A career as a signaller

[well-helen@hot]

Tbf. Even that’s not overly correct. Plenty of people take on the higher grade and it’s above their ability. Not many admit this and just fumble their way through the job. This in turn leads to a poor service and situations often playing out far longer than necessary.

Fair enough. I had a good few hours on 2 occasions with some seasoned Signallers who were ex-BR, it was great to watch them work & listen to them talk about it.

 

[Seejwalker]

Fair enough. I had a good few hours on 2 occasions with some seasoned Signallers who were ex-BR, it was great to watch them work & listen to them talk about it.

Some do make it look easy, I can happily concede on that.
You’re a new driver, or just about to start?

 

[nom de guerre]

I think you've taken what I said wrong. I didn't mean easy etc. I was just meaning that once you've been taught everything there shouldn't be anything to worry about.. it looks like a doable job and there was a really good atmosphere there. I was just trying to be reassuring to someone starting a new role and I was congratulating that person.

Well, just to redress the balance slightly, I thought your comment upthread was completely innocuous. It seemed fairly obvious to me that you were simply trying to offer encouragement to another poster.

Anyone triggered by someone describing a signal box as "look(ing) doable" needs to develop a (much!) thicker skin, IMO.

 

[Seejwalker]

Well, just to redress the balance slightly, I thought your comment upthread was completely innocuous. It seemed fairly obvious to me that you were simply trying to offer encouragement to another poster.

Anyone triggered by someone describing a signal box as "look(ing) doable" needs to develop a (much!) thicker skin, IMO.

 

[well-helen@hot]

Well, just to redress the balance slightly, I thought your comment upthread was completely innocuous. It seemed fairly obvious to me that you were simply trying to offer encouragement to another poster.

Anyone triggered by someone describing a signal box as "look(ing) doable" needs to develop a (much!) thicker skin, IMO.

Appreciate it. Absolutely the last thing on my mind was downgrading anyone's job or saying it was easy. Anyway, not here to get into any disagreements or talk about my own career. I was just congratulating someone on their achievement.
I'll sign off now, was here to learn more about the industry but probably not the environment I was looking for.

 

[croydonboy]

There are currently 9 Workstations and there are currently some ongoing discussions about the grades/links for these but at the moment -

Manchester Central
Manchester North
Manchester Oxford Rd

As a Grade 8 regular link


Liverpool Lime St
Liverpool

As a Grade 8 regular link


Wavetree
Wavetree West
Blackpool

As a Grade 6 regular link


Macclesfield

As a Grade 5 regular link.


There are then two regular meal links (at Grade 8) per shift and two SSM's at Grade 10.

thank you very much for that information. Much appreciated! I see jobs for manchester ROC coming up quite frequently. Hopefully if i'm not successful this time around I wont have to wait long for another one to come up!

 

[Donnygaz]

Hi folks, I am a LTL to this group and have read pretty much all of the posts which have provided a great insight into your career, so, as others have said thanks for your time and the experience that you have posted. This has all helped me secure an initial offer for a grade 2 in the Gainsborough area, initially advertised as Barnsley/Gainsborough. I am ‘off the street’ and looking forwards to getting on board ASAP but in the meantime does anybody have any information about shift patterns/ any other information for this area. Many Thanks in advance.

 

[Lpf93]

Hi folks, I am a LTL to this group and have read pretty much all of the posts which have provided a great insight into your career, so, as others have said thanks for your time and the experience that you have posted. This has all helped me secure an initial offer for a grade 2 in the Gainsborough area, initially advertised as Barnsley/Gainsborough. I am ‘off the street’ and looking forwards to getting on board ASAP but in the meantime does anybody have any information about shift patterns/ any other information for this area. Many Thanks in advance.

Aup Gaz,

I think there’s a few Gainsborough ones.
Gainsborough central is mon to fri 0600-1400, 1400-220 and 2200-0600
Saturday 0600-1400 and 1400-2200
Closed Sunday.
Looks to be every other Saturday.
Do you start IST July?

 

[Donnygaz]

Aup Gaz,

I think there’s a few Gainsborough ones.
Gainsborough central is mon to fri 0600-1400, 1400-220 and 2200-0600
Saturday 0600-1400 and 1400-2200
Closed Sunday.
Looks to be every other Saturday.
Do you start IST July?

Hey LPF,

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Not sure on IST as yet, but my medical is not until beginning of June so I doubt it, if you are starting then, good look

Hey LPF,

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Not sure on IST as yet, but my medical is not until beginning of June so I doubt it, if you are starting then, good look

or even luck

 

[Lpf93]

Hey LPF,

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Not sure on IST as yet, but my medical is not until beginning of June so I doubt it, if you are starting then, good look


or even luck

Not there til July so might be on the same course. Be good to have another donny soldier there

 

[SmashingTeaCup]

Curious how long you guys had to wait to hear about the medical? I’ve signed and returned the offer letter, received contract and done all the DBS stuff back in the middle of March but haven’t got anything about the medical yet, I was told a start date on the phone (July 17) but the emails make no mention of this.

 

[Lpf93]

Curious how long you guys had to wait to hear about the medical? I’ve signed and returned the offer letter, received contract and done all the DBS stuff back in the middle of March but haven’t got anything about the medical yet, I was told a start date on the phone (July 17) but the emails make no mention of this.

Speak to HR/recruitment tomorrow. They’ll probably say you should have received an email for it and just book yourself

 

[Open_G]

Curious how long you guys had to wait to hear about the medical? I’ve signed and returned the offer letter, received contract and done all the DBS stuff back in the middle of March but haven’t got anything about the medical yet, I was told a start date on the phone (July 17) but the emails make no mention of this.

I was offered in the April with a start date of the following Jan. Medical happened in November. The company contracted contacted me directly.

 

[cc27]

Hi all, got my interview for a grade 3/4 signaller role later this week. Does anybody have any tips on how to prepare?

 

[Seejwalker]

Hi all, got my interview for a grade 3/4 signaller role later this week. Does anybody have any tips on how to prepare?

I believe interviews are still conducted by “name a time you’ve…..” method.

i.e. You may be asked about a time you had to learn a new process.
Or work as part of a team etc…..

Network Rail are very safety focused and may ask you about their safety vision. This can all be found on their website or a quick Google of “Network Rail safety vision”

They may ask about the life saving rules, don’t worry too hard about memorising them, just remember they have 10. (The person interviewing you certainly won’t remember them so therefore won’t ask you)

The answers don’t have to come from anything exciting, they just have to demonstrate certain qualities.

For example: let’s say you’re currently a cashier at Aldi.

The interviewer asks you to name a time you had to learn a new process.

You might say…. (and don’t worry about lying if the answer is good. They can’t and won’t check.

“We had a new Till system introduced into the store on a Friday evening after closing, the system was expected to go live on the Following Monday and we received a couple of hours training that evening in preparation for then.

Myself and my colleagues didn’t feel we had received enough training for the roll out of this system on Monday and we’re apprehensive to use it.

I really enjoy learning new processes and try to better my understanding of things at any opportunity I get. So
Knowing there was a store that was local to me that already had this system in use I volunteered to shadow a colleague at that store on the Saturday so I could see the system in operation and gain enough knowledge to take the lead in assisting my colleagues on the Monday morning in our store.”

The above demonstrates you enjoy learning, you have the ability to learn new processes and you’re willing to put in the extra work to do so.

Working a till at Aldi is nothing exciting (IMO, no offence to anyone) however that doesn’t mean you can’t draw some relevant experience or at least create one.

Good luck with the interview !! Don’t panic, think about your answer and just be human, i.e. if you feel your answer isn’t going anywhere and you could change it, then just say “sorry, can I restart that as I feel I can give a better example that demonstrates my ability better”

 

[Lpf93]

Hi all, got my interview for a grade 3/4 signaller role later this week. Does anybody have any tips on how to prepare?

See above from SeeJwalker

If possible, try and speak to the LOM so you can visit some of the locations if possible.
I’d recommend trying to memorise all 10 for network rail safety vision however. They’re not hard to remember if you stick at it for 15 minutes and put it into categories… j think it’s don’t and nevers. Shouldn’t really be a memory test but from a LOM perspective, if you can’t remember 10 short sentences, are you going to remember stuff from the rule book?
Try and research some other safety initiatives from network rail such as bossing the crossing too.

 

[simon369]

Is there any part of the medical that people generally fail on? I have my start date of the 10th July but my notice period is 8 weeks which means I only have 2 weeks to hand my notice in but ideally want to hand it in this week. So I can take a weeks holiday before starting as obviously wont get any time off during signaller school, so would be nice to have a family holiday before I start. My only concern is handing in my notice and then failing the medical.

 

[willpilbeam]

Has anyone heard back from the Llandudno, Bangor and Holyhead Grade 2 interviews by anychance.. Going into week 4 now

 

[Seejwalker]

Is there any part of the medical that people generally fail on? I have my start date of the 10th July but my notice period is 8 weeks which means I only have 2 weeks to hand my notice in but ideally want to hand it in this week. So I can take a weeks holiday before starting as obviously wont get any time off during signaller school, so would be nice to have a family holiday before I start. My only concern is handing in my notice and then failing the medical.

Generally straight forward medical mate. Unless you have blood pressure, eyesight or hearing issues you can’t go wrong.
Underlying medical issues can often cause delay, if you have one, I’d recommend getting a doctors letter before the medical and a good contact email for said GP. This would help expedite the follow up process.

Other than that. If you’re in good held health generally, you’ll be fine.

 

[simon369]

Generally straight forward medical mate. Unless you have blood pressure, eyesight or hearing issues you can’t go wrong.
Underlying medical issues can often cause delay, if you have one, I’d recommend getting a doctors letter before the medical and a good contact email for said GP. This would help expedite the follow up process.

Other than that. If you’re in good held health generally, you’ll be fine.

Thanks for that.

I am in good health so should be fine. My only issue would be eyesight. I don't suppose you know what the eyesight requirements are? I have perfect vision with glasses on and my eyesight isn't bad enough that i need to wear them for driving etc.

 

[Lpf93]

Thanks for that.

I am in good health so should be fine. My only issue would be eyesight. I don't suppose you know what the eyesight requirements are? I have perfect vision with glasses on and my eyesight isn't bad enough that i need to wear them for driving etc.

The eye sight tests are for colourblind and just like an opticians with the boards and letters. You look at a mirror and then the sign behind you. I think as long as you can read from the 4th line from the top you’re fine (the letters are still huge) so nothing to worry about

 

[simon369]

Thanks all for your replies! Looks like I am just going to go for it and hand my notice in. Exciting times

 

[Dean1988]

Has anyone heard back from the Llandudno, Bangor and Holyhead Grade 2 interviews by anychance.. Going into week 4 now

Still waiting.

 

[willpilbeam]

Still waiting.

How long has it been for you? The wait is definitely the worst part! Haha

 

[red2512]

How long has it been for you? The wait is definitely the worst part! Haha

It's absolutely killing me!

 

[TreasureHunter]

Can anybody tell me where the training centre for IST in Derby is? I can't seem to find anything about it and been told my training is there on 9th May. Also anybody else on that course?

Hi crunchy potato
I'm on that course in Derby starting 9th May. It's at Mercia House as I asked today and is about one mile from the hotel I will be staying in, at Penta Hotel ,Locomotive Way.
Really looking forward to it, but a bit apprehensive having been in my last job for 20 years. I'm new to signalling coming from a job with Royal Mail so going in with a completely open mind and looking forward to a new career.

 

[willpilbeam]

It's absolutely killing me!

Have they updated you at all about a time line of finding out? I've had two emails back saying the same thing, almost like its automated. Just want to know either way so I'm not checking my emails constantly

 

[red2512]

I've asked 2 or 3 times across the last 3 weeks. Basically keep getting told the end of the week or the next week.

I'm the same, just want to know (praying it's good news), but also the thought of knowing whether or not I'll need to sit tight until October at least (in education) is also a big thing

 

[willpilbeam]

I've asked 2 or 3 times across the last 3 weeks. Basically keep getting told the end of the week or the next week.

I'm the same, just want to know (praying it's good news), but also the thought of knowing whether or not I'll need to sit tight until October at least (in education) is also a big thing

Good Luck, hope get some good news soon

 

[Lpf93]

I've asked 2 or 3 times across the last 3 weeks. Basically keep getting told the end of the week or the next week.

I'm the same, just want to know (praying it's good news), but also the thought of knowing whether or not I'll need to sit tight until October at least (in education) is also a big thing

How many vacancies were there? No news is usually good news as annoying as that is