A career as a signaller

[Kraken]

When I was unsuccesful I had email notifications, between 2-5 days post interview. When I was successful the LOM rang me the following day to offer me the job, Nice personal touch. (HR confirmation arrived about 3 days later) All pre COVID-19 I hasten to add.

I’ve not had the result back for the same job as @Roadster 7 so I’m going to try not to read too much into your post!

 

[Rick1875]

Hi all. Had my email Wednesday saying I’d reached the benchmark for the online test. How long in general after this email do you get a reply saying either ya or na for an interview?

 

[MrsP2010]

Hi all. Had my email Wednesday saying I’d reached the benchmark for the online test. How long in general after this email do you get a reply saying either ya or na for an interview?

For me I had the reached the benchmark email on 25 January and the next email saying it was under consideration by the hiring manager on 20 February! I’m also still waiting for a starting date after being offered the job at the end of April. It is a very long process!!!

 

[ILoveLamp]

Hi all. Had my email Wednesday saying I’d reached the benchmark for the online test. How long in general after this email do you get a reply saying either ya or na for an interview?

Have a quick skim over the last few pages, or a few more, there are about 350 pages now, or try search function. Most of these questions on the last couple of pages have been answered numerous times recently.

 

[Chumba]

Hi all. Had my email Wednesday saying I’d reached the benchmark for the online test. How long in general after this email do you get a reply saying either ya or na for an interview?

I answered that question from my personal experience only a couple of pages back. But as long as it takes is the answer, every application is different.

 

[SiggysigAah]

Hi all. Had my email Wednesday saying I’d reached the benchmark for the online test. How long in general after this email do you get a reply saying either ya or na for an interview?

I applied for two vacancies in February that are still at application under consideration for assessment 2.

 

[Macca89]

Well I've now had 18 applications that have been unsuccessful over a period of nearly a year, nailing it I know

Many of them have come through fairly quickly as application unsuccessful but 7 have at least progressed to "application under consideration for assessment 2" before then being "unsuccessful" which makes me believe that maybe my SHL results aren't that terrible, but possibly that my CV and answers to the 69 questions aren't entirely upto scratch. I have tweaked and changed a few of my answers in the 69 questions section several times but my CV is something I have not changed at all since first starting my journey to be a Signaller. My CV is something I've always been quite confident with purely because in the last 10 years its secured 3 decent jobs which weren't easy to get, I like a challenge and cracking the Signallers selection process is one that even after 18 rejections I am thoroughly enjoying and sinking my teeth into. But I feel its time to be more honest with myself and maybe my CV isn't as well put as I think it is. Confidence can be blinding sometimes and I wish I looked at it sooner as possible problem.

I'm going to tweak everything this time, I thought I had put together as good an application as I possibly could, but evidently something isn't working, so needs must and an entire re-evaluation of my efforts is needed to properly make sure I'm doing everything I can to better my chances against some stiff competition, clearly.

My working background in the last 10 years has entirely been in safety critical work environments, I've even managed people under such conditions, maybe I'm just not selling myself enough, either way I sure will be in future apps. I've still got 3 apps under review to see if I've reached the benchmark, but no matter how many rejections I've had I'm still super excited for news and getting that email.

To all those hopefuls currently trying, or think they are trying, are you really giving 100%, are you putting pretty much everything into it? if so then its not good enough, pretty much everything needs to be just "everything" to stand any chance of beating the competition, at least thats how I feel.

 

[amanda08]

Well I've now had 18 applications that have been unsuccessful over a period of nearly a year, nailing it I know

Many of them have come through fairly quickly as application unsuccessful but 7 have at least progressed to "application under consideration for assessment 2" before then being "unsuccessful" which makes me believe that maybe my SHL results aren't that terrible, but possibly that my CV and answers to the 69 questions aren't entirely upto scratch. I have tweaked and changed a few of my answers in the 69 questions section several times but my CV is something I have not changed at all since first starting my journey to be a Signaller. My CV is something I've always been quite confident with purely because in the last 10 years its secured 3 decent jobs which weren't easy to get, I like a challenge and cracking the Signallers selection process is one that even after 18 rejections I am thoroughly enjoying and sinking my teeth into. But I feel its time to be more honest with myself and maybe my CV isn't as well put as I think it is. Confidence can be blinding sometimes and I wish I looked at it sooner as possible problem.

I'm going to tweak everything this time, I thought I had put together as good an application as I possibly could, but evidently something isn't working, so needs must and an entire re-evaluation of my efforts is needed to properly make sure I'm doing everything I can to better my chances against some stiff competition, clearly.

My working background in the last 10 years has entirely been in safety critical work environments, I've even managed people under such conditions, maybe I'm just not selling myself enough, either way I sure will be in future apps. I've still got 3 apps under review to see if I've reached the benchmark, but no matter how many rejections I've had I'm still super excited for news and getting that email.

To all those hopefuls currently trying, or think they are trying, are you really giving 100%, are you putting pretty much everything into it? if so then its not good enough, pretty much everything needs to be just "everything" to stand any chance of beating the competition, at least thats how I feel.

My first half dozen applications didn't progress further then test passed.
I then updated my CV using the the guidance from Network Rail - to be found here:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Redeployment-Services-CV-writing-.pdf

My next few applications resulted in interviews and I'm about to start training in two weeks.
I felt my CV was well put together but after going through the info in the link above, I realised I wasn't presenting the information in the right way.
You may have already read the document, but if not, i'd definitely recommend it.

 

[Macca89]

My first half dozen applications didn't progress further then test passed.
I then updated my CV using the the guidance from Network Rail - to be found here:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Redeployment-Services-CV-writing-.pdf

My next few applications resulted in interviews and I'm about to start training in two weeks.
I felt my CV was well put together but after going through the info in the link above, I realised I wasn't presenting the information in the right way.
You may have already read the document, but if not, i'd definitely recommend it.

Thanks Amanda

And the BIB is so amazing and proof as to why its important to take these tips and apply them. I think I've seen it before but it must only have been a skimming over. I've now looked at it properly and compared it with my CV and although I'm pleased to see I'm not far off from what that article describes, its thrown up a few interesting little bits I think may make quite the difference and I shall be getting on with amending my CV right away, thank you very much for the link.

 

[amanda08]

Thanks Amanda

And the BIB is so amazing and proof as to why its important to take these tips and apply them. I think I've seen it before but it must only have been a skimming over. I've now looked at it properly and compared it with my CV and although I'm pleased to see I'm not far off from what that article describes, its thrown up a few interesting little bits I think may make quite the difference and I shallop be getting on with amending my CV right away, thank you very much for the link.

No problem and lots of luck

 

[86206]

Application under consideration regarding application from few months ago....

....maybe just maybe light at the end of a tunnel (no pun intended!)

 

[Roger1973]

Newcomer both here and to giving serious thought to a signaller job, but having seen one advertised somewhere I could get to...

Two questions (apologies if these have been answered, but in a thread that's been going some years, some of what's on the thread may be out of date and I can't find anything recent on either) -

There's a pay range shown on the NR website, but training is now advertised as an 'apprenticeship' - I'm aware that in general, 'apprentice' roles can legally be paid less than minimum wage. Is this the case here (and if so, do you get the proper rate after the initial 12 week course, or only after a whole year?) or is there still a proper training wage for apprentice signallers?

Also, I've seen a lot of references to the '8 non technical skills' but I can't find them online. There was a link posted a few years back to the RSSB website, but that link is dead, and most of the content on RSSB website now requires a login, and since it asks for your job role / company, looks like it's only open to existing railway staff (which I'm not.)

 

[Kraken]

Thanks to the recommendations of some folk on here I’m currently about 3/4 through ‘Red for Danger’ by LTC Rolt, and what a cracking book it is too. The most chilling accidents for me are those like Thorp like where the railwaymen make a mistake, and then realise that there is nothing to be done to now prevent an accident they have caused. Those guys had to stand there waiting for a disaster that could not be averted, and was their fault. Horrible. The book is so readable for something of its vintage.

To that end are there any other ‘must-read’ books involving signalling, or even more general railway reading? Obviously there’s hundreds of books but I have no idea which are the good and which the poor - any more stone-cold classics I should be looking to get?

 

[Kraken]

Newcomer both here and to giving serious thought to a signaller job, but having seen one advertised somewhere I could get to...

Two questions (apologies if these have been answered, but in a thread that's been going some years, some of what's on the thread may be out of date and I can't find anything recent on either) -

There's a pay range shown on the NR website, but training is now advertised as an 'apprenticeship' - I'm aware that in general, 'apprentice' roles can legally be paid less than minimum wage. Is this the case here (and if so, do you get the proper rate after the initial 12 week course, or only after a whole year?) or is there still a proper training wage for apprentice signallers?

Also, I've seen a lot of references to the '8 non technical skills' but I can't find them online. There was a link posted a few years back to the RSSB website, but that link is dead, and most of the content on RSSB website now requires a login, and since it asks for your job role / company, looks like it's only open to existing railway staff (which I'm not.)

There is a pay spreadsheet posted a few pages back. My understanding is that for the whole duration of the training until you pass out fully qualified for your job you are paid one grade below the grade you are going in for, certainly not below minimum wage.

For the NTS I used the ones posted in post #4 of this thread and they seemed to coincide perfectly with what I was being asked at interview. Good luck!

 

[Rover77]

Just wondering if anyone on here has applied for the Grange SB relief job and if they have heard anything? I'm still at test completed stage. It closed on the 12th.

 

[Roger1973]

There is a pay spreadsheet posted a few pages back. My understanding is that for the whole duration of the training until you pass out fully qualified for your job you are paid one grade below the grade you are going in for, certainly not below minimum wage.

For the NTS I used the ones posted in post #4 of this thread and they seemed to coincide perfectly with what I was being asked at interview. Good luck!

Many thanks

One other thing I should have asked - my current job is on 3 months' notice (I've not gone to current employer and asked just how serious they are about that)

Would I be wasting my time and NR's time in applying for a vacancy?

Some years ago (and before my current job) I got an offer, I'd told them I was on a month's notice, the (potential) new employer more or less said 'the training course starts in 2 weeks, take it or leave it' so I had to withdraw.

 

[amanda08]

Ignore, just found the answer in my contract!

Sorry if it's been asked - searched but couldn't find the answer.
As relief, do you receive your relief premium whilst on AL? Or just your basic before FP premium? I know you don't get it for Sundays/RDW etc so just wondered about this.
Cheers

 

[headshot119]

Sorry if it's been asked - searched but couldn't find the answer.
As relief, do you receive your relief premium whilst on AL? Or just your basic before FP premium? I know you don't get it for Sundays/RDW etc so just wondered about this.
Cheers

Yes you get FP while on annual leave.

 

[amanda08]

Yes you get FP while on annual leave.

Cheers

 

[LOM]

One other thing I should have asked - my current job is on 3 months' notice (I've not gone to current employer and asked just how serious they are about that)

Would I be wasting my time and NR's time in applying for a vacancy?

Some years ago (and before my current job) I got an offer, I'd told them I was on a month's notice, the (potential) new employer more or less said 'the training course starts in 2 weeks, take it or leave it' so I had to withdraw.

No issue with that, lots of people who apply are on 12 weeks notice. We ask at the interview what your notice period is. At the moment it is a bit of a struggle to get signalling school places due to corona, social distancing and lack of trainers so there is generally plenty of time to wait unless a last minute cancellation comes up.

 

[nom de guerre]

Thanks to the recommendations of some folk on here I’m currently about 3/4 through ‘Red for Danger’ by LTC Rolt, and what a cracking book it is too.

It’s a classic - arguably still the classic of railway accident books - partly due to Rolt’s wonderful writing style. What could be a rather dry topic is turned into a page-turner.

I also have several Stanley Hall books on railway accidents. They lack Rolt’s style but still contain plenty of interest.

The most chilling accidents for me are those like Thorp like where the railwaymen make a mistake, and then realise that there is nothing to be done to now prevent an accident they have caused. Those guys had to stand there waiting for a disaster that could not be averted, and was their fault. Horrible. The book is so readable for something of its vintage.

The chapter on Signalman’s Errors also makes for instructive reading: “Tell Benge I am afraid I have wrecked the Scotch express”...

Not quite the same, but it wasn’t that long ago that the signaller at Oxted was forced to call control to tell them that, through no fault of his own, a head-on collision was about to occur on a single line. He’d realised that one train had SPAD-ed onto the single line but could do nothing more than stand and watch. Not an experience you’re likely to forget.

 

[Kraken]

It’s a classic - arguably still the classic of railway accident books - partly due to Rolt’s wonderful writing style. What could be a rather dry topic is turned into a page-turner.

I also have several Stanley Hall books on railway accidents. They lack Rolt’s style but still contain plenty of interest.


The chapter on Signalman’s Errors also makes for instructive reading: “Tell Benge I am afraid I have wrecked the Scotch express”...

Not quite the same, but it wasn’t that long ago that the signaller at Oxted was forced to call control to tell them that, through no fault of his own, a head-on collision was about to occur on a single line. He’d realised that one train had SPAD-ed onto the single line but could do nothing more than stand and watch. Not an experience you’re likely to forget.

I've not got to the signalman's error chapter yet, saving that for last. Hoepfully it won't put me off!

Thanks for the recommendation on Stanley Hall, I shall take a look at that.

I hadn't heard or read about that incident before you just mentioned it - just had a look and apparantly the signaller called the emergency services telling them about the accident when the trains were still a mile apart. Sounds a highly unpleasant thing to be involved in.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Many thanks

One other thing I should have asked - my current job is on 3 months' notice (I've not gone to current employer and asked just how serious they are about that)

Would I be wasting my time and NR's time in applying for a vacancy?

Some years ago (and before my current job) I got an offer, I'd told them I was on a month's notice, the (potential) new employer more or less said 'the training course starts in 2 weeks, take it or leave it' so I had to withdraw.

I had to give my employer 13 weeks notice (still serving it atm) although with holiday its closer to 10 weeks, and it wasn't a problem with NR at all. It's just a frustrating wait thats all!

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Thanks to the recommendations of some folk on here I’m currently about 3/4 through ‘Red for Danger’ by LTC Rolt, and what a cracking book it is too. The most chilling accidents for me are those like Thorp like where the railwaymen make a mistake, and then realise that there is nothing to be done to now prevent an accident they have caused. Those guys had to stand there waiting for a disaster that could not be averted, and was their fault. Horrible. The book is so readable for something of its vintage.

To that end are there any other ‘must-read’ books involving signalling, or even more general railway reading? Obviously there’s hundreds of books but I have no idea which are the good and which the poor - any more stone-cold classics I should be looking to get?

'The Railways: Nation, Network and People' by Simon Bradley is a really great book if you're interested in the history of the railways in the UK and its impact on society.

 

[ILoveLamp]

I had to give my employer 13 weeks notice (still serving it atm) although with holiday its closer to 10 weeks, and it wasn't a problem with NR at all. It's just a frustrating wait thats all!

I work for a large global company and have done for 11 yrs now, they require only 1 week notice! Surprising, but I think it suits them so that if you decide you are going, you aren’t underperforming and costing them money.

 

[Kraken]

'The Railways: Nation, Network and People' by Simon Bradley is a really great book if you're interested in the history of the railways in the UK and its impact on society.

Oh yes that’s on my wish list definitely - the reviews for it are quite something! Thank you.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

I work for a large global company and have done for 11 yrs now, they require only 1 week notice! Surprising, but I think it suits them so that if you decide you are going, you aren’t underperforming and costing them money.

It does seem to vary enormously - I am on a local authority contract and the notice period is determined by the pay grade that you are on rather than the job you do (although there is correlation between the two of course). As it turned out it hasn't really made much difference because of the lack of places at signalling school currently, and even though I have a date to start employment with NR, I don't have one for school yet.

 

[Rockhopper]

Last time i resigned I was escorted out of the building after being watched while i cleared my desk

 

[baz962]

Last time i resigned I was escorted out of the building after being watched while i cleared my desk

Bit harsh from a burger joint

 

[MEG]

Great to hear! Not really sure how we actually go about adding stickies, but I’m sure we can find out.

A primer covering the recruitment process and related FAQs would be really useful to all the aspiring signallers visiting this thread (and some of the existing ones too!).

Might be useful to maintain a list of signal boxes too, showing their current life expectancy (if known) and roster.

Chuck in a pay matrix (with a brief primer explaining Sundays, RDW etc) and a guide to thread etiquette and that would hopefully deal with 80% of the most regularly-asked questions.

This would be really really helpful and very appreciated, please?