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A career as a signaller

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Rigchick

Member
Joined
5 May 2019
Messages
49
Just had a call from my LOM, now going to Preston on 1st Feb instead of Manchester. Anyone else on here joining me?
 

Gallius

Member
Joined
10 Nov 2019
Messages
91
Location
Uk
Hi, I’m going to Derby for IST and was wondering at IST has anyone revised and studied on their own on an evening rather than in a group? Has this impacted passing or anything?
The majority of us studied on our own in the evenings when I completed the TCB course recently and everyone passed with good scores. I preferred it that way as it was the only way I could see myself learning and memorising all the information needed for the exam. One or two group revision sessions prior to the exams were helpful to make sure you've understood the concepts correctly or to clarify anything you're not sure of
 

carrot

New Member
Joined
21 Jan 2021
Messages
2
Location
Oxford
Didcot Grade 9 External!

This looks interesting, and the advert is different from normal too

Are you looking to join an organisation where you do meaningful work every day?

Our Thames Valley Signalling Centre (TVSC) is one of the UK’s most sophisticated centres, and we are looking for talented people to join our team of signallers in Didcot. Although you won’t need rail experience, you’ll have an excellent background in responding to operational and safety-critical situations, often balancing multiple tasks at any time.

As a Grade 9 signaller you’ll join a team responsible for signalling the railway from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. This includes some of the country’s busiest mixed traffic railway with 125mph passenger trains, large quantities of freight trains, and the introduction of high frequency Elizabeth Line services which will cross London once fully open.

With some of the most advanced signalling technology in the UK you can share our journey in shaping how our passengers travel.



Brief Description
This role comes with a high level of responsibility. Your decisions matter and every day you’ll use your planning and problem-solving skills to take care of a vast array of tasks that come with operating across a complex network. You’ll often be taking care of multiple problems, where every minute of delay impacts the lives of our passengers and freight customers. How you respond really does matter.

You’ll need to be safety-focused, with an outstanding customer service attitude and a calm but assured approach to dealing with multiple time-critical problems. In return, you’ll be joining a company that recently joined the top 50 in the Glassdoor's 2021 Best Places to Work awards!

About the role (External)
You matter to us! Your commitment to self-development and continuous learning is hugely important in this role and we'll provide you with all the training to develop both technical skills and non-technical skills. You will benefit from attending a 10-week residential signaller training course followed by a period of supervised on the job training and the opportunity to practise new skills in a real work environment. If you’re joining us from another industry, the structured training will give you the skills and confidence to move into a rewarding career in rail.

Your application will be assessed against the following criteria:

Decision Making - By its nature, the signaller role requires you to make safety critical decisions throughout the course of your shift. You will be reacting to planned and business as usual activity but will also experience unusual and unfamiliar situations which you have to manage.
Communication – Clear communication skills are essential in the Signaller role. You will be required to confidently deliver safety critical communications and role model our safety leadership every day through listening, acting and leading.
Controlled under pressure – and experience in a busy, safety critical environment, you need the ability to deal with multiple events at any given time. You need to remain calm and challenge wrong decisions made by others to ensure the railway continues to operate safely and effectively.
Team player – you are working with colleagues in the signalling centre, drivers and staff out on the track and have to ensure that the best decisions are made, and safety is never compromised.
Excellent customer service approach – to serve our passengers, train operating companies and freight companies, knowing that every decision you make impacts their experience.
Attention to detail – Your workload will vary but you will always be alert, and ready when intervention is required. You will need to have an ability to concentrate and monitor information flows.
Willingness and ability to learn – with lots going on it’s important to reflect on how you handled a situation and what you would do differently next time.
Proactiveness – You will keep track of things happening in the wider area that could have a big effect on performance and your decision making
Good hearing and eyesight - with satisfactory colour perception
You’ll also need to be within a 60-minute commute of the Thames Valley Signalling Centre in Didcot (OX11 7HE), and have access to your own transport to allow for the different shift work.

This role involves days, nights and weekend working and the job is safety critical. Offers of employment are subject to drug and alcohol testing and passing of the relevant medical assessment and BPSS pre-employment checks.

For tips on how to complete and prepare for your application watch this short video - https://slides.com/bavarde/application-process#/1
 

nom de guerre

Member
Joined
24 Nov 2015
Messages
774
Thanks mate. I am looking at the one currently on internal list for Incident support controller at London Puddle Dock

The c£63K basic was for Incident / Train Running Controllers. I'd guess this would be lower as it's Grade 4 and a 'support' role. Sure the recruiting manager can clarify. Good luck if you go for it :smile:

Didcot Grade 9 External!

This looks interesting, and the advert is different from normal too

I like the fact they've made the ad location-specific. Wonder if we may see more of this going forward.
 

headshot119

Established Member
Joined
31 Dec 2010
Messages
2,052
Location
Dubai
The c£63K basic was for Incident / Train Running Controllers. I'd guess this would be lower as it's Grade 4 and a 'support' role. Sure the recruiting manager can clarify. Good luck if you go for it :smile:



I like the fact they've made the ad location-specific. Wonder if we may see more of this going forward.

Control Grades work the opposite way round to signaling grades, 4 is the lowest, 1 is the highest.

Control 4 - £53875
Control 3 - £55701
Control 2 - £57529
Control 1 - £59355
 

Tom Quinne

On Moderation
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
2,225
Control Grades work the opposite way round to signaling grades, 4 is the lowest, 1 is the highest.

Control 4 - £53875
Control 3 - £55701
Control 2 - £57529
Control 1 - £59355
Definitely not something I’d ever even consider, way to much of a then and us from their side. Oh and add in the politics worse than the signalling side !
 

Steve2505

Member
Joined
29 Dec 2017
Messages
34
I've just finished at York today - I left mine on the chair under my desk, and only took the individual modules I needed with me. You can also access the books online if you're desperate for one you've forgotten to bring with you. Best of luck with yours course, it's intensive but you'll be so proud of yourself at the end of it. :)

Does anyone know the best way to get from the Village Hotel to the Westwood training centre? I've got my TCB conversion course there soon.
Have you got directions yet ?? I’m from Coventry so give me a shout if you’re stuck
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
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7,446
Location
London
Thanks mate. I am looking at the one currently on internal list for Incident support controller at London Puddle Dock

I'm guessing that will be on Kent route - you'd be directly dealing with signallers and other NR and TOC controllers on a daily basis.
 

MoorsBox

Member
Joined
7 Dec 2016
Messages
20
Just done a quick search, don't think this has been asked for before...

does anyone know where I could find Local box instructions, ideally Brockenhurst,
thanks in advance :smile:
 

Sunset route

Member
Joined
27 Oct 2015
Messages
1,176
Just done a quick search, don't think this has been asked for before...

does anyone know where I could find Local box instructions, ideally Brockenhurst,
thanks in advance :smile:

At the signalbox concerned and maybe the Operations Manager (not LOM) keeps them on record as they are the people that sign them off.
 

nom de guerre

Member
Joined
24 Nov 2015
Messages
774
Control Grades work the opposite way round to signaling grades, 4 is the lowest, 1 is the highest.

Control 4 - £53875
Control 3 - £55701
Control 2 - £57529
Control 1 - £59355

Useful - ta. Sure the TBROC jobs advertised last year were £63K basic, but perhaps that was a Grade 1 with regional allowances also included (or inclusive of some other enhancement) ...? Don't recall those ads actually mentioning the grade either.



Definitely not something I’d ever even consider, way to much of a then and us from their side. Oh and add in the politics worse than the signalling side !

The pay's attractive, plus - at least from our side - controllers seem to be able to make bad decisions without any noticeable sanction (I'm sure there is a disciplinary process; it's just we rarely, if ever, get to hear about it). But as you say, office working - and everything that comes with it.



I'm guessing that will be on Kent route - you'd be directly dealing with signallers and other NR and TOC controllers on a daily basis.

Indeed. Job is for KICC.
 

MoorsBox

Member
Joined
7 Dec 2016
Messages
20
At the signalbox concerned and maybe the Operations Manager (not LOM) keeps them on record as they are the people that sign them off.
Thanks Sunset route, I was hoping to see if they might be available for an external entrant, cheers for your reply though
 

Sammy2019

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Joined
22 Sep 2019
Messages
139
Location
Essex
Anyone else start at York on the 15th March? Looks like The general consensus on here is not to try and learn anything prior to the course other than reading the handbook etc that they email over.
 

Defenestrate

Member
Joined
6 Aug 2019
Messages
130
Anyone else start at York on the 15th March? Looks like The general consensus on here is not to try and learn anything prior to the course other than reading the handbook etc that they email over.
Don't try to get ahead with course material - as it will be taught in a manner that's easier to understand than you just reading it in the book.
If you want (or, are able) to, save yourself some time/hassle and do your e-learning before ist.
 

89jordanbj

Member
Joined
16 Dec 2019
Messages
208
Location
Newport
Anyone else start at York on the 15th March? Looks like The general consensus on here is not to try and learn anything prior to the course other than reading the handbook etc that they email over.
I finished at York at the end of last year. There is definitely no need to learn anything prior, it will just blow your mind.

Everything you need to learn will be taught to you at the right time and at the right pace.

It is worth brushing up on the phonetic alphabet but that is it really.

Good luck!
 

Sammy2019

Member
Joined
22 Sep 2019
Messages
139
Location
Essex
Thanks guys. I don’t have an e learning account yet but will email my LOM to see if I can get it done before.
 

Llanigraham

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Joined
23 Mar 2013
Messages
6,074
Location
Powys
Thanks Sunset route, I was hoping to see if they might be available for an external entrant, cheers for your reply though

You won't need to see them until you are actually starting to train in the box, and seeing them before could easily confuse you.
Don't worry about them.
 
Joined
23 May 2019
Messages
61
Hi guys can anyone tell me if the extra hour rule can be imposed at the beginning or end of a 12 hour shift?
Thanks in advance.
 

Chriss_munro

Member
Joined
16 Dec 2020
Messages
7
Location
Morpeth
Anyone starting at York on the 22nd feb? Will i find it easier coming from another part of Network Rail than somebody straight off the street? Do they teach basics of the railway etc? Thanks
 

SirDigby69

Member
Joined
7 Jan 2021
Messages
5
Location
Newcastle
Hi All, recently applied for Grade 5 Signaller Job in Tweedmouth, anyone heard back regarding test results?? Completed all three tests on the 15th of Jan and had nothing back as of yet. Application status is still ‘test completed’ on Career page, does this mean bad news for my application? Thanks
 

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