Crossing Keeper salary/enhancements

[sean316g]

Evening all,

I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on the role of a crossing keeper?
I've applied for the vacancy after being placed in Northern Rails trainee driver talent pool last month and it going nowhere since.

It seems like a really good job and a good starting salary of £24k + Enhancements.

Does anyone know what those enhancements are? Weekend working? Sundays? Overtime etc.

Also, is the crossing keeper role a good way to work up into the signaller grades? Everything I've read tells me its a great foot on the ladder but I want to be sure.

 

[TomBoyd]

Does anyone know what those enhancements are? Weekend working? Sundays? Overtime etc.

Saturdays are paid at the normal rate, sundays are extra and paid at 150%. Rest day working is paid at 125% and there's also a night shift premium if that is on your roster. People tend to say that if you work a reasonable amount of OT, you can expect to make 10-20% on top of what your baseline salary is.

Also, is the crossing keeper role a good way to work up into the signaller grades? Everything I've read tells me its a great foot on the ladder but I want to be sure.

Yup. But bear in mind you'll have to be there for a year before applying for anything else. If that rule applies to CKs that is!

 

[sean316g]

Saturdays are paid at the normal rate, sundays are extra and paid at 150%. Rest day working is paid at 125% and there's also a night shift premium if that is on your roster. People tend to say that if you work a reasonable amount of OT, you can expect to make 10-20% on top of what your baseline salary is.



Yup. But bear in mind you'll have to be there for a year before applying for anything else. If that rule applies to CKs that is!

That all sounds great to me. The more overtime the better and I was thinking that it would take 6-12 months to get a real feel for the role and build up experience before moving on so sounds ideal

 

[sean316g]

Tomboyd, can I just ask, you said Sundays are extra. Does this mean they aren't counted as part of your £24,000 salary and any hours you work on a Sunday are paid in addition to this?

I honestly thought it was just the TOC's that did this.

 

[signallerscot]

Sundays are a bit odd in that, although they are outside the working week, if you have Sundays on your base roster then you are obliged to work them or to arrange cover if you want to take one off. Not usually a problem but it's annoying if you do want to get out of working your booked Sunday and no one wants to take it off you for whatever reason.

Be aware that Crossing Keeper is a responsible role but it can also be a very boring and repetitive job (as can Signaller, for that matter). If you aren't happy with your own company, sitting for hours in what amounts to a glorified garden shed with very little stimulation or excitement then this isn't the job for you.

 

[nom de guerre]

Tomboyd, can I just ask, you said Sundays are extra. Does this mean they aren't counted as part of your £24,000 salary and any hours you work on a Sunday are paid in addition to this?

Yes.

Typically, the 'guaranteed' extras (Sundays, Bank Holiday/night shift premiums) are worth at least 25% on top of your base salary.

Then there's overtime, which is usually readily available.

 

[sean316g]

Sundays are a bit odd in that, although they are outside the working week, if you have Sundays on your base roster then you are obliged to work them or to arrange cover if you want to take one off. Not usually a problem but it's annoying if you do want to get out of working your booked Sunday and no one wants to take it off you for whatever reason.

Be aware that Crossing Keeper is a responsible role but it can also be a very boring and repetitive job (as can Signaller, for that matter). If you aren't happy with your own company, sitting for hours in what amounts to a glorified garden shed with very little stimulation or excitement then this isn't the job for you.

Hi Signallerscot, thanks for the reply.
I'm enjoying learning more about the role from you all. I currently work in a CCTV controlroom, night shifts midweek I can go 12 hours without a word from another person. Many moons ago I did a few years as a security guard too working very solitary sites, I'm really quite introverted so not having to work with other people is a huge bonus to me. But I can, when I need to (I assume the higher grades I aspire to reach are in busy control rooms)

 

[sean316g]

Yes.

Typically, the 'guaranteed' extras (Sundays, Bank Holiday/night shift premiums) are worth at least 25% on top of your base salary.

Then there's overtime, which is usually readily available.

Hi nom de guerre (autocorrect really fought me on that one!),
Thanks for the input. I'm really (happily) surprised by that. Sounds like I've identified my dream job! Think I'd sooner do this than drive now.