A career as a signaller

[Tom Quinne]

Private healthcare for Controllers 2 and 3 gets my vote.

Would that be health shield or a proper cover like BUPA, if it’s offered to controller grades maybe it should be offered across the baord ?

What are the proposed new inner/outer LAs?

Headline increase only of 3.2%.

 

[Highlandspring]

Would that be health shield or a proper cover like BUPA, if it’s offered to controller grades maybe it should be offered across the baord ?

It’s BUPA. Yes, it should certainly be across all the grades along with free/PRIV travel but we all know how well that campaign is going.

 

[GingerRH]

What are the proposed new inner/outer LAs?

Nothing new as such, just increase current rates by 3.2% and removal of south east allowance for all new starters and promotions.

 

[Tom Quinne]

It’s BUPA. Yes, it should certainly be across all the grades along with free/PRIV travel but we all know how well that campaign is going.

Western Route staff get a substantial discount on GWR now, and Wessex staff got free? on South West Trains during the alliance period.

I’m wondering if the Transport for Wales operation will see fit to offer Wales route staff any concession.

Proper BUPA cover is a very nice perk that’s for sure.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Nothing new as such, just increase current rates by 3.2% and removal of south east allowance for all new starters and promotions.

It’s one of those things where it’s do we sell out the new guys to feather our own nests or so we bat it back and say no.

I noticed the 4 month standstill on filling vacancies is possibly going, or at least talks towards.
Is my understanding right that there is an agreement to not fill vacancies for 16 weeks after the person has left ?
I assume this is a legacy agreement to bump up RDW for a period ?

 

[Highlandspring]

Western Route staff get a substantial discount on GWR now, and Wessex staff got free? on South West Trains during the alliance period.

Scotland Route staff get nothing despite having been issued with ScotRail branded name badges, lanyards and uniform jackets!

 

[Southernsig]

A big ‘if’, given that Year 2 of that offer is linked to CPI.

And more importantly on that offer no compulsory redundancies has been removed!

Out of solidarity for our colleagues in outer boxes etc who in years to come could potentially be in a vulnerable position that will at some point close we cant aford to lose the no compulsory redundancies. Once that is gone we will never get it back.

 

[LimeStSte]

And I was your Roster Clerk haha

You got Eccles didn't you?

 

[Tom Quinne]

And more importantly on that offer no compulsory redundancies has been removed!

Out of solidarity for our colleagues in outer boxes etc who in years to come could potentially be in a vulnerable position that will at some point close we cant aford to lose the no compulsory redundancies. Once that is gone we will never get it back.

Here, Here.
I think the age profile of our grade is such that there isn’t the need for compulsory redundancies, if the process is managed right.

 

[bouff34]

Hi,

Can someone please tell me where Brighton ECR, New England Road is? I can see Network Rail/Colas Rail Combined Engineering Depot on Google Street View - is that the same place? Am I likely to be able to park there (I suspect not)?

Sorry, relevance to this thread is I have an interview!

Thanks,

 

[Cavan]

Anyone know what shifts the boxes on the York to Harrogate line work?

 

[LeGrimpeur]

Thanks for all the fantastic advice so far all.
Interviews now so I hope I’m nearly over the line.



Couple more questions sorry.

For the first twelve months you are on a grade lower pay. Do you still get the bank hol/ Sunday/ regional allowance extras or is it the bare bones advertised salary (for the grade below)?

Does Bognor Regis qualify for any regional allowance pay bonus?

Ive found info on here about Reigate plus the helpful post above.
Can’t find any info on Bognor Regis box as my google searches keep coming up with the old box that was preserved.
Can anyone tell me what area it covers, what stock and companies run on it, what type of box it is etc?

Much appreciated.

 

[LeGrimpeur]

Reigate seems to be generally well-liked. A nice traditional box with a small lever frame, recently upgraded to a 4. Not too busy (8-10/tph) and an opportunity to gain level crossing experience with an MCB, CCTV and AHBC. Service is a mixture of GWR Gatwick-Reading DMUs and terminating Southern EMUs (the line is only electrified as far west as Reigate). A couple of sidings by the station. 8hr roster.

The only complaints I’ve heard relate to the often-congested local roads - including the M25 - which can extend the drive to/from the box.

Thankyou @nom de guerre

 

[Tom Quinne]

Thanks for all the fantastic advice so far all.
Interviews now so I hope I’m nearly over the line.



Couple more questions sorry.

For the first twelve months you are on a grade lower pay. Do you still get the bank hol/ Sunday/ regional allowance extras or is it the bare bones advertised salary (for the grade below)?

Does Bognor Regis qualify for any regional allowance pay bonus?

Ive found info on here about Reigate plus the helpful post above.
Can’t find any info on Bognor Regis box as my google searches keep coming up with the old box that was preserved.
Can anyone tell me what area it covers, what stock and companies run on it, what type of box it is etc?

Much appreciated.

You’ll get full pay and all the extras as soon as you pass out competent to work alone, whether that be 6 months in or whatever.

I don’t think Bognor would get any south eastern regional Allowance I’m afraid.

 

[nom de guerre]

Hi,

Can someone please tell me where Brighton ECR, New England Road is? I can see Network Rail/Colas Rail Combined Engineering Depot on Google Street View - is that the same place? Am I likely to be able to park there (I suspect not)?

Sorry, relevance to this thread is I have an interview!

Yes, that's the entrance. The ECR itself is the light grey building next to the Brighton - London lines, surrounded by parked white NR vehicles.

The compound is quite large so there shouldn't be a problem parking, but it might be worth checking with HR.

HTH and good luck.

 

[bouff34]

Yes, that's the entrance. The ECR itself is the grey building surrounded by parked white NR vehicles.

The compound is quite large so there shouldn't be a problem parking, but it might be worth checking with HR.

HTH and good luck.

Thank you so much!

 

[nom de guerre]

Does Bognor Regis qualify for any regional allowance pay bonus?

Can’t find any info on Bognor Regis box as my google searches keep coming up with the old box that was preserved.
Can anyone tell me what area it covers, what stock and companies run on it, what type of box it is etc?

I think you may be confusing Barnham with Bognor. The old Barnham box was preserved in 2009; Bognor Regis remains open (semaphores and all!).

Bognor is an AB, lever frame box controlling a mixture of semaphore and colour light signals. A classic Southern Region Art Deco Odeon design - living heritage. It controls the Bognor Regis branch as far as the approach to Barnham, fringing with the new Barnham SB.

TOCs? Almost exclusively Southern. (Worth bookmarking this site - useful research tool.) Stock? Mainly 313 and 377 EMUs.

The only allowance Bognor may qualify for is SE allowance (around £1K/pa). It's certainly located in the qualifying area, but I'm not sure whether the company are currently paying SE allowance to new entrants. You'd be perfectly entitled to clarify this as one of your interview questions.

Good luck!

 

[LeGrimpeur]

@nom de guerre superstar cheers

 

[leomc1627]

Does anyone know when dullingham box is due for closure as when looking it was supposed to have closed in 2017 are you not worried that potentially we will all be out off a job in the next couple off years

 

[Danc87]

It’s one of those things where it’s do we sell out the new guys to feather our own nests or so we bat it back and say no.

I noticed the 4 month standstill on filling vacancies is possibly going, or at least talks towards.
Is my understanding right that there is an agreement to not fill vacancies for 16 weeks after the person has left ?
I assume this is a legacy agreement to bump up RDW for a period ?

bat for the new guys most the jobs ive applied for are based in the southeast

 

[Danc87]

future signaller vacancy in strood post has come up grade 2 but says something about pooling a talent pool any idea if this is anytime soon?

 

[Danc87]

and there is a grade 3 haslmere relief job but doesnt say how long relief is for anyone know more

 

[Cavan]

Someone explained to you on a previous page what a relief job is.......read page 127 again if you missed it.

 

[Danc87]

Someone explained to you on a previous page what a relief job is.......read page 127 again if you missed it.

but this one is advertised completley different i just wanted to get some info on it sorry for being a pain

 

[Danc87]

so how much notice does a relief worker get to be notified they have to work? as i understand they dont have a set roster and how many shifts a month are they required to work

 

[Cavan]

The adverts are not "completely different" - the Feltham job is a relief job at a large signalling centre where you would cover turns at that location that need to be covered due to staff not being available for any number of reasons (this attracts a 4% allowance on top of the basic salary). A relief signaller whose home station is Haslemere would also cover turns where staff are not available, but the relief staff at Haslemere would also cover a couple of other signal boxes either side of that location, on any given day you could be covering a turn at one of several (single manned) boxes.

The higher a relief payment (in the Haslemere case 18%) the greater the distance in mile terms from your home location you will cover.

You ask "how long" a relief job is? As said before a relief job is a full time permanent job (unless advertised as a fixed term contract). You will be appointed as a relief signaller. If you wanted to move to a different box/location/non-relief job you would need to wait for the vacancy to come up and apply for said job.

I appreciate this is a long thread, however, I personally find that if you do a search "on this thread only" in the search box, many issues have already been answered re locations, shifts and various other points which will help with your research. You could try searches for "Feltham", "Haselmere", "relief" which will all bring up information (for example, doing that I found out what boxes a Haslemere relief man covers).

 

[Highlandspring]

so how much notice does a relief worker get to be notified they have to work? as i understand they dont have a set roster and how many shifts a month are they required to work

The final roster is published at 1200 on the Thursday of the week prior to the roster commencing on the Sunday. For relief staff a shift can be changed at any time up to 48 hours of it commencing but within 48 hours they - in theory at least - have to get your agreement to any change. As a relief you’ll have a fixed pattern (“base roster”) of rest days; so you’ll know that for example you’re rest day Friday and Saturday of a particular week but you won’t know what you’re working Monday to Thursday until the roster is published on the Thursday of the week prior.

 

[Danc87]

The adverts are not "completely different" - the Feltham job is a relief job at a large signalling centre where you would cover turns at that location that need to be covered due to staff not being available for any number of reasons (this attracts a 4% allowance on top of the basic salary). A relief signaller whose home station is Haslemere would also cover turns where staff are not available, but the relief staff at Haslemere would also cover a couple of other signal boxes either side of that location, on any given day you could be covering a turn at one of several (single manned) boxes.

The higher a relief payment (in the Haslemere case 18%) the greater the distance in mile terms from your home location you will cover.

You ask "how long" a relief job is? As said before a relief job is a full time permanent job (unless advertised as a fixed term contract). You will be appointed as a relief signaller. If you wanted to move to a different box/location/non-relief job you would need to wait for the vacancy to come up and apply for said job.

I appreciate this is a long thread, however, I personally find that if you do a search "on this thread only" in the search box, many issues have already been answered re locations, shifts and various other points which will help with your research. You could try searches for "Feltham", "Haselmere", "relief" which will all bring up information (for example, doing that I found out what boxes a Haslemere relief man covers).

i didnt mean how long the job is for i meant how much notice do they give you before calling you for a shift?

 

[Highlandspring]

See my post directly above yours.

 

[TheScolly]

You got Eccles didn't you?

Yes mate, Eccles Relief I got. Just finished rostering yesterday and start school on 28th January at Basingstoke.

Think one of the last things I did was move you to your new location!

Good Luck mate, been a pleasure rostering you.