A career as a signaller

[Fennel]

If they are doing twelve hour shifts would you really want to to be spending an additional two hours travelling every day? I certainly wouldn't! And even more so in a safety critical role such as signalling.

For a decent grade, i would

 

[Llanigraham]

A percentage on top of the hourly rate, calculated against the basic salary wage (12.5%, 15%, 20%)

You only get that if you are one of the Relief Signallers, and not a resident.

 

[MylesHSG]

A percentage on top of the hourly rate, calculated against the basic salary wage (12.5%, 15%, 20%)

You mean relief allowance? It's given to relief signallers only and is calculated on the distance between your locations that you'll work.

 

[Fennel]

There's a job advertisement for grade 6 Signaller in Stoke on Trent. The advert states "you will be in an office in Stoke"

But as far as I can tell, there's no ROC in Stoke?

So when they say office are they referring to a box? Or will it be an office which is essentially a smaller ROC?

Cheers

I have applied for the same. Lets see what happens, have you applied yet? How far you are from stoke? Mine is getting reviewed.see attached

 

[DEvans]

You only get that if you are one of the Relief Signallers, and not a resident.

So a resident Signaller has no shift enhancements?

 

[Llanigraham]

So a resident Signaller has no shift enhancements?

There is a very small enhancement for night shifts.
I think you need to explain exactly what you mean, and exactly what job you have applied for? Will you be based at just one Box or covering several?
(And I suspect I know exactly which Box you are going to!)

 

[muz379]

So a resident Signaller has no shift enhancements?

Resident signallers get
+10% for hours between 22:00 & 06:00
+50% for any hours worked on a Sunday
+25% for any rest day worked


Relief signallers who cover more than one signalbox , or more than one workstation / panel at a multi staffed location will get a Flex Premium which is 4%,18%,24% or 32% of the base salary for the grade that they are a relief as well as the above enhancements . The percentage is based upon the mileage from the home location(box) to the furthest box that they cover , with 10% being a single location relief at a powerbox / ROC .

 

[DEvans]

Resident signallers get
+10% for hours between 22:00 & 06:00
+50% for any hours worked on a Sunday
+25% for any rest day worked


Relief signallers who cover more than one signalbox , or more than one workstation / panel at a multi staffed location will get a Flex Premium which is 10%,18%,24% or 32% of the base salary for the grade that they are a relief as well as the above enhancements . The percentage is based upon the mileage from the home location(box) to the furthest box that they cover , with 10% being a single location relief at a powerbox / ROC .

Thank you for the information.

 

[Nippy]

Resident signallers get
+10% for hours between 22:00 & 06:00
+50% for any hours worked on a Sunday
+25% for any rest day worked


Relief signallers who cover more than one signalbox , or more than one workstation / panel at a multi staffed location will get a Flex Premium which is 10%,18%,24% or 32% of the base salary for the grade that they are a relief as well as the above enhancements . The percentage is based upon the mileage from the home location(box) to the furthest box that they cover , with 10% being a single location relief at a powerbox / ROC .

Single location relief is 10%? It’s 4% isn’t it?

 

[muz379]

Single location relief is 10%? It’s 4% isn’t it?

Absolutely correct , my mistake

 

[Nippy]

Absolutely correct , my mistake

Phew. That’s what I’ve been paid for the last three years . Would have been nice back pay though.

 

[DEvans]

The 4% is for the shift or per hour?

 

[Tyrion84]

Anyone know what shifts carnforth do is it 8hrs or 12hr shifts

Carnforth is 12 hour shifts

 

[HolyRail]

I have applied for the same. Lets see what happens, have you applied yet? How far you are from stoke? Mine is getting reviewed.see attached

Hey, I'm in Stone, what about you?

I applied yesterday and today did the online assessments (the ones with shapes and multitasking tests etc)

So now it just says they are reviewing my application. Think a previous poster said he had a reply at this stage in about 10 days

 

[Lpf93]

The 4% is for the shift or per hour?

It’s 4% of your headline salary.
You don’t get an extra 4% on your nights, Sundays, RDWs compared to a resident

 

[Kraken]

The 4% is for the shift or per hour?

I’m a Grade 3 General Purpose Relief, the locations I work in attract an 18% flexibility premium on top of base salary so my pay, as an example, is:

Grade 3 - £36,009 + 18% = £42,490

I then get overtime and night shifts paid at Grade 3 rates (I.e. what a resident would get, so not + 18%). So a 12 hour rest day worked shift is about £300, a Sunday day shift is £355, Night shifts are an extra 10% etc etc.

I didn’t quite appreciate this before I started and thought that everything has the 18% added. But in fact this just happens once to your baseline salary.

 

[DEvans]

So 42k as a basic plus O/T etc. so a 50k role possible

 

[Lpf93]

So 42k as a basic plus O/T etc. so a 50k role possible

Very easy

 

[MylesHSG]

So 42k as a basic plus O/T etc. so a 50k role possible

Reliefs don't get rostered Sundays remember and the "life" of a relief isn't for everyone. Expect to do more nights than days, getting a call a day before a rostered spare to cover a sick day, residents seeing you are spare when the roster is published on a Friday or Saturday and a quick call to the roster clerk to use some ad hoc leave...

 

[Kraken]

So 42k as a basic plus O/T etc. so a 50k role possible

Pretty easy I would say, depending on whether you’re on 8s or 12s and how short staffed your line is (I’m not sure how it works in ROCs). In the last two years on Grade 3 + 18% FP I’ve managed 55k and 60k, albeit that is hammering the overtime quite a bit. They’ve done a recruitment drive where I am in the last 9 months and I’ll struggle to match those figures in 2024/5 I reckon, which is probably for the best all things considered. I’m not very good at turning down overtime and I’ve gone overboard with it in the past which is no good for anyone.

I would definitely echo @MylesHSG in saying that being a relief is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. Getting rostered night shift into a rest day is something that happens pretty frequently and the not knowing where you’ll be and whether you’re on days or nights the following week is a bit of pain for planning childcare and general life. I do notice I get significantly more night shifts than days in general, presumably because residents book leave to run over their blocks of nights?

On the other hand you do get more variety which helps keep the job fresh. If you’ve got the choice I would probably go resident first though and see whether I enjoyed the job and make a more informed choice.

 

[Nippy]

I’m a relief, albeit at a single box. I tend to get more days than nights. The days are so much busier that the residents prefer to take those off.

 

[Kraken]

I’m a relief, albeit at a single box. I tend to get more days than nights. The days are so much busier that the residents prefer to take those off.

I would take the day shifts off, nights are way preferable. Fewer line blocks, fewer trains, no crossing requests, no box visitors, heavenly!

 

[Danbo]

Has anyone applied for NWR signaller roles via Indeed? They only ask for a combined CV and Cover-Letter, unlike the NWR portal i've used in the past (last year - but didn't finish my application in time) , which asks a lot more.

Just curious as to whether it's a good/safe way to apply? My NWR Portal is currently frozen due to inactivity, and I don't know when this vacancy closes as there's no date, don't want to miss out by waiting until Monday.

Thanks!

 

[Fennel]

Hey, I'm in Stone, what about you?

I applied yesterday and today did the online assessments (the ones with shapes and multitasking tests etc)

So now it just says they are reviewing my application. Think a previous poster said he had a reply at this stage in about 10 days

In Birmingham. I applied previously and did them tests etc, was told i am either too far or they already have enough candidates. But my test scores remain valid for 6 months, so saw this stoke advert and applied and straight into” reviewing my application stage” since i already have test completed, I remember last time it was quicker than 10 days. I believe we should get some response by end of next week. Keep in touch if you hear anything . Good Luck.

 

[Horizon22]

Has anyone applied for NWR signaller roles via Indeed? They only ask for a combined CV and Cover-Letter, unlike the NWR portal i've used in the past (last year - but didn't finish my application in time) , which asks a lot more.

Just curious as to whether it's a good/safe way to apply? My NWR Portal is currently frozen due to inactivity, and I don't know when this vacancy closes as there's no date, don't want to miss out by waiting until Monday.

Thanks!

I'd imagine Indeed is more likely to be outdated (i.e showing vacancies which have already closed) unlike the NWR portal. Which position/location/grade is it?

Signaller roles appear to have a slightly different link from the normal portal now, although it might just be an alias: https://networkrailcandidate.ambertrack.global/signaller2024/Login.aspx

 

[HolyRail]

In Birmingham. I applied previously and did them tests etc, was told i am either too far or they already have enough candidates. But my test scores remain valid for 6 months, so saw this stoke advert and applied and straight into” reviewing my application stage” since i already have test completed, I remember last time it was quicker than 10 days. I believe we should get some response by end of next week. Keep in touch if you hear anything . Good Luck.

Thank you and you!

 

[matty132]

Hi folks,

I start my IST tomorrow in York

Do I need to take the rule books with me for this?

Thanks

 

[godfreycomplex]

Hi folks,

I start my IST tomorrow in York

Do I need to take the rule books with me for this?

Thanks

Absolutely!

 

[matty132]

Absolutely!

I thought so was just double checking!

Thanks for confirming

 

[godfreycomplex]

I thought so was just double checking!

Thanks for confirming

No problemo!

I recall my rule books hadn’t been delivered for some reason so I had to go through my first week without them. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination.

Best of luck!