• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

A career as a signaller

jossh78

Member
Joined
3 Aug 2020
Messages
32
Location
Uttoxeter
Completed my scenario test and deductive reasoning for the future opportunities! Wow, it was tough!
Actually quite enjoyed the scenario test, although very strange talking to yourself and it was quite lengthy!

Deductive reasoning was very difficult and so different to any practice test I did. Fingers crossed it was enough, just got to prepare for my interview now!
Good Luck
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

bruebunny

Member
Joined
11 Dec 2013
Messages
88
Is there any likely timeframe for updates? I completed a video interview (just to camera, not to a person) for a signaller at willesden junction at the start of August and have been sat in "application under consideration" limbo since.
 

High Dyke

Established Member
Joined
1 Jan 2013
Messages
4,267
Location
Yellabelly Country
How does the grades get decided? Is it due to the amount of trains that pass per day or other factors? Anyone know grade of Stonehaven’s box ?
Can't help about the grade for Stonehaven. However, in the broader sense signal box gradings aren't just based on the amount of traffic. It gets a complicated thing to work out. The main factors are traffic levels, type of signalling, amount of level crossings, geographical coverage of the location, type of infrastructure the location has and the amount of interaction it has with station staff, depot/yard staff. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but gives you an idea of factors that contribute in determining the particular grade of a signalling location.
 

SiggysigAah

Member
Joined
14 Feb 2020
Messages
75
Location
Lancashire
Is that move on because they will reply whenever they get around to it, or move on because if they haven't contacted me by now I haven't gotten to the next stage?
The former, you will hear when a decision is made. The timescales for that decision being made vary considerably. So if another vacancy is advertised and you are interested apply for that and any others that you see in the meantime.
 

Rockhopper

Member
Joined
29 Apr 2019
Messages
736
It can be both - as i said earlier I know of many people who have rung up to query an application then an hour later its changed to unsuccessful.
Best plan is to apply then forget about it. If you make it to the next stage then they will let you know.
 

NoEyeDeer

Member
Joined
14 Sep 2020
Messages
34
Location
Aberdeen
Can't help about the grade for Stonehaven. However, in the broader sense signal box gradings aren't just based on the amount of traffic. It gets a complicated thing to work out. The main factors are traffic levels, type of signalling, amount of level crossings, geographical coverage of the location, type of infrastructure the location has and the amount of interaction it has with station staff, depot/yard staff. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but gives you an idea of factors that contribute in determining the particular grade of a signalling location.
Thanks for that
 

NewBoots

Member
Joined
15 Aug 2020
Messages
6
Location
UK
Completed my scenario test and deductive reasoning for the future opportunities! Wow, it was tough!
Actually quite enjoyed the scenario test, although very strange talking to yourself and it was quite lengthy!

Deductive reasoning was very difficult and so different to any practice test I did. Fingers crossed it was enough, just got to prepare for my interview now!

I've just done the deductive reasoning and I'll agree with that. Very different to all the practice tests that were available and definitely difficult, far more so than the tests IMO. Well, it's done so I'll find out how I did later.
 

Defenestrate

Member
Joined
6 Aug 2019
Messages
130
The external jobs site, at least in terms of signaller jobs, seems to be feast or famine regarding certain areas, at the moment. Lots of recent/current vacancies for Haslemere and Hereford area for example.
So bearing that in mind, if i was waiting for a job to come up in a certain area, I'd be using the resources available (this thread, plus elsewhere) to make sure my CV, 69 questions etc were the very best they could be BEFORE anything was advertised, so there was less chance of disappointment if the eventual desired position is closed early due to volume of applications.
Just thinking out loud...
 

BigRob21

Member
Joined
14 Jul 2020
Messages
39
Location
Wombourne
So I have now received my official start date for WMSC, Sunday 25th October!!! so excited right now, even if it is a Sunday. Can anyone advise as to what I can expect on my first day as I haven't had a date for training school as of yet.

Thanks in advance and It feels great to be part of the family! :)
 

Trackboy

Member
Joined
31 Oct 2017
Messages
106
I am internal candidate I am moving from Grade 5 my current role to Grade 7. I have been offered Grade 7 role for which I am starting on 28th of September 2020. I have had interview today for Grade 9 post and I am so tempted to take this job, if offered. Say week after 28th of September I get offered the job for Grade 9. Will I be able to take that job considering I am just moving from Grade 5 to 7. Is their any NR policy which will not allow me to get another promotion straight away.

Thanks.
 

Tom Quinne

On Moderation
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
2,225
I am internal candidate I am moving from Grade 5 my current role to Grade 7. I have been offered Grade 7 role for which I am starting on 28th of September 2020. I have had interview today for Grade 9 post and I am so tempted to take this job, if offered. Say week after 28th of September I get offered the job for Grade 9. Will I be able to take that job considering I am just moving from Grade 5 to 7. Is their any NR policy which will not allow me to get another promotion straight away.

Thanks.

Not that I’m aware of, no. You may piss off the Grade 7 LOM however, never a good idea to burn your bridges you never know when you might want their help.

So I have now received my official start date for WMSC, Sunday 25th October!!! so excited right now, even if it is a Sunday. Can anyone advise as to what I can expect on my first day as I haven't had a date for training school as of yet.

Thanks in advance and It feels great to be part of the family! :)

Issue of rule books, induction, walk around, paperwork etc general get to know everyone type day, you might even get a supervised go on the Workstation.
 

newtothisjob

Member
Joined
27 Aug 2020
Messages
7
Location
london
I just saw that they are advertising for a G9 role at Victoria. The basic is £48k. Does anyone know what London weighting Victoria attracts? Ie what would the total salary be when all allowances and shift pay etc is included? (And before anyone mentions it, I know, a grade 9 is going to be a very challenging role to get!)
 

Tom Quinne

On Moderation
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
2,225
I just saw that they are advertising for a G9 role at Victoria. The basic is £48k. Does anyone know what London weighting Victoria attracts? Ie what would the total salary be when all allowances and shift pay etc is included? (And before anyone mentions it, I know, a grade 9 is going to be a very challenging role to get!)

If you have the transferable skills why not go for, and potentially get a G9 job?

Good luck!

I think inner London which is what Vic gets is about £2500? So you’d be looking at circa £50,000 bare bones basic to start off with once passed out, training rate is one grade below.
 

newtothisjob

Member
Joined
27 Aug 2020
Messages
7
Location
london
If you have the transferable skills why not go for, and potentially get a G9 job?

Good luck!

I think inner London which is what Vic gets is about £2500? So you’d be looking at circa £50,000 bare bones basic to start off with once passed out, training rate is one grade below.

Precisely! I'll try my hardest and what will be will be!

Perfect, thanks for that info!
 

Tom Quinne

On Moderation
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
2,225
Precisely! I'll try my hardest and what will be will be!

Perfect, thanks for that info!

Obviously you’ll know Vic is probably one of the busiest boxes in the county, one hell of a place to learn the trade. But the upside is anything else once you’ve got your feet will be a easy!
 

Thomas keeble

Member
Joined
15 May 2020
Messages
19
Location
Blackwood
As Headshot has said Aberthawe SB closed about 8 years ago, the actual job advertised is for the St Fagans Level Crossing workstation at SWCC.
Hello, I recently saw a job goin as a crossing keeper at Aberthaw. Could you give me any info on where this would be located and if it would be controlled from cardiff roc.
 

Trackboy

Member
Joined
31 Oct 2017
Messages
106
Not that I’m aware of, no. You may piss off the Grade 7 LOM however, never a good idea to burn your bridges you never know when you might want their help.

Looks like I need to find the best possible solution to this. Thanks for your words.
 

Skids

Member
Joined
10 Jul 2020
Messages
8
Location
Down South
I just saw that they are advertising for a G9 role at Victoria. The basic is £48k. Does anyone know what London weighting Victoria attracts? Ie what would the total salary be when all allowances and shift pay etc is included? (And before anyone mentions it, I know, a grade 9 is going to be a very challenging role to get!)
London allowance within 16 miles of Charing Cross is about £3200. On top of that will be a London Operational Supplement which is about £1600. The London allowance is pensionable but not the LOS iirc
 

Tom Quinne

On Moderation
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
2,225
Hello, I recently saw a job goin as a crossing keeper at Aberthaw. Could you give me any info on where this would be located and if it would be controlled from cardiff roc.

The job labelled “Aberthaw” was a mistake, it’s actually the St Fagans Level Crossing Workstation at SWCC Cardiff.

Im told there’s been in excess of 200 applicants for a single job as well.
 

High Dyke

Established Member
Joined
1 Jan 2013
Messages
4,267
Location
Yellabelly Country
I am internal candidate I am moving from Grade 5 my current role to Grade 7. I have been offered Grade 7 role for which I am starting on 28th of September 2020. I have had interview today for Grade 9 post and I am so tempted to take this job, if offered. Say week after 28th of September I get offered the job for Grade 9. Will I be able to take that job considering I am just moving from Grade 5 to 7. Is their any NR policy which will not allow me to get another promotion straight away.

Thanks.
Not an official one. There used to be the '52 week rule' that some managers enforced, but it's not a written rule.

(The '52 week rule' was to stop people taking a job and moving on in a short space of time, especially if it involved a different manager.
 

Top