A career as a signaller

[Gallius]

Chuffed to receive an interview invitation today. Going to spend the next few weeks preparing and hope for the best!

 

[WoollyMammoth]

Nice work! Where for?

Chuffed to receive an interview invitation today. Going to spend the next few weeks preparing and hope for the best!

 

[Gallius]

Nice work! Where for?

Thanks, its Rugby SCC (Relief)

 

[Jay_123]

Realistically, how much do you think you can earn as a grade 2(£28,592)? Lets say on two separate occasions

Easily with just a little bit of overtime here and there

Doing as much overtime as possible?

 

[Amanda]

Well I just got a rejection for the EMCC grade 6 I applied for in August, which said more suitable candidate identified.... So I expect similar for the grade 7 one I also applied for a few weeks ago!

 

[Tom Quinne]

Realistically, how much do you think you can earn as a grade 2(£28,592)? Lets say on two separate occasions

Easily with just a little bit of overtime here and there

Doing as much overtime as possible?

There’s lots of variables, rostered hours with Sunday, nights and your bank holidays on HROP I’d say roughly £35,000.

Not being NA at all, again being dependent on the staffing at your location probably £50,000.

8hr or 12hr rosters, short staffing, sickness all depend on how much RDW you’ll get - I’d say a fair proportion of the signalling grade staff at Grade 6 upwards are in the “5% richest” people in the UK according to Red Jezz.

I know for sure we’re all in that bracket at my place, that’s not with doing that much either in the grand scheme.

 

[Lemonice21]

Good Morning,

Anyone have any idea if Buxton and Edale are 8 or 12 hours schedules? Thanks

 

[Soddit]

Well I just got a rejection for the EMCC grade 6 I applied for in August, which said more suitable candidate identified.... So I expect similar for the grade 7 one I also applied for a few weeks ago!

Keep going Amanda! I have just applied for my first role, online tests to do tonight so fingers crossed!

A few in my area I’m going for too. I’ll apply for these after my tests!

 

[KAM02]

Afternoon all. Just waiting to hear back regarding the Lancing signaller role. There were lots of people interviewed and I'm sure we're all checking the Network Rail page for any updates! Anyway, good luck to all who attended

 

[Chumba]

For those that keep applying and getting knocked back perseverance is most definitely the key. For me it was

2 years trying
10 applications at 5 different boxes
5 interviews (6th offered but withdrew and came 2nd on three occasions)
Finally I’ve was offered a Signaller role and it was at my first choice and closest box!

Just waiting confirmation of my start date in February, with school in April.

 

[Soddit]

For those that keep applying and getting knocked back perseverance is most definitely the key. For me it was

2 years trying
10 applications at 5 different boxes
5 interviews (6th offered but withdrew and came 2nd on three occasions)
Finally I’ve was offered a Signaller role and it was at my first choice and closest box!

Just waiting confirmation of my start date in February, with school in April.

Great news Chumba, Ive just applied for my first role but I am going to keep applying to see where I get!

 

[Defenestrate]

For those that keep applying and getting knocked back perseverance is most definitely the key. For me it was

2 years trying
10 applications at 5 different boxes
5 interviews (6th offered but withdrew and came 2nd on three occasions)
Finally I’ve was offered a Signaller role and it was at my first choice and closest box!

Just waiting confirmation of my start date in February, with school in April.

100% this. Similar story to me - each application and interview improved my next one!

 

[Dan 2513]

For those that keep applying and getting knocked back perseverance is most definitely the key. For me it was

2 years trying
10 applications at 5 different boxes
5 interviews (6th offered but withdrew and came 2nd on three occasions)
Finally I’ve was offered a Signaller role and it was at my first choice and closest box!

Just waiting confirmation of my start date in February, with school in April.

great news! Well done.
I was one of the lucky ones as I got the first one I applied for. But I think that’s more because of Past military service than anything else to be honest.

I was told I should be April for school so sounds like a similar time frame for us both. I am hoping to start before April though, although they haven’t suggested anything yet.
My medical is in 2 weeks time so I guess I will get official dates after that???

Might be bumping into you at school by the sounds of it.

 

[Chumba]

great news! Well done.
I was one of the lucky ones as I got the first one I applied for. But I think that’s more because of Past military service than anything else to be honest.

I was told I should be April for school so sounds like a similar time frame for us both. I am hoping to start before April though, although they haven’t suggested anything yet.
My medical is in 2 weeks time so I guess I will get official dates after that???

Might be bumping into you at school by the sounds of it.

it was about 3-4 weeks after my medical that I received confirmation of all Pre employment checks done and asking me for a preferred start date.

 

[Dan 2513]

it was about 3-4 weeks after my medical that I received confirmation of all Pre employment checks done and asking me for a preferred start date.

I sort of already thought I wouldn’t know much before new year so by that time scale I guess it was about right.

they said in the interview that I would be April most likely for school so I am not banking on that happening any earlier right now.

 

[DB85]

I start at Signalling school in February, I started work at the beginning of November and I’m currently covering as a crossing keeper.

Loving the job and there’s a lot of good eggs here too!

 

[Leafage]

I see a lot of acronyms used by existing Signallers in this thread.
Could someone please illuminate the rest of us with a few common ones?
Eg HROP, NA, RDW etc....
Many thanks.

 

[HelixUK]

I see a lot of acronyms used by existing Signallers in this thread.
Could someone please illuminate the rest of us with a few common ones?
Eg HROP, NA, RDW etc....
Many thanks.

RDW: rest day working so overtime shift on your rest day.

NA: not available? So not available on your rest day so you don't get rostered to work overtime.

HIROP: higher rate of pay, specified for bank holidays so you get paid the higher bank hol rate rather than a LIROP (lower rate of pay) in which you get a lieu day.

 

[Leafage]

RDW: rest day working so overtime shift on your rest day.

NA: not available? So not available on your rest day so you don't get rostered to work overtime.

HIROP: higher rate of pay, specified for bank holidays so you get paid the higher bank hol rate rather than a LIROP (lower rate of pay) in which you get a lieu day.

Can you tell me if you can bank overtime and take it as leave (Time off in lieu), or do you have to take OT as payment?
Thanks

 

[HelixUK]

Can you tell me if you can bank overtime and take it as leave (Time off in lieu), or do you have to take OT as payment?
Thanks

Im pretty certain no you can't but I'm new so hopefully someone else here can answer?

 

[Tom Quinne]

Can you tell me if you can bank overtime and take it as leave (Time off in lieu), or do you have to take OT as payment?
Thanks

No, you work it you get paid for it that month.

 

[Chumba]

No, you work it you get paid for it that month.

nice to see an employer paying staff for overtime, so many, mine included (and my previous) would try to always get you to take it as time in lieu, and try everything not to pay you !

 

[Leafage]

No, you work it you get paid for it that month.

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

[Ducatist4]

I guess that can’t have a situation where they need to find cover when people are taking extra time off for hours they have built up. My office works flexi time, I can get up to two days off a month by working a bit extra each day. Or I can do my 7.5 hours at any time between 7.30 am and 6.30pm. It’s not unusual to find no one in our department but it’s not a job that requires us to have cover during office hours.

 

[Jbhooper]

Afternoon all. Just waiting to hear back regarding the Lancing signaller role. There were lots of people interviewed and I'm sure we're all checking the Network Rail page for any updates! Anyway, good luck to all who attended

It's been a loooong 3 weeks since my interview! Good luck to you too.

 

[Soddit]

Has anyone had trouble with flash player and the online tests? I can’t get through to the test!

Help would be much appreciated

Edit : I think it may be because I applied for a role back in April and I did the online tests then?

Is ‘invited to test’ the next step, do I just wait now?

Thanks in advance

 

[ChrisRS]

Has anyone had trouble with flash player and the online tests? I can’t get through to the test!

Help would be much appreciated

Which browser are you using? And have you updated Adobe Flash recently?

 

[Soddit]

I think it’s because I have already done my tests, so fingers crossed!

 

[ChrisRS]

Results are valid for 12 months so yeah that'll be why.

 

[Soddit]

Results are valid for 12 months so yeah that'll be why.

Thank you Chris!