Highlandspring
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^ fixed that for you.
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A career as a signaller
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Tom Quinne
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Can you elaborate on why they are the best mate. Is it because you get paid more for Sunday’s, quieter etc. I’m pretty sure my ASC is an 8hour Sunday box but would be good to know what other rosters are like8 hour roster with 12 hour Sundays are the best
Sunset route
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I’ve worked both 8hr and 12hr Sunday based rosters.
My first roster (in the late 80s into the early 90s) was an 8hr roster that involved double on to nights and double back off of nights which ment 14:00-22:00 on Saturday double back to 06:00-14:00 Sunday morning then back again 22:00-06:00 on Sunday night, work a week of nights with a rest day off on one of the days. Then 22:00-06-00 Saturday night, double back to 14:00-22-00 on Sunday afternoon and then double back again to 06:00-14-00 on Monday morning all worked over multiple of 3 weekly cycles. Thank god those days are long since behind us, as they were truly meat grinding killers!!!!
On the roster where we worked 12hr Sunday’s on the 8hr roster, it was just to get an extra Sunday off on the 4 weekly cycle that the roster rotated through. Where by you worked a week of nights every 4 weeks.
My current roster we still work an 8hr roster including Sunday’s, we work two single weeks of nights in every 11 week rotation (or every 5 1/2 weeks if we constructed it that way) then our roster rotates though multiples of the 11 weeks cylcles plus one half cycle to cover all the required jobs.
The big improvement from my early days as a signalman to a signaller now is no doublling back and that I work night shift less than I used too. I’ve gone from working a week of nights once every 3 weeks, to once every 4 weeks, through once every 5 weeks and now once every 5 1/2 weeks on average on the current roster (ie once every 5 weeks then 6 weeks).
There are as many variations of roster out there as there signalling locations and I guarantee that every large PSB, ASC, SCC, IECC and ROC will have a unique roster based around it’s own needs and local conditions.
But I have said before, none of this really matters if you want a job as a signaller on network rail, get a job first and then use the internal vacancy list to move if the box hours don’t suit and there is no chance of them changing.
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thank you for that very informative look at what your past roster looked like. From the sounds of it I’ve heard that mine is a good rotation but I won’t know until I start and obviously pass out which will be a while from now anyway.
I think some folk on here are in danger of reading through. The recruitment is a 4 stage process in effect:
1. Psychometric testing
2. Interview
3. Signalling School
4. Passing out the 'box.
As mentioned above there are a series of questions in order to pass stage 1; they are looking to test the NTS and take a view as to whether you as the interviewee can get to stage 4 after stage 2. They are not looking for "know it alls", as you maybe able to understand the theory but if the NTS display an inability to apply what you have learned in practice it is at the end of the day; frankly irrelevant.
1. Psychometric testing
2. Interview
3. Signalling School
4. Passing out the 'box.
As mentioned above there are a series of questions in order to pass stage 1; they are looking to test the NTS and take a view as to whether you as the interviewee can get to stage 4 after stage 2. They are not looking for "know it alls", as you maybe able to understand the theory but if the NTS display an inability to apply what you have learned in practice it is at the end of the day; frankly irrelevant.
Tom Quinne
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August, id give them a shout mate, I know the North & West is significantly short of staff.
Thanks Tom. I will do.
signal2112
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Just got an email stating unsuccessful now for Bedlington, must be it for me either I didn’t make the cut or the positions never got created,
u guys had any communication from them?
Yeah I got the same. I’ve asked Hr whether or not I wasn’t good enough, or if the positions never got the go ahead.
Danny Walker
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Hi guys, new to the forum and just wanted a bit of advice and insight.
I currently work for network rail on the tools as a team leader and have always been interested in a signallers job for some reason. I'm now pretty bored of being on the tools as it can be quite repetitive as it's maintenance, so I've been looking at signaller jobs.
I get paid very well in my current position which makes going to most other jobs without taking a pay cut hard, so I'd have to be looking at probably a grade 8/9 signaller - is it possible to go straight in this high?
I am also very ambitious and I'm only young (24) so I was wondering what is the career progression like? As in where can you move up to in the hierarchy chain? I like to push myself so would want to move up the chain as and when I would be ready.
Has anyone else made the move from maintenance or on the tools, if so what's your experience on it?
Many thanks if anyone can help.
Danny
I currently work for network rail on the tools as a team leader and have always been interested in a signallers job for some reason. I'm now pretty bored of being on the tools as it can be quite repetitive as it's maintenance, so I've been looking at signaller jobs.
I get paid very well in my current position which makes going to most other jobs without taking a pay cut hard, so I'd have to be looking at probably a grade 8/9 signaller - is it possible to go straight in this high?
I am also very ambitious and I'm only young (24) so I was wondering what is the career progression like? As in where can you move up to in the hierarchy chain? I like to push myself so would want to move up the chain as and when I would be ready.
Has anyone else made the move from maintenance or on the tools, if so what's your experience on it?
Many thanks if anyone can help.
Danny
Tom Quinne
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Yes it is possible to attain a Grade 7/8/9 off the street/out if Grade, 3 blokes on my course came off the street to them, one was from "off track".
Don't be fooled by the glossy adverts, and Hollywood movies being a signaller can be as dull as watch water evaporate in the desert. In fact it's 99% repetitive tasks with that 1% where we earn your money.
Career progression wish, definitely you can go to Grade 10 Shift Signalling Mansger, Local Operations Manager (pay drop from signaller grades), or Control functions your Pway experience might lend itself to Fault Controller or infrastructure Controller maybe.
The huge advantage you'll have is your access, and eligibility to apply for internal jobs.
Best of luck.
Don't be fooled by the glossy adverts, and Hollywood movies being a signaller can be as dull as watch water evaporate in the desert. In fact it's 99% repetitive tasks with that 1% where we earn your money.
Career progression wish, definitely you can go to Grade 10 Shift Signalling Mansger, Local Operations Manager (pay drop from signaller grades), or Control functions your Pway experience might lend itself to Fault Controller or infrastructure Controller maybe.
The huge advantage you'll have is your access, and eligibility to apply for internal jobs.
Best of luck.
Hi Malc77, I'm due to start then - been given a verbal start date of 12th Nov and starting at York on 19th. Just waiting on my formal confirmation email. Congrats and see you there - where will you be based after passing the course?
Danny Walker
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Thanks for the reply mate. I'm not actually from P-way I'm from the electrification department so everything electrical. I think a lot of jobs on the railway are pretty similar in that we spend a lot of the time doing repetitive then earn our money every now and then!
The career progression sounds pretty appealing, it's one of my main things I look for as I tend to like to progress and not sit in the same job for too long asi likens continued challenge!
Thanks for the help,
Danny
Congrats. So was that for the Bedlington position?
Hi guys, just got told I’m starting signalling school in york on the 5th November. Just wondering if anybody knows what happens at signalling school over Christmas and New Year? Do we go to York some of the week then get the bank holidays off or does the course have a two week break?
Hi and congrats on getting your place sorted.
I’ve just completed my first week at York. School ends on 21st December and starts again on 7th Jan, so it’s closed for the two weeks. However, what happens with you during this time may be dependent upon your LOM.
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Seaside Treats
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Hi- I had an interview for Pontrilas and received an 'unsuccessful' early Thursday afternoon (after an unsuccessful for Tram Inn on Monday). On the basis that the 'nos' travel faster than the 'yeses' you might be in with a shout. Let me know, and good luck.
Thanks for that. I will let you know when or if I hear anything.
Sunset route
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At a guess but don’t quote me, they are probably still going through the enteral displacement process with Kings Cross’s existing signallers and SSMs to see who does and who doesn’t want to migrate and follow their work to York, before they start to backfill any of the remaining vacancies.
Got an interview confirmed for a grade 2 box next week. Read this thread once start to finish a few months back and doing it again. One question I have:
When they ask the questions do they telegraph it so you know which of the 8 skills that particular question is looking for?
When they ask the questions do they telegraph it so you know which of the 8 skills that particular question is looking for?
SignallerJohn
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Aye, they will say, for example:
“Describe a time you were conscientious in your workplace?”.
Excellent thank you. Makes prep a smidge easier.
Tom Quinne
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South Eastern isn’t it ?
nom de guerre
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I don't want to sound unnecessarily harsh, but even the most basic of internet searches will answer this question.
Wainfleet is in Lincolnshire!
Gemz91
Member
Just had to look up what that even meant!