A career as a signaller

[Saracen_83]

You can ask the question to HR, however it is most likely you will just have to wait and retake the tests in 6 months time.

I would make the assumption you just failed the tests unfortunately and didn’t reach the benchmark.

 

[Kraken]

Hi All,
I recieved a letter to say that I didn’t hit the required benchmark after the test having applied for one of the vacant Oakham posistions. Frustratingly I thought I did well - however Im worried one of the test didn’t submit correctly due to some technical issues I was having at the time. Would receiving that response regarding the bench mark score suggest I failed the tests or that I didn’t recieved a high enough score to be taken to interview.. I’m concerned that I won’t be able to apply for any other positions that become available. I see this as the perfect career choice for me and hoping to be able to re test due to the issues I faced. Thanks in advance

Have you emailed HR? I had some issues with an application and they were super helpful in rectifying the problem. Perhaps they will be able to let you know if it’s a technical problem or not.

 

[Kraken]

All this chat about cooking roasts and Full English breakfasts whilst at work is

a) making me ravenously hungry and

b) making me wonder whether most of you lot aren’t paid recruiters coming here to make the job sound outrageously good.

 

[Saracen_83]

All this chat about cooking roasts and Full English breakfasts whilst at work is

a) making me ravenously hungry and

b) making me wonder whether most of you lot aren’t paid recruiters coming here to make the job sound outrageously good.

the jobs awful mate, I keep having to put my sausage and bacon sandwich and hash browns down to signal trains and speak to the picop and ES..... it’s like they know when I’m about to take a bite!!! Or when I’m about to wash it down with my cup of tea!

Livid!!!

 

[Kraken]

the jobs awful mate, I keep having to put my sausage and bacon sandwich and hash browns down to signal trains and speak to the picop and ES..... it’s like they know when I’m about to take a bite!!! Or when I’m about to wash it down with my cup of tea!

Livid!!!

Trains sound like an awful inconvenience.

 

[LOM]

I recieved a letter to say that I didn’t hit the required benchmark after the test having applied for one of the vacant Oakham posistions. Frustratingly I thought I did well - however Im worried one of the test didn’t submit correctly due to some technical issues I was having at the time. Would receiving that response regarding the bench mark score suggest I failed the tests or that I didn’t recieved a high enough score to be taken to interview.. I’m concerned that I won’t be able to apply for any other positions that become available.

If the letter says you did not reach the benchmark then it means you failed the tests so would not get as far as being considered for interview. If you think there has been an issue when you sat them then it would be worth email Recruiting to explain - they seem to be having some problems with the SHL tests lately if what went on with the candidates for my recent vacancies is anything to go by.

Otherwise it is a case of waiting until the results expire I am afraid. At least you can try as many times as you like rather than being limited to two shots for your entire life like train drivers.

 

[iamdavid]

Had an email the other day after my interview for the signalling opportunities in the North East that said I did great, and my overall performance in the live interview and my overall application has been excellent and I scored very well however I am still under assessment and will find out on Wednesday if I was successful or not. I know no one is likely to know but surely this is a positive sign? This seems slightly cruel if we get to Wednesday and they tell me I’ve failed to get one of the roles. Anyone else had something along those lines before? Have to admit it got my hopes up massively so Wednesday is going to be a bad, bad day if I hear something negative!

 

[baz962]

the jobs awful mate, I keep having to put my sausage and bacon sandwich and hash browns down to signal trains and speak to the picop and ES..... it’s like they know when I’m about to take a bite!!! Or when I’m about to wash it down with my cup of tea!

Livid!!!

You lot need to start holding me at the nearest signal and popping out a plate .

 

[86206]

Ok confused on the application complexities & if anyone can help I would appreciate it. Evesham SB has come up on the NR Website now for the 3rd time....the previous 2 I had applied, passed the necessary 70 questions with benchmark on my file already from this year for 12 months (that blinking test!) Had emails thanking me, and suggesting further correspondence regarding my application(s) but...nowt! Not a yes or no...Can't be that Evesham has 3 different vacancies & therefore 3 different applications necessitated? Or am I looking at this completely wrong?! Any ideas people?

 

[Chumba]

Had an email the other day after my interview for the signalling opportunities in the North East that said I did great, and my overall performance in the live interview and my overall application has been excellent and I scored very well however I am still under assessment and will find out on Wednesday if I was successful or not. I know no one is likely to know but surely this is a positive sign? This seems slightly cruel if we get to Wednesday and they tell me I’ve failed to get one of the roles. Anyone else had something along those lines before? Have to admit it got my hopes up massively so Wednesday is going to be a bad, bad day if I hear something negative!

Please don’t get your hopes up by this but in my experience when I failed at interview stage (7 times) the online went to unsuccessful by the next day and when I passed and was offered a job I had a phone call a few days later after others had been marked as unsuccessful. I know a couple of others on here who had the same experience, fingers crossed for you.

 

[iamdavid]

Please don’t get your hopes up by this but in my experience when I failed at interview stage (7 times) the online went to unsuccessful by the next day and when I passed and was offered a job I had a phone call a few days later after others had been marked as unsuccessful. I know a couple of others on here who had the same experience, fingers crossed for you.

Thank you, trying to keep my hopes as down as possible...

 

[LOM]

Ok confused on the application complexities & if anyone can help I would appreciate it. Evesham SB has come up on the NR Website now for the 3rd time....the previous 2 I had applied, passed the necessary 70 questions with benchmark on my file already from this year for 12 months (that blinking test!) Had emails thanking me, and suggesting further correspondence regarding my application(s) but...nowt! Not a yes or no...Can't be that Evesham has 3 different vacancies & therefore 3 different applications necessitated? Or am I looking at this completely wrong?! Any ideas people?

Yes it could easily be that there are 3 seperate vacancies. For example someone will retire so the hiring manager advertises their job, in the meantime while that job is being advertised someone else from the same box gets a move so the hiring manager then advertises their job, then someone else from the same box dies suddenly etc.. etc.. (I am not saying any of this is the case with Evesham, it is not my area)

It would be easier to advertise 3 positions in the one advert but it just does not always work out so neatly. However I would have expected the hiring manager to try and fill the 3rd post from the interviewed candidates for the first 2, that is how I would do it.

That said there is no harm in sticking in another application. Like the old National Lottery adverts said you have to be in it to win it.

 

[89jordanbj]

Ok confused on the application complexities & if anyone can help I would appreciate it. Evesham SB has come up on the NR Website now for the 3rd time....the previous 2 I had applied, passed the necessary 70 questions with benchmark on my file already from this year for 12 months (that blinking test!) Had emails thanking me, and suggesting further correspondence regarding my application(s) but...nowt! Not a yes or no...Can't be that Evesham has 3 different vacancies & therefore 3 different applications necessitated? Or am I looking at this completely wrong?! Any ideas people?

Did the additional Evesham vacancies have the same IRC number attached or were they completely separate applications in your online applications list on the recruitment site?

I've had similar in the past with Worcester, applied for the volume recruitment positions but heard nothing for months then they were relisted. The same has happened with the Westbury posts. They had the same IRC numbers as previously though but does not let me reapply.

 

[Peterperfect]

There is huge demand for school places at the moment and especially now with social distancing the centres cannot keep up. They are supposed to be recruiting more trainers, the trouble with that is most signallers would not even consider making the move because of the pay cut.

I have also heard rumours of a new structure to the course (again!) involving computer based simulation instead of the ‘hands on’ type. That would mean training could take place virtually anywhere.

The computer simulator training is to augment the course and allow for solo practice opposed to waiting your turn during group sim practice. Having spoken to someone who has had sight of it they were very impressed with its capabilities and accuracy to Hornby Junction.

 

[LOM]

My understanding is that there is an intention to trial an entirely computer simulator based course imminently.

 

[Tom Quinne]

If the computer based course is anything like the ongoing competancy computer assessments they’ll be awful!

 

[Allaboard78]

Does anyone know of any wales jobs coming up? I dont mind signal box or roc

 

[Habitat]

If the computer based course is anything like the ongoing competancy computer assessments they’ll be awful!

Amen to that brother!

 

[Tom Quinne]

Does anyone know of any wales jobs coming up? I dont mind signal box or roc

There’s a lot of internal movement going on at the moment, and with a few SB moving into SWCC I can’t see much aside from crossing keeper in the next 12 months.

 

[86206]

Yes it could easily be that there are 3 seperate vacancies. For example someone will retire so the hiring manager advertises their job, in the meantime while that job is being advertised someone else from the same box gets a move so the hiring manager then advertises their job, then someone else from the same box dies suddenly etc.. etc.. (I am not saying any of this is the case with Evesham, it is not my area)

It would be easier to advertise 3 positions in the one advert but it just does not always work out so neatly. However I would have expected the hiring manager to try and fill the 3rd post from the interviewed candidates for the first 2, that is how I would do it.

That said there is no harm in sticking in another application. Like the old National Lottery adverts said you have to be in it to win it.

Thank you for the reply....Just seemed odd in my eyes, but if thats how things work then so be it

 

[86206]

Did the additional Evesham vacancies have the same IRC number attached or were they completely separate applications in your online applications list on the recruitment site?

I've had similar in the past with Worcester, applied for the volume recruitment positions but heard nothing for months then they were relisted. The same has happened with the Westbury posts. They had the same IRC numbers as previously though but does not let me reapply.

Im quite sure that they had a different IRC number to the other 2 applications previous, and with them being in such a short space of time as well it just added to my curiosity for the application. Still as LOM suggested, wont do any harm in a 3rd one going in

 

[Allaboard78]

There’s a lot of internal movement going on at the moment, and with a few SB moving into SWCC I can’t see much aside from crossing keeper in the next 12 months.

Which signal boxes are moving? Maybe crossing keeper is the way to go?

 

[nom de guerre]

How creative are you with signal box scran?

Box brekkie this morning was a black pudding frittata with roasted cherry tomatoes. Plus - of course - strong black coffee. God bless the Aeropress!

I try not to get too many takeaways delivered on nights but it doesn’t help that there’s so much variety on offer around here (much more than where I live!). Lebanese and Japanese the current favourites...

Mmm... food...

 

[Kraken]

Box brekkie this morning was a black pudding frittata with roasted cherry tomatoes. Plus - of course - strong black coffee. God bless the Aeropress!

I try not to get too many takeaways delivered on nights but it doesn’t help that there’s so much variety on offer around here (much more than where I live!). Lebanese and Japanese the current favourites...

Mmm... food...

Man if I don’t get this job in the next year or so I’m going to die of envy.

 

[Billyc87]

Hi all, I have recently applied for 2 signaller roles and got to the shl test phase, I completed the tests on Friday yet have just received an email saying my application is being withdrawn due to not completing the tests in time, is there anything I can do about this?
Thanks

 

[LOM]

Hi all, I have recently applied for 2 signaller roles and got to the shl test phase, I completed the tests on Friday yet have just received an email saying my application is being withdrawn due to not completing the tests in time, is there anything I can do about this?
Thanks

Email Recruitment. This is the same problem that a few people have been coming up against recently.

 

[Saracen_83]

Box brekkie this morning was a black pudding frittata with roasted cherry tomatoes. Plus - of course - strong black coffee. God bless the Aeropress!

I try not to get too many takeaways delivered on nights but it doesn’t help that there’s so much variety on offer around here (much more than where I live!). Lebanese and Japanese the current favourites...

Mmm... food...

lucky dip mondays
Chinese tuesdays
Fast food wednesdays (kfc
Turkish thursdays
fish and chips friday
Indian saturdays
roast sundays

add to the local cafe for breakfast and then dealers choice for lunch!!!!

 

[Locomama]

One thing I have learnt since being on the railway, is where the good food deliveries are!

 

[Billyc87]

Email Recruitment. This is the same problem that a few people have been coming up against recently.

I assume I will still be considered if they see I completed the test on time?

 

[Woody27]

Hi guys, I have applied for signaller opportunities in Worcester, I have only been asked to take the Complete Numerical Ability Test, I thought there were 3 tests that needed to be taken! Could anyone shed any light on this, much appreciated!