A career as a signaller

[Narom]

I personally hired a well dapper suit, first impressions really count.

I bought mine from Primark!

 

[Stodge]

Just want to say a big thanks to everyone who has contributed on this forum. An absolute wealth of knowledge and everyone is willing to help each other, top stuff. I'm currently reading through it all (on pg75 ATM)
Does anybody have any information about the boxes at Hexham or Greatham (near Hartlepool) there seems to be very little mentioned about the North East on here.

Thanks again!

 

[Nomonii135]

Not available

 

[Tom Quinne]

Yes signalling school is Monday to Friday.
You do travel up on Sunday afternoon, Monday 0930 start, Friday usually dinner time finish.

You might be lucky and get Basingstoke school to train at, you’ll be able to go home I’d assume each day, but if you cop York it’ll be up there all week.

Once your on training roster it’ll be usually 8hr days mon to fri, with some nights and weekends towards the end as your near to pass out.

The role will require day and night work, also weekends so you will need to look into help with the little one I’m afraid.

 

[Alistair G.]

you go home on the weekends, no option, that’s what happens. As for shift patterns, it differs from box to box so really you need to either try and find a feltham signaller in here or perhaps ring the LOM and ask for a copy of the base roster. There’s no correlation between what your brother does with southern and what you might end up doing. 2 very different roles with different companies.

Good luck with the childcare!, when I asked my LOM some years back about work/life balance I was just laughed at. Thankfully found a good pre-school and now he is at school and can do after school clubs or breakfast clubs as needed

 

[Tom Quinne]

You can put a request for flexible working in, but youd have to be passed out first.

I would really try and keep it quiet as long as possible you don’t want to get a reputation...

I’d try not to let this minor bump in the road take the shin off the achievement of getting such an amazing job !

 

[Habitat]

Anyone waiting to hear on Heckington ?
I've passed the required benchmark on the online assessments.
Email from NR a week ago informing me of this, my application is still under consideration and I'll receive an email shortly.

 

[Cavan]

Feltham work the usual Wessex 8hr Monday to Saturday and 12hr Sunday. Is this the Feltham relief job that was advertised recently? If it is then you will not know the specific shifts you are working until the Thursday before the week in question (you will know the days you are in but not the shift) and I believe with 48hr notice they can change a relief shift if needed?

 

[Tom Quinne]

48hrs yes, but goodwill will see you change at the whim of rosters (always pays to keep on side with them).

 

[Narom]

Friday usually dinner time finish.

Now we talking dinner = lunch time meal or dinner = main meal at 5?

 

[Tom Quinne]

I have this same conversation with my Mrs, dinner time in as in lunch time lol

 

[Highlandspring]

If it is then you will not know the specific shifts you are working until the Thursday before the week in question (you will know the days you are in but not the shift) and I believe with 48hr notice they can change a relief shift if needed?

Correct, within 48hrs you are supposed to be asked and agree to your shift being changed but many roster clerks seem to forget that bit of the National Rostering Principles (along with much of the rest of it at times).

 

[LeGrimpeur]

Quick question please peeps, does NR pay monthly or 4 weekly?

 

[Highlandspring]

4 weekly on a Friday, last pay date was yesterday and the next is 8th March.

 

[LeGrimpeur]

4 weekly on a Friday, last pay date was yesterday and the next is 8th March.

Lovely stuff, thanks

 

[LeGrimpeur]

Oh, one more, will I get south east allowance on top of my (grade below) training salary?
Thanks again

 

[GingerRH]

Oh, one more, will I get south east allowance on top of my (grade below) training salary?
Thanks again

Depends where your work location is. However the pay deal that’s been offered means no more SE allowance for any new employees. This being said you may not get it at all.

 

[LeGrimpeur]

Depends where your work location is. However the pay deal that’s been offered means no more SE allowance for any new employees. This being said you may not get it at all.

I am getting se allowance as part of my salary. That’s confirmed on my offer letter.

What’s not clear is if I get the se allowance during the training period.

I’ll give hr a call Monday.

Appreciate the reply cheers

 

[GingerRH]

I am getting se allowance as part of my salary. That’s confirmed on my offer letter.

What’s not clear is if I get the se allowance during the training period.

I’ll give hr a call Monday.

Appreciate the reply cheers

You’ll get it during training, as long as you’re confirmed as getting it in your offer letter

 

[LeGrimpeur]

Exc

You’ll get it during training, as long as you’re confirmed as getting it in your offer letter

excellent. Thankyou

 

[choochoobacca]

Exc

excellent. Thankyou

Actually not sure on that one-think it depends where you are training. I’ll get the SE allowance in my box, but am currently at signal school in York and not getting it, presumably because I’m officially working up here.

 

[nom de guerre]

LG, your box is within the qualifying distance for Outer London allowance (16-40 miles from Charing Cross). SE allowance is generally reserved for boxes more than 40 miles away.

Might be worth querying this with HR as signallers in our part of the world are generally only eligible for one type of regional allowance at a time (either Inner London, Outer London or SE) and Outer London is worth more than SE.

 

[GingerRH]

Actually not sure on that one-think it depends where you are training. I’ll get the SE allowance in my box, but am currently at signal school in York and not getting it, presumably because I’m officially working up here.

May be worth checking as I got my SE allowance when training, also in York however that was back in 2017 and they may have changed the rules?

 

[Jaysub]

Is there any shutdown time at network rail?
And what is it like around xmas,everyday still working unless you book holiday

I currently work at rolls royce and have 2 week shutdown a year...

Can anyone also tell me the perks you get ??

 

[GingerRH]

Is there any shutdown time at network rail?
And what is it like around xmas,everyday still working unless you book holiday

I currently work at rolls royce and have 2 week shutdown a year...

Can anyone also tell me the perks you get ??

Different locations have different arrangements for Christmas working. Assume your location is open every day of the year, and if your base roster shifts fall over Christmas, then be expected to work it.

Pay scale varies depending on what holiday it is, Christmas/Boxing/New years day etc.

 

[bouff34]

Depends where your work location is. However the pay deal that’s been offered means no more SE allowance for any new employees. This being said you may not get it at all.

4.2. South East Allowance shall be maintained at current rates, for those employees currently in receipt of it, but shall not be offered for all future offers of employment, including promotions, with effect from 1 June 2019.

That's according to this:

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members...nditions-of-service-2019--network-rail090119/


Phew, my new role starts on 11 March so looks like I just snook in!

 

[GingerRH]

4.2. South East Allowance shall be maintained at current rates, for those employees currently in receipt of it, but shall not be offered for all future offers of employment, including promotions, with effect from 1 June 2019.

That's according to this:

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members...nditions-of-service-2019--network-rail090119/


Phew, my new role starts on 11 March so looks like I just snook in!

Just checked my emails for the most current offer from Feb talks... SE allowance for all future new employees as of 1st Jan 2020.

Been changed to next year which is good

 

[NROP]

You should be getting SE allowance while training however HR may need a nudge to process it. I got my SE allowance backdated to my official starting date once I had mentioned it to my LOM.

 

[Thistley]

Hi all, I've posted on here but it appears all my applications have gone very quiet - been waiting over two weeks in some cases, and as I see someone up the thread received an offer for Feltham I assume that role's gone.

Can I just confirm if it's nearly impossible for non-EEA citizens to have a signaller role? I'm guessing it's extremely competitive.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Is there any shutdown time at network rail?
And what is it like around xmas,everyday still working unless you book holiday

I currently work at rolls royce and have 2 week shutdown a year...

Can anyone also tell me the perks you get ??

We don’t shut down as such, some smaller SB will close after the last train 24/12 then reopen before the first train 27/12 unless they have possessions of course which require them to remain open.

Larger centres will remain open and staffed 24/7 all year, although will have a skeleton staff over the Xmas period.

Perks wise, you’ll get a very good salary, roster and annual leave, final salary pension after five years in the entry scheme, you’ll develop a huge range of skills to progress your career and almost unlimited potential to rise up through the ranks or move to different areas of the firm.