days? So how would that fit into 8hr days, 4 and a bit normal shifts plus Sunday?

It will be an average of 35hours. Some weeks you will work more, some weeks you will work less. But that's 35hours over the 6 days Monday-Saturday. Sundays are extra as Sunday is not inside the working week.

 

[Sunset route]

Hi Sunset, got a cold which must be affecting my brain, still dont get it?

So is it essentially 35 hours plus any rostered Sunday in 7 days? So how would that fit into 8hr days, 4 and a bit normal shifts plus Sunday?

Most single maned signalboxes that operate 24/7 will rotate over 4 weeks, but 35hr week will devide into 17.5 shifts per signaller over this 4wk period which you can’t do, so you make it rotate an extra 4wks and in the first 4wk cycle you will work 18 shifts and the second 4wk cycle you will include an extra rest day and work 17 shifts.

Now 18 shifts over 4wks will not devide properly as it works 4.5 shifts a week so you will find most locations will get round that by working 5 days a week for two weeks and 4 days a week also for two weeks. On the second 4wk cycle use the same method but for 17 shifts instead.

All of this is based on Monday to Saturdays as Sunday’s are outside the working week.

 

[Llanigraham]

Most single maned signalboxes that operate 24/7 will rotate over 4 weeks, but 35hr week will devide into 17.5 shifts per signaller over this 4wk period which you can’t do, so you make it rotate an extra 4wks and in the first 4wk cycle you will work 18 shifts and the second 4wk cycle you will include an extra rest day and work 17 shifts.

Now 18 shifts over 4wks will not devide properly as it works 4.5 shifts a week so you will find most locations will get round that by working 5 days a week for two weeks and 4 days a week also for two weeks. On the second 4wk cycle use the same method but for 17 shifts instead.

All of this is based on Monday to Saturdays as Sunday’s are outside the working week.

Not the way it was done in our Box, or the other 12 hour Boxes on our line.
Roster was a 4 weekly roster, 14 shifts in every 28 days, but every 12 weeks you got an extra day "off" and this was shown as a rest day. Most of us worked it as overtime; kerching!

 

[Tom Quinne]

There's so much RDW at my place you'll be working maximum turns for weeks if you wanted.

 

[Sunset route]

Not the way it was done in our Box, or the other 12 hour Boxes on our line.
Roster was a 4 weekly roster, 14 shifts in every 28 days, but every 12 weeks you got an extra day "off" and this was shown as a rest day. Most of us worked it as overtime; kerching!

It was a kind of general explanation based on my old area and as you know there are probably as many variations of 8hr/12hr and two shift rosters as there are LOM/LDC areas. The only one thing standard about signallers rosters is that no two are alike lol

 

[edwin catflap]

Hi Llanigraham, was yours a single manned box on 12's or more?

Cheers

Not the way it was done in our Box, or the other 12 hour Boxes on our line.
Roster was a 4 weekly roster, 14 shifts in every 28 days, but every 12 weeks you got an extra day "off" and this was shown as a rest day. Most of us worked it as overtime; kerching!

 

[edwin catflap]

sorry I meant more than single manned not more than 12 hours

 

[Saracen_83]

I wouldn't get too disheartened Matt; I originally applied in May '17 for my role and had completed the online tests within a a couple of weeks, but then heard next to nothing until October when I got invited to interview.


I'd say your best bet would be to put it to the back of your mind and if you hear something in the future then great, if not then just keep trying and you'll nail it eventually

Yes that’s what I am trying to do, and keep positive. Have a few irons in the fire so to speak, but signaller seems to be the one career role that interests me massively!!!

Let’s hooe I hear soon!!

 

[gareth386]

Finally had the all clear from my pre employment checks, etc, start on the 29th of this month. Must admit, I am a little excited. Get the pleasure of writing my letter of resignation and handing it in now

 

[TRain87]

Finally had the all clear from my pre employment checks, etc, start on the 29th of this month. Must admit, I am a little excited. Get the pleasure of writing my letter of resignation and handing it in now

No better feeling! Congratulations

 

[gareth386]

No better feeling! Congratulations

Cheers