A career as a signaller

[LAX54]

Colchester ASC: 12 hour roster, 17days A/L under 10 years and 19 over 10 years. For those who maybe looking for a career in a couple of years, we have approx 15 to 18 new posts coming up in early 2019, so I'd imagine they maybe advertised towards the end of 2018

 

[godfreycomplex]

Is Acton Wells a double Manned box? How can a one man box have a meal relief Man?

Meal relief travels between the two boxes (Acton Wells/Richmond) during the day. Both are nominally single manned but (especially Acton Wells) they are too busy to concentrate on cooking and eating a meal.
The only other two boxes with a meal relief that I can think of are Liverpool Lime Street & Edge Hill

 

[martin2345uk]

Colchester ASC: 12 hour roster, 17days A/L under 10 years and 19 over 10 years. For those who maybe looking for a career in a couple of years, we have approx 15 to 18 new posts coming up in early 2019, so I'd imagine they maybe advertised towards the end of 2018

I would love to work at the Colchester ASC one day... what grades are there..?

 

[nom de guerre]

Is Acton Wells a double Manned box? How can a one man box have a meal relief Man?

MBR works 0900-2100 Mon-Sat and travels between a handful of single-manned 12h boxes (Richmond, Acton Wells, Upper Holloway, South Tottenham) by train, giving breaks as they go. Sounds interesting, and decent pay (G6 plus, I presume, Inner London) but no Sundays and possibly limited life expectancy - hence, I suspect, the lack of takers. There's also the question of when/where the MBR takes their own breaks...

Would also be interesting to know why they're being introduced. This kind of arrangement has been possible for decades, but AFAIK - and despite my rep's claims! - has always been resisted by management. Why here, and why now? Acton Wells requires breaks as it's a VDU workstation, but all the others are panels.

In light of the recent union email re the working time directive, perhaps a harbinger of things to come ...?

 

[nom de guerre]

Meal relief travels between the two boxes (Acton Wells/Richmond) during the day. Both are nominally single manned but (especially Acton Wells) they are too busy to concentrate on cooking and eating a meal.
The only other two boxes with a meal relief that I can think of are Liverpool Lime Street & Edge Hill

Is Edge Hill single-manned?

One of the blokes on my TCB conversion course was being recertified to work there. Recall him describing it as a busy G7, but not the manning arrangements.

 

[contrad!ction]

I presumed (yes, I know) that 17/19 was the national norm. Perhaps my area is the exception? Or maybe the combination of rosters at your place was a factor?

Anyone else here working 12s? What do you get?

17/19 down here in the dream factory as well...

I would love to work at the Colchester ASC one day... what grades are there..?

Think the signallers are grade 8s and the shift managers are grade 9s (they could be 10s though, not 100% on that one - sure swills can confirm!)

A nice mix of NX and VDU as well - assuming they aren’t seperate links.

 

[Saracen_83]

Probably failed the test, SJT and the verbal was ok, but only completed 14 our 16 of the numerical, and boy some of them questions were hard!!!!!!!!

Be gutted if I did fail though, and annoyed that I didn’t finish it

 

[Bald Rick]

Colchester ASC: 12 hour roster, 17days A/L under 10 years and 19 over 10 years. For those who maybe looking for a career in a couple of years, we have approx 15 to 18 new posts coming up in early 2019, so I'd imagine they maybe advertised towards the end of 2018

When did you go to a full 12 hr roster?

 

[Teddyward]

Probably failed the test, SJT and the verbal was ok, but only completed 14 our 16 of the numerical, and boy some of them questions were hard!!!!!!!!

Be gutted if I did fail though, and annoyed that I didn’t finish it

I felt the same and also didn’t finish the last 2 maths questions because when doing a previous question I realised I made an error halfway through and did it again. I received a pass. I don’t think they’re necessarily designed to be all finished but more that you can do the majority of it well.

 

[Redder]

Probably failed the test, SJT and the verbal was ok, but only completed 14 our 16 of the numerical, and boy some of them questions were hard!!!!!!!!

Be gutted if I did fail though, and annoyed that I didn’t finish it

Don't worry about not completing all the questions in the numeracy, I didn't either but still passed, as long as you got the ones you did answer right you'll probably reach the benchmark, I did and made it to interview afterward, still awaiting a result on that though.

 

[Saracen_83]

I’m hopeful that I got majority if not all correct that I answered, just hope I get a pass too!!!! We shall see!!! You heard any more since you passed??? How long it take to hear mate?? Your from grays too if I remember correctly???

 

[martin2345uk]

Colchester ASC: 12 hour roster, 17days A/L under 10 years and 19 over 10 years. For those who maybe looking for a career in a couple of years, we have approx 15 to 18 new posts coming up in early 2019, so I'd imagine they maybe advertised towards the end of 2018

One more question on this... why so many posts going up at the same time? How many people tend to be on shift at any one time?

 

[Sunset route]

How many people tend to be on shift at any one time?

There will as many as jobs at that location. If a location has 3 panels or worksstaions then it will be 3, if like my location it has 10 panels then it will be 10 plus meal relief plus shift managers. My local ROC is plannned to have at least 40 workstations in the end, so that will 40 plus meal relief, plus shift managers when completed.

 

[Teddyward]

I’m hopeful that I got majority if not all correct that I answered, just hope I get a pass too!!!! We shall see!!! You heard any more since you passed??? How long it take to hear mate?? Your from grays too if I remember correctly???

yes indeed and made almost identical applications. Car share? Lol. I did mine one evening around 7pm and got email next day at 10am with letter attached saying reached the required benchmark.

 

[Saracen_83]

yes indeed and made almost identical applications. Car share? Lol. I did mine one evening around 7pm and got email next day at 10am with letter attached saying reached the required benchmark.

Haha sounds like a plan!!!!!

What do you want more? Signaller or driver???

Hoping I get an email come Monday saying successful!!!! Fingers crossed!!!!

 

[Southernsig]

Does anyone know if kings x are an 8 or 12 hr roster?

 

[nom de guerre]

8h on weekdays, 12h at weekends.

 

[Southernsig]

Cheers mate, wont put in for that then I dont think.

 

[choochoobacca]

Just finished reading through all 45 pages in this topic and want to say thank you to all the contributors as there is some valuable information and links in amongst it all for those applying like myself. Many thanks!

 

[TRain87]

Just finished reading through all 45 pages in this topic and want to say thank you to all the contributors as there is some valuable information and links in amongst it all for those applying like myself. Many thanks!

All people applying should read all these pages, that's what they are there for. Well done - I wish you all the luck in applying and hope you're successful

 

[choochoobacca]

All people applying should read all these pages, that's what they are there for. Well done - I wish you all the luck in applying and hope you're successful

Thanks TRain87. Took me 3 sittings to get through it all over the past few days but very much worthwhile!

 

[Saracen_83]

Woohoo passed the online tests!!!!! Now another waiting game!!!!

 

[martin2345uk]

Congrats matt! Now the waiting starts!

 

[Saracen_83]

I’ve been waiting 2 months to hear back regarding trainee train driver therefore I can wait for this as well!!!

 

[choochoobacca]

Hello all,
I've applied for the grade 7 Cambridge signaller vacancy and have been trying to locate the signal box but am struggling, embarassingly... I've come across the following passage elsewhere online which I'm assuming is out of date, given that they are recruiting still -

'The days of this PSB may be coming to a end as Network Rail has said that in 2016 ( the date not yet Known?) Cambridge PSB, as well as the Foxton Gate signal Box, are set to close with the Anglia Regional Operations Centre at Romford, taking over these areas.'

Does anybody know if this change occurred or where exactly the above Cambridge vacancy will be situated? I keep finding a signal box in Cambridge which appears to be some sort of youth club and any reference to Cambridge PSB seems to indicate it is closed/closing...
Any info would be very much appreciated, many thanks

 

[Highlandspring]

Cambridge PSB is located off Hills Road at the South end of the station, opposite the multi storey car park and the Cambridge Junction arts centre.

 

[nom de guerre]

'The days of this PSB may be coming to a end as Network Rail has said that in 2016 ( the date not yet Known?) Cambridge PSB, as well as the Foxton Gate signal Box, are set to close with the Anglia Regional Operations Centre at Romford, taking over these areas.'

Does anybody know if this change occurred ...?

No, it hasn't.

AFAIA Romford ROC is operational, but as yet, no signalling has relocated there. Think I've seen some Control-related jobs advertised. Swills and others will undoubtedly know more.

The ROC programme in general is running well behind schedule and may never be completed as originally envisaged.

 

[choochoobacca]

Cambridge PSB is located off Hills Road at the South end of the station, opposite the multi storey car park and the Cambridge Junction arts centre.

Many thanks, that's nice and central.

 

[choochoobacca]

No, it hasn't.

AFAIA Romford ROC is operational, but as yet, no signalling has relocated there. Think I've seen some Control-related jobs advertised. Swills and others will undoubtedly know more.

The ROC programme in general is running well behind schedule and may never be completed as originally envisaged.

Many thanks, would be just my luck to re-locate to get in and then have to re-locate a couple of months down the line

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hello all,

I have seen a G4 job at Cardiff advertised, what is this likely to be? If anyone knows.

Also what is a G4 actually likely to earn? My current role is 36basic no extras for Sunday's, up to 40ish with an average of 2 RDWs a month. So wouldn't want to be taking a permanent pay cut.

Thanks