A career as a signaller

[TomBoyd]

As I'm just starting my career as a signaller, how worried should I be with the box closures? And what happens to the employees if there box does close, are they automatically offered a job in the ROC or out on your ear? According to a list I saw online (may be out of date) the boxes I'm due to work in (as a relief signaller) are all due to close in 2018.

Cheers

A) Not very

B) They will help you find a job elsewhere. You will have first priority in the relocation location, or a move elsewhere if you'd prefer.

C) don't put a lot of faith in those lists!

 

[Sunset route]

I agree the migration lists are well out of date now. Yes it is happening but no where near the speed that they first suggested. Half of my signalling centre was due to close by August 2017 by the original plans 5 or 6 years ago. Now we are nearly there, there isn't even any plans on the drawing board yet let alone the funding for it. But we are due to get TMS isolated wishin the next 18 months attached to our panels so read into that what you will.

So yes the plans are going forward at a much slower pace. Any location that closes will have displacement and relocation packages as agreed by your Area/Route council Reps to a formula that had been agreed nationally. The way to find out who your Area/Route Council reps is via your Local LDC rep who deals with your LOM on all local issues on your behalf.

If you can get hold of copies of the 1994 agreement, 2001 agreement, National Rostering Principles, The Conditions of service Green Book (April 1997) and the PTR&R (Promotion, Transfer, Resettlement & Redundancy) 1985 which in particular covers the two R&Rs. These cover most but not all of the agreements that the Union and company have. Even if you only join the Union just for legal protection like most do, get to know you local rep well and milk them for all the information you can from those publications amongst others.

 

[nom de guerre]

But we are due to get TMS isolated wishin the next 18 months

Installed?

 

[carriageline]

Installed?

TMS isolated is what they put on NX panels. It's an advisory thing, no route setting functionality. Essentially a screen that tells the signaller what is best!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[signallerscot]

Is that the train graph thing? I got a quick look at it in a briefing and it looks quite good, though probably most useful for single lines.

 

[nom de guerre]

TMS isolated is what they put on NX panels. It's an advisory thing, no route setting functionality. Essentially a screen that tells the signaller what is best!

Ta - not heard of that before.

 

[43021HST]

Guildford and Woking (ASC) are still going strong; Aldershot went a couple of years ago as part of the Alton Line resignalling (replaced by a new panel in Woking). I would love to have worked one of the SW division boxes of your era with miniature lever frames - sadly a bit before my time.

A small point of interest, my father worked in Aldershot and Farnham signal boxes, I think between 1994 and 2000. Aldershot (I could be wrong) was mostly miniature levers, but dad says he remembers Farnham having a rather eclectic mix of miniature levers, a full manual ground frame and various bits of equipment, some of it dating back to LSWR days!


An ambition of mine too, is to become a signalman although lately I became a bit disheartened when I failed the online test for Basingstoke box a few months back, due to my maths skills being sub par. (My Dads Maths skills are worse than mine but he managed perfectly fine).

 

[Sunset route]

Ta - not heard of that before.

I expect that TMS isolated will end up in most signalling centres and those signalboxes with critical regulating to do, that are not due for immediate migration to the ROCs. It's the bit of techno that they can get to work, see as a CCF replacemnt type of thing.

It would be interesting to know that once TMS is up and running in its three varieties (Isolated, interfaced & integrated) if it makes it on to the basic signalling courses at signalling school especially the latter one.

 

[nom de guerre]

There was only one panel at Waterloo,that mainly covered the station area,and went as far down as Vauxhall. (That's not me at the panel !)

Thanks for the photo! How many signallers per shift?

A small point of interest, my father worked in Aldershot and Farnham signal boxes, I think between 1994 and 2000. Aldershot (I could be wrong) was mostly miniature levers, but dad says he remembers Farnham having a rather eclectic mix of miniature levers, a full manual ground frame and various bits of equipment, some of it dating back to LSWR days!

Aldershot
Farnham
(Not my images)

The latter was a lovely box to work. Part-AB, part-TCB; levers and NX; single line, depot, level crossing, Holybourne oil terminal and connection to the Mid-Hants.

 

[Scorpio008]

Hello all, I've been following this thread for a while but first time poster. Thanks to all the input and advice so far, it helped me a lot in my application.
I was wondering if anyone has heard anything back regarding the Singaller Grade 1 - 7 positions in Scotland?

My status is still hanging on Test Completed but I'm aware from abzrunner it looked as though some had been invited to the testing stage. Will call HR again once they're open but last time I called they also seemed a bit perplexed that it was taking so long.

Oh, and Happy New Year to you all!

 

[TNbloke]

If l remember rightly,there were 4 of us. 2 for the main line side, platforms 1-13, (platform 14 could be used by either side) and 2 for the Windsor side working platforms 15-21. There were only 2 on the panel at once,we used to work hour on and hour off.

I worked Aldershot,but not Farnham. Used to be full size levers there. It was also a nice box to work, l liked it there.

Thanks for the photo! How many signallers per shift?


Aldershot
Farnham
(Not my images)

The latter was a lovely box to work. Part-AB, part-TCB; levers and NX; single line, depot, level crossing, Holybourne oil terminal and connection to the Mid-Hants.

 

[Donachie]

Hello all, I've been following this thread for a while but first time poster. Thanks to all the input and advice so far, it helped me a lot in my application.
I was wondering if anyone has heard anything back regarding the Singaller Grade 1 - 7 positions in Scotland?

My status is still hanging on Test Completed but I'm aware from abzrunner it looked as though some had been invited to the testing stage. Will call HR again once they're open but last time I called they also seemed a bit perplexed that it was taking so long.

Oh, and Happy New Year to you all!

H

Hi Scorpio 008,Welcome to forum.

I am in same position as you , apart from an e mail stating they are waiting on assessment dates , I have had not change in status.
I find it strange they have advertised vacancies in Scotland , Leuchars at present, when this Scotland Road recruitment drive seemed to indicate that vacancies throughout Scotland would come under this process ?

Happy New Year All, and good luck.

Donachie

 

[43021HST]

Thanks for the photo! How many signallers per shift?





Aldershot
Farnham
(Not my images)

The latter was a lovely box to work. Part-AB, part-TCB; levers and NX; single line, depot, level crossing, Holybourne oil terminal and connection to the Mid-Hants.

The pictures bring back memories of remember being allowed once into Farnham box when I was about 5, I think that's where the railway bug hit. I remember that very day Dad being given by the signaller on shift a huge Waterloo and City NSE sign until my Mum decided it was a good idea to chuck it the very next day.

Dad said the same except in his era of operating it, the only pain would be the Saturday night fights on the level crossing, when the local chavs could find nothing better to do.

 

[TNbloke]

I used to work the 2 boxes on the Waterloo & City line,when l was RDR Signalman at Waterloo. The frame at the Waterloo end was very odd,it was raised up about 18-24" from the floor and the levers were half size,maybe a foot or so long..very odd indeed ! The Signalman's job at the Bank end,consisted of sweeping the platforms and travelators ! There was a small panel there that was set to automatic,and the late turn signalman would have to over-ride it, before the evening rush hour, to bring a second train into service. Happy Days ! Here's a pic l found of the box at the Waterloo end.

Another quirk of having to work down there was that the signalman,and l think, all the other staff that worked down there,had to walk the track from Waterloo to Bank,on a saturday afternoon,after the last train had gone,before the Area Insp would pass them out !!

The pictures bring back memories of remember being allowed once into Farnham box when I was about 5, I think that's where the railway bug hit. I remember that very day Dad being given by the signaller on shift a huge Waterloo and City NSE sign until my Mum decided it was a good idea to chuck it the very next day.

Dad said the same except in his era of operating it, the only pain would be the Saturday night fights on the level crossing, when the local chavs could find nothing better to do.

 

[TRain87]

Evening all

Very stupid of me - but a genuine mistake.....when working out at the gym, I take zinc supplements to increase testosterone to help with workout, didn't go to gym in December but started again tonight - out of habit took a tablet then done work out. I have a drugs test on 19th January for my role - is this going to be a problem and should I tell them? Not going to take anymore between now and medical! No abuse please....I know it was stupid lol.

Cheers

 

[signallerscot]

If it's just zinc then it shouldn't stop you passing but definitely declare it anyway.

 

[TRain87]

If it's just zinc then it shouldn't stop you passing but definitely declare it anyway.

Ok will do. I have emailed the testing company to explain to see if this will be an issue! I'm now worried about everything though....like energy drinks - If I were to drink one, would that affect me? I have also looked online and people try to scam the test by taking excess amounts of zinc, to mask any drugs they take. What I took was 1 tablet with around 5mg of zinc.....now also worried they may see this as me trying to mask anything else!

Will be glad when this medical is over with and the contract is in my hand


****UPDATE****

Supplements are allowed for drugs test, and once declared these are screened out during the results!

 

[eriks]

Ok will do. I have emailed the testing company to explain to see if this will be an issue! I'm now worried about everything though....like energy drinks - If I were to drink one, would that affect me? I have also looked online and people try to scam the test by taking excess amounts of zinc, to mask any drugs they take. What I took was 1 tablet with around 5mg of zinc.....now also worried they may see this as me trying to mask anything else!

Will be glad when this medical is over with and the contract is in my hand

It sounds like you should be OK. However it shows the importance for everyone in this industry to really understand what they are taking. For instance, do you know where the supplement you have take has come from. Is it a legit source? Can the doses and ingredients declared (or not) be trusted? Again not saying this applies to your example Tryles, but if a supplement was bought from 'someone at a gym' - can you really trust it with your life/job? I will be less strong than some as I do my running and cycling with water, but I know what I'm consuming and I have no need to worry about the tests. On another note, I heard of someone asking someone else about whether there was a chance of being tested while at signalling school as he fancied 'getting bladdered' and wanted to make sure wouldn't get caught. Wrong attitude/wrong job/no excuses.

 

[brassneck]

You're not wrong there! I had my interview mid September and I'm only starting 15th January!

Looks like we are workmates, I start 16th and am ending up at monks after signal school.

 

[TRain87]

It sounds like you should be OK. However it shows the importance for everyone in this industry to really understand what they are taking. For instance, do you know where the supplement you have take has come from. Is it a legit source? Can the doses and ingredients declared (or not) be trusted? Again not saying this applies to your example Tryles, but if a supplement was bought from 'someone at a gym' - can you really trust it with your life/job? I will be less strong than some as I do my running and cycling with water, but I know what I'm consuming and I have no need to worry about the tests. On another note, I heard of someone asking someone else about whether there was a chance of being tested while at signalling school as he fancied 'getting bladdered' and wanted to make sure wouldn't get caught. Wrong attitude/wrong job/no excuses.

Zinc tablets purchased from Lloyds pharmacy - with ingredients and an information leaflet - I think I'll be OK haha. I know what you're saying though but I'd never take tablets that were dodgy! And definitely won't be going out to get bladdered while at school.

 

[signallerscot]

One of the trainees for a box I work was tested at the school the morning after a big session (after the trainer and his classmates noticed the state he was in) and was packed off on the train home for his LOM to sack the same day. He had been in the railway for less than a fortnight.

 

[TRain87]

One of the trainees for a box I work was tested at the school the morning after a big session (after the trainer and his classmates noticed the state he was in) and was packed off on the train home for his LOM to sack the same day. He had been in the railway for less than a fortnight.

Some peoples stupidity, shocks me! Try this hard to get into the job, then throw it all away for a beer!

 

[Llanigraham]

One of the trainees for a box I work was tested at the school the morning after a big session (after the trainer and his classmates noticed the state he was in) and was packed off on the train home for his LOM to sack the same day. He had been in the railway for less than a fortnight.

That person was an idiot!

We were warned about this on the first day of the course, and were advised that having a pint during the evening was not a problem but anymore and we were taking a risk.

 

[be96erj]

Sorry if this has been asked before.

Do you need to have had experience at a lower grade of signaller before taking on a level 9 job? Or can new entrants apply and expect to get the job if they can show they have the prerequisites?

I have recently passed my signaller assessment day, but I failed at the interview stage. That was for a level 3 job. I was advised by recruitment that I can apply for any other signaller jobs and I will not have to do the day assessment again.

How are other forum members doing with this process? Anyone stuck at the job interview stage? Any tips you could offer?

Anyone who is about to do the day assessment, feel free to contact me and will help you as best as I can to pass it, which I did first time.

thanks!

RJ

 

[Validation]

Sorry if this has been asked before.

Do you need to have had experience at a lower grade of signaller before taking on a level 9 job? Or can new entrants apply and expect to get the job if they can show they have the prerequisites?

I have recently passed my signaller assessment day, but I failed at the interview stage. That was for a level 3 job. I was advised by recruitment that I can apply for any other signaller jobs and I will not have to do the day assessment again.

How are other forum members doing with this process? Anyone stuck at the job interview stage? Any tips you could offer?

Anyone who is about to do the day assessment, feel free to contact me and will help you as best as I can to pass it, which I did first time.

thanks!

RJ

No pre-requisite to have been a signaller before obtaining a grade 9 job, just display the right attributes and have good examples for questions (8 non-technical skills) in the interview and you stand just a good a chance as anyone else.

 

[TRain87]

Been given a start date of 6th March, school starts 13th - what do you do in that first week? And the hours you'd do?

 

[LimeStSte]

Looks like we are workmates, I start 16th and am ending up at monks after signal school.

So it does, both from Wirral too!
Look forward to meeting you!

 

[brassneck]

So it does, both from Wirral too!
Look forward to meeting you!

Likewise Steve.

Any chance of a discussion off here, can't pm you on here for some reason. Throw me an email: [email protected]

 

[NX]

There is nothing stopping you God not from the street into a grade 9, nothing at all.

I'm coming in straight to a grade 7 at a ROC with no previous experience.

 

[magillmagic]

The first week is a fairly steady introduction. First day, introducing you all to each other, then introducing you all to the course and its content.
Not too much about trains, tracks or signalling in the first week, more about Network Rail and company values.
Week 3 is death week! (well it was for us)