Network Railway Signallers

[blankBook]

I have seen adverts for a Railway Signaller near Bootle for Network Rail, my question is do you have to pass numeracy and literacy tests as my maths skills are very weak. The advert states that due to the sheer volume of applicants a initial assessment will have to be taken? Has anyone applied for a role and what can you expect throught the intervieww process as I imagine it must be pretty tough. Are there any jobs in the rail industry that don't require you to pass selection tests? I woundn't mind being a shunter but I've never seen an advertised position for that role.


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112 views and no reply what's going on? Anyone?

 

[Jack in England]

A very looooooooooong process if you are successful you will have to go to Leeds for 6 weeks training.

Put it this way if you applied now it would be this time next year until your on your own working doing the job you applied for

 

[mac]

i applied in april and they have still not had the interviews

 

[Kt]

The training at Leeds is 12 weeks, and you have a test end of every week... If you fail any single test then you fail the training and have to go home so its pretty tough!

This is what the trainer told us when we went to Leeds recently for an Ops Appreciation course.

 

[Nick1971]

I am currently applying for a signaller position with Ntwork rail - does anyone know the start dates of the courses at Leeds and Watford, and what the lead time from a successful Interview to commencement of course would be, or does this vary dependant on the position for which you applied. Many Thanks Nick.

 

[Toots]

The training at Leeds is 12 weeks, and you have a test end of every week... If you fail any single test then you fail the training and have to go home so its pretty tough!

This is what the trainer told us when we went to Leeds recently for an Ops Appreciation course.

Are you sure it's twelve weeks?.It used to be nine including the one week TCB course and the week in your allocated box.You don't have a test at the end of every week but you certainly have a few.You are correct that if you don't attain the pass mark you are out,but you do get a second attempt if you fail a test,the pass mark was 70%,but it may have changed....

 

[ThomasTTE]

KT - all the current NR careers literature states categorically that Signaller training is 9 weeks at Leeds or Watford.

Nick - best of luck with your application. I'm also trying for an advertised Siggie job at the moment and psyching myself up to do the tele test!!! I can hardly contain myself!

Strange how when you apply for particular jobs, you suddenly become aware of issues with that job in the media - only today I read that old Bobby Crow's RMT are at loggerheads with t'management over local changes at the Scottish West Coast Signalling centre. Seemingly he's unhappy with proposals to change a long standing and possibly archaic practice:

The ballot for action concerns management’s continuing refusal to adhere to a long standing local arrangement where, when a resident post becomes vacant, the senior General Purpose Relief (GPR) is slotted into that position. This has been in place for over three decades but management are suddenly refusing to apply this custom and practice arrangement. RMT members are outraged at the behaviour of local management over this issue and are demanding action.

If no early resolution, they're planning to walk out and disrupt travel in that region over the festive period. And then, just found this document which details NR proposals for an updated Signaller selection system together with the existing one in the appendix. This will certainly help me with my preparation in knowing what skill and experience areas to concentrate on. Hope it helps all of you too.

TTTE

 

[springer]

Just to clear this one up, training is over a twelve week period but consists of the following
1st week in workplace where you will be based
9weeks residential at Leeds ( Watford not currently available)
2 weeks in shadowing at workplace.
So, 12 weeks training, 9 weeks reidential. Hope this clears that one up info gained at interview.

 

[ThomasTTE]

Thanks Springer for the clarification - nothing like hearing it from the horses mouth. I realised there was a period of shadowing / training at your selected box but didn't know the details.

Have read your previous posts, how's your application going? I'm just at the post sift, English test stage. I'm completely new to this industry, coming from an aviation background, but I would equate Signaller to air traffic control ie same adherence to rules & regs and unambiguous communications and safety being the key requirements.

I do have a few questions that I hope you, or someone else, can answer and I apologise if they've already been asked a million times - I haven't been able to find them!

1. During training, what is the rate of pay?
2. Training is residential - is that NR's own accommodation or elsewhere?
3. I have a pre-booked holiday for next Summer - is there a NR policy covering this area or is it down to local management organising the appropriate shift roster. How accommodating would they be?
4. Finally, and most importantly, does the training take someone from a position of no knowledge or pre-conceived ideas, or would I be on a non starter for selection because of it?

This job description sounds right up my street, but is it a forlorn dream as I haven't done my Parka time at the end of the platform? :cry: To be fair I don't stand at the end of runways either, but I'm quite proficient in matters aerial!

 

[Kt]

As Springer clarified it is 12 weeks training in total (thanks for clearing that up too )

Good luck to all that have applied! Keep us updated on how you are getting on!

 

[ThomasTTE]

Couple more questions which spring to mind that maybe any current Siggies could answer:

1. Medically, after the pre-employment screening, are there annual or other regular Med checks done for Signallers? In a previous life I was used to annual Med (BP / urine / bloods / height - weight/ vision / hearing etc etc) with 6 monthly ECG and 6 monthly fitness tests. Any similarity for NR employees?
2. What periodic knowledge / competency checks are carried out on Signallers? And what is the period - annually, monthly, quarterly , randomly? And what do the checks consist of? Written paper, oral questioning, simulator scenarios?

That's my lot for the moment, but will pose more as I think of them!!!

 

[springer]

hmm my application....
I'll let you know in a few days when its cleared up. It is a strange one believe me.

 

[ThomasTTE]

Rgr that Springer, you've got me intrigued! Hope it works out fine for you Can you answer any of my q's at all?

 

[33056]

1. During training, what is the rate of pay?

Used to be one grade lower than the position you were to be appointed to though I am not sure if this is still the case.

Sorry can't help with 2 or 3

4. Finally, and most importantly, does the training take someone from a position of no knowledge or pre-conceived ideas, or would I be on a non starter for selection because of it?

The training starts from a "position of no knowledge", people are selected for their aptitude to learn and retain knowledge and apply it in the correct manner.

This job description sounds right up my street, but is it a forlorn dream as I haven't done my Parka time at the end of the platform? :cry: To be fair I don't stand at the end of runways either, but I'm quite proficient in matters aerial!

No need to be an enthusiast at all, if you have the aptitude you will soon pick up what is needed.

1. Medically, after the pre-employment screening, are there annual or other regular Med checks done for Signallers?

AFAIK if you are under 40, then your next medical will be at that age but you can still be sent for a random medical at any time or be screened for drugs / alcohol after any incident you might be involved in. After 40, I think it is every five years until 60 when the frequency increases (annually?)

2. What periodic knowledge / competency checks are carried out on Signallers? And what is the period - annually, monthly, quarterly , randomly? And what do the checks consist of? Written paper, oral questioning, simulator scenarios?

Briefing and refresher training every six months with the safety briefer and every six months with your local manager (making one or the other every quarter on average). The briefer can use a model railway, videos and diagrams showing recent incidents and use written material. I have only done one session with the manager under the current set up and that was a combination of computer based scenarios and oral questioning.

 

[ThomasTTE]

Hi 33056

Many thanks for all those answers and taking the time and effort to provide them - really appreciated!

I better crack on and do the English test or my app will be going no further!

Cheers

 

[Toots]

There has often been discussion over 'Parka time' as you put it.I was told by my then Mrs (who is a Signaller) not to mention the fact I was interested in railways 'because they will think you are an anorak and you won't get the job'.
The irony was that this would probably have been the case with the guy who turned out to be my LOM,but as he was training,another guy who it turns out was an enthusiast gave me the job because I knew an ECO had lead responsibility over everybody and I believe that is what swung it for me,but there are lots of others who haven't the first idea of what goes on and they get employed as a Signaller...
Last time I looked there were currently no residents at Bootle,so if you give this a fair shot and don't get it,you may be asked back,it's a bit of a backwater,but a great place to start signalling.....

 

[ThomasTTE]

Hi Toots, just to be clear, I wasn't bad mouthing enthusiasts of any description, just wondering if not being one would be a bad thing! I guess it's all down to the interviewer on the day!

Anyway, for me, the war is over - my train has hit the buffers, come off the tracks and will not be pulling into any station anytime soon!!

Email from NR advising that application for Signaller post is going no further - this despite an email last week saying they were very interested and could I do the English test - something obviously happened between then and now and before I'd even done the test. Little bit confused and have asked for feedback. Has this happened to others? Disappointed as the application takes much time and effort to get right and I wouldn't have gone for it if I didn't think the Job / Person spec and I matched up!

Anyway, never mind - onwards and upwards. Job interview last Fri, this coming Thurs and another next Tues so hoping for some good news in 2012. NR's loss

Toots, me old buddy, I'm sure Bootle's a lovely place as Signal boxes go but am afraid it's a little bit off the beaten track for me - currently living in el Presidente Salmond's fiefdom!

All the very best to all of you in achieving your Rail careers (or progressing in it!) and have a very Merry Christmas and Prosperous 2012.

I'll pop in now and again to see wassupp. Ciao

TTTE

 

[Nick1971]

hmm my application....
I'll let you know in a few days when its cleared up. It is a strange one believe me.

Springer,

How long has your aplication process been? I was initially unsuccessful for a signaller position after doing the Telephone test, I currently have two applications for posts ongoing at the same stage as last time - application under consideration post telephone test where I scored 80 (max I believe on the versant but it was quite straight forward). I actually got a call saying can I do the test pre 2 Dec as they were trying to get the process moving to avoid the long delays for interview and often dissapointing many people but to date still no news. BTW I have just left the Royal Navy as a Submariner, would be interested in your background and how you think it may have helped your process. Kind Regards Nick