A career as a signaller

[Maximus37]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping for that to be the case (in a perverse way). Oh well, the wait goes on. Hopefully hear soon. Thank you again.

 

[Chaz T]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping for that to be the case (in a perverse way). Oh well, the wait goes on. Hopefully hear soon. Thank you again.

I currently have 4 applications in for 4 different signal boxes. 2 I think are under the same LOM.

Currently waiting to see if any progress to interview.

 

[Maximus37]

I currently have 4 applications in for 4 different signal boxes. 2 I think are under the same LOM.

Currently waiting to see if any progress to interview.

Yeah, I think that's what lead me to my question. With it being under the same LOM would you essentially be being interviewed for any of the signal boxes that fall under his remit. Therefore would an unsuccessful in one immediately mean the same for the other. I've had my question answered.

Good luck with your applications mate.

 

[Liam Toner]

Hi all. I was wondering whether anyone could offer their opinion. I had an interview 4 weeks ago (tomorrow) for a Signaller position at Middlesbrough. The interview seemed to go well. I also simultaneously applied for a position at Crag Hall which is under the remit of the same LOM that the Middlesbrough position is. This morning I had the "unsuccessful" email for the Crag Hall job owing to a more suited candidate even though I was never actually interviewed for Crag Hall. The status on my Middlesbrough application is still showing as open. I was just wondering whether this would mean I'm highly doubtful to get the job I was interviewed for seeing as though it's the same LOM for both jobs and it has now been 4 weeks without an update. Has anyone received any feedback regarding the respective positions? Any advice would be massively appreciated.

Hi mate, sounds like you're in a similar position to myself. I had my interview 4 weeks tomorrow for the G2 Crag hall signal box and I'm also still awaiting an update. I also received the 'unsuccessful' email earlier today for another position I had applied for with NR.
I did ask the LOM at interview how all the applications are processed, and I was told they are reviewed individually (test scores and interview scores) for each position applied for - hence why we don't always make it to the interview stage. I have contacted HR for an update but they are yet to have any further information to update me. Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[Maximus37]

Yeah,

Hi mate, sounds like you're in a similar position to myself. I had my interview 4 weeks tomorrow for the G2 Crag hall signal box and I'm also still awaiting an update. I also received the 'unsuccessful' email earlier today for another position I had applied for with NR.
I did ask the LOM at interview how all the applications are processed, and I was told they are reviewed individually (test scores and interview scores) for each position applied for - hence why we don't always make it to the interview stage. I have contacted HR for an update but they are yet to have any further information to update me. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi Liam, yes I'm sure you were interviewed on the same day as me then in that case. The LOM did suggest I might hear something the following week but somewhat reassuring to know others are in the same situation. Is it a good or bad sign I suppose is the question haha
It seems they have decided on the Crag Hall position as it stated that a "more suitable candidate" had filled the position so hopefully you will hear positive news very soon! It's a nightmare of a wait. Thanks mate and all the best!

 

[Chaz T]

Yeah, I think that's what lead me to my question. With it being under the same LOM would you essentially be being interviewed for any of the signal boxes that fall under his remit. Therefore would an unsuccessful in one immediately mean the same for the other. I've had my question answered.

Good luck with your applications mate.

I spent ages trying to second guess myself on the applications and how multiple applications would be viewed.

In the end I decided I could not risk loosing out on securing employment with Network Rail as all four applications are for 4 different boxes and 3 different LOM's yet the distance / travelling time is pretty similar for all of them.

 

[ChrisRS]

Yeah, I think that's what lead me to my question. With it being under the same LOM would you essentially be being interviewed for any of the signal boxes that fall under his remit. Therefore would an unsuccessful in one immediately mean the same for the other. I've had my question answered.

Good luck with your applications mate.

No bud. 2 different roles, different grades. A rejection on one doesn't rule you out the other.

 

[Maximus37]

No bud. 2 different roles, different grades. A rejection on one doesn't rule you out the other.

Cheers Chris, that's a relief!

 

[High Dyke]

I know times have moved on, but only a few years ago, the idea of someone starting at Grade 8 or 9 (even a 5 or 6) would have been unheard of ! Best of luck to all new starters, the 8 and 9 can be very stressful somedays, but worthwhile, it cant be a bad job...in 4 weeks I will have been a Signlaman for 47 years...so it cant be all bad !

Oddly enough, had someone on my course, in 2003, going straight from the street to Grade 8 at West Hampstead.

 

[33056]

Oddly enough, had someone on my course, in 2003, going straight from the street to Grade 8 at West Hampstead.

That was also the case as long ago as 1985. There was one in my school who was going straight into a Grade E at Slough whereas the rest of us from the LM region were mere grade A and B with little prospect of going further than a Grade 2 relief for the foreseeable future.
In those days you were unable to transfer between regions and promotion was strictly by seniority so you could be a Grade B on the LM region but be unable to apply for a Grade F on the Western even though you might be speaking to the latter every day!

If someone told me then that I would be a Grade E within three years of starting I would not have believed them.

 

[Empzurg]

Well my journey has come to a premature end, today I had a sorry email to say that there were more suitable candidates identified, so I never made interview. I will be keeping an eye out though for future opportunities.

 

[ChrisRS]

Well my journey has come to a premature end, today I had a sorry email to say that there were more suitable candidates identified, so I never made interview. I will be keeping an eye out though for future opportunities.

Don't let that set you back. Keep applying for roles you will eventually get a position.

 

[LAX54]

That was also the case as long ago as 1985. There was one in my school who was going straight into a Grade E at Slough whereas the rest of us from the LM region were mere grade A and B with little prospect of going further than a Grade 2 relief for the foreseeable future.
In those days you were unable to transfer between regions and promotion was strictly by seniority so you could be a Grade B on the LM region but be unable to apply for a Grade F on the Western even though you might be speaking to the latter every day!

If someone told me then that I would be a Grade E within three years of starting I would not have believed them.

Indeed, I was a Grade C on the SR, but moved to Norfolk, had to go right back to an Á and start again, and of course all seniority was lost as well, that was one of the good things about going Private, you could go anywhere in the Country, the other thing with an inter-regional move, was that you could not pick any old grade A, it had to be an exhuasted vacancy, that had been advertised 3 times and no one had applied in the area.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Oddly enough, had someone on my course, in 2003, going straight from the street to Grade 8 at West Hampstead.

Likewise my course of 7 was all off the street (two, including myself with non signaller railway experience) we all went to grade 7 or 9 IECC jobs all of us took to it.

I think it can have a huge advantage, rather Starting grade 2 then getting a shock as you go up the grades every few years.

Reality is the grade is so short staffed you simply can’t get people in to climb the grades as yesteryear. IECC jobs are very hard to fill internally for a variety of reasons.

 

[WizJim]

Congrats to everyone thats found a job on here recently, I'm 3 rejections in (Couple of applications still pending) - so thought i'd bell NR recruitment to see if I can work out where I'm going wrong.

In my case I'm from a sales/office based background so its probably a case of my CV not demonstrating the skills that I need to be showing the LOM that I have, ie concentration and safety awareness, reading between the lines the very helpful lady in HR pointed me in that direction. I'm confident my test scores would be fine as I tend to be very good at that kind of test without being arrogant!

I'll have to look at my CV and answers to the questions when I applied, determined as ever to find a signaller role!

 

[Chaz T]

Congrats to everyone thats found a job on here recently, I'm 3 rejections in (Couple of applications still pending) - so thought i'd bell NR recruitment to see if I can work out where I'm going wrong.

In my case I'm from a sales/office based background so its probably a case of my CV not demonstrating the skills that I need to be showing the LOM that I have, ie concentration and safety awareness, reading between the lines the very helpful lady in HR pointed me in that direction. I'm confident my test scores would be fine as I tend to be very good at that kind of test without being arrogant!

I'll have to look at my CV and answers to the questions when I applied, determined as ever to find a signaller role!

Perseverance is the only way I think. I have only received 1 rejection so far and have had to wait some time for more roles to be advertised. Then 4 come up at virtually the same time.

I too have an 18 year history in sales / office so totally understand where you are coming from.

My CV has been rewritten more times in the past 4 months than in the whole of my working life.

 

[SJCembre]

Anyone had any success from the assessment day at Ely recently?

 

[XingClaggers]

Someone has, but nothing for me so far
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/york-signalling-school.155699/page-2#post-4191997

 

[Badge3226]

Has anyone applied for the Deganwy Signal Box job? I did the online assessments and have been informed that I passed, but have not heard anything more for the last 12 days...

 

[ChrisRS]

Has anyone applied for the Deganwy Signal Box job? I did the online assessments and have been informed that I passed, but have not heard anything more for the last 12 days...

That's standard, can take many weeks before a response.

 

[DB85]

Hey guys, I was recently informed that I was successful in my application and offered the role.

It’s still sinking in but I’m completely over the moon about it.

Currently I am awaiting an email from HR and hopefully an official start date for Signalling school.

 

[Ducatist4]

Has anyone applied for the Deganwy Signal Box job? I did the online assessments and have been informed that I passed, but have not heard anything more for the last 12 days...

It could be six months or more. Or it might be tomorrow. I’ve got one that’s well over six months with nothing heard....

 

[Habitat]

Hey guys, I was recently informed that I was successful in my application and offered the role.

It’s still sinking in but I’m completely over the moon about it.

Currently I am awaiting an email from HR and hopefully an official start date for Signalling school.

Awesome news!

Congratulations!

Which box?

 

[Signalgirl]

Hi, first time poster here! I’ve been following this thread since starting to apply for signalling jobs a couple of years ago and found it really helpful. I’ve now been a Signaller for a year and am enjoying it so far. I wondered if anyone has any experience of jumping several grades at once? I’m currently working in a grade 2 box but need to relocate in the next few months. The area I want to move to has several vacancies at the moment, but all at grades 6-8. I feel like if I’d come straight out of signalling school into that grade I’d have been fine, but I feel like there’s so much I’ve forgotten in terms of rules that we simply don’t use, the prospect of such a significant change is quite daunting. A lot of my colleagues are going from grade 2 to grade 7 jobs and don’t seem fazed by it at all. I recently crashed and burned at a grade 4 interview so that’s definitely knocked my confidence. I’m on a FTC which is coming to an end due to resignalling so I don’t have the option of staying where I am, and I’m while I’m happy at the prospect of a new challenge, I don’t know if it’s too much of a leap. Has anyone here done this? How did you find it?

 

[Jaysub]

Well my journey has come to a premature end, today I had a sorry email to say that there were more suitable candidates identified, so I never made interview. I will be keeping an eye out though for future opportunities.

I know how you feel bud,iv been applying for over a year now and always waiting for ass 2 but just not getting an interview,had 2 earlier this year but nothing since...
Chin up though and keep on applying,thats what im doing,need this job so much and it would mean so much

 

[Nosillomr]

Hi, I’ve been offered a role at a Grade 2 signal box in Scotland. It’s a fair drop in wages from my current job. Just wondering what the take home pay is per month at a Grade 2 box including shift allowance and 2 rostered Sunday’s. Anyone who can help please?

 

[nom de guerre]

I wondered if anyone has any experience of jumping several grades at once? I’m currently working in a grade 2 box but need to relocate in the next few months. The area I want to move to has several vacancies at the moment, but all at grades 6-8. I feel like if I’d come straight out of signalling school into that grade I’d have been fine, but I feel like there’s so much I’ve forgotten in terms of rules that we simply don’t use, the prospect of such a significant change is quite daunting. A lot of my colleagues are going from grade 2 to grade 7 jobs and don’t seem fazed by it at all. I recently crashed and burned at a grade 4 interview so that’s definitely knocked my confidence. I’m on a FTC which is coming to an end due to resignalling so I don’t have the option of staying where I am, and I’m while I’m happy at the prospect of a new challenge, I don’t know if it’s too much of a leap. Has anyone here done this? How did you find it?

Not sure if it counts as “several”, but my first move was from a 3 to a 6. I was expecting to find it a significant step up, but in reality it wasn’t that different.

All you can do is analyse how to improve your interview performance - presume you were given some feedback? - and start revisiting any half-forgotten parts of the rulebook that will apply at the box you’re going for. Eg the G3 box I started at was plain line but the G6 had several sets of points, so obviously I revised points failures.

TBH you’ll only know if it’s too large a leap after you’ve accepted the job, eg if you struggle while learning the box. Even if that should happen, you’d still be able to find something else. One person on my school course was going from NR S&T to a G9. I later found out that they never managed to pass out there, and then also failed to pass out at a G4 box they were subsequently moved to. Funnily enough, this person is now a MOM in an area I’ve just moved to - which was always the job they really wanted anyway. Providing you’re conscientious and safe, things tend to work out.

 

[Batterson]

Signaller

Grade: Signaller Grade 8

Salary: £47,356 per annum (Salary in training £45,567)

Location: Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre

Is that salary correct for Grade 8 £47,356?? I thought that was a Garde 9 salary.

Anyone have any idea what its like to work there ?
Hours, workload, people etc ?
Thanks

 

[Tom Quinne]

Hi, first time poster here! I’ve been following this thread since starting to apply for signalling jobs a couple of years ago and found it really helpful. I’ve now been a Signaller for a year and am enjoying it so far. I wondered if anyone has any experience of jumping several grades at once? I’m currently working in a grade 2 box but need to relocate in the next few months. The area I want to move to has several vacancies at the moment, but all at grades 6-8. I feel like if I’d come straight out of signalling school into that grade I’d have been fine, but I feel like there’s so much I’ve forgotten in terms of rules that we simply don’t use, the prospect of such a significant change is quite daunting. A lot of my colleagues are going from grade 2 to grade 7 jobs and don’t seem fazed by it at all. I recently crashed and burned at a grade 4 interview so that’s definitely knocked my confidence. I’m on a FTC which is coming to an end due to resignalling so I don’t have the option of staying where I am, and I’m while I’m happy at the prospect of a new challenge, I don’t know if it’s too much of a leap. Has anyone here done this? How did you find it?

You’ll find in grade 6+ you’ll not have much experience of the real Signalling stuff like SLW, TBW etc as we generally have multi track routes, intensive services etc.

There’s no reason what so ever you shouldn’t or couldn’t apply for a grade 6+ job, the only thing stopping you is your own self doubt.

Being a grade 2-4 Signaller id say is harder than a grade 6+ in some respects.

Can you LOM organise a turn in a higher grade location so you can network, get a idea of what it’ll be like?

Have you been given a heads up about your future upon the end of your FTC, I think you’ll be very unlucky to not get a permanent job.

 

[Littlestu]

Another more suitable person email. 2 still at test passed. Starting to think im not going to be getting in. Maybe my age of almost 50 could be going against me or maybe its my test score. 18 months and every application ends the same way.