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A career as a signaller

MylesHSG

Member
Joined
3 Oct 2016
Messages
181
I've done it once, after a night shift, when my relief was snow bound, and Control were trying everything to get someone to relieve me. However they also ended up paying for me to stay in a local hotel as I was unlikely to get home and then back in the next evening.
And we still ended up shutting the line for a couple of hours.

The biggest "problem" with just walking out at (say) 0600 is what happens to any trains approaching your Box? In my case they would have been stuck at a red signal with no road access and no known time of resolution. Atleast staying on gave the TOC a chance to stop trains at the 2 nearest large stations.

And we signallers have been accused of not think of passengers!

You'd hope that the relieving signaller who can't make it in time or can't come in would have let you know with time to plan around it.....
 
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Pav

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
20
Location
Birmingham
Maybe you could help with my query I joined RPS 2 months ago but have now been sent a Transfer Request and a Transfer In Form what do I do with them
Alas sorry Mac, I'm not too sure about those forms. It was about 5 years ago when I transferred and I don't really remember the process. Maybe someone in HR could assist you or even someone from the RPS?
 

Pav

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
20
Location
Birmingham
Thanks, 7am/pm wouldn't be an issue at all so good to know the times, and also that its a 12 hr. Just a matter of waiting now and keeping fingers crossed!
Not a problem, more than happy to help. Although I'm not a line manager I have a vested interest in seeing good people get into EMCC! :)
 

300_danny

Member
Joined
6 Nov 2019
Messages
5
Location
Surrey
Hi,
Does anyone know the location of the London grade 3 ‘career opportunities’ that was up the other day?
Also does anyone know why it was only up for 3 days?
 

headshot119

Established Member
Joined
31 Dec 2010
Messages
2,052
Location
Dubai
Hi,
Does anyone know the location of the London grade 3 ‘career opportunities’ that was up the other day?
Also does anyone know why it was only up for 3 days?

It was a talent pool vacancy for various grade 3 positions in the London area.
 

Rockhopper

Member
Joined
29 Apr 2019
Messages
736
In the advert they usually say that they reserve the right to close the process early if they get enough applications.
 

Gallius

Member
Joined
10 Nov 2019
Messages
91
Location
Uk
Hi,
Does anyone know the location of the London grade 3 ‘career opportunities’ that was up the other day?
Also does anyone know why it was only up for 3 days?
I'm sure that was the second time that had had been up in a few weeks. The first time it was up longer than 3 days.
 

300_danny

Member
Joined
6 Nov 2019
Messages
5
Location
Surrey
Oh I thought that was the first time I saw that one and I check everyday! Must of slipped through my eyes,
And the day it went up (19th I think) the closing date was 22nd I thought maybe they didn’t want to many applications which meant higher chance! Lol
But thank you everyone!
 

Gallius

Member
Joined
10 Nov 2019
Messages
91
Location
Uk
Oh I thought that was the first time I saw that one and I check everyday! Must of slipped through my eyes,
And the day it went up (19th I think) the closing date was 22nd I thought maybe they didn’t want to many applications which meant higher chance! Lol
But thank you everyone!
I could be wrong. I've seen a few job ads appear, disappear before the closing date and then reappear again, sometimes before the closing date and sometimes after the original closing date.
 

Amanda

Member
Joined
5 Mar 2018
Messages
197
Unless you are a total plumb it’s always worth having another go. Got to in it to win it and all that. And your application will be judged against the others so if they are poor this time and you are good then jobs a fish.

Thanks for the advice, @Rockhopper, and also @Defenestrate. I've just applied this morning and have tweaked my application a little.

Never did get the notification though to say my first application was unsuccessful, but then while my other rejection for another position shows as "Application Unsuccessful", this one says only "Unsuccessful" so I'm not sure if something is incomplete in the system somewhere.
 

RedMum77

Member
Joined
13 Nov 2019
Messages
55
Location
Alfreton
Bare in mind rocking up at 0700/1900 will not make you popular with your colleagues.

It’s accepted norm you’ll relieve at 0630/1830, fancy walking in snow or pouring rain? What happens if the buses are on strike?
Xmas day etc?

Your own means of transport are very important, being late for shift change isn’t going to go down well.

Yes I am well aware that a decent handover time is expected and wouldn't dream of doing anything less. As stated in a previous post, I am learning to drive and hopeful of passing quite quickly, but short term am relying on public transport. Obviously have to get through the recruitment process anyway lol, or it's all moot, but if it's as slow as it seems then I may well be on the road anyway by the time anything happens job wise.

Public transport from here to Derby is every 10 minutes and would get me there very much in time, short term at least, if needed. Just trying to cover all bases :)

All very helpful info and folks on here, much appreciated.
 

Leafage

Member
Joined
30 Oct 2019
Messages
23
Location
Surrey
I'm thrilled to say I'll be joining the ranks.
I've been offered the role of Relief Signaller at Haslemere.
I'm chuffed to bits.
Thank you all for the reading lists and techniques on approaching the interview. It's all been great advice. Much appreciated.
The LOM seems great too.
Here's to school next April.
 

Chumba

Member
Joined
13 May 2019
Messages
164
Well done, I’m looking at school starting April too ! And will be one box down at Petersfield :smile:
 

Danny Boy

Member
Joined
27 Mar 2019
Messages
30
I'm thrilled to say I'll be joining the ranks.
I've been offered the role of Relief Signaller at Haslemere.
I'm chuffed to bits.
Thank you all for the reading lists and techniques on approaching the interview. It's all been great advice. Much appreciated.
The LOM seems great too.
Here's to school next April.

Congratulations, I went for the G5 Woking role, had my interview last Thursday & the end they asked me if I was happy for my interview to go forward for a relief role that included Haslemere, so I can assume that I didn't get the relief job!
I'm still waiting to hear about Woking, not holding my breath. My examples for 2 or 3 NTS's just didn't fit the wording of couple of the the questions so I struggled on these ones which will probably drag me down. I've learnt a lot during the process so will hopefully do better next time.
 

Defenestrate

Member
Joined
6 Aug 2019
Messages
130
My examples for 2 or 3 NTS's just didn't fit the wording of couple of the the questions so I struggled on these ones which will probably drag me down. I've learnt a lot during the process so will hopefully do better next time.

Just realising that you struggled with some of the examples is a positive sign...next time you can be even better!
 

Tomnick

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Messages
5,827
I thought you couldn't work more than 12 hours anyway? And needed 12 hours max rest before booking on again.

This "1 hour forced overtime" is very wrong indeed. Granted, I've never had it forced on me, but in effect we are "on call" an hour every day we work. Got a medical appointment 30 mins after your shift end? Got to pick the kids up from school? Surely we should be getting paid for this hour as we have to plan our lives around it...
In our part of the world (on an eight hour roster), it was almost routine to enforce the hour on a pre-planned basis, occasionally adding it to the beginning of a shift rather than the end. Most common was, e.g., to get the late turn to stay on until a reliefman who'd worked 1800-2200 at another box could get there for 2200-0600, but they once tried to use it when they'd given me a 2359-0759 turn on a Saturday off spare, so that I'd have to stay until 0859 in the expectation that the Sunday man would be in (0900 start) by then. Definitely one for the small print!
 

WoollyMammoth

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2019
Messages
95
Location
London
I just did the three tests following the application. Actually I found the numerical reasoning the easiest. I found the verbal reasoning particularly hard and that is usually my strong point! The SJT was ok. I will hear within 72 hours. I just hope the verbal reasoning meets the pass mark but not holding my breath.
 

Soddit

Member
Joined
27 Nov 2019
Messages
14
Location
Shefffield
Hi all, just applied for a role as signaller so fingers crossed!

It is a 18 month secondment position, is there possibility to move around roles and potentially turn into a full time permentant role?

Thanks
 

Rockhopper

Member
Joined
29 Apr 2019
Messages
736
You often find that they take someone who is already qualified for jobs like this (despite advertising is to non railway people) as it could take up to a year to sign you off. Yes there is a possibility of a full time position afterwards as well but don’t bet your mortgage on it!
 

Soddit

Member
Joined
27 Nov 2019
Messages
14
Location
Shefffield
You often find that they take someone who is already qualified for jobs like this (despite advertising is to non railway people) as it could take up to a year to sign you off. Yes there is a possibility of a full time position afterwards as well but don’t bet your mortgage on it!

Thank you for the reply, I’m just keeping my fingers crossed for now.
 

MylesHSG

Member
Joined
3 Oct 2016
Messages
181
Hi all, just applied for a role as signaller so fingers crossed!

It is a 18 month secondment position, is there possibility to move around roles and potentially turn into a full time permentant role?

Thanks

Maybe not at that location, but you will have access to the internal jobs page, which is a huge plus.
 

WoollyMammoth

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2019
Messages
95
Location
London
So I have just heard back that the Woking job is only actually open for internal applicants and had been accidentally added to the external recruitment list. I did think it was too good to be true!!
 

CB 1-2-1

Member
Joined
7 Sep 2019
Messages
7
Location
UK
So I have just heard back that the Woking job is only actually open for internal applicants and had been accidentally added to the external recruitment list. I did think it was too good to be true!!
Don't be disheartened, you have done really well already to get past the application stage and complete the online tests. Your scores will stand for 12 months so you can now apply for anything that becomes available in your area of choice. Keep an eye on the jobs page, especially on a Wednesday. It's a whole lot easier to apply from here in, via a quick copy n paste and tweak of a cover letter. Best of luck and remember don't give up. No news can quite often become good news.
 

WoollyMammoth

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2019
Messages
95
Location
London
Thanks mate, I’ve got the bug now though so I want to get cracking. Definitely going to try and get my foot in the door somehow!

Thanks again for your help @CB 1-2-1
 

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