A career as a signaller

[Mark12]

TVSC tens to use talent pools very successfully so your app could well sit at Assessment 2 for a considerable time.

Thanks for the heads up. I wait in hope!!!

 

[Defenestrate]

2 years trying
10 applications at 5 different boxes
5 interviews (6th offered but won’t be going and came 2nd on three occasions)
Finally I’ve been offered a Signaller role!

And the best thing it’s at my first choice box which also happens to be the closest to home

No idea as to start date yet have to wait for the HR machine to kick in but hopefully signalling school early next year.

To say I’m happy is an understatement ! Reading these forums, people’s advice and experience definitely helped. So thank you to everyone who’s contributed.

Congratulations, well done - I know how you feel - perseverance does pay off!

 

[WestCoast88]

Glasgow crew 30th September 2019

Hey congrats! When did you find out? What box are you going to be in?

 

[Catchpole1]

Hi, just had an email regards crag hall stating my application had been unsuccessful due to the role being withdrawn! I have however noticed the role has been readvertised!! Any ideas why this would be??

cheers.

 

[Chumba]

Hi, just had an email regards crag hall stating my application had been unsuccessful due to the role being withdrawn! I have however noticed the role has been readvertised!! Any ideas why this would be??

cheers.

Check your jobs account, I had this once and it was an administrative error, HR automatically reallocated my original application to the new IRC number. If they haven’t gave them a ring. It’s probably an admin error.

 

[Catchpole1]

Check your jobs account, I had this once and it was an administrative error, HR automatically reallocated my original application to the new IRC number. If they haven’t gave them a ring. It’s probably an admin error.

Lol I have reapplied now. I had my original application saved along with my CV so I went through it again. Made a few changes to hopefully improve it. Fingers crossed.

 

[MylesHSG]

Anyone here apply for the Willesden Carriage Shed North vacancy? Just being nosy!

 

[The BIgman1234]

Thanks for your replies nom de guerre and Tom, it’s been helpful. I did get some feedback from my last interview, and obvious as it sounds, I hadn’t really brushed up on the rules relevant to that area. All the interviews I’ve had since becoming a signaller have been locally so I’d been so focussed on being word perfect on rules I’d been asked previously, it honestly hadn’t occurred that the questions would be so different in each area, AB/TCB differences aside.

With regards to spending time in higher grade boxes, I’ve been to a couple locally, but as I’m having to move completely out of area and signal boxes vary around the country so much, it’s hard to know what to expect. Again this makes it hard to know what rules to read up on pre-interview as I’m a good six hours away from where I’m looking to move to (Manchester/Cheshire way) so box visits are really only possible the day of or day before the actual interview. In terms of securing another position, I’m able to get time off for interviews, subject to cover, but there’s no guarantee whatsoever of a permanent position. It’s quite stressful, which really doesn’t help ease the pressure at interview!

Ideally I’d wait for the ‘perfect’ vacancy to come up, something grade 3-5 maybe but given the very real possibility of unemployment by February I feel like I need to apply for whatever I can.

I’m considering applying for a grade 6 at Heaton Norris and a grade 7 at Crewe PSB so if anyone has any experience of working these boxes, your help would be appreciated!

If you picked up absolute block easily then track circuit block will be a dawdle. You will be busy and will have some horrific shifts but they make you a better signalller .Yes it’s very daunting going into a big box for the first time and seeing all the tracks and equipment. But you probably thought the same going into a manual box for the first time . I remember walking into my signalling centre for the first time and thinking f.... me I’ll never learn this lol . After a year or two it becomes second nature .
Now after 26 years in the same box and working an NX panel I now need to learn a completely new system and again at first you think jeez o here we go again lol .
So get in for the high grades

 

[The BIgman1234]

Question for any current signaller or nr employees.
What should I wear on my first day? Theres no mention of anything other than to report to the signal box

Suit shirt and tie your a signaller now ... only kidding lol . Smart causal and comfortable.. ull see all sorts in signalling centres lol .. In Scotland no football colours are allowed though !!!

 

[The BIgman1234]

Glasgow crew 30th September 2019

Were you in the wssc today ???

 

[nr_signaller]

Anyone here apply for the Willesden Carriage Shed North vacancy? Just being nosy!

My dad has but so far no update but I believe the vacancy closed internal today but closed quite early externally

 

[SJCembre]

Any MOMs on here?

 

[TRain87]

Any MOMs on here?

Yes...what's up?

 

[ewaste]

Hey congrats! When did you find out? What box are you going to be in?

Hello, I found out back in early May so not too long a wait before training was sorted out in Glasgow. I'll be working on the G&SW

Were you in the wssc today ???

Yeah there were a few of us wandering about with the LOM and OM, what panel do you work?

 

[Habitat]

Does anyone have the current Grade 1 salary and also what it'll be after the rise in January please?

 

[nom de guerre]

Grade 1 basic is £25,912.

Next year’s pay rise is based on the November 2019 RPI figures (which are published in December).

 

[Habitat]

Grade 1 basic is £25,912.

Next year’s pay rise is based on the November 2019 RPI figures (which are published in December).

Thank you!

 

[Edriver]

Yes...what's up?

I haven't sourced this info out from the forum and I imagine its probably on here in some capacity but what is clear is how competitive and sought after becoming a MOM is - which concerns me a bit because I would be an external applicant. The info I've come across, albeit very useful has been more aimed towards the application process. Could you dig into the 7 week training a little bit and how thorough the signalling training will be seeing that the primary remit of the role will be incident response...?

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Yes...what's up?

Sorry to hijack this, but do they take in applicants 'off the street' as it were, or is it usually signallers that want a change in direction? I'm quite interested in the role and one has come up close by but closes very soon!

 

[Defenestrate]

Sorry to hijack this, but do they take in applicants 'off the street' as it were, or is it usually signallers that want a change in direction? I'm quite interested in the role and one has come up close by but closes very soon!

Yes, non-signallers and others can and do apply and be successful...go for it!

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Yes, non-signallers and others can and do apply and be successful...go for it!

Thanks for the positive reply - I think I probably will as the worst that can happen is that they turn my application down. My only concern is that the job spec says this

Essential Criteria

· Rail Incident Officer and Personal Track Safety training

Which seems to indicate you must possess these to be able to apply, although it also says you may be required to take on the role of Rail Incident Officer and then goes on to explain what that involves - which implies you may be trained for it!

 

[Tom Quinne]

RIO are usually shoe in jobs to be honest, you’ll stand little to no chance.

 

[Stigy]

Thanks for the positive reply - I think I probably will as the worst that can happen is that they turn my application down. My only concern is that the job spec says this

Essential Criteria

· Rail Incident Officer and Personal Track Safety training

Which seems to indicate you must possess these to be able to apply, although it also says you may be required to take on the role of Rail Incident Officer and then goes on to explain what that involves - which implies you may be trained for it!

I can’t see the original post you’re referring to, but assuming this is a MOM role, I believe being trained as an RIO is something that you tend not to be competent in until you become a MOM and thus are trained for it when you’re in post?

 

[MostlyHarmless]

I can’t see the original post you’re referring to, but assuming this is a MOM role, I believe being trained as an RIO is something that you tend not to be competent in until you become a MOM and thus are trained for it when you’re in post?

I've been told that this is the case so I'll get my application in!

 

[The BIgman1234]

Hello, I found out back in early May so not too long a wait before training was sorted out in Glasgow. I'll be working on the G&SW



Yeah there were a few of us wandering about with the LOM and OM, what panel do you work?

I was downstairs testing a new work station . Good luck

 

[Neanderthal]

Anyone starting signalling school in York on Monday 30th September?

 

[NewtoNR]

How long before starting signalling school are you generally told your school start date?

 

[MOM67]

My only concern is that the job spec says this

Essential Criteria

· Rail Incident Officer and Personal Track Safety training

Which seems to indicate you must possess these to be able to apply

Don't be overly concerned; these are both competencies you will gain when you attend the MOM course. Most signallers nowadays do not hold PTS competence as it was taken away some years ago. Some MOMs are Rules Competent (supervise Signal Boxes) whilst others are purely Incident Response (eg covering an IECC area as IECCs have there own supervisors).

Best of Luck!

 

[MostlyHarmless]

My only concern is that the job spec says this

Essential Criteria

· Rail Incident Officer and Personal Track Safety training

Which seems to indicate you must possess these to be able to apply

Don't be overly concerned; these are both competencies you will gain when you attend the MOM course. Most signallers nowadays do not hold PTS competence as it was taken away some years ago. Some MOMs are Rules Competent (supervise Signal Boxes) whilst others are purely Incident Response (eg covering an IECC area as IECCs have there own supervisors).

Best of Luck!

Thank you!

 

[Chumba]

Thank you!

There were two recent MOM adverts, one for Woking and one for Eastleigh.

The Woking one said

Essential Criteria

· Rail Incident Officer and Personal Track Safety training

The Eastleigh one didn't have that as an essential criteria.

So go for it, I'm sure it'll be part of the training if you get the job.