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A career as a signaller
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jazzalaa
Member
That’s good that you passed to their standards though. They will be back in touch I’m sure.
TRAINeeSignal
Member
Apologies, Can I ask you to clatify a few things?
The process I went through only had the online test and the interview. If passed then you would start the pre employment checks which consisted of a medical, dbs, and previous work history.
Was your process different ?
If not, could you elaborate on where or why you weren't considered a sucessful candidate?
Again sorry about asking the question but if I am relating this to the process I went through it means that you can possibly fail after passing the pre employment checks and that is disheartening.
I could also be jumping to conclusions so please clarify any of my misunderstandings
Pre employment checks would be part of the onboarding process so made after your job offer - but yes, if something cropped up with them then you could still have your job offer withdrawn. You could also fail your medical as well.
Jossy
New Member
Hi everyone.
First post - I felt this didn't really warrant its own thread and that here was the best place for it but correct me if I'm wrong.
I've been thinking for some time now about changing career and becoming a signaller (or at least attempting to). I'm currently a radiographer but have become very disillusioned with it (although I'm aware the 'grass isn't always greener').
From what I've read so far, the application process seems quite complicated and thorough. Therefore I was hoping if anybody could give me a few pointers regarding how best to prepare before I apply. I'm sure many of the answers are probably in this thread, but at 600+ pages maybe you can help me narrow down my search?
My first question is regarding the psychometric tests. I found a link contained in this thread for this website: https://www.shl.com/shldirect/en/practice-tests/
Can anyone confirm if this is still the 'go to' place to practice? Or are there any other practice sites that are now more relevant to what you will actually face?
Secondly - I stumbled across this book: How To Become A Railway Signaller by Richard Mcmunn https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Become-Railway-Signaller-How2Become/dp/1910202304
The last review in 2020 said it was a great help but earlier reviews say it's already out of date. Can anyone confirm if it would be a waste of time purchasing? Even if there's only a couple of things that are still useful for today I think it would be worth a tenner but it would be helpful to get your opinions.
Thirdly - Does age play a factor in their recruitment (I know legally no company are allowed to discriminate)? I'm mid 40's.
Lastly - any other advice regarding prep before I actually start turning an interest in to something real? If there's info in the thread I should read, what key words would help me with my search?
Thanks in advance for any help.
First post - I felt this didn't really warrant its own thread and that here was the best place for it but correct me if I'm wrong.
I've been thinking for some time now about changing career and becoming a signaller (or at least attempting to). I'm currently a radiographer but have become very disillusioned with it (although I'm aware the 'grass isn't always greener').
From what I've read so far, the application process seems quite complicated and thorough. Therefore I was hoping if anybody could give me a few pointers regarding how best to prepare before I apply. I'm sure many of the answers are probably in this thread, but at 600+ pages maybe you can help me narrow down my search?
My first question is regarding the psychometric tests. I found a link contained in this thread for this website: https://www.shl.com/shldirect/en/practice-tests/
Can anyone confirm if this is still the 'go to' place to practice? Or are there any other practice sites that are now more relevant to what you will actually face?
Secondly - I stumbled across this book: How To Become A Railway Signaller by Richard Mcmunn https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Become-Railway-Signaller-How2Become/dp/1910202304
The last review in 2020 said it was a great help but earlier reviews say it's already out of date. Can anyone confirm if it would be a waste of time purchasing? Even if there's only a couple of things that are still useful for today I think it would be worth a tenner but it would be helpful to get your opinions.
Thirdly - Does age play a factor in their recruitment (I know legally no company are allowed to discriminate)? I'm mid 40's.
Lastly - any other advice regarding prep before I actually start turning an interest in to something real? If there's info in the thread I should read, what key words would help me with my search?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jordan4321
Member
hi mate
I’ll go in order
First- I didn’t use anything like that so I am unsure but when I was applying in 2023 they do let you practise before hand with mock tests so you will have some form for first attempt regardless(I believe you could practise as much as you wanted but I could stand corrected)
Second-never read the book myself but my advise would be to read through the thread and gauge what the day to day of a signaller is, not just for an interview but to see if you will like it and I would also read through the forum or atleast skim through the most recent 50 odd pages
And there is also a sense of luck with the recruitment process so don’t stop applying after a few attempts you may get a job after 1 interview or 100
Third- age does not play a factor at all it can benefit you as you have more life experience, I was worried that I was too young at the point of application but it didn’t affect the recruitment process( there’s loads of new signaller joining the company from 18-50 from my area, so don’t let this put you off)
And for your last question- in general you will just have to look through the thread as you could miss out on some information by skimming words( I know it can be a drag but it’s beneficial to just read through the thread in little chunks) and if you can’t find an Answer to your question you can always ask In her or by PM if necessary
Good luck if you do decide to attempt the career move
Morning,
I've seen a few people asking about IST. I thought I'd share my experience so far.
I'm currently on week 4, looking forward to week 5 exams.
I am fresh to the rail and I tried to get a head start with learning, but I couldn't really find much.
Before I started school, I was in a box for 2 weeks just watching, it was like a second language . I wasn't able to complete my e-learning due to a technical issue, so I felt at a disadvantage.
IST used to be longer, but since they brought in e-learning they cut it down to 10 weeks. Personally I would have preferred the extra time in school, (but that could be due to the e-learning issue).
My instructor is amazing and has covered most of what the e-learning has.
I will say the first 3 weeks has been really overwhelming, and the observations and exams are daunting. We have a good class and make sure we test each other.
Get as much time on the sim as possible and step out of your comfort zone.
Anyway enough from me, on to week 5 I go.
If you have any questions please ask.
I've seen a few people asking about IST. I thought I'd share my experience so far.
I'm currently on week 4, looking forward to week 5 exams.
I am fresh to the rail and I tried to get a head start with learning, but I couldn't really find much.
Before I started school, I was in a box for 2 weeks just watching, it was like a second language . I wasn't able to complete my e-learning due to a technical issue, so I felt at a disadvantage.
IST used to be longer, but since they brought in e-learning they cut it down to 10 weeks. Personally I would have preferred the extra time in school, (but that could be due to the e-learning issue).
My instructor is amazing and has covered most of what the e-learning has.
I will say the first 3 weeks has been really overwhelming, and the observations and exams are daunting. We have a good class and make sure we test each other.
Get as much time on the sim as possible and step out of your comfort zone.
Anyway enough from me, on to week 5 I go.
If you have any questions please ask.
Some of the things they will be looking for are - familiar with working in a safety critical environment, used to following the rules, good with shift working, ability to prioritise tasks etc etc. That's why ex Police/Fire people seem to do so well as signallers.
TRAINeeSignal
Member
Hi there,
I came across the RSSB rule book in my journey to just pre-prep for when I start training as a signaller . However I need an account to get acess to a lot of the information on the site.
Would anyone recommend making an account ? Is it paid for to join ? Should I wait until I'm training to see if they give me an account / print outs of the information?
Any additional info would help
Thanks for any replies to this post.
I appreciate it .
I came across the RSSB rule book in my journey to just pre-prep for when I start training as a signaller . However I need an account to get acess to a lot of the information on the site.
Would anyone recommend making an account ? Is it paid for to join ? Should I wait until I'm training to see if they give me an account / print outs of the information?
Any additional info would help
Thanks for any replies to this post.
I appreciate it .
The Puddock
Member
You won’t get an RSSB account now with a personal email address so it’s moot but it’s a very bad idea to try to read ahead in the Rule Book, because although you’ll understand the words themselves you won’t understand the context behind them. That’s the whole point of the IST training course.
You’ll be issued with all the publications you need and be taught at IST how to interpret them.
You’ll be issued with all the publications you need and be taught at IST how to interpret them.
Thank you I hope so! Just seems so hard to get any where, I passed my train drivers pyscometrics to enhanced but didn’t get the job even though the interview seemed pretty positive!
Just got to keep plodding on and trying
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Hey sorry about the late reply, so with what your saying sounds like you have the job so you did the online tests and interview and was offered a job pending all the other bits and bobs, I didn’t get offered the job and was told it was filled by other people but because I passed the process they are keeping me on file.Apologies, Can I ask you to clatify a few things?
The process I went through only had the online test and the interview. If passed then you would start the pre employment checks which consisted of a medical, dbs, and previous work history.
Was your process different ?
If not, could you elaborate on where or why you weren't considered a sucessful candidate?
Again sorry about asking the question but if I am relating this to the process I went through it means that you can possibly fail after passing the pre employment checks and that is disheartening.
I could also be jumping to conclusions so please clarify any of my misunderstandings
So don’t worry about your position you sound like you got in! Well done
Hello, I was recently offered a job as a signaller g2 trainee in may, have done all pre employment checks and got my medical next week, so things have been
Moving quickly, but was phoned today and told my started date is not till the end of October? Has anyone had to wait 6 months after completing all checks ?
Thanks
Moving quickly, but was phoned today and told my started date is not till the end of October? Has anyone had to wait 6 months after completing all checks ?
Thanks
Hi,
I applied last June, interview is September, got the job in December, medical in Jan and the start date ends of April.
Can be a really painful recruitment process.
speedbirdtrain
New Member
Hello, I was told that I my IST will be in July at Milton Keynes. Did a little digging and found very little about IST at Milton Keynes, curious if anyone can shed some light on which hotel will be used? Thanks in advance!
joestankey18
Member
Hi one of my friends in Bristol had to wait 9 months for a start date. So I guess it’s normal. Where are you going to be based ? Is it just the medical left ?
Jossy
New Member
Cheers mate
I think I'll practice some tests on that site then seeing as there's no time limit on my application journey at the moment. Might as well get used to passing tests again regardless of their format. I'm someone capable of picking up stuff fairly comfortably within reason, but if I don't use those skills I quickly forget them (example - I did an advanced course in Excel, Word, Access some years back. Haven't used those programs to anywhere near the level of the exams I passed so if I resat them tomorrow I'd fail miserably).
I'll take your advice and make a slow read through the thread. I might get the book anyway as it's only ten quid. if it helps with just one thing it'll have been worth it.
From what I've read so far I can tell that it does seem to be a bit random as to who is successful with employment and who isn't even if all tests and interviews are aced. I suppose sometimes your face just fits. The only guarantee is if I don't apply then I'll never get employed! I'll give it my best shot, that's all I can do.
I might not post for a while as I've little to contribute right now but needless to say I shall be lurking and keeping up to date with what's being discussed here.
Thanks for your help.
Jordan4321
Member
nuttykermit
New Member
Hi Feaky I am in the same boat as you, can you confirm what the Ambertrack recruitment page
says next to the feedback. I got the same email as you but my Ambertrack account says next step Offer I guess this is just a computer faff and I’m stuck in a holding pattern like youThanks for reply I’m will be based in arundel yeah I guess it’s normal
Thanks
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Oh yeah that’s long one I applied in march interview in April got the offer a week later everything has gone rather quick till start date, how’s it all going ?
Yes that’s exactly what I got, I can’t click my feedback link it doesnt work.
I mean technically we do have an offer because we have been put on a reserve?
joestankey18
Member
Am I right in thinking you can fail signalling school once?
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Don't think it's a shortage of trainers. Seems to be more to do with how many courses they can run in a year.
The maximum number of people they can have on a course is 10 and then given how long the course is they can only run 4 courses per location (that's if they only have 1 sim) a year.
ZackCulross
Member
Application
Online tests
Interview and scenario based questions
Then offer/reserve/unsuccessful
Not sure after that ...
Some down England have done the scenario questions before interview etc, so could be different in places
Wouldn't reccomend trying to read the rule book before starting , at best it likely won't make any sense to you at worst you might start off with some incorrect assumptions about the way things work .
If you absolutely must do any prep , make sure that you know the Nato phonetic alphabet inside out , you will be using it every day at school and as a signaller .
Youll be issued with hard copies of the rule books once you start .
SignalM0n
Member
1) Test preparation - Prepare your mental arithmetic - just straightforward addition and subtraction. Play memory and mental agility games (things like but not limited to) Lumosity.
2) The book you reference - forget it (see above point and below at point 4)
3) Age doesn't play a factor at all. I am living proof of that!!!
4) Key words - there are none. Your preparation to get through is simply down to how much you want it. I read the ENTIRE thread...EVERY SINGLE POST. I researched various Facebook posts from Network Rail. I researched the Network Rail website. I wrote countless pages of examples based on all the information that I garnered from this forum in a STAR format, condensed them, honed them and used them in written applications, my CV, and in my interview. There are a variety of 'interviews' with existing signallers that you can find on Facebook (I don't have an account by the way but was able to play them back). There's A LOT of information hidden in various posts on this thread and it's all useful stuff. Be methodical in your approach and get the information down in a codified manner that makes sense to you.
The above should give you a lot to go at. Besides that, there are two pieces of advice I will give you (and anyone else who reads this): i) Read up about ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and how to structure your CV accordingly. The more bland in a formatting sense, the better!. Use keywords that are applicable to Network Rail, Signalling, safety and cross over to your existing profession; ii) Read up about communications and how to structure your communications with anyone in a signalling scenario. It's a relatively straightforward bit of research and there is plenty of information out there on the web. If you make it through to later recruitment stages and to IST you'll be a step ahead.
I have a tendency to go overboard with preparation for things like this (when it matters to me). I wanted it badly and I wasn't going to leave anything to chance.
Best of luck.
Frothy_B
Member
Holiday Inn Milton Keynes which isn't so bad, or Travelodge Milton Keynes at the Hub which isn't so great.
I think there are a couple of others on the approved list but I'm not sure what they are.