A career as a signaller

[Scroobious]

Just to play devil’s advocate, we had 2 of our course (of 10) commute every day and both passed the course. I think it depends on your personal circumstances and how much you need the support of others. As long as you put the required effort in and are prepared to stay in/around the hotel/school with your course mates when required for sims or revision I think it is totally feasible to stay at home.
Just as a side note, I was not one of the 2 and enjoyed staying in the hotel, for the most part. I went home every weekend for a break.
Good luck, whichever option you choose.

 

[Rockhopper]

I think most people go home at the weekend.

 

[Trickster10]

I will be on IST in June and will be commuting the 40 minutes each day due to having a newborn at home, I want a career in signalling but will always put my family first and cannot justify 12 weeks away from home (Back at weekends). I am a current NWR employee and have a steady understanding of the role. I would say that it almost comes across on here that people are very insistent on staying over being the only way to pass but I am also aware of numerous people who’ve passed the training despite travelling and not staying over.

Fingers crossed it works for me but if not then I won’t regret my choice.

 

[Defenestrate]

I am hopefully starting signalling school on 4th July, just wondering if anyone recommends any books to read for a total novice signaller looking forward to starting school but also would quite like a little knowledge before I go in and feel completely out of my depth, I’ve bought British railway signalling fourth edition but any other recommendations would be good

Not wanting to sound like Men in Black, but...you'll be given the last books you'll ever need.
You'll be taught everything so there's no getting ahead with "extra" reading.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

I will be on IST in June and will be commuting the 40 minutes each day due to having a newborn at home, I want a career in signalling but will always put my family first and cannot justify 12 weeks away from home (Back at weekends). I am a current NWR employee and have a steady understanding of the role. I would say that it almost comes across on here that people are very insistent on staying over being the only way to pass but I am also aware of numerous people who’ve passed the training despite travelling and not staying over.

Fingers crossed it works for me but if not then I won’t regret my choice.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that staying at the hotel is the only way to pass, but I do think it is a big help. The course is very intense with a lot to take in, so having that focus and support is hugely useful.

Having said that I wish you good luck with the course

 

[TommyF]

Not wanting to sound like Men in Black, but...you'll be given the last books you'll ever need.
You'll be taught everything so there's no getting ahead with "extra" reading.

I wasn’t trying to get ahead I was trying to catch up with rail lingo and maybe learn a couple of simple things before starting so I don’t have everything to try and take in all at once but all good I found a website called the signal box which has some useful information on it and am halfway through reading the British railway signalling book which is also helpful

 

[Saracen_83]

Can some recently qualified signallers contribute and stress how important it is to stay in the hotel whilst training as you'll likely be working well into the evening in your groups and on the sim and so on. I fear that many many be setting themselves up to fail.

I qualified a few years back and I stayed at the hotel, but this was purely down to the fact that commuting wasn’t an option due to the distance between home and school… however if I had lived closer then yes I would’ve stayed at home…

Not Staying in the hotel does not mean you are setting yourself up to fail. As long as you are dedicated, put the time in on the Sim and revise each night, then you will pass the course.

I know of people that have stayed in the hotel and failed, as they didn’t put time in and similarly, I know people that stayed at home and passed…. It’s the effort and dedication you put in that counts not where you stay!!!

I wasn’t trying to get ahead I was trying to catch up with rail lingo and maybe learn a couple of simple things before starting so I don’t have everything to try and take in all at once but all good I found a website called the signal box which has some useful information on it and am halfway through reading the British railway signalling book which is also helpful

The course is designed to teach someone off the street with no railway back ground all they need to know.

I’d advise that you don’t read anything as you may pick up stuff that either is t relevant or is wrong, or has changed due to new rules etc…

The trainers will teach you all you have to know in a order that makes sense.

If you honestly want to do anything, then learn bell codes (if your on a absolute block course) and learn the phonetic alphabet. Apart from that, just relax and wait for your course….

 

[Signal_Box]

Can some recently qualified signallers contribute and stress how important it is to stay in the hotel whilst training as you'll likely be working well into the evening in your groups and on the sim and so on. I fear that many many be setting themselves up to fail.

I did try recently, when some chap asked about gyms in York. Oh well fail if you think it’s worth the risk, i LD say just concentrate on getting yourself through don’t worry about those who think they know better.

 

[RailwayRailway]

Hi I was just wondering if your going to be working in a track circuited area with no absolute block would you still be required to learn AB in signalling school? Thanks in advance

 

[ArchangelA]

I wasn’t trying to get ahead I was trying to catch up with rail lingo and maybe learn a couple of simple things before starting so I don’t have everything to try and take in all at once but all good I found a website called the signal box which has some useful information on it and am halfway through reading the British railway signalling book which is also helpful

Hi I was just wondering if your going to be working in a track circuited area with no absolute block would you still be required to learn AB in signalling school? Thanks in advance

No you wouldnt be learning AB if going to TCB only

 

[headshot119]

No you wouldnt be learning AB if going to TCB only

That's not 100% correct, it may well be you are sent on an AB course with a TCB conversion if going to a TCB only box, it really depends on what course availability is like. There are far more AB course run, than TCB only.

 

[RailwayRailway]

That's not 100% correct, it may well be you are sent on an AB course with a TCB conversion if going to a TCB only box, it really depends on what course availability is like. There are far more AB course run, than TCB only.

Thank you for your reply

No you wouldnt be learning AB if going to TCB only

Thank you for your reply

 

[Amberk]

I did try recently, when some chap asked about gyms in York. Oh well fail if you think it’s worth the risk, i LD say just concentrate on getting yourself through don’t worry about those who think they know better.

Some chap actually has boobs pal. Strangely enough not everyone is a man on here.

 

[gem22]

Some chap actually has boobs pal. Strangely enough not everyone is a man on here.

Seconded, there are plenty of us lady signallers. It's actually worrying how many applying for the job thinking it's for men only referring to others as chaps, lads, gents etc. Given that today is International Women's Day, I think it's quite appropriate to bring this up

 

[godfreycomplex]

Seconded, there are plenty of us lady signallers. It's actually worrying how many applying for the job thinking it's for men only referring to others as chaps, lads, gents etc. Given that today is International Women's Day, I think it's quite appropriate to bring this up

Where’s that like button got to?

 

[RailwayWomenG]

Seconded, there are plenty of us lady signallers. It's actually worrying how many applying for the job thinking it's for men only referring to others as chaps, lads, gents etc. Given that today is International Women's Day, I think it's quite appropriate to bring this up

Love this!

 

[ffesti]

I wasn’t trying to get ahead I was trying to catch up with rail lingo and maybe learn a couple of simple things before starting so I don’t have everything to try and take in all at once but all good I found a website called the signal box which has some useful information on it and am halfway through reading the British railway signalling book which is also helpful

If you’re desperate to read a book on the subject, you could do a lot worse than ‘Red for Danger’ by Tom Rolt, to get a general feel for why we do what we do. I personally think it’s a shame that there is not more emphasis within our training on the accidents that influence our modern (and not so modern) safety systems

 

[TommyF]

Thanks for the feedback guys and girls I’ll have a look at that book and the phonetic alphabet comment I use that in my current role so onto that

 

[C00k1e]

Thanks for the feedback guys and girls I’ll have a look at that book and the phonetic alphabet comment I use that in my current role so onto that

Seriously, do not bother trying to read up or get ahead it will not benefit you in the slightest. I get where you are coming from but trust me! I am currently on IST and from a non railway role and you will get taught absolutely everything you need to know. If you really wanted to do something go over the NTS and life saving rules as these will affect you everyday and will have a lot of bearing in how you apply yourself to the course and the role of a signaller.
Best of luck.

 

[High Dyke]

Some chap actually has boobs pal. Strangely enough not everyone is a man on here.

Seconded, there are plenty of us lady signallers. It's actually worrying how many applying for the job thinking it's for men only referring to others as chaps, lads, gents etc. Given that today is International Women's Day, I think it's quite appropriate to bring this up

Well done for raising the subject. Sadly far too many people still think that certain jobs are stereotyped. I've worked, for a number of years, with both male and female signallers. I don't get why some people make assumptions. It's also a shame that senior executive roles still lack diversity, something that was highlighted a few days ago on the Network Rail (internal) yammer discussion pages.

Where’s that like button got to?

Well said.

For the record - I'm male.

 

[TommyF]

Thanks for the feedback guys and girls I’ll have a look at that book

 

[Raikkonen7]

I completed IST 2 years ago now and from reading some of the queries, here’s what I experienced.

I think it’s a good idea to stay during the week if your personal circumstances permit. Doing the sim and some group work can take up a large chunk of your evening, so it can be nice to head back to your room after doing all that (I stayed on the training site, so my room was 30 seconds from the classroom).

A lot of people on here suggest working with your peers after class to aid your studying. I definitely agree with this, however it’s really important that you prioritise your own learning and the method of studying which most benefits you. I quickly realised that I actually learnt a lot of the information better when I studied on my own, so I quickly made a bit of a social sacrifice in order to study more effectively. So don’t be afraid to put your needs first.

Finally, questions regarding doing any prep before IST. They do literally teach you everything you need to know regardless of your prior knowledge, however it’ll give you a slight head start to learn the phonetic alphabet if you don’t already know it. Also, again not entirely necessary, but it definitely helped me, you could learn all the bell codes without actually having to know their meaning. During the first week, the trainer tested the group a lot on these and as I already knew most of them, it slightly lessened my workload in what was quite an overwhelming first week.

 

[Signal_Box]

Some chap actually has boobs pal. Strangely enough not everyone is a man on here.

For the recorded I’m actually female as well!

 

[Nemo01]

I completed IST 2 years ago now and from reading some of the queries, here’s what I experienced.

I think it’s a good idea to stay during the week if your personal circumstances permit. Doing the sim and some group work can take up a large chunk of your evening, so it can be nice to head back to your room after doing all that (I stayed on the training site, so my room was 30 seconds from the classroom).

A lot of people on here suggest working with your peers after class to aid your studying. I definitely agree with this, however it’s really important that you prioritise your own learning and the method of studying which most benefits you. I quickly realised that I actually learnt a lot of the information better when I studied on my own, so I quickly made a bit of a social sacrifice in order to study more effectively. So don’t be afraid to put your needs first.

Finally, questions regarding doing any prep before IST. They do literally teach you everything you need to know regardless of your prior knowledge, however it’ll give you a slight head start to learn the phonetic alphabet if you don’t already know it. Also, again not entirely necessary, but it definitely helped me, you could learn all the bell codes without actually having to know their meaning. During the first week, the trainer tested the group a lot on these and as I already knew most of them, it slightly lessened my workload in what was quite an overwhelming first week.

I agree with this. It's important to have an understanding of your learning style before you get there. 95% of my studying was done independently because that's what worked best for me. The only group studying I did outside of SIM sessions were a couple of revision sessions before the assessments which were useful. The reality is that to pass the course you need to be able to reproduce a large volume of information and the only way I could do that was to sit and write the information out time and time again until it was fixed in my memory.

 

[JamieTemp]

Hi there. I've been led to believe that most boxes in Yorkshire are now on 12 hour rosters. Can anyone who is in Yorkshire at the moment let me know their rosters please as soon as you can? It's urgent.

 

[headshot119]

I wouldn't say most, there's still a big split between boxes that close over night and aren't on a 12 hour roster, and those open continuous. Is there a box in particular you want to know about?

 

[JamieTemp]

I wouldn't say most, there's still a big split between boxes that close over night and aren't on a 12 hour roster, and those open continuous. Is there a box in particular you want to know about?

Not so much a certain box just anywhere in Yorkshire really. When I finish my IST I only really want to apply for a 12 hour roster. I've been shown an 8 hour roster that is unworkable for me.

 

[Raikkonen7]

Not so much a certain box just anywhere in Yorkshire really. When I finish my IST I only really want to apply for a 12 hour roster. I've been shown an 8 hour roster that is unworkable for me.

The Hope Valley line boxes are all 12hr. Admittedly, only Totley SB is in Yorkshire, so I guess it depends on what part of Yorkshire you’re interested in. All those boxes would be commutable from Sheffield and places relatively nearby.

 

[Amberk]

The Hope Valley line boxes are all 12hr. Admittedly, only Totley SB is in Yorkshire, so I guess it depends on what part of Yorkshire you’re interested in. All those boxes would be commutable from Sheffield and places relatively nearby.

I guess like me has been recruited by the recruitment drive and since non of us have a box to go to and are expected to apply while training is now panicking about what will be available come that time.

Not so much a certain box just anywhere in Yorkshire really. When I finish my IST I only really want to apply for a 12 hour roster. I've been shown an 8 hour roster that is unworkable for me.

All depends on what's available to apply for when we finish school. I assume you are on my course in April. Will only really know once we see the available internal vacancies. The only box I've been to is 8hr shifts which are also not ideal for me. I would much prefer 12 hours. But Sheffield is about 1hr3 from york/Derby and Manchester roc.

 

[Raikkonen7]

I guess like me has been recruited by the recruitment drive and since non of us have a box to go to and are expected to apply while training is now panicking about what will be available come that time.


All depends on what's available to apply for when we finish school. I assume you are on my course in April. Will only really know once we see the available internal vacancies. The only box I've been to is 8hr shifts which are also not ideal for me. I would much prefer 12 hours. But Sheffield is about 1hr3 from york/Derby and Manchester roc.

I was in exactly the same boat. Only secured a box a month after I finished training. Some signallers prefer the 8hrs, but I much prefer the 12hr roster.