Dread Pirate
Member
Cheers mate not moved about that much but I’ll sit tight. Got my medical next Friday and not starting until the end of January so no rush I suppose. Just want to get everything sorted.
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Jordan4321
Member
Maybe a stupid question but does every train station have a signal box including the smaller stations or are some smaller stations merged into the bigger ones
For me I submitted it 17th October and it turned up in the post weekend just gone
Llanigraham
On Moderation
No, and no.
There are hundreds of stations with no Boxes.
ajs101
Member
Does anyone have any experience of working out of Ashford? I've been offered grade 2 and I am assuming I'd be working at the IECC from a workstation rather than a box?
Hi bud,
Wales - Shrewsbury, Llandudno Junction, Bangor & Hereford. Either of these I think.
Jordan4321
Member
Dread Pirate
Member
Hi everyone. I’m got the phone call a few weeks ago offering me a grade 2 position in New Mills. It’s a complete career change for me as I’ve been a Hgv driver for almost 20 years. I’m looking forward to the challenge albeit nervous about school and passing the exam but I’m just going to throw myself into it.
Did anybody go to the school close to where they live? They said I’ll be going to Manchester which is only the other side of town for me so I could commute there every day. Will I still be offered a hotel? I think I’ll be better off staying there and revising each night rather than coming home to a house full of loud kids . Just need to convive the mrs I’m not having a jolly whilst I’m there. Anyone else been in a similar situation? TIA for reply’s.
Did anybody go to the school close to where they live? They said I’ll be going to Manchester which is only the other side of town for me so I could commute there every day. Will I still be offered a hotel? I think I’ll be better off staying there and revising each night rather than coming home to a house full of loud kids . Just need to convive the mrs I’m not having a jolly whilst I’m there. Anyone else been in a similar situation? TIA for reply’s.
Goggins
Member
I'm from North Wales and I'm currently in Bristol.. Manchester would be the ideal situation, but with the numbers of signallers needed nationwide you could end up anywhere. They do prefer you stay in a hotel for that reason that you need to revise at night and use sim sessions at the training centre
Well done on getting the offer!
The whole course is designed for beginners who have no background knowledge. If you try to learn anything beforehand you may end up developing misconceptions or get confused, so I would advise against it.
That being said if you want to start something - learn the phonetic alphabet and maybe some of the bell codes if you know your box will use them (there's lots of quizlets and a network rail bell signals app on Android that you can use).
Frothy_B
Member
I'd say it depends on your LOM and the arrangements at the training center. I live about 45 minute drive away so could realistically come in every day from home, but I took the hotel option to 1) Save on fuel and 2) at home with a small child there would be no revision done.
Someone else on the course lives around 25 minutes away, who will be going to a different box at the end, and they were not offered the hotel at all.
If you live within an hour, even 58-59 minutes you may not get offered the hotel on the Sunday night, so there's a few of us that have to travel in on the Monday morning, but there's been no problems so far.
It's certainly not a jolly. The being away from home every night, certainly the first 3 weeks, seemed to be what many people struggled with the most. I don't know what type of HGV work you did, but I'd imagine you're already used to not being at home, as will your family, so you should find that side of it a bit easier.
I don't know about you, but coming from the haulage industry myself I'm used to alot of alone time and my own space, which I certainly needed in week 4 and 5, and mentally I just wouldn't have been able to focus as I did if I were at home.
High Dyke
Established Member
Equally, there are many boxes that don't have stations.
GMTUK
Member
- Joined
- 12 Jan 2018
- Messages
- 41
I used a board with post it notes that I placed behind my laptop screen to take a quick glance. Having been unsuccessful in 4 previous interviews this worked for me on the 5th and I started this week. Obviously can’t use this method if it’s face to face
Ronnie215
Member
As a relief yes, but not very often. Only when resident has 2 weeks off and Sunday falls in middle, or they decide to give it up for whatever reason. Plus there will be other relief who will want it.
Keep in mind though that Sunday as a resident is Overtime rest day effectively, and paid 150%. You can work other rest days and get 125%. So only missing out on that extra 25% days pay.
Also relief get that premium 12 to 32% boost to pay right to thier base salary.
ThatsAMorey
Member
Congratulations!
Definitely take the hotel option, as others have said it helps with revision etc. I live out in the high peak, wasn’t offered the Sunday night at the hotel as I live within a hour of the training centre, but I stayed Monday to Thursday.
RailwayRookie
Member
Anyone that has had their start date a reasonable distance before their IST, what did they have you doing for the time between?
I think it is mixed depending on your box and what they have planned. Some have you in for the 2 weeks beforehand to do the e-learning, I know of some that were told they could do that from home too.
Others were in during the time before the e-learning started and went out on the railway with different personnel too
Had to chase my LOM a bit but visited 7 boxes varying from an hour to several hours over a week. Spent a day with a MOM as well as spending a lot of time sat waiting at home.
Signal_Box
Member
Cardiff relief link rarely pick up any Sundays, and RDW is minimal as well hence no one wants to move across from the resident link. There are 4/5 big hitters who suck up all the RDW/Sunday working.
WROC is 4%, much like others.
kenneth wright
Member
- Joined
- 6 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 46
Hi Guys does anyone know if Horbury Junction is a 24 hour box.
It is.
Goggins
Member
Think it depends when you start signalling school, mine was pretty quick as i got a last minute spot on the course.
LearnerJ
Member
I have been chasing and chasing a on boarding/start date for signalling school since my completion of checks, medical and DBS at the start of October.
Numerous emails and phone calls with no further update. I have just been told they aim to have a start date for me in May!? I was hoping January as i have seen a few others been given this date who were in the same recruitment pool as me. Fairly dissapointed
Numerous emails and phone calls with no further update. I have just been told they aim to have a start date for me in May!? I was hoping January as i have seen a few others been given this date who were in the same recruitment pool as me. Fairly dissapointed
I’ve received an email about my Anglia Routes grade 2 signaler application.
“We have now filled all of our interview spaces for our current round of recruitment, however as you have completed and passed our initial testing we would like to keep your details for our next round of interviews.”
Does this mean my application was uncessfull or do I still have a chance at getting the role?
“We have now filled all of our interview spaces for our current round of recruitment, however as you have completed and passed our initial testing we would like to keep your details for our next round of interviews.”
Does this mean my application was uncessfull or do I still have a chance at getting the role?
Dread Pirate
Member
I was offered the job end of October and they told me on the phone it was a start date of January 29th. Did they tell you a date in the phone?I have been chasing and chasing a on boarding/start date for signalling school since my completion of checks, medical and DBS at the start of October.
Numerous emails and phone calls with no further update. I have just been told they aim to have a start date for me in May!? I was hoping January as i have seen a few others been given this date who were in the same recruitment pool as me. Fairly dissapointed