A career as a signaller

[LOM]

This

amount of times they make a decision that just defies logic and creates more of a problem/delay!!!

but like you say, depends who is on shift, some are really good and pro active, others, not so much!!

probably exactly the same as signallers

Exactly the same a signallers! What I would suggest for any signaller is to use a spare or LOM day to visit to control if you possibly can. Perhaps easier said than done in these Corona times but worth it. You will learn from them and they will learn from you. Putting a name and face to a voice is always a great idea. Your LOM can arrange it for you.

 

[will220498]

I wouldn't get too hung up on wait times. I still have plenty of applications sat at test completed from February. I used to check my account daily, but now I just take a look every now and again as I was driving myself up the wall. The best way in all honesty. In the mean time I would just take as much info as you can from this thread and prepare plenty of examples of the 8 NTS incase you get an interview.

With your experience as a pilot you will ace the interview and probably make an excellent signaller. Your skills are very transferrable and aiming for a higher grade position is exactly what I would expect.

The only slight concern I would have as a hiring manager would be that if the aviation industry picks up again in a couple of years would you be renewing your license and going flying again. But the positive aspects of employing someone who has proven experience of staying calm, multi-tasking, making decisions and safety critical communications would very much outweigh that risk.

Thank you so much for your responses guys, really appreciate it! I'll keep everything crossed for an interview. The position in Ashford was only a 30-month contract so hopefully, that would alleviate any concerns a hiring manager would have of me leaving too soon!

Thanks again and all the best

 

[MrsP2010]

I’m wearing either trousers with a t shirt, jeans with a shirt etc. It’s not overly dressy - think smart casual. Some are dressier than others do whatever you are comfortable with, but no ripped jeans, trainers etc

Thank you

 

[jossh78]

If it’s the same as the current intake of Future Opportunities then the virtual assessments are different to the SHL ones. I found them harder to be honest but obviously did ok as I got the job!

There was an inductive reasoning and a deductive reasoning test, lots of practise ones available on the net which are similar questions and good to do, although the actual user interface of the tests was very different to what I found anywhere else.

Next steps if successful would be then a virtual scenario interview (a few recorded “Imagine you’re doing x and then y happens, what do you do?” Questions to answer) and then if successful again, a real interview.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply buddy, the SHL tests were fairly tricky so I better get practicing those reasoning tests just in case I get an invite.

 

[High Dyke]

Exactly the same a signallers! What I would suggest for any signaller is to use a spare or LOM day to visit to control if you possibly can. Perhaps easier said than done in these Corona times but worth it. You will learn from them and they will learn from you. Putting a name and face to a voice is always a great idea. Your LOM can arrange it for you.

Good point. After rattling the sabre too many times, about train planning I had a 'goodwill' visit to York Control a few years ago, arranged by my LOM, at the time. Whilst there I gained a better understanding of the role of the VSTP Planners and the challenges they faced every day. Equally I had chance to speak with some of the regular controllers I talked to; well until all hell broke loose with a fatality, in my own area. However, my local knowledge of the location then helped the controllers pinpoint access points for the emergency services, especially when the ambulance service were on a similarly named road, that had no railway near it (they were about four 'road' miles from the actual incident).

 

[WL113]

That is certainly the big advantage of having Signallers and Operations Control in the same room. Far more efficient incident management without having dozens of phone calls.

 

[Tom Quinne]

That is certainly the big advantage of having Signallers and Operations Control in the same room. Far more efficient incident management without having dozens of phone calls.

Is there anywhere where that happens ? All the ROCs I’ve been at or visited control have been in a different part of the building not the signalling floor.

 

[Horizon22]

That is certainly the big advantage of having Signallers and Operations Control in the same room. Far more efficient incident management without having dozens of phone calls.

As Tom says they're not in the same building but not the same floor - that's the case at Three Bridges ROC anyway. It would cause carnage otherwise. Good for a administrative point of view (shared building costs) but not practical either. However there's definitely a lot closer NR & TOC control operations which is useful.

 

[headshot119]

Is there anywhere where that happens ? All the ROCs I’ve been at or visited control have been in a different part of the building not the signalling floor.

Manchester ROC (may have changed it was a while ago now) had control and signallers on the same floor, albeit with a large glass screen down the middle.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Manchester ROC (may have changed it was a while ago now) had control and signallers on the same floor, albeit with a large glass screen down the middle.

Defeats the object of a shared floor then?
I for one really don’t want control or any other function on the ops floor, we’ve all got our own activities going on a different times which will effect the other.

 

[headshot119]

Defeats the object of a shared floor then?
I for one really don’t want control or any other function on the ops floor, we’ve all got our own activities going on a different times which will effect the other.

It started off without the glass screen so I'm told, but there was too much cross noise between so got put in. Defeating the point indeed.

Sandhills IECC is another example, signallers, ECO, TOC control, and the satellite NR control all on the same floor.

 

[Tom Quinne]

At TVSC the ECO was on the operations floor with no screen between the two, I think there is one now though due to noise effecting each other.

Is much rather control call me than pop over, at least calls are recorded..

 

[desrudy]

Is there anywhere where that happens ? All the ROCs I’ve been at or visited control have been in a different part of the building not the signalling floor.

In Belgium it is like that

 

[desrudy]

Who has informations about the Ashford Workstation 5 and also about the 2 HS ( high Speed ) Workstations there ?

 

[WL113]

Is there anywhere where that happens ? All the ROCs I’ve been at or visited control have been in a different part of the building not the signalling floor.

Yes indeed there is. At the WMSC the Signallers, SSMs and Operations Controllers are all on the ops floor.

 

[Danny_H22]

I decided to take my time on my application for the Liskeard position and had planned to finalise it today and submit it. Looks like they closed it couple weeks early; before I had time to submit my application.

Annoyed at myself for taking longer than I usually would, but thems the breaks. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future roles within the Plymouth catchment area

 

[Tom Quinne]

Yes indeed there is. At the WMSC the Signallers, SSMs and Operations Controllers are all on the ops floor.

I wonder how they manage noise and annoyance wise ?

 

[Horizon22]

Exactly the same a signallers! What I would suggest for any signaller is to use a spare or LOM day to visit to control if you possibly can. Perhaps easier said than done in these Corona times but worth it. You will learn from them and they will learn from you. Putting a name and face to a voice is always a great idea. Your LOM can arrange it for you.

Indeed. Myself and other colleagues were supposed to do this (and vice versa) before all visits got banned in March.

 

[pocketjacks]

hi guys i applied for the position at upminster and I have passed my online tests, can anyone give me any information on what happens next?

also, does anyone know if upminster is a 4 on 4 off basis? all i know is that it’s a 4% flexi role?

and if anyone knows any videos etc that would provide more information on the job itself could they send it to me, that would be great, it’s a grade 7 signaller role im pretty sure.
cheers guys

 

[nom de guerre]

also, does anyone know if upminster is a 4 on 4 off basis? all i know is that it’s a 4% flexi role?

G7 + 4%, yes.

The roster is 6 out of 7 on (3 on, 1 RD, 3 on), then 7 off. Rinse and repeat.

I believe these vacancies are for the NLL link, which is two workstations worked by teams of three signallers.

 

[nom de guerre]

Yes indeed there is. At the WMSC the Signallers, SSMs and Operations Controllers are all on the ops floor.

That sounds fairly hellish! Or dividing screens aplenty ...?

 

[nom de guerre]

Who has informations about the Ashford Workstation 5 and also about the 2 HS ( high Speed ) Workstations there ?

There's at least one Ashford signaller on here (although the person I'm thinking of hasn't posted much for a while). I'll send you their user name - might be worth dropping them a PM.

Workstation 5 covers Westenhanger - Folkestone/Eurotunnel interface (including Dollands Moor). IIRC you need to know, or learn, a certain amount of French and you'd go into the French Link, which mainly operates W/S 5 but I think also covers the other 'Classic' workstations at times. I'm told it's the nicest domestic G8 workstation/link at Ashford - certainly nowhere near as busy as W/S 1 & 2 at the London end.

The High Speed workstations are on the same operating floor but are effectively a standalone operation. Different type of signalling to domestic NR (uses a train graph) and a different rulebook. A former LOM of mine worked at Ashford and in their view, High Speed was "A Grade 8 with Grade 3 traffic". Even pre-Covid the service was hardly intensive and there are very few incidents compared to a 'domestic' Grade 8 job - HS1 is a self-contained and relatively secure line with no level crossings, comparatively few trespass incidents (we won't mention the bloke who climbed atop the tunnel over the ECML ) and no line blockages during the day. In other words, a fairly cushy number for a G8.

It's only fair to mention at this point that Ashford has acquired, perhaps unfairly, a reputation for not being the nicest place to work. Things may have changed for the better though.

 

[89jordanbj]

Good morning all. I am booked in for a medical this Friday morning in Basingstoke which I believe is at the ROC? Does anybody know whether if not there is visitor parking available there? Thanks

 

[praase]

Good morning all. I am booked in for a medical this Friday morning in Basingstoke which I believe is at the ROC? Does anybody know whether if not there is visitor parking available there? Thanks

I've got my medical at Basingtoke Friday at 10:40! OH didn't seem to know on the phone about parking.

 

[89jordanbj]

I've got my medical at Basingtoke Friday at 10:40! OH didn't seem to know on the phone about parking.

I'm in at 9 so much be the appt before you. All the best!

 

[praase]

I'm in at 9 so much be the appt before you. All the best!

And you! Hope it's not too far to travel for 9am

 

[89jordanbj]

And you! Hope it's not too far to travel for 9am

About 2 hours but with traffic and lack of knowledge of the area il give myself 3 hours. Undecided whether to stay in a B and B the night before

 

[Saracen_83]

when I had my medical there (wltho was 2-3 years ago, there was visitor parking. So not a problem to drive. Just drive up to the security box, tell the guard you have a medical show them the letter and they will let you in

 

[MostlyHarmless]

when I had my medical there (wltho was 2-3 years ago, there was visitor parking. So not a problem to drive. Just drive up to the security box, tell the guard you have a medical show them the letter and they will let you in

This is still the case - as you say, drive up to security and tell them why you are there etc, and they will let you through

 

[89jordanbj]

Brilliant thank you both