A career as a signaller

[Javagem]

Around here, it tends to be the polos, tees and sweatshirts, if anything.

The trousers are universally shunned!

I’m picturing big flares and half masts

 

[Danny5213]

Good evening everyone.
This is my first post on here. I'm thinking of applying for a signaller role soon. I was due to attend an open day at York ROC last week but it was cancelled due to current events. I have a couple of questions if anyone is able to give their opinion:

1. If I was successful...IF ...I'd not be able to start until Jan 21 so when would it be sensible to apply? Now or, say, 6 month prior?

2. Online tests. Apologies as I know these get a lot of questions...I've looked at the SHL numerical reasoning examples on their website which someone on here posted a while back. The first example questions they give you before the full practice test seemed really easy but the 25 min practice test seemed quite difficult. A lot of the questions on the full test seemed to be more based on text rather than graphs, tables etc. Is anyone who has done them recently able to advise what the questions are like? Personally, I find that ones with more text in take longer to answer than ones with graphs etc. I've attached an example of the type of questions in the full SHL test. Are these the type of questions on the actual test?

Thanks in advance.

 

[9tfrizzco]

2. Online tests. Apologies as I know these get a lot of questions...I've looked at the SHL numerical reasoning examples on their website which someone on here posted a while back. The first example questions they give you before the full practice test seemed really easy but the 25 min practice test seemed quite difficult. A lot of the questions on the full test seemed to be more based on text rather than graphs, tables etc. Is anyone who has done them recently able to advise what the questions are like? Personally, I find that ones with more text in take longer to answer than ones with graphs etc. I've attached an example of the type of questions in the full SHL test. Are these the type of questions on the actual test?

Thanks in advance.

It's all just ratio/percentages based. Dividing and multiplying by 1.x
The SHL practice tests are a lot harder than the official signaller tests. The question you have posted is more difficult than the ones in the official test
I can still see the validity of the signaller tests we take though- by no means is it easy to get full marks

 

[Danny5213]

It's all just ratio/percentages based. Dividing and multiplying by 1.x
The SHL practice tests are a lot harder than the official signaller tests. The question you have posted is more difficult than the ones in the official test
I can still see the validity of the signaller tests we take though- by no means is it easy to get full marks

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. It's reassured me a little. Some of the questions in the harder full tests were taking me a couple of mins just to work out what it was asking me to calculate! I get the impression that a lot of these online practice tests are made more difficult in order to worry people into paying for these practice subscriptions. I'll not be taking them lightly though.

 

[9tfrizzco]

Redacted

 

[LOM]

The trousers are universally shunned!

Yes very rare to see a signaller (or anyone) wearing the uniform trousers. I can only think of 1 guy who has asked me to order them but even he does not usually bother to wear them. These days the gear is supplied by Clad Safety and it is probably the best stuff we have had in years but the trousers are still pretty gash.

 

[Javagem]

Yes very rare to see a signaller (or anyone) wearing the uniform trousers. I can only think of 1 guy who has asked me to order them but even he does not usually bother to wear them. These days the gear is supplied by Clad Safety and it is probably the best stuff we have had in years but the trousers are still pretty gash.

Brilliant

 

[nom de guerre]

Yes very rare to see a signaller (or anyone) wearing the uniform trousers. I can only think of 1 guy who has asked me to order them but even he does not usually bother to wear them. These days the gear is supplied by Clad Safety and it is probably the best stuff we have had in years but the trousers are still pretty gash.

Accurate, Brief and Clear

The tees and sweatshirts certainly seem to be higher quality than previously.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Shorts and navy blue t shirt is my choice of work wear

 

[LOM]

The current fleeces are really good, best rig since the Cosalt ones they stopped supplying about ten years ago. Mind you I still have one of those on the go too.

 

[Saracen_83]

Shorts and navy blue t shirt is my choice of work wear

same for me... or tracksuit trousers on night shifts when for some strange reason the air con ramps up!!!!

although have you noticed that the new navy t shirts seem to be dodgy sizing that shrinks in the wash!?!

 

[amanda08]

I've applied for and taken the online assessment for the relief position in Newark.
Does anyone know how the relief position works? Is it more then one SB per day, or just a different one each day?
Also would it likely be a 12 or 8 hour shift pattern?
Thank you

 

[Sanatogen]

pretty comprehensive statement from RMT and NR, probably gone further than I thought they would.

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members...-for-signalling-locations210320/?preview=true

 

[Tom Quinne]

same for me... or tracksuit trousers on night shifts when for some strange reason the air con ramps up!!!!

although have you noticed that the new navy t shirts seem to be dodgy sizing that shrinks in the wash!?!

Yes, I’ve gone through loads after a few washes - either that or curry nights are catching up on me !

 

[Tom Quinne]

pretty comprehensive statement from RMT and NR, probably gone further than I thought they would.

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members...-for-signalling-locations210320/?preview=true

I don’t think they’ve gone far enough with regards to ruling out using heritage railway signalling staff as per the various posters floating about.

 

[Saracen_83]

Yes, I’ve gone through loads after a few washes - either that or curry nights are catching up on me !

think that might be the reason for me too... but prefer to blame the wash shrinking the shirts, makes me feel better

 

[Tom Quinne]

Me to !

 

[Sanatogen]

Let’s wait and see, they’ve said they are completely opposed to it and are still speaking to NR.

edit; messed up the quote, was replying to Tom.

 

[baz962]

same for me... or tracksuit trousers on night shifts when for some strange reason the air con ramps up!!!!

although have you noticed that the new navy t shirts seem to be dodgy sizing that shrinks in the wash!?!

Is that your way of saying you have put on weight mate.

 

[amanda08]

Just bumping as i've now passed the three online tests

I've applied for and taken the online assessment for the relief position in Newark.
Does anyone know how the relief position works? Is it more then one SB per day, or just a different one each day?
Also would it likely be a 12 or 8 hour shift pattern?
Thank you

 

[Tom Quinne]

Can’t speak for Newark, but relief is generally one SB per shift - there are multi location meal break relief jobs across the country however.

These work their way along a series of SB, usually neighbouring along a route doing meal breaks at each SB before moving onto the next.

Standard relief jobs have a base roster, but you won’t know the actual turn (Day or Nights on 12hrs or 0600-1400-2200-0600 on 8hrs) until the roster is published dinner time Thursday the week before.

For this flexibility you’ll be in receipt of relief/flexibility premium, anything from 4% to 32% depending on your radius from your home SB your expected to cover, 4% is one location usually a large panel or ROC.

Relief suits some, but not others it is a pain planning rest days as you won’t know if I’ve copped nights the turn before therefore righting off the “rest day” pretty much.

 

[amanda08]

Can’t speak for Newark, but relief is generally one SB per shift - there are multi location meal break relief jobs across the country however.

These work their way along a series of SB, usually neighbouring along a route doing meal breaks at each SB before moving onto the next.

Standard relief jobs have a base roster, but you won’t know the actual turn (Day or Nights on 12hrs or 0600-1400-2200-0600 on 8hrs) until the roster is published dinner time Thursday the week before.

For this flexibility you’ll be in receipt of relief/flexibility premium, anything from 4% to 32% depending on your radius from your home SB your expected to cover, 4% is one location usually a large panel or ROC.

Relief suits some, but not others it is a pain planning rest days as you won’t know if I’ve copped nights the turn before therefore righting off the “rest day” pretty much.

Thanks for the this. I actually quite like the sound of relief tbh. My son is close to being grown up and flying the next so only me to worry about so no issues with flexibility. Now the waiting game I guess.
Thanks

 

[Midlands_lad]

Does anyone know much about Stoke signalling centre? I thought this had closed some time ago however there is a job for a LOM on NR website? Is this centre vulnerable as I am lead to believe all of Stafford is now signalled at Rugby?

 

[Tom Quinne]

Stoke SCC is live and kicking, transfer or anymore signalling on the west coast is unlikely for the foreseeable - the signalling Centre is quite new as well, early 2000s.

I would be very nervous about going into a LOM job without any Railway experience to be honest, the best LOMs are those who know what their doing, want to do the job and have good people skills.

Sadly only one of my LOMs has all those, but is making a huge difference to team morale since his arrival.

 

[Midlands_lad]

Any clue as to what grade signallers would be on at Stoke?

 

[Tom Quinne]

I think it’s 6 or 7 at least.

 

[DS88]

Hi,


First time I've posted in here, but been looking around the last few days.

I passed my 3 online assessments for a grade 2 signaller yesterday, how long is it usually before you find out what happens next?

I really struggled with the maths assessment and I'm worried If I get the job I will struggle, is the work at training much harder than those assessments?

 

[Saracen_83]

Is that your way of saying you have put on weight mate.

no it’s the t shirts mate.... honest

 

[baz962]

no it’s the t shirts mate.... honest

If you say so buddy , who am I to argue.

 

[Saracen_83]

Hi,


First time I've posted in here, but been looking around the last few days.

I passed my 3 online assessments for a grade 2 signaller yesterday, how long is it usually before you find out what happens next?

I really struggled with the maths assessment and I'm worried If I get the job I will struggle, is the work at training much harder than those assessments?

as for how long, could be a week, could be a couple of months, especially with the current virus situation, things are up In The air.... just wait for an email, you will be told either way, that’s for sure...

As for your last question, not sure what you mean.... you don’t use much maths as a signaller except calculating the time for delays, giving line blocks etc, and adding train lengths together for terminus stations........
There maybe more times I use it, but those are the main times!!!