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A career as a signaller

ROCsteadycrew

Member
Joined
28 May 2019
Messages
43
Could anyone confirm what workstations/links the current two jobs advertised at York are for please? There's a grade 7 and 9. Thanks in advance!
 
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RailUK Forums

Qball

Member
Joined
5 Sep 2018
Messages
105
The grade 7 is Leeds Sub Roc Link 2
Leeds North West
Ardsley
York North

The grade 9 is most likely to be Kings Cross
 
Last edited:

ROCsteadycrew

Member
Joined
28 May 2019
Messages
43
Thanks Qball, do you know where each panel covers from/to by any chance? Had a search but can't find specifics.
 

1D53

Established Member
Joined
2 Apr 2006
Messages
2,668
Thanks Qball, do you know where each panel covers from/to by any chance? Had a search but can't find specifics.
Leeds North West covers from Armley Junction to the fringe with Hellifield including the branches to Bradford Forster Square and Ilkley.

Ardsley covers from Ardsley Tunnel through to the Doncaster PSB area at South Elmsall as well as from South Kirkby to the Sheffield Sub ROC fringe at Bolton on Dearne. It also covers a small area North of Moorthorpe towards Ferrybridge.

York North covers from just North of York station through North of Northallerton (Danby Wiske) where it meets Tyneside IECC.
 

gingerevans84

New Member
Joined
18 Nov 2020
Messages
1
Location
London
Hello all

I applied for the post of signaller at Guildford and passed the online tests 3 weeks ago, yet not heard anything since. Anyone aware of the timescales that are normally taken?
 

Saracen_83

Member
Joined
22 Oct 2017
Messages
475
3 weeks Is nothing in railway terms.

please read this thread or search it at the very least and you’ll see time scales from application to interview ranging from a month to 6 months.

but a heads up, railway recruitment and HR in general is VERY slow. Just forget about the application, you will hear one way or another in due course!!

apply for others and as many as you can.

good luck
 

os99

Member
Joined
23 May 2017
Messages
6
Hope you're all having a great and safe weekend!

Just wanted to say that after 12 years of applying, I've finally managed to successfully get the job of Signaller Grade 3.

Lurking around here has given me some valuable tips. For those who are still going through the grind, I'm afraid the crux advice is true: if you fail, keep applying. Believe or not, there are little nuggets every time that help improve your chances each time. It's easier said than done, no doubt, but one day it will happen.

Anyway, cheers for helping me out. Can't wait to start in January!
 

SiggysigAah

Member
Joined
14 Feb 2020
Messages
75
Location
Lancashire
Hope you're all having a great and safe weekend!

Just wanted to say that after 12 years of applying, I've finally managed to successfully get the job of Signaller Grade 3.

Lurking around here has given me some valuable tips. For those who are still going through the grind, I'm afraid the crux advice is true: if you fail, keep applying. Believe or not, there are little nuggets every time that help improve your chances each time. It's easier said than done, no doubt, but one day it will happen.

Anyway, cheers for helping me out. Can't wait to start in January!
Congratulations!
 

Pancakes84

Member
Joined
26 Aug 2020
Messages
24
Location
England
Hope you're all having a great and safe weekend!

Just wanted to say that after 12 years of applying, I've finally managed to successfully get the job of Signaller Grade 3.

Lurking around here has given me some valuable tips. For those who are still going through the grind, I'm afraid the crux advice is true: if you fail, keep applying. Believe or not, there are little nuggets every time that help improve your chances each time. It's easier said than done, no doubt, but one day it will happen.

Anyway, cheers for helping me out. Can't wait to start in January!
Amazing!!!
Congratulations and all the best!
 

gareth386

Member
Joined
20 Nov 2017
Messages
92
Hope you're all having a great and safe weekend!

Just wanted to say that after 12 years of applying, I've finally managed to successfully get the job of Signaller Grade 3.

Lurking around here has given me some valuable tips. For those who are still going through the grind, I'm afraid the crux advice is true: if you fail, keep applying. Believe or not, there are little nuggets every time that help improve your chances each time. It's easier said than done, no doubt, but one day it will happen.

Anyway, cheers for helping me out. Can't wait to start in January!
Congratulations, that's amazing news
 

EGPWS#2

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2020
Messages
11
Location
Hampshire
A question for the wise old owls on here.. Applied for St Blazey a while back and was lucky enough to be invited to interview. over 120 applicants and only 4 interviewed so even though I received the dreaded 'unsuccessful' email, I nevertheless was pleased to have got so far. However I now see that the vacancy is now listed again under the exact same reference with a January close date. Is it possible for even at interview stage for not one person to be offered the job? I also see that I cannot reapply for the position which seems odd?

Thanks in advance
 

Toots

Member
Joined
24 Oct 2009
Messages
275
A question for the wise old owls on here.. Applied for St Blazey a while back and was lucky enough to be invited to interview. over 120 applicants and only 4 interviewed so even though I received the dreaded 'unsuccessful' email, I nevertheless was pleased to have got so far. However I now see that the vacancy is now listed again under the exact same reference with a January close date. Is it possible for even at interview stage for not one person to be offered the job? I also see that I cannot reapply for the position which seems odd?

Thanks in advance
Yes it certainly is possible.In your case it may simply be your location,which you state as Hampshire.If they weren't satisfied you'd make it to St Blazey for each shift (the supposed criteria is within an hour of your workplace,although we all know people who are more than that),then you could of been refused it on that basis.But it certainly happens whereby jobs are readvertized because they couldn't find the person they wanted.
 

EGPWS#2

Member
Joined
19 Aug 2020
Messages
11
Location
Hampshire
Yes it certainly is possible.In your case it may simply be your location,which you state as Hampshire.If they weren't satisfied you'd make it to St Blazey for each shift (the supposed criteria is within an hour of your workplace,although we all know people who are more than that),then you could of been refused it on that basis.But it certainly happens whereby jobs are readvertized because they couldn't find the person they wanted.
Thank Toots. However my application stated that I would move for the position and this was confirmed at interview when I explained that I was already in the process of renting my house out. Is it worth enquiring with HR, not least because the requested feedback from LOM has not arrived yet? Out of the few interviews I've had its the one I really wanted.
 

Toots

Member
Joined
24 Oct 2009
Messages
275
Thank Toots. However my application stated that I would move for the position and this was confirmed at interview when I explained that I was already in the process of renting my house out. Is it worth enquiring with HR, not least because the requested feedback from LOM has not arrived yet? Out of the few interviews I've had its the one I really wanted.
Enquiring with HR would raise many eyebrows among your future colleagues on here.To be honest,and it may be different where you are,there is very little confidence in anything relating to HR.My advice ,if you aren't precluded from applying for all Signalling jobs,just that one, is to keep applying for anything and everything.You must be doing something right to get to the last four. Once in and passed out you can attempt the equally frustrating task of moving to a location or job that you do want.
One good note is that I've been told they are taking on loads of Signallers at locations where ther are no vacancies to cover the reduction in the maximum working (we've just got two recently).
 

nom de guerre

Member
Joined
24 Nov 2015
Messages
774
Thank Toots. However my application stated that I would move for the position and this was confirmed at interview when I explained that I was already in the process of renting my house out. Is it worth enquiring with HR, not least because the requested feedback from LOM has not arrived yet? Out of the few interviews I've had its the one I really wanted.

Can't hurt to ask. But as you've already experienced to some degree, HR are not always the quickest to respond (especially at present)...
 

Chicksands

New Member
Joined
2 Dec 2020
Messages
1
Location
Evesham
Hi folks.

This thread has been awesome in supporting insight and applications to become a signaller, thanks to all who've contributed!

I've applied for many signaller roles in recent months, and all have ultimately come back unsuccessful. For the first application I completed the online questionnaire and submitted my CV, I completed the online assessments and was advised I reached the required benchmark which would then be banked for subsequent applications, but I haven't been successful in being shortlisted for interview for any. After the stage at which the test scores have been attached and the application further considered, I have been unsuccessful with a message:

"All applications have now been reviewed against the specific role criteria by the Hiring Manager. I am sorry to advise you that on this occasion your application did not meet the required criteria and will therefore, not be progressed further."

I've had a look through the information in this thread and can't find definitive guidance on what I may be failing at (apologies if I've missed the information). Is anyone able to shed any light on how the application process works as you progress through the stages, and what is considered for shortlisting at each stage? Does the interview shortlisting look back over the 70 question online questionnaire or my CV? Or am I failing on my test scores, as whilst they're above the benchmark they may be less than other applicants being considered - do they purely take the top scores and interview those applicants? Am I doomed with my test scores until the 12month period has passed and I can redo them?

Any and all insight and guidance gratefully received, thanks in advance!

Mat
 

Gallius

Member
Joined
10 Nov 2019
Messages
91
Location
Uk
Hi folks.

This thread has been awesome in supporting insight and applications to become a signaller, thanks to all who've contributed!

I've applied for many signaller roles in recent months, and all have ultimately come back unsuccessful. For the first application I completed the online questionnaire and submitted my CV, I completed the online assessments and was advised I reached the required benchmark which would then be banked for subsequent applications, but I haven't been successful in being shortlisted for interview for any. After the stage at which the test scores have been attached and the application further considered, I have been unsuccessful with a message:

"All applications have now been reviewed against the specific role criteria by the Hiring Manager. I am sorry to advise you that on this occasion your application did not meet the required criteria and will therefore, not be progressed further."

I've had a look through the information in this thread and can't find definitive guidance on what I may be failing at (apologies if I've missed the information). Is anyone able to shed any light on how the application process works as you progress through the stages, and what is considered for shortlisting at each stage? Does the interview shortlisting look back over the 70 question online questionnaire or my CV? Or am I failing on my test scores, as whilst they're above the benchmark they may be less than other applicants being considered - do they purely take the top scores and interview those applicants? Am I doomed with my test scores until the 12month period has passed and I can redo them?

Any and all insight and guidance gratefully received, thanks in advance!

Mat
I think it depends on what the hiring manager is looking for and who else applies. Last year I applied for approx. 10 Signaller roles over the space of a couple of months, most were grade 2, one a 6 and an 8. I used the same application answers for them all and I was only invited to interview for (and offered) one which was the grade 8. If you think you have the competencies required to do the job then keep applying and eventually a job offer will come. There's not necessarily anything wrong with your application as such, there are a lot of high calibre candidates applying for the roles so competition is tough.
 

Kraken

Member
Joined
22 Mar 2020
Messages
247
Location
Lincolnshire
I think it depends on what the hiring manager is looking for and who else applies. Last year I applied for approx. 10 Signaller roles over the space of a couple of months, most were grade 2, one a 6 and an 8. I used the same application answers for them all and I was only invited to interview for (and offered) one which was the grade 8. If you think you have the competencies required to do the job then keep applying and eventually a job offer will come. There's not necessarily anything wrong with your application as such, there are a lot of high calibre candidates applying for the roles so competition is tough.

This is exactly right I reckon. The application I ended up getting an interview and a job offer for was substantially exactly the same as the one that I used when I got flat rejections for multiple other signaller positions. I think eventually I applied for a job where the LOM happened to like my application whereas the LOMs for the other roles clearly didn’t like one or more aspects of them. Or the people that applied for those jobs had way better applications than me.

Honestly as long as you are confident in the quality of your CV and question answers it probably then becomes a numbers game. If you haven’t already get somebody you trust to honestly critique your application though.

I don’t think it’s an exact science and there will always be a large chunk of human subjectivity that you cannot really prepare for unless you happen to know what the recruiting LOM happens to like to see in an application. Good luck!!
 

Rockhopper

Member
Joined
29 Apr 2019
Messages
736
Your CV and your covering letter need to include as many of the key words used in the job description as possible.
 

86206

Member
Joined
12 Jan 2015
Messages
50
So finally after 5 months of waiting heard off HR regarding an earlier application for boxes on Cotswold line. Sadly I do not meet the criteria for the vacancies...which is ironic because my previous Signalling experience mainly as a grade 3 for around 9 years doesn't count for anything then, and even more ironic that the majority of the time was on the same line! Still without going into more detail than is necessary (for specific reasons) if sh*t happens it usually sticks, regardless of innocence. Done with applying now & so sorry to sound negative and dejected, but its not worth my hopes being raised time & again just to have them extinguished. :(
 

SignallerJohn

Member
Joined
19 Dec 2017
Messages
160
So finally after 5 months of waiting heard off HR regarding an earlier application for boxes on Cotswold line. Sadly I do not meet the criteria for the vacancies...which is ironic because my previous Signalling experience mainly as a grade 3 for around 9 years doesn't count for anything then, and even more ironic that the majority of the time was on the same line! Still without going into more detail than is necessary (for specific reasons) if sh*t happens it usually sticks, regardless of innocence. Done with applying now & so sorry to sound negative and dejected, but its not worth my hopes being raised time & again just to have them extinguished. :(
There could be various reasons for this......

maybe someone was put into the job after their box closed, a candidate on a secondment, someone else had x experience. there’s so many variables mate

if you want it you can apply for other roles. It’s a competitive role now as you know because of the job and how good it is, especially with covid many people are applying. I don’t know anyone who applied first time andgot a job!
 
Joined
24 Sep 2020
Messages
8
Location
london
a question to those in the grades for longer: is it a common move from an operative/technician position to a signaller? (more specifically, S&T operative or technician)

I understand that the knowledge about safety, possession, and how the signaling systems work could be advantageous on the selection process, but how many of your colleagues come from the tracks?
 

Sunset route

Member
Joined
27 Oct 2015
Messages
1,176
a question to those in the grades for longer: is it a common move from an operative/technician position to a signaller? (more specifically, S&T operative or technician)

I understand that the knowledge about safety, possession, and how the signaling systems work could be advantageous on the selection process, but how many of your colleagues come from the tracks?

Out of an establishment of 78 signallers we have one in training that took that career path.
 

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