A career as a signaller

Tom Quinne · 17 Nov 2019

Gallius said:
Can someone please explain the difference between a relief signaller and a signaller? Does a relief signaller get a guaranteed number of hours and the same benefits etc?

Relief Signaller doesn’t know their arse from their elbow roster wise until Thursday dinnertime the week before.

No Sunday work (booked) rest day pattern fixed, but you could have six weeks of nights if operational needs require it.

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300_danny · 17 Nov 2019

Defenestrate said:
See my post a couple above yours.

Matching your CV to the job description and person specification has got to be a good thing - looking at it a lot and making a significant effort can only be a bonus in my opinion.
From my experience, the 70 questions bear a striking resemblance to some of the interview questions, so if yours are solid with good examples then that's ideal...However, as i have said in previous posts, i found that i was able to keep improving my 70Qs for each new application, based on things like previous interviews. I'm unsure if it would help at all, but on the application there is the option to upload your CV, and also a covering letter....now the covering letter is not a requirement, but I adapted an existing one and made it relevant - maybe i was trying too hard? But suppose it's an option.

Don't forget that the initial online test results are also taken into account when candidates for interview are being selected, so depending on how you thought they went, they may help or hinder you. However, as you have had an interview already, it's a positive sign.

I managed to answer all questions on each test but I feel confident that I answered most of them correctly.... but would it be possible my age would come into this I’m only 21 and my occupation is a caretaker over a primary school and a children centre ( 2 sites) and had the site manager leave in February and have been covering all jobs since ( site manager, caretaker and cleaning supervisor over 9 cleaners and doing basic of 48 hours plus over time a week)
I was hoping this would look good due to the amount of multi tasking going from job to job, stress and hitting deadlines in school holidays but funny enough I got the interview when I hardly put any of that in.
But oh well as you said if you never give up and keep trying I’m your previous post you’ll eventually get there!
In first you don’t succeed try try again aye!
But thank you for your response and taking time to reply! Much appreciated

Gallius · 17 Nov 2019

Tom Quinne said:
Relief Signaller doesn’t know their arse from their elbow roster wise until Thursday dinnertime the week before.

No Sunday work (booked) rest day pattern fixed, but you could have six weeks of nights if operational needs require it.

Thanks for the info. I recently applied for a relief signaller role in Rugby. When I applied it said there were three positions but when I look at the advert now it says seven positions. I'm impatiently waiting to see if I get an interview

Tom Quinne · 17 Nov 2019

I saw that one as well, as a SCC relief you’ll (eventually) sign all the workstations in your grade/link covering sick, leave or just short staffing.

4% premium applies to single location relief jobs like Rugby.
Your roster will be fixed rest day pattern you can scale out over a few years if you like, but your actually shift (nights or days) won’t be confirmed until the roster is emailed to you dinner time Thursday for start of the week on Sunday.

Personally I love relief work, as I prefer night turns you’ll always cops nights as a rule on relief. I find you do more “proper signalling” on nights especially after the service has finished you’ll be engaged in possession and link blockage granting most nights so you’ll be busy.

Be aware though unless your LOM decides to put you on 8hr training turns until you sign all your allocated workstations, it could take a long time to sign them all.

You’ll find once you sign one Workstation rosters will use you at their will to plug gaps in the roster.

Best of luck

MylesHSG · 18 Nov 2019

Sunset route said:
You need to get yourself a copy of “The National Rostering Principles” which you can download from the unions website as you can for all the agreements that effect signallers terms and conditions.

Don't get me started on the "National Rostering Principles". I don't think a single roster clerk has ever read them before!

Stodge · 18 Nov 2019

Wondering if anyone can help me with a (rather specific) query?
I have a medical booked in next week and if all goes well, will be awaiting a start date depending on spaces available at signalling school. My wife is pregnant and we are expecting at the end of March, which I fear will be during school based on a start date in the new year. How would I stand if this was the case?

Saracen_83 · 18 Nov 2019

Stodge said:
Wondering if anyone can help me with a (rather specific) query?
I have a medical booked in next week and if all goes well, will be awaiting a start date depending on spaces available at signalling school. My wife is pregnant and we are expecting at the end of March, which I fear will be during school based on a start date in the new year. How would I stand if this was the case?

what is it that you want?

to leave school early in case she goes into labour? Change the date of signalling school? Time off around the due date??

it might be worth talking to your LOM... they can help you out and advise you on the options available....

Stodge · 19 Nov 2019

I wasn't sure what my options would be, or if I would have any at all. With signalling school being 12 weeks and places being booked up well in advance I fear not being able to have any time off during.

To make it a bit more complicated, it's only a 6 month FTC so pushing my start date back I'm guessing wouldn't be an option.

Davieo · 19 Nov 2019

As previously stated, your LOM would be the best person to discuss this with. Due to the fast pace of the training schedule, to take time off during the course you would effectively have to drop out of the class you were in and then have to wait for a space to become available in another class.. however far down the calender that would be.

When I was at York we did have a couple of trainees join our class at later stages who had been dropped back for failing assessments in classes a couple of months ahead of us. This was because we had space in our class from trainees who had dropped out of our class already, for various reasons.

Good luck with everything.

Stodge said:
I wasn't sure what my options would be, or if I would have any at all. With signalling school being 12 weeks and places being booked up well in advance I fear not being able to have any time off during.

To make it a bit more complicated, it's only a 6 month FTC so pushing my start date back I'm guessing wouldn't be an option.

Stodge · 19 Nov 2019

Thanks for the replies Davieo & Saracen I'll drop an email to the LOM

Tom Quinne · 19 Nov 2019

Stodge said:
Wondering if anyone can help me with a (rather specific) query?
I have a medical booked in next week and if all goes well, will be awaiting a start date depending on spaces available at signalling school. My wife is pregnant and we are expecting at the end of March, which I fear will be during school based on a start date in the new year. How would I stand if this was the case?

You’d obviously want time off after the birth so I’d suggest speaking to your LOM once you’ve got your contract signed not before.

They’ll either defer your course date, or try and place you close as possible to hoke so when the birth happens you can be there ASAP.

it’s tricky one, you don’t want to miss your baby’s birth - but you don’t want to have fo wait months and months for a new course date and be stuck on training pay for longer.

RedMum77 · 19 Nov 2019

Hi. So after doing the online tests my application has now changed online to Application under consideration. Nothing mentioned about for assess 2, as I've seen some have. Any insight on what the difference is and if its likely to be bad news? TIA

Rockhopper · 19 Nov 2019

It’s under consideration to see if it’s acceptable to go through for a possible interview. If it then you may well get an under consideration for assessment 2 message. Or you might get an unsuccessful message!

RedMum77 · 19 Nov 2019

Thanks Rockhopper. Wasn't sure if it didn't say the for assess 2 bit if it was more likely to be unsuccessful as Ive seen some go straight to that

MostlyHarmless · 19 Nov 2019

RedMum77 said:
Thanks Rockhopper. Wasn't sure if it didn't say the for assess 2 bit if it was more likely to be unsuccessful as Ive seen some go straight to that

I had an application go to unsuccessful only to receive an email saying there was an error, and now it's sitting at 'Under consideration for assessment 2'. Its just a waiting game unfortunately and the length of time you can wait is infinitely variable!

RedMum77 · 19 Nov 2019

Thanks MostlyHarmless, this is my first application so really unsure what to expect and I see reading through that timescales vary enormously!

Defenestrate · 19 Nov 2019

The application statuses mentioned here are not reliable enough to judge if you'll get an interview or rejection, from my experience.

I've had several applications at the "Under Consideration" stage: some changed to unsuccessful, then another one changed to interview
Equally I've had several applications at the "Under Consideration for Assessment 2" stage: some went to unsuccessful, some went to interview
I guess certain LOMs/Hiring Managers update the recruitment portal in slightly different ways.

The only real way to judge is that "Unsuccessful" means better luck next time, and "Invite to Assessment 2 pending" means you best dig out your suit and get cosy with the 8 NTS.

Amanda · 19 Nov 2019

Hi @RedMum77, did you apply to Derby for grade 7? Mine has changed to "application under consideration" today too!

RedMum77 · 19 Nov 2019

Amanda said:
Hi @RedMum77, did you apply to Derby for grade 7? Mine has changed to "application under consideration" today too!

Hi @Amanda, yes I did. Good luck!

Amanda · 19 Nov 2019

RedMum77 said:
Hi @Amanda, yes I did. Good luck!

Good luck to you too! Aside from the temp position in Shirebrook I got a rejection for last week this is my first proper application that's moved on from "test completed" so I'm pretty much in the same boat as you!

Although funnily enough, I applied for Derby grade 6 in August and there's still no movement on that one yet. Ah, best not to try to understand railway logic....!

RedMum77 · 19 Nov 2019

I was going to apply for Shirebrook but then figured as it was temp it would probably be filled internally so didn't bother in the end. I don't know how many positions are going at Derby but if it's multiple then more chance so here's hoping!

Amanda · 20 Nov 2019

RedMum77 said:
I was going to apply for Shirebrook but then figured as it was temp it would probably be filled internally so didn't bother in the end. I don't know how many positions are going at Derby but if it's multiple then more chance so here's hoping!

Yeah I did think twice about the temporary one at Shirebrook but figured you've got to be in it to win it and by all accounts a temporary job as a signaller is likely to end up being anything but after they've spent all that time training you. Fingers crossed anyway....!

OverTheRails · 21 Nov 2019

Anyone heading to signalling school end of Jan?

Defenestrate · 21 Nov 2019

The G8 + 24% relief signaller job in Woking ASC...wow, some serious money there!

Amanda · 21 Nov 2019

I've been getting a little excited as one of my applications has gone to application under consideration for assessment 2 (Sudbury, which I decided against applying for but then I changed my mind about it).... Then I noticed that another application is now marked unsuccessful whereas it previously said test completed, but when I've looked into the history it looks like that too once said (briefly) it was under consideration for assessment 2, so I guess the one that currently shows that could just as easily magically turn to unsuccessful!

Dan 2513 · 21 Nov 2019

Over the moon!

I just accepted the grade two position at Wickenby SB.
Now starts all the big decisions like pensions. Although I am not too bad with pensions I’d wouldn’t mind some advice on which seems to be the most pop of the two options.

smart or care????

9tfrizzco · 21 Nov 2019

Was unsuccessful for haslemere relief position following interview. I still have an ongoing application for Woking job thats status is still 'test completed' and it's been like that for a while now, a few weeks. Anyone know what might be up with that?

Jay_123 · 21 Nov 2019

Dan 2513 said:
Over the moon!

I just accepted the grade two position at Wickenby SB.
Now starts all the big decisions like pensions. Although I am not too bad with pensions I’d wouldn’t mind some advice on which seems to be the most pop of the two options.

smart or care????

Dan, Im personally a member of the care scheme after leaving the NRDC. Apparently its the better of the two, so Im lead to believe off everyone Ive asked in the company ha. Please dont take this gospel though

High Dyke · 21 Nov 2019

Tom Quinne said:
Relief Signaller doesn’t know their arse from their elbow roster wise until Thursday dinnertime the week before.

No Sunday work (booked) rest day pattern fixed, but you could have six weeks of nights if operational needs require it.

I'm still trying to get permanent nights as a relief. I'm more of a night person as opposed to a day person.

MylesHSG said:
Don't get me started on the "National Rostering Principles". I don't think a single roster clerk has ever read them before!

Pav · 21 Nov 2019

Defenestrate said:
I was looking at the NR page about routes - https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/ - and noticed number 12, the High Speed route, i.e. HS1. It made me wonder about the signalling - is it similar to the rest of the network, just that the trains go faster? Or are there any specific "things" for HS1 only? Where are the signallers based, and what grade etc?
It's not important btw, i'm just curious!

HS1 uses ETCS which is European Train Control System. It is in cab signalling so there are no lineside signals. I used to deal with ETCS on the Cambrian where it has been running as a trial for years, from a signallers perspective it isn't much different. Just some different terminology and some extra forms, other than that its like using WestCad.

A career as a signaller

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