Grade 2.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
A career as a signaller
- Thread starter gradient
- Start date
Grade 2.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Llanigraham
On Moderation
Thanks.
In that case it will not be any of the 4 Boxes actually in Shrewsbury. (Crewe Junct, Abbey Foregate, Severn Bridge Junct, Sutton Bridge)
Dorrington, Marshbrook, Onibury and Bromfield are Grade 2
Craven Arms is now a 4.
Woofferton Junct a 3, but that is actually under Hereford's area.
Nothing on the Crewe line, since that is controlled from Cardiff, and I'm not sure about what is on the Wrexham or Telford lines.
Bromfield was my old Box.
Dorrington is 8 hour shifts, is normally switched out at night, and was never the most popular Box. All the other Boxes are 12 hour shifts.
All are mechanical Boxes except Onibury, but I very much doubt there will be a vacancy there; when I left there was a waiting list!
Don't know what the situation is around Worcester for vacancies.
PM me if you want any more info.
Tom Quinne
On Moderation
- Joined
- 8 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 2,225
Various SB Grade 4 are currently on the internal list in Worcestershire, West Midlands SCC at Saltley often come up again internally.
Are they likely to be advertised externally if no one applies internally?
Llanigraham
On Moderation
Very likely.
Thanks for all the useful information about paignton.
Do you know how this rota works out for the three resident signallers? Such as how many Sundays are worked etc?
Sunset route
Established Member
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 1,189
At a guess, if you have 3 resident signallers on a two shift rotation including Sunday’s, then your be working two out of three Sunday’s.
Freckles
Member
- Joined
- 3 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 19
Morning all. With regards progression (and I totally appreciate it's down to the individual in question) is it relatively easy to move up the grades, providing of course you prove yourself to be proficient etc and are flexible with regards locations? I'm due to start in early Feb and will be based in a grade 2 box with, and I'll probably spell this wrong, semaphore signals. As I understand it that means the old lever and pulley system. I'm more than happy about this and really can't wait to get started in my new career, but I'm just aware that a lot of signalling seems to be electronic these days so if I get used to using the 'old' system, will it set me at a disadvantage compared to people who start off in a more modern box?
Freckles
Member
- Joined
- 3 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 19
Oh, sorry, one more thing: I start signalling school in Feb and as I live a fair old distance from York will have to travel up on Sundays to make sure I'm there in time for class on the Monday morning. I've heard a few rumours about getting paid for having to travel on a Sunday as technically you're having to use your personal time to travel for work purposes. Does anyone know if there's any truth in this, and if so how they work out the payments (e.g is it just a flat rate, does it depend on your salary, does it make a difference how long you have to travel for etc)?
If there is no such payment then I really don't mind as I'm genuinely just psyched to have got the job, but if it does exist then clearly I wouldn't want to miss out on anything I'm due!
Thanks in advance
If there is no such payment then I really don't mind as I'm genuinely just psyched to have got the job, but if it does exist then clearly I wouldn't want to miss out on anything I'm due!
Thanks in advance
choochoobacca
Member
- Joined
- 22 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 122
Oh, sorry, one more thing: I start signalling school in Feb and as I live a fair old distance from York will have to travel up on Sundays to make sure I'm there in time for class on the Monday morning. I've heard a few rumours about getting paid for having to travel on a Sunday as technically you're having to use your personal time to travel for work purposes. Does anyone know if there's any truth in this, and if so how they work out the payments (e.g is it just a flat rate, does it depend on your salary, does it make a difference how long you have to travel for etc)?
If there is no such payment then I really don't mind as I'm genuinely just psyched to have got the job, but if it does exist then clearly I wouldn't want to miss out on anything I'm due!
Thanks in advance
Hi Freckles,
There is a bit of info in the Sunday travel pay in the ‘signaller, what pay while training’ thread. Looks like quite a good rate is paid out for Sunday journeys!
I’m hoping to get into signalling school sooner rather than later and your first question (about moving up the grades)is a good one and something I’ve been wondering about too, so I look forward to seeing what replies you get.
Tom Quinne
On Moderation
- Joined
- 8 Jul 2017
- Messages
- 2,225
You get six hours - non Sunday premium, travelling time pay Sunday and they'll book you tickets there and back.
Freckles
Member
- Joined
- 3 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 19
Ah lovely stuff, thanks for the info guys!
Personally I wouldn't say it's a disadvantage to start in a lower grade mechanical box as generally lower grade means less trains and less going on day to day. Of course there are very busy grade 2 boxes but then the term "busy" means different things to different people but I digress.....
Having less pressure and more time when you first start enables you to break yourself into signalling nicely and steadily build your confidence. You'll still be dealing with incidents and making decisions the same as a grade 9 in a ROC just maybe not so many in a short space of time!
Ultimately the core signalling principles and rules apply whether it's semaphores or colour light. Safety of the line rules are pretty much the same regardless of signalling system. If you can learn absolute block (semaphore signalling) then more modern signalling will come quite easily in my opinion.
So in short - no it's not a disadvantage.
Having less pressure and more time when you first start enables you to break yourself into signalling nicely and steadily build your confidence. You'll still be dealing with incidents and making decisions the same as a grade 9 in a ROC just maybe not so many in a short space of time!
Ultimately the core signalling principles and rules apply whether it's semaphores or colour light. Safety of the line rules are pretty much the same regardless of signalling system. If you can learn absolute block (semaphore signalling) then more modern signalling will come quite easily in my opinion.
So in short - no it's not a disadvantage.
Freckles
Member
- Joined
- 3 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 19
@john.ump Many thanks for the detailed response there, just the kind of answer I was looking for. Obviously it's impossibly to know how I'll get on before I've even started with Network Rail, but I very much see this as a career which I'll be in for the long haul so it's reassuring to hear that starting at a lower grade may hold me in good stead for the future.
GMTUK
Member
- Joined
- 12 Jan 2018
- Messages
- 41
Anybody had interview results back from Three Bridges ROC yet?
I didn’t apply for Abargavenny however I did apply for Little Mill which is the same area and advertised exactly the same time. Still not heard anything since the online status updated to under consideration on 8th January.
Thanks Redder. That was the same date I last heard anything.
Things move slowly with Network Rail so it’s very early days yet
If u have had an interview for three bridges i guess im unsuccessful because mine still says under consideration.
Saracen_83
Member
- Joined
- 22 Oct 2017
- Messages
- 475
Where you applied for buddy that your getting updates??
I applied for three bridges and gmtuk said he had an interview so i put 2 and 2 together. Plus my last app to three bridges in july sat on app under consideration for 3 months before turning unsuccessful
Spot on, two out of every three Sundays worked.
Last edited:
It takes time for the signalling positions to be considered, internally or externally (one box had interviews/ vacancies pending for over 2 years) so do not panic if you do not hear anything immediately.
I see a lot of folk panicking on here and reading their emails every 2 minutes. They will let you know as and when. There is no point in worrying about it.
I see a lot of folk panicking on here and reading their emails every 2 minutes. They will let you know as and when. There is no point in worrying about it.
N.B As mentioned "up thread" one way into a Signallers job at NR is via the TDA route. TDA (Trust Delay Attribution) is a soul destroying job at the best of times (I did it for a few months years ago) but if you apply and get accepted you can then look at the internal list for a suitable signalling position after a year. And if you are smart spend the year getting to know the jargon.
Whats a tda do mate.
Highlandspring
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Oct 2017
- Messages
- 2,777
As trains move round the network their arrival, departure and passing times are recorded on a system called TRUST. Where time is lost, the system generates a delay and it's the job of the Trust Delay Attribution clerk to correctly attribute the cause of the delay by creating an incident or allocating it to an existing incident.
Annoys the **** out of signallers lol! When a train is delayed, they work out who tonassign it to. It's a very unrewarding job as everyone you call, doesn't want to talk to you lol!
Oh , i have applied for a few sig jobs and my online scores were high enough right upto a nine, but do not get any further, even the seven at cambridge said more suitable applicant, but then went re advertised on career site. After another one down yesterday i saw this and thought Oo another way in, but annoying potential future colleagues... Hmmm im not so sure, is it decent pay.