A career as a signaller

[OverTheRails]

Phoned recruitment today and they said it got withdrawn due to no activity from managers lol

If only there was a facepalm on here!! lol! So .... i don't get it.. are they going to do something about that?

 

[Tom Quinne]

I wouldn’t put to much weight on what the recruitment call centre tell you.....

 

[Jaysub]

If only there was a facepalm on here!! lol! So .... i don't get it.. are they going to do something about that?

They said they should re-advertise it when the managers sort there-selves out...

More waiting again then

 

[High Dyke]

Hi all, like many on here I'm someone who has recently signed up after passing the online tests etc for a grade 3 position at Ranskill SB.
A couple of question if I may though:
The 8 non technical skills that are often mentioned - if you Google that phrase it comes back with this web site https://www.rssb.co.uk/Library/improving-industry-performance/2012-leaflet-non-technical-skills.pdf which is for the rail industry but only has 7 skills which are a bit different to the eight that people list. Which is correct? I think that pdf might be a bit old now perhaps?

Employment checks (assuming i get that far!!) - I left full time work at the start of April 2019 to work for myself (I'm an Architect), will that be acceptable in terms of continuous employment history?

And finally, the question that everyone seems to ask - what shift pattern does Ranskill operate?

Cheers guys

Ranskill currently operates 8 hour shifts Mon - Sat with 12 hour Sunday turns. They are trying to get a 12 hour roster introduced...it's been a long process so far and the local staff reps have yet another meeting tomorrow about it.

 

[Rockhopper]

Thank you Sir, that’s great. I’d prefer 12 hours but if I get the job (fingers crossed) it might have changed by the time I’m signed off!

 

[Soupstone]

I was meaning the underlying reason why redundancies were proposed at all, irrespective of when.
I thought when boxes closed people were re-assigned to another location. Or are they not related to box closures?

Although it's affecting the whole company, it's probably more to do with the maintenance side of things. Used to best advantage, or UBA. Think NR will eventually be looking to make these staff redundant, when there's no longer a place for them.

 

[Rockhopper]

Just a thought but would a change from eight to twelve hour shifts mean fewer people are needed to man the box?

 

[33056]

Just a thought but would a change from eight to twelve hour shifts mean fewer people are needed to man the box?

No, because each individual is still working the same number of hours per week, just in a different format.

 

[High Dyke]

Thank you Sir, that’s great. I’d prefer 12 hours but if I get the job (fingers crossed) it might have changed by the time I’m signed off!

Best of luck with the application. The introduction of a 12 hour roster at that location is rather complex to achieve. At the moment it is the cost aspect that management are not happy with, and seemingly there’s not enough money to successfully deliver the proposal at all the affected locations in the area.

 

[Southernsig]

The pay deal isn’t specific to the signalling grades but redundancies are always theoretically possible when boxes close. Redundancy in the Network Rail conciliatory grades is governed by the PTR&R (Promotion, Transfer, Relocation & Redundancy) agreement which dates back to BR days. I think this offer is 99% likely to be accepted this time round anyway. The most interesting thing for me was the NR has finally agreed to open negotiations with RDG over a privilege leisure concession for all staff.

I hope this wont be accepted, NR have offered no compulsory redundancies for two years with the caveat that they are to be permenantly removed after 2 years without the possibility of be kept from the next pay deal onwards. Why would we accept a blatent erosion of our t&c's like this. There will at some point come a time when there wont be enough vacancies to cover displacements

 

[mac]

Ranskill currently operates 8 hour shifts Mon - Sat with 12 hour Sunday turns. They are trying to get a 12 hour roster introduced...it's been a long process so far and the local staff reps have yet another meeting tomorrow about it.

And what do you think the outcome will be 8s or 12s

 

[67016]

Just a thought but would a change from eight to twelve hour shifts mean fewer people are needed to man the box?

It sometimes requires more, single staffed boxes tend to be either on a 4 or 5 person roster. Mainly to get round various work time rules

 

[headshot119]

It sometimes requires more, single staffed boxes tend to be either on a 4 or 5 person roster. Mainly to get round various work time rules

All locations I know are 4 people if it's staffed 24/7. Whether or not it's 8 hours or 12 hours.

 

[Rockhopper]

Thanks everyone. It’s all useful info come interview time! Closing date is 8th may so fingers crossed I’ll hear something next week then it’s time for my prep.

 

[Leo_724677]

I’ve checked the progress for an application of mine this afternoon on NR website and the status changed from test completed to ‘application under consideration for assessment 2’. Literally two minutes later the status reverted back to test completed. Just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else previously or if anyone was aware as to what this means/could mean?

 

[Uberbowman]

Hello all. Long time lurker here.
Applied for a post recently as signaller in Norwich (obviously I'm using the term "recently in the loosest possible sense).
Went through all the stages and made it to interview. During the interview it was mentioned that despite the advertised position being a grade 2, they did have a grade 1 post they wished to fill as well. I said, great, sounds good.
Last week I got a formal offer for the role of Crossing Keeper at Brundall (Norwich).
Couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long the job will last, with all the signalling modernisation going on, but I'm determined to enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[High Dyke]

And what do you think the outcome will be 8s or 12s

It depends if there’s enough funding available to deliver the proposal. That and take into account all the issues appertaining to make the proposal work in reality. Beyond that it isn’t something for this forum.

 

[Seejwalker]

Hello all. Long time lurker here.
Applied for a post recently as signaller in Norwich (obviously I'm using the term "recently in the loosest possible sense).
Went through all the stages and made it to interview. During the interview it was mentioned that despite the advertised position being a grade 2, they did have a grade 1 post they wished to fill as well. I said, great, sounds good.
Last week I got a formal offer for the role of Crossing Keeper at Brundall (Norwich).
Couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long the job will last, with all the signalling modernisation going on, but I'm determined to enjoy it while it lasts.

I wouldn't worry about that mate, one you're in you're in and they will try finding you a role that suits else where, if and when it comes to that.

 

[Rockhopper]

Hello all. Long time lurker here.
Applied for a post recently as signaller in Norwich (obviously I'm using the term "recently in the loosest possible sense).
Went through all the stages and made it to interview. During the interview it was mentioned that despite the advertised position being a grade 2, they did have a grade 1 post they wished to fill as well. I said, great, sounds good.
Last week I got a formal offer for the role of Crossing Keeper at Brundall (Norwich).
Couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long the job will last, with all the signalling modernisation going on, but I'm determined to enjoy it while it lasts.

Brilliant news, congratulations.

 

[67016]

All locations I know are 4 people if it's staffed 24/7. Whether or not it's 8 hours or 12 hours.

Interesting, we have 5 people rosters here and at my old location we had 5 too. It must depend on the areas preference to have 4 or 5 people on the roster.

 

[Llanigraham]

Interesting, we have 5 people rosters here and at my old location we had 5 too. It must depend on the areas preference to have 4 or 5 people on the roster.

All the Grade 2 & 3 Shrewsbury boxes were 4 person rosters.

 

[nom de guerre]

Last week I got a formal offer for the role of Crossing Keeper at Brundall (Norwich).
Couldn't be happier.

Welcome to the grade!

 

[Cavan]

Looks like all/most areas of Scotland will be looking for signallers in coming months - see latest N/R jobs for anyone in Scotland or fancying a move.

 

[Sunset route]

Interesting, we have 5 people rosters here and at my old location we had 5 too. It must depend on the areas preference to have 4 or 5 people on the roster.

Do these locations include there own GPR or is there still a area based GPR as well as 5 person roster?

 

[Uberbowman]

I wouldn't worry about that mate, one you're in you're in and they will try finding you a role that suits else where, if and when it comes to that.

Fingers crossed.

Brilliant news, congratulations.

Welcome to the grade!

Thank you. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[67016]

Do these locations include there own GPR or is there still a area based GPR as well as 5 person roster?

My first location just had spare days and other boxes cross covered there was no GPR. At my current location we have spare days and GPR.

 

[Alex Young]

Good afternoon,

Any one heard back from the York grade 6 vacancy? My application still at test complete for weeks.

Same here,i got a letter to state that i had passed the tests but i haven't heard anymore.

 

[Rockhopper]

Same here,i got a letter to state that i had passed the tests but i haven't heard anymore.

When was the closing date? They seem to get the online stuff done really quickly then let it run till after the closing date before they go to the next sep.

 

[Lemonice21]

When was the closing date? They seem to get the online stuff done really quickly then let it run till after the closing date before they go to the next sep.

I believe the York closing date was March 20th. I am also waiting for Didcot. That closing date was March 30th I think.

 

[Rockhopper]

Oh wow. Is it worth a phone call then?