Pts ?

[area 39]

Can anyone help me with where and how I can obtain PTS so i can apply for track work ?

Thanks

 

[red2005]

i dare say if you googled it mate there would be loads of places you could do it

 

[mtbox]

To get a PTS card you have to be employed by a recognised company who has reason to need you to hold PTS competence, they will "sponsor" you to attend the course. Also you will need a railway medical certificate, which your company would have to arrange before the course.
It may be an idea to contact some of the recruitment agencies who specialise in railway work, they would be able to give you more information.

 

[scott118]

should you be successful, you'll then be retested every two years for your competanance..

 

[craigybagel]

Message deleted

 

[carriageline]

But if you're not capable of passing a PTS exam you probably shouldn't be allowed out of your own house, never mind anywhere near the railway.....

But yet we have contractors that don't know there phonetic alphabet, up from their down, very very poor English and about as much common sense as a gnat..

 

[TDK]

But if you're not capable of passing a PTS exam you probably shouldn't be allowed out of your own house, never mind anywhere near the railway.....

That is very harsh as some people who have never been on the railway, learnt the phonetic or have any idea of railway operations will find it hard and I am sure they are allowed out of their house. I know many people who have failed the PTS exam and I don't mean the driver's or guards, I mean the proper one and they are quite intelligent competent people.

 

[craigybagel]

Possibly an exaggeration I'll admit, and I was thinking more about train crew. I don't expect anyone to walk off the street and find the course easy but for the most part pts consists of learning how not to get hit by a train - compared to the other training that someone who requires pts is likely to recieve to do their actual job, be they p-way or train crew or maintenance or whateve, its pretty straightforward - anyone whos not capable of passing their 2 year competency test really shouldn't be anywhere near the railway.

 

[scott118]

Possibly an exaggeration I'll admit, and I was thinking more about train crew. I don't expect anyone to walk off the street and find the course easy but for the most part pts consists of learning how not to get hit by a train - compared to the other training that someone who requires pts is likely to recieve to do their actual job, be they p-way or train crew or maintenance or whateve, its pretty straightforward - anyone whos not capable of passing their 2 year competency test really shouldn't be anywhere near the railway.

Have you ever sat a NR PTS exam as opposed to your TOC's PTS? Two very different exams in parts, i can assure you. TOC's have no need to cover PICOP/ES duties, possessions, how to park your road vehicle or indeed how to leave, on track equipment, or the preferred method of comms, to name a few differences..That's the reason NR, issue you with a worksite log book i guess.

 

[craigybagel]

Fair enough. Does everyone who does the NR pts course have to cover all of that? I'd always assumed it was only experienced staff who got the training for PICOP anD possessions and so on.

Either way I do apologise, it was more the TOC pts course I had in mind.

 

[area 39]

Thanks guys.

 

[scott118]

It's in the NR PTS, so yes it has to be covered on the course. Even down to the use of det's and tcc's. Possessions and who controls the work sites also, blah blah, otherwise how does the local contracted tree surgeon know, where / who to report to, and who he needs to present his sentinel card / work site log book to be signed, then be booked electronically, on site?

without a valid Sentinel card, you won't be allowed on the railway..

https://www.railsentinel.co.uk/About/News

 

[TDK]

Fair enough. Does everyone who does the NR pts course have to cover all of that? I'd always assumed it was only experienced staff who got the training for PICOP anD possessions and so on.

Either way I do apologise, it was more the TOC pts course I had in mind.

I was talking to an on train cleaner and he had to do a more stringent PTS exam than I ever did and I am a driver, I can see your point about different levels and to be fair the drivers, guards and the TOC workers in general only have to do a basic PTS course/test. When I did mine initially I had to know about PICOP, ES, COSS, Site warden and their roles and identification, I also had to identify all the components for the DC and OHLE with the voltages and that was only just a part of it, recently the PTS for drivers etc. had been reduced and hence your opinion on the tests.

 

[craigybagel]

I was talking to an on train cleaner and he had to do a more stringent PTS exam than I ever did and I am a driver, I can see your point about different levels and to be fair the drivers, guards and the TOC workers in general only have to do a basic PTS course/test. When I did mine initially I had to know about PICOP, ES, COSS, Site warden and their roles and identification, I also had to identify all the components for the DC and OHLE with the voltages and that was only just a part of it, recently the PTS for drivers etc. had been reduced and hence your opinion on the tests.

Indeed, I had no idea everyone on pway had to do the more stringent one. The electrical components is still on the course at our TOC for guards, I'm surprised the drivers don't have to do it as well! But once you've got the voltages and the safe distances and things like that down the rest is pretty straightforward.

 

[TDK]

Indeed, I had no idea everyone on pway had to do the more stringent one. The electrical components is still on the course at our TOC for guards, I'm surprised the drivers don't have to do it as well! But once you've got the voltages and the safe distances and things like that down the rest is pretty straightforward.

We still have the electrical components on ours but only the basic ones such as Contact wire, dropper, red bond etc, we used to have to name the lot.

 

[BestWestern]

We still have the electrical components on ours but only the basic ones such as Contact wire, dropper, red bond etc, we used to have to name the lot.

All part of the 'dumbing down' which marches ever onwards. As a Guard my PTS will ask for most of what you would reasonably need when looking at OLE or third rail. There is much more which is notably absent from the main Rules exam in my opinion...

 

[keegans]

What's the latest issue/ for PTS. Is it Issue 9, 2013? Or is there s newer version?

Thanks