A career as a signaller

[Cumbo92]

Haha certainly is a bit of a trek, i'm of the same opinion i'll find everything out next week, good luck for Monday

Yeah me too! Thanks very much mate! You too and good luck with signalling school!!

 

[endofthetunnel]

Firstly, has anyone had to go to Doncaster (10 Pound Walk) for their medical, and if so, where exactly is the location? I've been onto street view on google maps with the address I was given and it's really not obvious where on that rather long road it is. I'm assuming it's not in the concrete sleeper factory.

Congrats for getting thru eventually but I’m very jealous - I was successful in the future opportunities and told in June but my school date isn’t til middle of February!

Doncaster medicals are in a grey portacabin at the end of the NR carpark, after the sleeper factory, by the hitachi factory tracks. It’s not obvious until you’re in front of it but does say Optima Health on the outside - I had the same issue finding it!
On Google Streetview it’s still being built but you can see the cabins, and in the satellite map it’s just an empty space.
You can park in the carpark free.

 

[89jordanbj]

Spent some time at Abergavenny and Little Mill signal boxes today.. What a lovely little box Abergavenny is!

 

[_Odo_]

Congrats for getting thru eventually but I’m very jealous - I was successful in the future opportunities and told in June but my school date isn’t til middle of February!

Doncaster medicals are in a grey portacabin at the end of the NR carpark, after the sleeper factory, by the hitachi factory tracks. It’s not obvious until you’re in front of it but does say Optima Health on the outside - I had the same issue finding it!
On Google Streetview it’s still being built but you can see the cabins, and in the satellite map it’s just an empty space.
You can park in the carpark free.

Brilliant - thanks for that. I hate travelling somewhere without knowing exactly where I'm going!

Yes that's slightly on the ironic side that I had to wait three months longer to get the offer but it looks like I'll be starting before you .... on the plus side, though, you probably won't spend most of Christmas revising for exams like I guess I'll be doing!

 

[waterlooroader]

Just been offered one of the WMSC positions following an interview back in August, quite pleased to say the least!

I don't like to discuss such matters, but I have a question around pay (I know it has been touched on recently in this thread) I am willing to accept a reduced rate of pay during the training / pre-passing out period and understand the reason behind this. It has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread, but is it reasonable to expect £5k on top of the base salary due to shift allowances etc? I am not bean counting; I will be honest, this will still be a slight pay cut for me even with such an allowance (I am very fortunate that my wife has a well paying job that will allow me to make the switch) but this is the job I have wanted to do for years. I would just like to have an idea of the range of the salary.

I hope that others from this thread that applied are celebrating like I am tonight!

Thanks to each and every one of you who has contributed useful information to this thread and thanks to anybody who can answer my question.

 

[headshot119]

Just been offered one of the WMSC positions following an interview back in August, quite pleased to say the least!

I don't like to discuss such matters, but I have a question around pay (I know it has been touched on recently in this thread) I am willing to accept a reduced rate of pay during the training / pre-passing out period and understand the reason behind this. It has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread, but is it reasonable to expect £5k on top of the base salary due to shift allowances etc? I am not bean counting; I will be honest, this will still be a slight pay cut for me even with such an allowance (I am very fortunate that my wife has a well paying job that will allow me to make the switch) but this is the job I have wanted to do for years. I would just like to have an idea of the range of the salary.

I hope that others from this thread that applied are celebrating like I am tonight!

Thanks to each and every one of you who has contributed useful information to this thread and thanks to anybody who can answer my question.

WMSC is a 24/7 box, though I can't remember if they do an 8 or a 12 hour roster. At Grade 6 you can easily add on £5k with your Sundays, night shift allowance, Saturday nights into Sunday morning etc. More if you put in overtime.

 

[waterlooroader]

WMSC is a 24/7 box, though I can't remember if they do an 8 or a 12 hour roster. At Grade 6 you can easily add on £5k with your Sundays, night shift allowance, Saturday nights into Sunday morning etc. More if you put in overtime.

Many thanks for the swift response; I asked at the interview regarding 8 v 12 hours and was told that they hope to eventually move to 12 hours.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Many thanks for the swift response; I asked at the interview regarding 8 v 12 hours and was told that they hope to eventually move to 12 hours.

Grade 6 you’ll add close to £10k on your basic, if you like the place or not your wife/home you can easily touch £80k per year.

 

[waterlooroader]

Grade 6 you’ll add close to £10k on your basic, if you like the place or not your wife/home you can easily touch £80k per year.

Many thanks for the information.

To be honest I was thinking of saying no to overtime (Sunday's apart) as I will have enough to do trying to learn the job, without worrying about burn out. I work shifts (12 hours) in my current job and don't usually do overtime here for the same reason, I have always been of the theory that rest days are called rest days for a reason.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Many thanks for the information.

To be honest I was thinking of saying no to overtime (Sunday's apart) as I will have enough to do trying to learn the job, without worrying about burn out. I work shifts (12 hours) in my current job and don't usually do overtime here for the same reason, I have always been of the theory that rest days are called rest days for a reason.

Indeed, there is a lot to be said for a flat 3 day week and having your rest days just that.

 

[Rockhopper]

Don’t think you’ll be offered overtime etc until you’ve been signed off?

 

[Allaboard78]

Spent some time at Abergavenny and Little Mill signal boxes today.. What a lovely little box Abergavenny is!

Hows signaling school?

 

[waterlooroader]

Don’t think you’ll be offered overtime etc until you’ve been signed off?

Absolutely, just using it as an example to say that I am not an over-time chaser.

 

[BigRob21]

Just like @waterlooroader I too received an email this evening stating that i have been successful in obtaining one of the roles at WMSC. Absolutely made up if I'm honest as I'm a military veteran who is very new to the rail industry. I had my interview at the back end of July so It's been a long old wait (although, It was to be expected as reading some of the post on here regarding patience).

Happy would be an understatement right now

I wish others on here whom have also applied, the very best of luck

 

[ROCsteadycrew]

Grade 6 you’ll add close to £10k on your basic, if you like the place or not your wife/home you can easily touch £80k per year.

I can see that on 12 hr shifts, do you think that's possible working 8 hr shifts?

 

[waterlooroader]

Just like @waterlooroader I too received an email this evening stating that i have been successful in obtaining one of the roles at WMSC. Absolutely made up if I'm honest as I'm a military veteran who is very new to the rail industry. I had my interview at the back end of July so It's been a long old wait (although, It was to be expected as reading some of the post on here regarding patience).

Happy would be an understatement right now

I wish others on here whom have also applied, the very best of luck

Congratulations mate!

 

[BigRob21]

Congratulations mate!

Cheers buddy and the same goes to you mate!

 

[Averagec123]

Hi all new to the forum.Does any one know a rough figure you would earn as grade 3 signaller in Doncaster as the basic wage is £10k down on current job but no security will my job.Will to work a bit of overtime.cheers

 

[Tom Quinne]

Hi all new to the forum.Does any one know a rough figure you would earn as grade 3 signaller in Doncaster as the basic wage is £10k down on current job but no security will my job.Will to work a bit of overtime.cheers

Probably in the region of £3-5k, although the grade is seeing a huge recruitment drive which will see in the medium term RDW reduce, on paper anyway.

I can see that on 12 hr shifts, do you think that's possible working 8 hr shifts?

Baring in mind on a flat 8hr roster (no 12hrs) you can work 13 turns on the bounce then yes. ROCs have bad sickness and no active duty rates, so there will always be buckets of RDW available to those who wish to work it.

 

[Sunset route]

I can see that on 12 hr shifts, do you think that's possible working 8 hr shifts?

It depends on how the 8hr shifts are composed, in a single staffed location working a 4 weekly rotation it maybe pushing it a bit, but in a multi panel signalling centre with a asymmetrical roster I can see it being possible.

 

[Elliex]

I have under consideration for Mobberley SB anybody else got this?

I have this also

 

[olilee2]

Any suggestions for how long it would take (post signalling school) to pass out on all 4 panels at feltham? Bearing in mind they seem to be short staffed so I imagine would want to get it done quickly

 

[SignallerJohn]

Any suggestions for how long it would take (post signalling school) to pass out on all 4 panels at feltham? Bearing in mind they seem to be short staffed so I imagine would want to get it done quickly

Being short staffed won’t make them pass you out quickly. That’s a recipe for disaster. IMO don’t even think about passing out while working.

Some places happily pass you out on 1 panel so you’re competent to work that. But the problem is it may be the easiest of panels, so you’re stitching up your colleagues because you can only work that 1 panel.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Being short staffed won’t make them pass you out quickly. That’s a recipe for disaster. IMO don’t even think about passing out while working.

Some places happily pass you out on 1 panel so you’re competent to work that. But the problem is it may be the easiest of panels, so you’re stitching up your colleagues because you can only work that 1 panel.

Our new LOM has told the new guys they’ll learn all our panels first then have a mass pass out on each one. In the pass trainees have been passed on the “easy” panel, then than taken 2 years to sign the others as their a resource for rosters once they sign one.

I would also warn against rushing or being in a rush to Sign any panel, your first one is not just learning the panel but the job so will take longer. I’d say for four panels in a multi panel busy location a year maybe?

 

[RedMum77]

Interview done for Futures. That was nerve wracking! He did say that I would hear something within a few days though, which was a surprise. Not sure whether that is a bad sign

 

[Tom Quinne]

You’ve done all you can now, have a glass of wine and chill...really no good digging over every word you said, or trying to call it either way.

Best

 

[RedMum77]

Thanks Tom. I'm just taking half an hour to chill, 1st interview in about 20 years so I've got a bit of post nerves crashdown! From what they said the LOM in the interview was looking at Leicester to Peterborough area, which isnt one I had put down and I would struggle with that in the short term as I currently only have a moped - cannot get driving lessons booked at the moment to continue learning due to ridiculous demand. Thats concerned me a little tbh, as I had put Derby/Staffs down rather than Leicester. I did make it clear that I was intending to be driving ASAP and that I do have my own transport ie moped, but yeah a bit of a niggling worry that

 

[LAX54]

Our new LOM has told the new guys they’ll learn all our panels first then have a mass pass out on each one. In the pass trainees have been passed on the “easy” panel, then than taken 2 years to sign the others as their a resource for rosters once they sign one.

I would also warn against rushing or being in a rush to Sign any panel, your first one is not just learning the panel but the job so will take longer. I’d say for four panels in a multi panel busy location a year maybe?

Back in the 80s and 90's we passed Signallers out when they had done the whole box, ( 3 panels, then a Grade 7), however currently we pass each person out 'per panel' , then they move on, we also have three types of Panel / Workstation, NX, MCS with track circuits, and MCS with Axle Counters the probem is, as stated, pass for one panel, two panels, when the box runs a bit short, you will be pulled in to work it, this then prolongs the learning curve
It is a cdouble edged sword, Siggies are happy, they are not running short, you are happy, as you are getting HGD for the shift, and maybe a rest day too! Downside it will take longer to pass out completely.
Our LOM is now looking at going back to basics, and passing out all in one hit.

I work at Colchester ASC (Anglia) we have two sections the new Norwich-Yarmouth section, self -contained Grade 3, and the main box, 2 x NX and 2 x MCS ( Colchester-Norwich & bits) which are Grade 8, we allow 12 to 18 months to pass out for the Main box, after which you can ask to learn the Grade 3 if you wsih, not compulsary.

 

[Sunset route]

Any suggestions for how long it would take (post signalling school) to pass out on all 4 panels at feltham? Bearing in mind they seem to be short staffed so I imagine would want to get it done quickly

Word of advice “don’t” be in a rush to pass out panels especially in London commuter land.

 

[BigRob21]

Its all go this end and it's safe to say i am busting with excitement. Formal offer received, signed and sent back. Oh, and my medical is booked for Monday in Birmingham (which I'm hopeful will go well).