A career as a signaller

[Saracen_83]

Hi all,

Just a quick question, I have searched the site and re read this thread etc so just wanted to make sure I got my head around it so I can work out things before hand!!

Pay during signalling school is paid at 1 grade below your actual salary with no enhancements or London weighting applied.....

Then, during the on the job training, pay is still 1 grade below.. however depending on my place of work, depends on if I get paid enhancements and work either shifts or mon-fri....

Then

Once passed out on my first desk and working full rota pattern and on my own during shifts (say3-5 months after sig school) my money will go up to full pay and enhancements, night pay etc all then come Into effect....

Is this correct? Or have I gone off the rails so to speak (no pun intended)

Cheers

Was this correct anyone??

 

[Sinistah]

I don’t think so mate. My letter states that you get 1 grade lower but still get allowances like London weighting and any operational ones. Obviously not shift allowances because your not working shifts yet. Hopefully someone can give you a definitive on this but the way they worded the letter seems as though you will be paid one grade lower with weighting

 

[Tom Quinne]

Was this correct anyone??

As you correctly say “training salary” is one grade lower than your actual grade.

You’ll be paid the training rate minus enhancements until you pass competent in the grade.

Depending on your location you might have to past out on one or all the desks/panels in your link before being passed out competent.
That can have a mixed blessing to be honest, you’ll fine once you sign one desk you’ll be pulled off training on the others to cover the desk you sign due to permeant staff shortages at pretty much every location in the country !

Some LOMs may allow you to work 12hr turns on a training roster, at 3 days per week or they may insist on 8hrs over 5 days - the latter is a total arse ache.

You won’t be booked nights as routine on training or Sunday’s thus won’t be in receipt of those enhancements.

I’d say if you go to a busy panel or ROC, and you only need to sign one panel/desk to pass competent I’d say you’ll take depending on what numbers you throw incident and experience wise, you’d pass out in say 3-4 months after school perhaps.

Any additional allowances such as London or South Eastern will be paid on passing competent - Relief premium will only be paid once you’ve signed all the locations your role is meant to cover.

 

[NeilNX]

What are the shift patterns at west midlands signalling centre, i see there area fixed term post open for applications. Handsome salary would that be a grade 6?

 

[Saracen_83]

As you correctly say “training salary” is one grade lower than your actual grade.

You’ll be paid the training rate minus enhancements until you pass competent in the grade.

Depending on your location you might have to past out on one or all the desks/panels in your link before being passed out competent.
That can have a mixed blessing to be honest, you’ll fine once you sign one desk you’ll be pulled off training on the others to cover the desk you sign due to permeant staff shortages at pretty much every location in the country !

Some LOMs may allow you to work 12hr turns on a training roster, at 3 days per week or they may insist on 8hrs over 5 days - the latter is a total arse ache.

You won’t be booked nights as routine on training or Sunday’s thus won’t be in receipt of those enhancements.

I’d say if you go to a busy panel or ROC, and you only need to sign one panel/desk to pass competent I’d say you’ll take depending on what numbers you throw incident and experience wise, you’d pass out in say 3-4 months after school perhaps.

Any additional allowances such as London or South Eastern will be paid on passing competent - Relief premium will only be paid once you’ve signed all the locations your role is meant to cover.

Thank you

 

[Tom Quinne]

What are the shift patterns at west midlands signalling centre, i see there area fixed term post open for applications. Handsome salary would that be a grade 6?

If it’s circa £38,000 yes grade 6, grade 5 during training.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Thank you

Most welcome, best of luck !

 

[kenneth wright]

Hi guys might anyone be able to tell me what the shift pattern is at Manchester ROC?

 

[Tom Quinne]

More than likely 12hrs 0600-1800 or 0700-1900

 

[Ross Shearing]

Peeps I know it’s a bit late but I’ve got my medical tomorrow and I’ve been told it last eighty minutes....really?

 

[SmokeAndJoe]

Peeps I know it’s a bit late but I’ve got my medical tomorrow and I’ve been told it last eighty minutes....really?

Do you have something better to do?

 

[Tom Quinne]

Peeps I know it’s a bit late but I’ve got my medical tomorrow and I’ve been told it last eighty minutes....really?

It’s quite an in-depth medical, lots of form filling on top of the actual process so 60-90 minutes sounds about right - my own was just over an hour I think.

 

[Worldwide]

Hi guys might anyone be able to tell me what the shift pattern is at Manchester ROC?

Unsure of the times but I know they will be recruiting soon.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Unsure of the times but I know they will be recruiting soon.

Multiple internal vacancies, from grade 4 to grade 7 Relief recently.

 

[Ross Shearing]

It’s quite an in-depth medical, lots of form filling on top of the actual process so 60-90 minutes sounds about right - my own was just over an hour I think.

Cheers Tom. Yeah about forty five minutes in the end. Just waiting for the drugs test results. Thanks for replying.

 

[Tom Quinne]

No worries mate, best of luck !

 

[Ross Shearing]

Do you have something better to do?

Not at all but I was just surprised at eighty minutes that’s all. In the end it was only about forty five minutes long which having completed fitness and health checks including blood pressure, body fat percentage, life style and par q seemed to be more like it!

 

[kenneth wright]

Hi guys might anyone be able to tell me the shift pattern at Doncaster psb?

 

[KEliza]

Hello all! New member here!
I have just accepted a signaller position at Vic Signal Center in Clapham and am in the process of booking onto signal school training. I am so excited to start this next step in my career. Amd reading through this thread has got me even more excited. I currently have 3 questions.
First of all, I have my Medical Tomorrow. What should I expect?
Secondly, Does anyone have any advice on any reading I can do in the lead up to signal school or suggestions on areas I could learn a bit more about that would help me once I go there.
Finally, does anyone happen to know what the shift patterns are like at Vic signal center?
Cheers all!

 

[KEliza]

Also, wondering if anyone else here is starting signal school on January 21st 2019 in Basingstoke?

 

[Malc77]

I'm due to go to signalling school on 19th November pending medicals and references, is anyone else down for then ?

 

[Sinistah]

Well I’ve just been asked for a start date so I asked for 17th September. Hope I can get to signal school early. Don’t want to be hanging around until January to start. To be fair I will take what lever I’m given it may be a good thing hanging around because I can get to grips with the panel before going to the box I guess

 

[Glynh]

Hi KEliza,

Had my medical in July. Consisted of height, weight, urine (drugs and dipped for blood/sugar etc), breathalyser, sight and hearing tests, blood pressure, colour vision and a general health questionnaire. Took just over an hour.

I passed medical/background checks earlier this month and I’ve been given a 5th November start date at signalling school. I think it will be York.
@Sinistah - I said I was available from first week of Sept but earliest date given was 5th Nov, but could depend on location (I’m up in Yorkshire).

 

[SignallerJohn]

Secondly, Does anyone have any advice on any reading I can do in the lead up to signal school or suggestions on areas I could learn a bit more about that would help me once I go there.

Don’t read anything, it won’t make any sense and will just hinder your learning.

 

[Peterperfect]

Read this thread and see that certain boxes work 8hrs shifts and others 12hr shifts.

Can it be a mixture of both in an area or do all boxes under the one LOM work the one shift pattern?

Area im interested in is teeside/middlesbrough.

Thanks in advance to anyome who answers.

 

[Sunset route]

Read this thread and see that certain boxes work 8hrs shifts and others 12hr shifts.

Can it be a mixture of both in an area or do all boxes under the one LOM work the one shift pattern?

Area im interested in is teeside/middlesbrough.

Thanks in advance to anyome who answers.

We have both an 8hr and 12hr rosters for the signallers in our signalling centre and the shift managers work a mix of both on their roster. But we are the opposite end of the country from Teeside.

An area will generally be one or the other as the relief staff would be needed counted for covering the boxes within their area on their own base roster.

 

[Peterperfect]

We have both an 8hr and 12hr rosters for the signallers in our signalling centre and the shift managers work a mix of both on their roster. But we are the opposite end of the country from Teeside.

An area will generally be one or the other as the relief staff would be needed counted for covering the boxes within their area on their own base roster.

Many thanks for that. Thats what i thought for boxes. I didnt know ROC or iecc could have a mixture.

 

[KEliza]

Hi KEliza,

Had my medical in July. Consisted of height, weight, urine (drugs and dipped for blood/sugar etc), breathalyser, sight and hearing tests, blood pressure, colour vision and a general health questionnaire. Took just over an hour.

Thank you. I am just eager to get the ball rolling.

 

[Glynh]

Thank you. I am just eager to get the ball rolling.

I know the feeling. 5th Nov can’t come soon enough for me!

 

[nom de guerre]

Secondly, Does anyone have any advice on any reading I can do in the lead up to signal school or suggestions on areas I could learn a bit more about that would help me once I go there. Finally, does anyone happen to know what the shift patterns are like at Vic signal center?

Congratulations, KEliza!

Both sides of VASC (Central and Eastern) work an 8hr roster, with - AFAIA - 12hr Sundays. I'm sure your LOM will be happy to forward a copy of the roster.

Do you know what type of signalling course you will be taking (e.g. Absolute Block, TCB/IECC)? Learn the phonetic alphabet if you don't already know it.