Sunset route
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I might be wrong but all vacancies now appear to be offered at the training grade of grade 2, probably as NR appear to recruiting to area pools instead of actual jobs.
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A career as a signaller
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I might be wrong but all vacancies now appear to be offered at the training grade of grade 2, probably as NR appear to recruiting to area pools instead of actual jobs.
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Biscuit1986
Member
Hope everyone is good 1st of would like to thank people on here for all the advice and help went for an interview for a G7 job and was successful and got offered the job.
So my question is what to expect from the IST training? Is anybody got things to study now trying to be pro active and get a bit of a head start. Thanks
So my question is what to expect from the IST training? Is anybody got things to study now trying to be pro active and get a bit of a head start. Thanks
leep90
Member
I was told at interview it was for pools currently.
As per the new NR deal after the strikes all new external entries to signalling will be a Grade 2 till they past IST.
You are I believe a pool Signaller. Therefore once you pass IST you theoretically have to "apply" for a job internally to any of the panels at the ROC. Once you start you'll be get given a LOM and speak to them about this whole thing cause it's a new thing being introduced.
Also with Shift pattern I can't tell you as it's different for each link. But we have the new 60hr roster so no more than 5 days in a row. All shifts are 12hrs here too.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Ive also attached below my roster for August. So you can have a vuage idea of what it looks like.
Attachments
bhabloke
Member
That is exceptionally helpful. The advert mentioned a pool of signallers based at Three Bridges ROC but no mention of having to apply for an internal post after qualifying at IST. I have a much better understanding now. The shift pattern gives a good idea of hours worked and I am grateful for the reply. I will have to look out for you when I get there (hopefully I pass)
Cheers
Sunset route
Established Member
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A pool Signaller at the TBROC could quite easily end up at TBASC or vice versa as we currently have two TBROC pool signallers learning our panels at the moment.
Oh yes! Keep forgetting it's literally across the road
SmashingTeaCup
Member
Could you clarify what does the SB10 and SP12 stuff mean?
LJC2023
Member
Hello
Just wondering if anyone is able to provide the pay days for network rail for this year? Tried to have a look but couldn’t anything for this years. Start on the 30 October fingers crossed & would like to take some time off in between finishing at my old job and starting here.
Any advice would be appreciated so I can try figure out where I stand.
Thanks
Just wondering if anyone is able to provide the pay days for network rail for this year? Tried to have a look but couldn’t anything for this years. Start on the 30 October fingers crossed & would like to take some time off in between finishing at my old job and starting here.
Any advice would be appreciated so I can try figure out where I stand.
Thanks
Sunset route
Established Member
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 1,202
This is the 4 weekly pay pattern
Attachments
LJC2023
Member
That’s great. Thank you
SP12 is my GPR shifts, and SB10 is my signalles briefing day which is rostered for 10 hrs
Gbsignaller
New Member
Does anyone have the roster for Upminster please that they could share ? Had an interview 13/07 I hope to find out soon.
Last edited:
Paul88
Member
21st July, 18th Aug, 15th Sept, 13th Oct, 10th Nov, 8th Dec, 5th Jan (every 4 weeks - always on a Friday)
LJC2023
Member
Thank you!
Back Coursed Due to Health
Hi guys, so I managed to pull my back during my time at IST. I have obviously been off sick for this reason and will complete my training soon once I am feeling better. I wondered if anyone could offer advice/experience on being back coursed and how that worked with regards to exams. I was at the end of week 8 so passed week 4 obs, 1st written exam and the week 8 obs. If anyone has been in a similar situation to explain which exams you would resit again? I am potentially expecting to join a course but not right back at week 1. Thanks for any help on this
Hi guys, so I managed to pull my back during my time at IST. I have obviously been off sick for this reason and will complete my training soon once I am feeling better. I wondered if anyone could offer advice/experience on being back coursed and how that worked with regards to exams. I was at the end of week 8 so passed week 4 obs, 1st written exam and the week 8 obs. If anyone has been in a similar situation to explain which exams you would resit again? I am potentially expecting to join a course but not right back at week 1. Thanks for any help on this
You would normally start back at the last assessment point that you passed.
Thanks for your reply. That’s good to know just need to wait and see when I’m ready to return to see how it all falls in to place.
I hope you feel better soon, bad backs are a nuisance.
Thank you. They certainly are. I was so close to the end of training too so my heads in a shed
Goggins
Member
Just curious if anyone is on a course in October, I've got a start date of 9th of October, but no confirmation of signalling school start or location. I'm in the North Wales area.
My IST course is October 22nd in Bristol, Which is just by Parkway station
My LOM reckons there's only four people nationwide that are competent to undertake IST, so I'd hedge my bets on it being the same one!
Goggins
Member
What was your start date? I've completed everything, just waiting for a medical appointment to be sent over
SWTurbo
Member
Had a look all over but to no avail, does anyone have a list/know of the PSBs in Scotland that are still operational (and their coverage areas if known)? TIA.
The Puddock
Member
We don’t use the phrase PSB in Scotland, we call them Signalling Centres (SC) instead.
If by PSB you mean boxes with panels/workstations vice levers then its:
Dumfries
Kilmarnock
West of Scotland
Yoker
Banavie
Edinburgh
Stirling SAK
Perth
Dundee
Aberdeen
Inverness
The areas of covereage are complicated to describe so you’re probably better looking at a Quail map for that.
Out of that list the large multi-manned centres are:
West of Scotland (11 workstations and two SSMs)
Edinburgh (9 workstations, an SSM and assistant SSM/Regulator),
Yoker (2 workstations)
Banavie (2 RETB workstations)
Inverness (2 RETB workststions, 1 WestCAD workstation, 1 NX panel)
The rest of the list are all single manned apart from Stirling SAK but that’s a bit of an odd set up as it’s effect a signalbox-within-a-signalbox.
Finally a few single manned mechanical boxes also have a panel or workstation as well as a lever frame.
That’s nonsense, there are more than four trainers nationally.
Hi All,
I’ve been reading through this thread on various bits and bobs about signalling and have put in an application for the grade 9 Wimbledon ASC. I have searched for more information using the search thread but there isn’t much information out there. Can anyone tell me more about the location? Is it an 8 hour or 12 hour location? Anyone have a rota? What is overtime opportunity like? Does this location come into the 60 hours a week cap? How busy is the location (I know it’s grade 9) does it feel like a grade 9? Lastly, I know this is subjective but realistically average earning per month with overtime e.t.c? Take home preferably… Also anything else you think is important to add will be great thanks.
I’ve been reading through this thread on various bits and bobs about signalling and have put in an application for the grade 9 Wimbledon ASC. I have searched for more information using the search thread but there isn’t much information out there. Can anyone tell me more about the location? Is it an 8 hour or 12 hour location? Anyone have a rota? What is overtime opportunity like? Does this location come into the 60 hours a week cap? How busy is the location (I know it’s grade 9) does it feel like a grade 9? Lastly, I know this is subjective but realistically average earning per month with overtime e.t.c? Take home preferably… Also anything else you think is important to add will be great thanks.
Jaytee1977
Member
Does anyone in here work at the York ROC? I was just wondering what the shift patterns are like for Grade 3 signallers there and what shift bonus and overtime availability is like. Many thanks
gator op
Member
So yesterday I finally had my Signaller Medical and have met the standard to be a signaller 
I have had loads of good information from this site and really I want to give some thing back to help contribute and help others trying to get into the signalling world.
My experience is from a internal prospective but I think it would apply to external applicants too. Here's my thoughts and I welcome anybody to add to this which will help others
1. Age is not an issue. - I've noticed people come into signalling roles from all walks of life and at all ages. While I've been working for NR for 2.5 years I've just got into signalling at the age of 46!
2. Apply Apply Apply! - I've done loads of applications and got nowhere with them. Don't give up and keep applying. Plenty of vacancies don't get many applications because people think the competition is too fierce. People accept jobs and change their mind after really seeing what's involved, people get better grade jobs in other boxes etc. You never know what the situation is regarding recruitment.
Think of it this way. NR advertise higher grade jobs externally and its likely they advertised them internally beforehand. The fact they are shown externally suggests internally they had no suitable candidates or little interest. Go for it, eye of the tiger s**t. Why not you???
3. Application - Signaller jobs used to have 70 questions and internally its now changed to 21. (Not sure on external jobs). Either way go into the application and cut & paste the questions into a MS Word document which then can be saved.
This gives you the chance to really look at the question properly and structure a suitable answer. Some are yes/no and simple stuff. Some questions ask you to give an example of when you demonstrated a skill or behaviour and there is a word limit on these. all this can be checked and sorted in your word document.
When it comes to applying you have a document you can simply cut and paste your answers into the application saving time.
4. STARR - Whether you are asked to demonstrate a skill or behaviour in your online questions detailed above or in your interview, try to answer your questions using the STARR method.
S- Situation. E.G I was working with the NR Aspro team at X Level Crossing . I was there as a representative for NR as some road resurfacing work was taking place alongside the crossing and station by Rotherham Council. I was there to ensure NR assets were unaffected by the councils work and to address any query's from motorists, railway users and lineside customers. While I was there a car broke down on the level crossing.
T - Task - E.G Remove the vehicle from the level crossing safely without affecting the rail services.
A - Action E.G I rushed over to the vehicle in a attempt to push the vehicle clear of the crossing. The vehicle behind had also entered the crossing too so I instructed the driver to reverse clear of the crossing and with the help of the driver was able to move the first car clear of the crossing.
R - Result - E.G I was able to move the vehicle into a position of safety without affecting train services and without making a emergency call to the signaller to stop trains.
R- Reflection - E.G I felt I would make the decision again and probably should have been positioned myself closer to the crossing to react quicker to the situation.
5. CV - If you can try and demonstrate some of the keys skills. - E.G Communication, Following rules, standards, procedures, working in regulated environment, Commitment to safety or working in a safety environment etc etc.
Look at the key skills for the job and tailor your CV to demonstrate these skills.
6. Research - I would recommend if your applying for a particular box, it does no harm to go and visit it and understand the job.
Things you may want to write down or take of:
ELR - Engineering Line Reference . EG NSS.
Lines At Site - E.G Up Stoke, Down Stoke.
Line Speeds - E.G 60 mph for both.
Is there any points to control?
What are the neighbouring Signal Boxes?
How many signals are you controlling?
7. These are some examples of the questions that may be asked:
What skills and attributes can I bring to the role?
What do you think you would enjoy about the role?
What do you think the challenges will be to be successful?
Why do you want to become a Signaller?
What things do you feel you will be dealing with on a day-to-day basis?
What do you know about the box you have applied for? Have you visited it?
What do you know about Signaller School (IST)?
Tell us a time when you have had to deal with a difficult situation or make a difficult decision?
Tell us a time when you needed to stay alert for long period of time?
Tell us a time when you have needed to communicate a important message?
Please explain what diversity and inclusion means to you?
Please note this is from memory and a external interview may be different and the questions are from memory and not word for word. I'm sure there's questions I've missed too.
Last thing is to remember that safety is a key indicator. Let me say that again. SAFETY is a key indicator. Know NR's safety vision and learn the 10 lifesaving rules. If your examples demonstrate your commitment to safety, speaking up if you feel something is wrong, making decisions which follow procedure and safety at the forefront, then you are on a good start.
Hope this helps somebody.
I have had loads of good information from this site and really I want to give some thing back to help contribute and help others trying to get into the signalling world.
My experience is from a internal prospective but I think it would apply to external applicants too. Here's my thoughts and I welcome anybody to add to this which will help others
1. Age is not an issue. - I've noticed people come into signalling roles from all walks of life and at all ages. While I've been working for NR for 2.5 years I've just got into signalling at the age of 46!
2. Apply Apply Apply! - I've done loads of applications and got nowhere with them. Don't give up and keep applying. Plenty of vacancies don't get many applications because people think the competition is too fierce. People accept jobs and change their mind after really seeing what's involved, people get better grade jobs in other boxes etc. You never know what the situation is regarding recruitment.
Think of it this way. NR advertise higher grade jobs externally and its likely they advertised them internally beforehand. The fact they are shown externally suggests internally they had no suitable candidates or little interest. Go for it, eye of the tiger s**t. Why not you???
3. Application - Signaller jobs used to have 70 questions and internally its now changed to 21. (Not sure on external jobs). Either way go into the application and cut & paste the questions into a MS Word document which then can be saved.
This gives you the chance to really look at the question properly and structure a suitable answer. Some are yes/no and simple stuff. Some questions ask you to give an example of when you demonstrated a skill or behaviour and there is a word limit on these. all this can be checked and sorted in your word document.
When it comes to applying you have a document you can simply cut and paste your answers into the application saving time.
4. STARR - Whether you are asked to demonstrate a skill or behaviour in your online questions detailed above or in your interview, try to answer your questions using the STARR method.
S- Situation. E.G I was working with the NR Aspro team at X Level Crossing . I was there as a representative for NR as some road resurfacing work was taking place alongside the crossing and station by Rotherham Council. I was there to ensure NR assets were unaffected by the councils work and to address any query's from motorists, railway users and lineside customers. While I was there a car broke down on the level crossing.
T - Task - E.G Remove the vehicle from the level crossing safely without affecting the rail services.
A - Action E.G I rushed over to the vehicle in a attempt to push the vehicle clear of the crossing. The vehicle behind had also entered the crossing too so I instructed the driver to reverse clear of the crossing and with the help of the driver was able to move the first car clear of the crossing.
R - Result - E.G I was able to move the vehicle into a position of safety without affecting train services and without making a emergency call to the signaller to stop trains.
R- Reflection - E.G I felt I would make the decision again and probably should have been positioned myself closer to the crossing to react quicker to the situation.
5. CV - If you can try and demonstrate some of the keys skills. - E.G Communication, Following rules, standards, procedures, working in regulated environment, Commitment to safety or working in a safety environment etc etc.
Look at the key skills for the job and tailor your CV to demonstrate these skills.
6. Research - I would recommend if your applying for a particular box, it does no harm to go and visit it and understand the job.
Things you may want to write down or take of:
ELR - Engineering Line Reference . EG NSS.
Lines At Site - E.G Up Stoke, Down Stoke.
Line Speeds - E.G 60 mph for both.
Is there any points to control?
What are the neighbouring Signal Boxes?
How many signals are you controlling?
7. These are some examples of the questions that may be asked:
What skills and attributes can I bring to the role?
What do you think you would enjoy about the role?
What do you think the challenges will be to be successful?
Why do you want to become a Signaller?
What things do you feel you will be dealing with on a day-to-day basis?
What do you know about the box you have applied for? Have you visited it?
What do you know about Signaller School (IST)?
Tell us a time when you have had to deal with a difficult situation or make a difficult decision?
Tell us a time when you needed to stay alert for long period of time?
Tell us a time when you have needed to communicate a important message?
Please explain what diversity and inclusion means to you?
Please note this is from memory and a external interview may be different and the questions are from memory and not word for word. I'm sure there's questions I've missed too.
Last thing is to remember that safety is a key indicator. Let me say that again. SAFETY is a key indicator. Know NR's safety vision and learn the 10 lifesaving rules. If your examples demonstrate your commitment to safety, speaking up if you feel something is wrong, making decisions which follow procedure and safety at the forefront, then you are on a good start.
Hope this helps somebody.