A career as a signaller

[cpn]

Does anyone here commute via train and have a season ticket?
Its something I am looking in to, but I've drawn a blank when asking around regarding the discount we are entitled to.
Cheers

Hi @ljmac - yup, I do! The scheme offers a 75% discount off one season ticket of your choice (I chose a London travelcard). It's administered on behalf of Network Rail by Abellio Corporate Travel, and the 25% that you do pay comes straight off your payslip - very easy.

 

[Bunnymomma]

Medical done today now the wait begins. Congrats to all who have recieved good news recently

 

[Pancakes84]

Medical done today now the wait begins. Congrats to all who have recieved good news recently

hey.
how was the medical? I have mine at the end of the month and feel a bit nervous about it, although not sure why haha.
do you wear glasses or contacts? Just wondering if you need to take glasses if you have your contacts with you?
thanks

 

[headshot119]

hey.
how was the medical? I have mine at the end of the month and feel a bit nervous about it, although not sure why haha.
do you wear glasses or contacts? Just wondering if you need to take glasses if you have your contacts with you?
thanks

If you wear contacts, take your glasses as well.

 

[jossh78]

Well, when one door closes another one opens. Received an email this morning for an invite to an assessment day for the Rugby future opportunities grade 8 application that I put before all this COVID situation. A nice surprise as it has sat at “test completed“ since then.

 

[Bunnymomma]

hey.
how was the medical? I have mine at the end of the month and feel a bit nervous about it, although not sure why haha.
do you wear glasses or contacts? Just wondering if you need to take glasses if you have your contacts with you?
thanks

Hi!

The medical was fine. I honestly wouldn't be too nervous. Quite relaxed, the health professional will put you at ease urine sample, eye test, hearing test, bp and weight.
So In my experience, the professional said Id only need to try the vision test with my contacts and without (even though I brought my glasses too, he said I didn't need to use my glasses as well as I went with my contacts in) but I would take every aid you will use with you just incase. Covers all bases then. Best of luck!

You'll be fine

 

[Pancakes84]

If you wear contacts, take your glasses as well.

Hi!

The medical was fine. I honestly wouldn't be too nervous. Quite relaxed, the health professional will put you at ease urine sample, eye test, hearing test, bp and weight.
So In my experience, the professional said Id only need to try the vision test with my contacts and without (even though I brought my glasses too, he said I didn't need to use my glasses as well as I went with my contacts in) but I would take every aid you will use with you just incase. Covers all bases then. Best of luck!

You'll be fine

aww perfect thanks, my glasses aren’t the correct prescription as I barely wear them so might need to buy some new ones before the medical then haha. Just in case.

Aww I’m glad it wasn’t too bad thanks

Well, when one door closes another one opens. Received an email this morning for an invite to an assessment day for the Rugby future opportunities grade 8 application that I put before all this COVID situation. A nice surprise as it has sat at “test completed“ since then.

Brilliant news. Good luck

 

[jossh78]

aww perfect thanks, my glasses aren’t the correct prescription as I barely wear them so might need to buy some new ones before the medical then haha. Just in case.

Aww I’m glad it wasn’t too bad thanks


Brilliant news. Good luck ☺

Cheers Pancakes, not sure what an assessment day involves but feels like I am slowly heading in the right direction

 

[matty1984]

Got my start date today, and cannot stop smiling!
I dont think its a Signal School start date, and its a Tuesday, but its enough so I can hand in my notice and leave this crippled aviation industry behind.

 

[ChrisRS]

aww perfect thanks, my glasses aren’t the correct prescription as I barely wear them so might need to buy some new ones before the medical then haha. Just in case.

Aww I’m glad it wasn’t too bad thanks



Brilliant news. Good luck

I'd certainly get the correct prescription glasses before going.

Got my start date today, and cannot stop smiling!
I dont think its a Signal School start date, and its a Tuesday, but its enough so I can hand in my notice and leave this crippled aviation industry behind.

Well done, let the journey begin. It won't be a signal school start date but a meeting with your LOM.

 

[Brazilguy67]

Good morning all,

Couldn't see a specific answer on this one. For either a single working or a ROC can I apply for this role even if I am short sighted in one eye and do no have binocular vision with and without glasses?

 

[_Odo_]

I decided it would be a good idea to learn the bell codes before heading off to signalling school in a few weeks time. Is there any kind of logic to them? As part of the application process I spent a lot of time practicing for the inductive reasoning test where you have to spot patterns in numbers, but for the life of me I can't see anything other than random sets of numbers in the bell codes! I guess it's just a case of memorising them .... Any tips on good ways to do that? Thanks!

Good morning all,

Couldn't see a specific answer on this one. For either a single working or a ROC can I apply for this role even if I am short sighted in one eye and do no have binocular vision with and without glasses?

Nothing in the documentation I had before my medical said you need to have binocular vision, only that you have to be able to pass the vision test (with or without corrective aids), which I've described a few pages back. But to be sure, I'd contact recruitment and ask, or try calling Optima Health who carry out the medicals.

 

[MrsP2010]

I decided it would be a good idea to learn the bell codes before heading off to signalling school in a few weeks time. Is there any kind of logic to them? As part of the application process I spent a lot of time practicing for the inductive reasoning test where you have to spot patterns in numbers, but for the life of me I can't see anything other than random sets of numbers in the bell codes! I guess it's just a case of memorising them .... Any tips on good ways to do that? Thanks!

I’m at IST now and would strongly suggest you only learn the classes of the trains. I tried to learn them all before I came and found it really hard. The other codes are taught as an when you learn the subject and it’s not hard. The classes of trains are used straight away

 

[Tom Quinne]

Good morning all,

Couldn't see a specific answer on this one. For either a single working or a ROC can I apply for this role even if I am short sighted in one eye and do no have binocular vision with and without glasses?

I have defective vision in one eye, I’ve also worked with a chap who through illness only had one eye. ROC or multi manned locations isn’t an issue, single manned or line side locations will be.

 

[HamSandwich]

I’m at IST now and would strongly suggest you only learn the classes of the trains. I tried to learn them all before I came and found it really hard. The other codes are taught as an when you learn the subject and it’s not hard. The classes of trains are used straight away

Ah, that's really good to know, I was wondering about what to try and learn before IST. Thank you

 

[headshot119]

Ah, that's really good to know, I was wondering about what to try and learn before IST. Thank you

The general consensus is you don't need to learn anything before signaling school. If you really can't stop yourself, then get the phonetic alphabet learnt, and the class of train bellcodes only.

 

[_Odo_]

I’m at IST now and would strongly suggest you only learn the classes of the trains. I tried to learn them all before I came and found it really hard. The other codes are taught as an when you learn the subject and it’s not hard. The classes of trains are used straight away

The general consensus is you don't need to learn anything before signaling school. If you really can't stop yourself, then get the phonetic alphabet learnt, and the class of train bellcodes only.

Thanks for that, good to know. I learned the phonetic alphabet in the scouts many moons ago so at least that's one less thing to stress about.

 

[MrsP2010]

Thanks for that, good to know. I learned the phonetic alphabet in the scouts many moons ago so at least that's one less thing to stress about.

You may want to check what you learned as I believe some have changed over the years! Depends how long ago you were a Scout, I guess!!

 

[Rutland23]

Do you mean that A isn't for 'orses any more?

Regards

 

[MrsP2010]

Do you mean that A isn't for 'orses any more?

Regards

 

[Saracen_83]

The general consensus is you don't need to learn anything before signaling school. If you really can't stop yourself, then get the phonetic alphabet learnt, and the class of train bellcodes only.

this.. in fact depending on what course you are on you might not even need to learn ell codes! I certainly didn’t!!

phonetic alphabet is a must, apart from that, I’d enjoy the time with your friends and family before you head off to school. then put your all into IST in regards to revision, Sim time etc..

 

[Kraken]

Hi @ljmac - yup, I do! The scheme offers a 75% discount off one season ticket of your choice (I chose a London travelcard). It's administered on behalf of Network Rail by Abellio Corporate Travel, and the 25% that you do pay comes straight off your payslip - very easy.

Say, for instance, I had a friend who had a got a job with NWR and whose wife could massively benefit from a reduced price season ticket. Would that friend be able to use his 75% discount to get a season ticket for his wife’s commute? Or would that be seen as a bit dodgy?

 

[_Odo_]

You may want to check what you learned as I believe some have changed over the years! Depends how long ago you were a Scout, I guess!!

Thanks for pointing that out. It seems that the words are the same as the ones I learned back in the 80's, although I have to admit I'm not sure the spellings of the words are the same as I remember. There seems to be some discrepancy on the internet as to whether A is Alpha or Alfa, and whether J is Juliet or Juliett. And does it even matter anyway how they are spelled?!

 

[ChrisRS]

Thanks for pointing that out. It seems that the words are the same as the ones I learned back in the 80's, although I have to admit I'm not sure the spellings of the words are the same as I remember. There seems to be some discrepancy on the internet as to whether A is Alpha or Alfa, and whether J is Juliet or Juliett. And does it even matter anyway how they are spelled?!

Spelling doesn't matter but it's good to know how they are actually spelt. Taken directly from the rule book.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Say, for instance, I had a friend who had a got a job with NWR and whose wife could massively benefit from a reduced price season ticket. Would that friend be able to use his 75% discount to get a season ticket for his wife’s commute? Or would that be seen as a bit dodgy?

No problem at all....if you fancy a P45 in very quick succession to your start date.

Please don’t even think about this, tell your friend it’s suicidal to even think such a thing.

Be under no illusion there are ticket staff out there who are just waiting to stick on a network rail member of staff.

 

[bouff34]

No problem at all....if you fancy a P45 in very quick succession to your start date.

Please don’t even think about this, tell your friend it’s suicidal to even think such a thing.

Be under no illusion there are ticket staff out there who are just waiting to stick on a network rail member of staff.

Can't believe anyone could seriously believe this was acceptable!!! Oh, plus your friend and his wife will be looking at criminal convictions.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Can't believe anyone could seriously believe this was acceptable!!! Oh, plus your friend and his wife will be looking at criminal convictions.

You really have to wonder don’t you...

 

[_Odo_]

To be fair, there are a lot of companies who allow employee discounts to be used by the employee's spouse. The best way to find out if that's allowed is to ask, which is what he did.

 

[Tom Quinne]

To be fair, there are a lot of companies who allow employee discounts to be used by the employee's spouse. The best way to find out if that's allowed is to ask, which is what he did.

With the railway it’s very clear though, your season is for you to use for work travel only.

Allow anyone else, or use it on non work related travel and you’ll loose your job no ifs or buts.

The question appeared to suggest in its tone that they knew it wasn’t strictly permitted but would it be turned a blind eye to.

Like I say a lot of revenue staff (not guards generally) will sell their nan to stick on network rail staff, it’s simply not a risk with the even thinking about.

But, if anyone wants to then that’s their choice.

 

[7Paul7]

With the railway it’s very clear though, your season is for you to use for work travel only.

Allow anyone else, or use it on non work related travel and you’ll loose your job no ifs or buts.

The question appeared to suggest in its tone that they knew it wasn’t strictly permitted but would it be turned a blind eye to.

Like I say a lot of revenue staff (not guards generally) will sell their nan to stick on network rail staff, it’s simply not a risk with the even thinking about.

But, if anyone wants to then that’s their choice.

It's for work travel only? So if I wanted to use the season ticket for leisure related travel on top of journeys to and from work I'd be breaking the law and contract of employment?