Signaller School

[Foxtrot]

Hi All,
Can anyone give an insight into the signaller school process. I am due to begin shortly and also wondered if i could do any prep prior to attending. Finally how difficult is it

Thanks very much

 

[GingerRH]

Hi All,
Can anyone give an insight into the signaller school process. I am due to begin shortly and also wondered if i could do any prep prior to attending. Finally how difficult is it

Thanks very much

Congrats on the position.

It’s a 12 week course and a 1 year apprenticeship program now. The course is designed for someone with no railway experience and knowledge so will cover everything you will need to know. I’d suggest you don’t do any pre-reading or reading ahead on subjects as your interpretation may Be and most likely will be different to what is taught.

It’s a good laugh if you have decent people with you on your course! You’ll also be staying in the same hotel as the rest of the delegates on your course.

 

[Freckles]

Hi @Foxtrot, I asked a similar question a few months ago and got a really detailed answer. I'll paste it below and hopefully there's something there you'll find helpful. I start signalling school on the 12th Feb so maybe see you there, or if you're starting before then best of luck with it all .

"I went to York a few years ago now but I don't believe the arrangements have changed that much, so here goes...

It was (roughly) 9-5 Mon-Thu with a lunchtime-ish finish on the Friday. Some of the trainers are flexible regarding start/finish times so (if the group agree) you may be able to start earlier and finish earlier - and hence get some more time on the sim or revising as a group on the run up to the exams or high risk simulations. In terms of food it differs slightly on the hotel that you're put in but it's 3 meals a day (breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the WDC and dinner at the hotel in the evening). The lunch was generally pretty good at the WDC with hot/cold stuff available that changes from day to day (pies, jacket potatoes etc...)

They use a range of hotels, our furthest one out was a 10 min walk from the WDC so not far at all - they change the hotels all the time though so that could be different now.

Tickets will be provided either by your LOM or through rosters, they'll ask you where you want to travel from and they'll buy the tickets for you and email you with a code to collect them at the station - they're also open so aren't tied to a particular train.

I really enjoyed signalling school but be prepared to put in the hours, especially on the run up to the exams. Make sure you get the simple concepts sorted as they are built upon in the latter stages of the course (the bell codes if you're on the absolute block course, for example). The rule book is a bit of a minefield with stuff spread everywhere, so learn where to find stuff when you need it when you get back to the box.

Any more questions I'll try to answer!"

 

[Freckles]

Just as an aside, I've read a couple of posts about people being kicked off the course for failing an alcohol test. It hadn't even crossed my mind that they would test you while at signalling school, but I suppose technically you've started your employment so they have every right to test you as and when.

My default setting when meeting new people is to suggest "pub?", and whilst I'd think nothing of having 3 pints then going to bed, technically I think that may even be enough to make a breath test the next day a bit hit or miss. So, at the risk of sounding patronising and saying something that common sense would dictate anyway, I'd say if you do head out for a drink then err on the side of caution and set yourself a one pint max rule .

 

[Foxtrot]

Thanks very much very helpful

 

[Southernsig]

Get in as much time as possible on the simulator, daily if you can from the off! Sooner you nail the basics on that the easier you will find it when you get to the toughee stuff. It always helped me learn and remember the rukes and regs as welk as once you have been through it a few times on the sim you have a physical memory and experience to call back upon

 

[tiptoptaff]

Get in as much time as possible on the simulator, daily if you can from the off! Sooner you nail the basics on that the easier you will find it when you get to the toughee stuff. It always helped me learn and remember the rukes and regs as welk as once you have been through it a few times on the sim you have a physical memory and experience to call back upon

Is acess to the Sim fairly open and free?

 

[Tom Quinne]

When I was at York the simulators where open as long as you wanted them, you just signed out with security when you were done.

 

[Southernsig]

What tom said!!! Any time you like

 

[mitch.swiggins]

wait - are you saying that you have access to them 24/7?!?

 

[Tom Quinne]

Yes.

Come in before class, stay late after class.

 

[Foxtrot]

Brilliant guys, thanks

 

[Tom Quinne]

However, after a days heavy learning that last think you’ll want to do is stay behind on the simulator !

You need to get on it, but you won’t spend as much time on it as you reckon.

 

[Southernsig]

Correct there Tom, the novalty soon disappears!

 

[Tom Quinne]

I think I logged about 11 or 12 hours on it over 9 weeks.
The chances are the system you'll end up using at your location is totally different anyway,

 

[Ross Shearing]

Foxtrot do you mind me asking when you applied? I applied for a grade eight job at the end of last year, which I was unsuccessful in, and currently have a great eight and nine job both with “application under consideration” and am worried my CV isn’t up to scratch!

 

[The One]

Signalling in the main signal box’s are very complexed these days with all the computers but it’s there to aid you but same time I should imagine you learn the semaphore signalling too.But its a very good job as been told by people.
But in a lighter note lol signallers are marmite lol you either love them or hate them
All the best with the course it will open your eyes to a different world

 

[Foxtrot]

Foxtrot do you mind me asking when you applied? I applied for a grade eight job at the end of last year, which I was unsuccessful in, and currently have a great eight and nine job both with “application under consideration” and am worried my CV isn’t up to scratch!

Hi, I applied in Nov so based on what others have said my progress has been pretty quick. Give HR a call

 

[Ross Shearing]

Thanks. I made contact and they said it’s with the hiring manager. It’s been okay as I’ve had time to update my CV to make it more role specific! Have you got any hints or tips for me?

 

[Ross Shearing]

Just found out I’ve been unsuccessful on my application for a grade nine job, not a surprise, but wondered how many of you had to answered the seventy questions as part of the application? I can’t answer them all as I’m not a signaller, do you think I’m bound not to get an interview because of this and internal applicants???? Help would be appreciated people.

 

[TRain87]

Us internal applicants need to answer these questions aswell mate - and I had no railway knowledge when I started last year but had to answer the 70 questions and I managed to get the job. For the questions you don't have experience, just write NA and move on to the next one. Keep plugging away and I'm sure you'll get somewhere!

 

[choochoobacca]

Just found out I’ve been unsuccessful on my application for a grade nine job, not a surprise, but wondered how many of you had to answered the seventy questions as part of the application? I can’t answer them all as I’m not a signaller, do you think I’m bound not to get an interview because of this and internal applicants???? Help would be appreciated people.

If you are an external candidate, like myself, you are not expected to answer all of the questions as obviously you simply can't answer the job specific ones. Don't worry, just keep applying. As an external candidate they aren't looking for you to answer the job specific ones, just the initial set. Try and answer those as best as you can! I put no and n/a in the details box for everything once it gets to the job specific stuff.
If you have seen the job advertised on the network rail website, for us external candidates, then I believe it has already been through the internal process and not 'picked off', so you won't be in competition with internal candidates. That's my understanding of things anyway....
Just got to keep firing off the applications and hoping for that bit of luck!

 

[Ross Shearing]

Damn that probably means my examples aren’t very good then! Must try harder!!!!!

Thanks guys for the guidance. Choochoobacca are you applying currently then?

 

[choochoobacca]

Damn that probably means my examples aren’t very good then! Must try harder!!!!!

Thanks guys for the guidance. Choochoobacca are you applying currently then?

Yeah, I've got a few in at various stages. Having read through all pages on the signaller thread, there seems to be a theme:
1 - apply for lots
2 - be patient
3 - be more patient

 

[Ross Shearing]

I’m trying! I have a friend who works there already and he loves it! I’ve e-nailed recruitment a couple of times for feedback but they aren’t particularly forthcoming!

I’ll keep trying as I’m determined to get there too!

 

[Accyman]

After applying in August 2017 I have now been given a start date at Signalling School, 23rd April at Westwood, anyone else on this course, and can anyone tell me what Westwood is like.