South West Trains Station Assistant

[Urban Gateline]

Hello Everyone, my first post here so please go easy on me

I have always wanted to work in a station environment on the frontline, so now that I packed in my Mon-Fri job I thought its the perfect opportunity.

I found a few vacancies advertised on the SWT website (mostly fulltime) and have applied for them, most of them still waiting for the closing date for applications. My question relates to hours of work and flexibility. As I currently have a weekend job, that I do not want to give up, as I have worked in that place for a while and have good terms and reputation.

Would SWT still consider employing me if I am not 100% flexible over 7 days? I did say in the application that I can work any Mon-Fri hours and Sat morning/Sat nightshift/Sun nightshift around my other job but I am worried this might not suffice!

Another Question: How long does it *usually* take after the closing date of applications, for SWT to get back to applicants?

I live in the Greater London area, just to give people an idea.

Many thanks for any input!

 

[francisoldfield]

i can only talk from when I was a station assistant at Eastleigh. Essentially if you are full time you have to follow the rota that your station has and in my opinion you will struggle to get saturdays off. at eastleigh, you worked every other saturday and sunday. Of course it varies from station to station but i have never seen full time positions that dont include weekends.

As for how long to wait, with SWT how long is a piece of string?? depending on how urgently they need staff it could be a few days or in my case 2 months...

sorry i cant shed more light but sadly its not an exact science...

 

[Urban Gateline]

Thanks for the quick reply francisoldfield , this is as I thought, I may have to wait for a part time vacancy, and there don't seem to be many of those around from what I've seen! I am a really flexible person, but I just can't bring myself to leave my other job...

 

[francisoldfield]

fair enough. south west and southern may have more part time positions coming soon as they are going to try and make a lot of staff redundant from full time positions and make them part time instead.

 

[Urban Gateline]

Ahh thanks very much for this info, that's not good news but a hidden blessing for me I suppose!

Have you any idea if this affects all stations or only larger mainline stations for SWT? I am not likely to consider Southern as I live too far away, more on the Surrey side than the London side!

 

[Urban Gateline]

.....

 

[Matt Taylor]

Yes, very similar. Your priorities will be safety, customer service and revenue.

 

[Urban Gateline]

Yes, very similar. Your priorities will be safety, customer service and revenue.

Thank you, I am looking forward to getting my interview letter!

 

[Urban Gateline]

Had my interview today and think it went well, you can never be sure though

Now the painstaking wait to hear back...

 

[Urban Gateline]

Just found out I've passed and got my medical later this week Couldn't be happier!

 

[All Line Rover]

Just found out I've passed and got my medical later this week Couldn't be happier!

That's nice to hear!

 

[HST Power]

Just found out I've passed and got my medical later this week Couldn't be happier!

Congratulations! Very well done!

 

[387star]

Update: I've decided to go for Gateline at Waterloo instead, had my assessment today and passed It was so unbelievably easy, but now I have to wait for a letter in the post about when the interview will be!

Can anyone give me some tips as to what I will be asked? Is it about skills like the questions are on the SWT online application pages where you have to give examples?

Hi I thought Gateline staff were contracted out by a different company? What is the Assessment like? I assume you mean ticket gates

 

[Urban Gateline]

Hi I thought Gateline staff were contracted out by a different company? What is the Assessment like? I assume you mean ticket gates

Not as far as I'm aware! SWT Gateline are all SWT staff, maybe someone else can confirm this!

The assessment is made up of a Ticket checking test and a basic word interpretation test, combined it takes less than half an hour! This is done at SWT HR in Basingstoke, and then the 2nd part is an interview with the local station management (I had 2 interviewers and I found the questions quite challenging)

Yes, Gateline is Ticket Barrier staff, it's just SWT's wording of the role

 

[387star]

Ah I never knew SWT HR was in Basingstoke so the equivalent of Knolly House East Croydon then (Southern)? I went there for a conductor Assessment but failed underestimating quite how tough the Bourdon test is! I do hope to try again but I believe you get only two chances for that role regardless of TOC? I visited Croydon last Saturday and it is funny how perceptions change. The building is not how I visualised it!

Your job sounds an interesting way to get in to the Railways I never thought of this.

Btw is i tjust me or has Southern employed a lot of female guards recently they were all men in the 90s with Connex South Central I swear!

As an aside with the old trains I frequently noticed at least two members of staff wearing high vis in the drivers cab whereas today it is rare to see anyone other than the driver

 

[Urban Gateline]

Ah I never knew SWT HR was in Basingstoke so the equivalent of Knolly House East Croydon then (Southern)? I went there for a conductor Assessment but failed underestimating quite how tough the Bourdon test is! I do hope to try again but I believe you get only two chances for that role regardless of TOC? I visited Croydon last Saturday and it is funny how perceptions change. The building is not how I visualised it!

Your job sounds an interesting way to get in to the Railways I never thought of this.

Btw is i tjust me or has Southern employed a lot of female guards recently they were all men in the 90s with Connex South Central I swear!

As an aside with the old trains I frequently noticed at least two members of staff wearing high vis in the drivers cab whereas today it is rare to see anyone other than the driver

Yep, SWT HR are in BasingView in Basingstoke, they only literally take up one floor of the building! I've never been to Southern's equivalent so you probably know alot better

I have no idea about the assessments for the Guard/Conductor role, hopefully you will get another chance to go for it, I assume it's because they don't want people trying 10x a year and always failing! Tbh I am looking at working my way up to the Guard role after a while, but I'm just grateful to be able to work in the railways, like with so many other people it was one of my childhood dreams!

I don't know much about Southern (just as you might not know much about SWT) Guards/Conductors, on SWT they are mainly male! As for drivers, I've not seen more than 1 in the cab, maybe it was a trainee driver with the instructor that you saw!

Anyways, all the best for your future in the railways

 

[387star]

Thanks it was a year ago I went to the assessment and have now passed the 6 month gap. I have a much better job now so feel in a stronger position than I did then and have matured a lot in the year now I have left my teenage years fully behind! I think your mindset changes after leaving Uni as well

I went back last Saturday and it was good for me because I could see the building in a different light and it was refreshing to see it again (obviously I was bitterly disappointed at first and would often visualise the corridors in my head but I think I am stronger now because I have experienced that)

I still have the Assessment invite so practise the tests. I only wish my Maths were better. I have a GCSE C in it now but think I just need to get more confident with it.

Good luck to you too and I hope you don't suffer the disgusting abuse I witnessed at Brighton last week (drunken football fans some of whom then decided to jump over the barriers)

Knolly House is a huge tower block with Southern taking up a few floors.

I like the way we each have out own TOC you feel almost protective don't you lol (and I don't even work for one!)

 

[Urban Gateline]

Thank you! I was told during the interview that this "isn't the nicest job in the world" I knew this though and take it as a challenge, there are always going to be some rude/aggressive passengers but you take it on the chin and I suppose not to take any risks, better to let them go rather than get assaulted! But I think Gateline isn't as tough as being a Guard, at the Gateline at least you have a colleague near you to help, not the same walking a train on your own during unsocial hours when there can be some dodgy people onboard!

 

[387star]

Hmm I think my parents were concerned about me becoming one at the time!

South West Trains is a great TOC always had a soft spot for them. Look at Fratton depot the sign still has the old SWT livery along the bottom from when they had their original logo before the present livery was established!

 

[Urban Gateline]

Hmm I think my parents were concerned about me becoming one at the time!

South West Trains is a great TOC always had a soft spot for them. Look at Fratton depot the sign still has the old SWT livery along the bottom from when they had their original logo before the present livery was established!

Never had the pleasure of seeing Fratton for myself, since I live and work around the London area, I've never really used the services going down south, never even travelled in one of SWT's class 158/159's! Ah well, one day I will!

I tend to hide these sorts of decision from my parents so that they don't get a say

 

[RJ]

Just found out I've passed and got my medical later this week Couldn't be happier!

Congratulations and welcome to the railways! It's a great place to work, discounted travel is a nice perk and Rest Day/Sunday working = £££s . So long as you keep your head down and go by the book, you'll be ok.

I've never worked on a gateline, but I agree with the advice you were given. You must prioritise your own safety, after all, you're not paid to be spat on/have your a*s kicked by some unscrupulous individual.

 

[Urban Gateline]

Congratulations and welcome to the railways! It's a great place to work, discounted travel is a nice perk and Rest Day/Sunday working = £££s . So long as you keep your head down and go by the book, you'll be ok.

I've never worked on a gateline, but I agree with the advice you were given. You must prioritise your own safety, after all, you're not paid to be spat on/have your a*s kicked by some unscrupulous individual.

Thank you, I can't wait! I haven't got my contract yet though so I'm not sure how SWT pay on Sundays/Bank Holidays, maybe someone else on here knows?

I know all about going by the book, my previous job in retail was full of rules so I'm no stranger to following them!

 

[francisoldfield]

it depends on whether sundays is inside the working week for your grade.

I was a SWT station assistant for a while at eastleigh and sundays were extra on top of your salary as they were outside the working week. You may have to ask either your manager or HR to ask for hourly rates!

 

[Urban Gateline]

it depends on whether sundays is inside the working week for your grade.

I was a SWT station assistant for a while at eastleigh and sundays were extra on top of your salary as they were outside the working week. You may have to ask either your manager or HR to ask for hourly rates!

I was told its outside the working week too, must be because Gateline and Platform assistant are on the same grade! But what I am wondering is if Sundays is just standard pay or if it is time-and-a-half or something like that?!

I also wonder what kinda shifts you get on Sundays, is it similar to weekday ones? As I don't think I could be bothered to do something like just 3hr for example!

 

[Matt Taylor]

Platform and gateline are two entirely different grades, barrier staff get a flat rate per hour which applies for every hour worked regardless what day of the week it is, there is no premium rate for overtime either.

But it is a good place to start a railway career.

Welcome aboard Molesey Boy, PM me if you know what station you'll be at as I expect it will be close to where I live and work!

 

[Urban Gateline]

Platform and gateline are two entirely different grades, barrier staff get a flat rate per hour which applies for every hour worked regardless what day of the week it is, there is no premium rate for overtime either.

But it is a good place to start a railway career.

Welcome aboard Molesey Boy, PM me if you know what station you'll be at as I expect it will be close to where I live and work!

Sent you a PM earlier.

You say Gateline is a flat rate per hour? Well my position is salaried! It is the full time equivalent, so all I am wanting to know is if it is possible to work overtime (even if its paid at basic rate)?

 

[Matt Taylor]

Budgets are always tight but I imagine overtime will be available from time to time, just don't expect a premium rate of pay for doing so!

 

[Stigy]

Not as far as I'm aware! SWT Gateline are all SWT staff, maybe someone else can confirm this!

The assessment is made up of a Ticket checking test and a basic word interpretation test, combined it takes less than half an hour! This is done at SWT HR in Basingstoke, and then the 2nd part is an interview with the local station management (I had 2 interviewers and I found the questions quite challenging)

Yes, Gateline is Ticket Barrier staff, it's just SWT's wording of the role

The majority of SWT Customer Service Assistants (Gateline) are employed by SWT, but they do have a few agancy employees at some locations. When they started employing their own Gateline staff a few years ago it was intended to replace all agency staff. It would appear they've gone back to agancy in some places though. Waterloo seems to be a mixture of the two to be honest.

Yep, SWT HR are in BasingView in Basingstoke

Only their Recruitment & Selection centre is at Basing View. HR is in Southampton. This is probanly why they only occupy one floor.

 

[Urban Gateline]

My head is still spinning from what Matt Taylor said above! Gateline have an hourly rate? As I got my contract and it is definitely annual, if there is an hourly rate then I've never seen it!

Contract also says no extra pay or TOIL for Bank holidays worked, is this normal? It doesn't mention anything about Sundays either, just says I can be scheduled to work any day of the week (but I was told that Sundays are extra in interview!)

 

[cantosis]

congrats with that, hope the job goes well.