Signaller Assesment

[Trainuser]

Hello everyone

I have just received an e-mail from Network Rail confirming that I have an assessment/interview in two weeks time. Also I need to phone back to confirm that I can make the assessment.

I just wanted to ask what actually happens because the assessment is for 4 hours? I had a booklet telling me how to answer the questions and logic type of questions. Is it easy? Was it hard? If you have experienced it could you tell me what goes on please

Thank you for reading.

 

[142094]

A friend did one of the assessments in Manchester last year - from memory this is what he had to do:

1) Map exercise - you are given a large map and have to cross off as many of the same symbol (one is chosen at the start) in a given time, IIRC two minutes.

2) Next was the first listening exercise - you have to imagine you are in a lift which has no lighting. The only way to know what floor you arrive at is to listen to a series of tones, one tone means the lift is moving, the other two tones determine which way the lift is moving. Gets progressively more difficult as you go on.

3) Extract from some sort of list of numbers which have symbols next to them - the idea is that you are told what symbol to mark off. IIRC the next stage is the same but you also have the added difficulty of counting more tones whilst marking off these symbols.

4) Lottery numbers are read out, and you are told to listen for numbers that end in 55. When you hear a number ending in 55, you have to write down the whole of the sequence that was heard.

5) Buttons that open and close different shutters - you have to use logic to find what button does not do what it says (i.e. it is faulty).

6) Comprehension test/trainability. Given a passage of text and have to answer questions. Similar to the GLOP test for drivers.

7) Signalling rules - given a list of rules regarding a simplified signalling system and have to work out different scenarios

8) Some calculations about speed/time/distance. I.e. how long does train X take to travel distance Y, which train gets to its destination quicker etc.

 

[387star]

interesting read that thanks

speed distance time is the classic triangle we learnt at school

 

[svrdan]

Which box are you applying for??

 

[carriageline]

It wasn't one of the crossing boxes down that way was it? Or maybe even Farncombe!

 

[svrdan]

Wernt the crossing ones for Crawley or somewhere near there?

 

[carriageline]

There was one at Lewes, and Three Bridges area. I rang the LOM, and one of them is a relief over 3 boxes.

I got the unsuccessful email yesterday for Lewes. Really strange, as I had an interview with the LOM there for Reigate early this year, which I was successful for, but due to signalling school spaces I had to be made unsuccessful, and I had an interview for a grade 8 box last month. I suspect I might live too far for Lewes.

 

[Quickthorn]

A friend did one of the assessments in Manchester last year - from memory this is what he had to do:

[...]

Thanks for that.

Do you know if the standard is higher for signallers compared to drivers?

I was also wondering what would be the best way to prepare, in addition to the practice material you would be sent. I was thinking that anything that involves multitasking or a high mental workload might help sharpen skills up - stuff like signalling or ATC simulations, perhaps?

 

[svrdan]

I would almost certainly recommend this:

http://www.blockpostsoftware.co.uk/

Thanks for that.

Do you know if the standard is higher for signallers compared to drivers?

I was also wondering what would be the best way to prepare, in addition to the practice material you would be sent. I was thinking that anything that involves multitasking or a high mental workload might help sharpen skills up - stuff like signalling or ATC simulations, perhaps?

 

[Tomnick]

Whatever you do, don't take any knowledge of the signalling regs to the assessment - the rules that you have to digest and apply for item 7 above are rather different, and in some cases entirely contrary. I'd suggest Bopit (as recommended to the potential drivers) as a way to practice doing a number of simple tasks at once - signalling sims, whilst undoubtedly relevant, might be a bit too complicated for what you need to achieve from the exercise!

 

[Quickthorn]

Svrdan, Tomnick,

Thanks for the replies.

I've got the Exeter West blockpost sim. I can get through that, but slowly, as I have to keep on stopping to check the notes! I have better luck with Simsig, as there's not as much to learn, but the workload is higher.

I take the point about real life signalling regulations vs. assessment.

 

[Trainuser]

Willesden Carriage South Sidings is the location
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also I have my own signalling simulator.

 

[33056]

Whatever you do, don't take any knowledge of the signalling regs to the assessment - the rules that you have to digest and apply for item 7 above are rather different, and in some cases entirely contrary.

Carriage South is basically a "shunt frame" therefore there is no point whatsoever in trying to gain an advantage by reading up or practicing simulations of AB /TCB in advance. The successful applicant will be taught all the rules and regs in signalling school anyway, they will still need to do the full course the same as anybody going into a more "normal" box.

For the assessment I would be more concerned with understanding the tests in the book you have been sent (do they still include practice tests?) and making sure that you can do them accurately; DO NOT rush - accuracy is preferable to speed and good luck!

 

[High Dyke]

For the assessment I would be more concerned with understanding the tests in the book you have been sent (do they still include practice tests?) and making sure that you can do them accurately; DO NOT rush - accuracy is preferable to speed and good luck!

I concur with that. I attended the assessment in 1999. as we talked during a coffee break amongst those of us attending one chap stated that he "had a brief look the test book on the train" that morning. Needless to say after lunch he was no longer there.

I thought i had blown the computer test, partly nerves, partly fat fingers on the keyboard; and felt really sorry for myself when the assessor took me out the room. However she advised me it wasn't my fault as the computer i was using had got a fault (keyboard too sensitive). I went back in, used the other computer and sailed through the test.

Take your time, don't get too flustered. Best of luck.

 

[Trainuser]

Yeah, I have a booklet which tells me what to do such as the fault finding test which is pretty easy. I have been practicing questions and imagining the lift question with up and down.