A career as a signaller

[lae150]

There's no box at Ely, there is an operational depot there however so that is most likely the postcode they have used.

You are correct about Ely being signalled from Cambridge but there is the Fen line from Ely to King's Lynn and the Hereward Line from Ely to Peterborough that are all manually signalled still so the vacancies are likely for the boxes on these lines.

Thats what i wondered but it makes no sense as they say you have to be within 60 mins of the location to be able to apply. So if it was actually at say, Three Horseshoes or March and you lived 40 mins south of Ely then you wouldn't be in the right distance but you would be from the location advertised.
I don't see how it can be anything else though! Maybe its at Littleport and they are classing it as Ely.

 

[SimplyLovely]

Hi all, I have seen a few example rosters floating around and am wondering what it means when a day is down as “brief”.

Is this just a paid training type day?

 

[RailwayRookie]

Thats what i wondered but it makes no sense as they say you have to be within 60 mins of the location to be able to apply. So if it was actually at say, Three Horseshoes or March and you lived 40 mins south of Ely then you wouldn't be in the right distance but you would be from the location advertised.
I don't see how it can be anything else though! Maybe its at Littleport and they are classing it as Ely.

Very possible, there are vacancies at Ely currently as far as I know.

 

[Royal351]

Hi all, I have seen a few example rosters floating around and am wondering what it means when a day is down as “brief”.

Is this just a paid training type day?

Every 8 weeks you must have a briefing day. Its a training/devlopment day and is just included in your base salary. Will either be at your location of work (If you work in a ROC or something similar) or if you're on an outer box it'll be somewhere near your box.

 

[SimplyLovely]

Deleted

 

[muz379]

Well all, have just heard back from my interview on Wednesday....I was not successful for the grade 3 role I had applied for...

Instead, the LOM has offered me a grade 4 role!

Absolutely chuffed to bits, was my first time applying so didn't expect to get the job, nevermind a step above!

Due to start school in February, can't come quick enough.

Thanks everyone for all the help on this thread

Congratulations, that's good news .

Gold luck in February and hopefully a long and successful career to look forward to .

 

[SimplyLovely]

Congratulations, that's good news .

Gold luck in February and hopefully a long and successful career to look forward to .

Thank you! I know it will be a challenge but really looking forward to it.

Now I just need to do some research in to the box I will be going to as everything I found out before no longer applies!

 

[BennyD99]

Afternoon all, am on stage 3 of the application process but have been on this stage now for a few weeks.

It moved quite quickly from the initial application but seems to have stuttered.

I was just wondering do I need to be concerned at how long this is taking and do I need to fear the worse or is this normal?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SimplyLovely]

Afternoon all, am on stage 3 of the application process but have been on this stage now for a few weeks.

It moved quite quickly from the initial application but seems to have stuttered.

I was just wondering do I need to be concerned at how long this is taking and do I need to fear the worse or is this normal?

Thanks in advance.

Things with NR recruitment can take a long time, it all depends on the area and how busy the LOM is / how many people have applied.

Personally, I only had to wait a week to get booked in for an interview date, but it really does vary and plenty of people on this thread have had to wait for multiple weeks.

If you really wanted to, you could email HR to make sure everything is ok but I am 99% sure it will be, it just takes time.

 

[Lucas7]

Hi all, I just have a quick question about the application process for the signaller role..

So I applied for a G2 post and passed the initial tests and video questions, I was offered a spot at the assessment centre in Wrexham next week.

What happens at these assessment centres? I'm a bit confused as I've been googling and I've seen posts saying it's an all day thing involving group activities and presentations etc. But on my application I had to chose a 90 minute slot. What happens in these 90 minute slots, could anyone help? Thank you ☺️

 

[LW17]

Hi all, I just have a quick question about the application process for the signaller role..

So I applied for a G2 post and passed the initial tests and video questions, I was offered a spot at the assessment centre in Wrexham next week.

What happens at these assessment centres? I'm a bit confused as I've been googling and I've seen posts saying it's an all day thing involving group activities and presentations etc. But on my application I had to chose a 90 minute slot. What happens in these 90 minute slots, could anyone help? Thank you ☺️

I'm on that assessment centre aswell. Mine is on Thursday 14th is yours? I had an assessment centre at Chester a few months back that I was unsucessful for and it was just two guys interviewing me so hoping this is similar but I've had to do a video interview this time and I did not have to do that last time.

 

[Mists]

Afternoon all, am on stage 3 of the application process but have been on this stage now for a few weeks.

It moved quite quickly from the initial application but seems to have stuttered.

I was just wondering do I need to be concerned at how long this is taking and do I need to fear the worse or is this normal?

Thanks in advance.

I applied on 19/06 didn’t get the job offer until 20/08. Good luck.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Nov 2024 ==

Hi all, I just have a quick question about the application process for the signaller role..

So I applied for a G2 post and passed the initial tests and video questions, I was offered a spot at the assessment centre in Wrexham next week.

What happens at these assessment centres? I'm a bit confused as I've been googling and I've seen posts saying it's an all day thing involving group activities and presentations etc. But on my application I had to chose a 90 minute slot. What happens in these 90 minute slots, could anyone help? Thank you ☺️

Probably an interview. Check with the recruitment team? Good luck

 

[Lucas7]

Thanks, is 90 minutes about right for an interview? That seems like a long time no?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Nov 2024 ==

I'm on that assessment centre aswell. Mine is on Thursday 14th is yours? I had an assessment centre at Chester a few months back that I was unsucessful for and it was just two guys interviewing me so hoping this is similar but I've had to do a video interview this time and I did not have to do that last time.

No mine is on Tuesday 12th. Hopefully it's a bit of an interview and a bit of practical work. I did the video interview on sunday which I thought I did terrible in but then the next morning they'd said I was through to the next stage, so who knows!

 

[SimplyLovely]

Deleted

 

[Taytripper]

Does anyone know the shift pattern of the grade 5 frame of the Stirling Middle box?

Stirling Middle is rostered 12-00/00-12. However it works a locally agreed pattern of 0400-1600 dayshift, 1600-0400 nightshift.

 

[LW17]

Thanks, is 90 minutes about right for an interview? That seems like a long time no?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Nov 2024 ==


No mine is on Tuesday 12th. Hopefully it's a bit of an interview and a bit of practical work. I did the video interview on sunday which I thought I did terrible in but then the next morning they'd said I was through to the next stage, so who knows!

Ah ok it will likely be invididual interviews then. My last one at Chester was scheduled for 90 minutes and it took about an hour. I think they schedule 90 mins just incase you have questions and things like that.

 

[SimplyLovely]

Stirling Middle is rostered 12-00/00-12. However it works a locally agreed pattern of 0400-1600 dayshift, 1600-0400 nightshift.

Fabulous, thank you!

 

[BrummieBobby]

04:00 for a handover? God that sounds like Hell..

 

[Taytripper]

04:00 for a handover? God that sounds like Hell..

Not really sure how it ended up with those particular hours, most Scottish boxes I know of are rostered as 12-00. Actual hours vary hugely from box to box though.

 

[SimplyLovely]

04:00 for a handover? God that sounds like Hell..

I don’t know, I would rather that than 00:00 - 12:00.

At least it means if you are on a day shift you have plenty of time to get home for family dinner without touching rush hour home traffic.

 

[BrummieBobby]

I can see a logic in 04:00 as by this time any mid week T3s would be in the process of being given up, early morning shunts etc wouldn't have started yet so it is probably the quietest (and therefore safest) time to handover; there is nothing worse as a signaller than walking in to take a handover in the middle of an ongoing incident.

That doesn't make the start time any easier though! I'm glad my box works on handovers of 06:30 and 18:30...

 

[BennyD99]

I've had some news...

"We can see from your results that you meet the standard we require, however, you have not been shortlisted, either due to high volume of applications, or because you might be too far from the chosen location to meet the safety standard."

I live 36 minutes away when traffic is clear so it cannot be the latter reason. I am gutted because I was confident with the whole process and the wording implies that I'm at the right level, but didn't get lady luck on my side.

I have replied and asked to be considered for future positions, I am on a reserve list so have still got fingers crossed.

Thank you to all that have replied with brilliant information. This whole thread is full of knowledge and is extremely helpful.

Lastly, if anyone else on here applied for the Colchester position then the best of luck to you.

 

[cufc1983]

Does anyone know the roster for Grade 2 in Workington?

 

[godfreycomplex]

I don’t know, I would rather that than 00:00 - 12:00.

At least it means if you are on a day shift you have plenty of time to get home for family dinner without touching rush hour home traffic.

Providing you don’t fall asleep at the table, that is….

 

[muz379]

I can see a logic in 04:00 as by this time any mid week T3s would be in the process of being given up, early morning shunts etc wouldn't have started yet so it is probably the quietest (and therefore safest) time to handover; there is nothing worse as a signaller than walking in to take a handover in the middle of an ongoing incident.

That doesn't make the start time any easier though! I'm glad my box works on handovers of 06:30 and 18:30...

Be pretty annoying if your relief arrived just as the PICOP rings to hand back .

Definitely glad of 06:00 & 18:00 though ,I don't think I would enjoy 12-00 & 00-00 either .

At least it means if you are on a day shift you have plenty of time to get home for family dinner without touching rush hour home traffic.

Preparing for the first shift on days with an 04:00 start isn't going to be nice though .

 

[the_bear]

Any hints or tips for the video interview?

 

[Ducatist4]

I've had some news...

"We can see from your results that you meet the standard we require, however, you have not been shortlisted, either due to high volume of applications, or because you might be too far from the chosen location to meet the safety standard."

I live 36 minutes away when traffic is clear so it cannot be the latter reason. I am gutted because I was confident with the whole process and the wording implies that I'm at the right level, but didn't get lady luck on my side.

I have replied and asked to be considered for future positions, I am on a reserve list so have still got fingers crossed.

Thank you to all that have replied with brilliant information. This whole thread is full of knowledge and is extremely helpful.

Lastly, if anyone else on here applied for the Colchester position then the best of luck to you.

They may well have had several hundred applications for this one position. Jobs on the railway are very popular! London Underground advertised a drive role recently and there were 10,000 applications with just over 400 getting through the initial sift.

 

[BennyD99]

They may well have had several hundred applications for this one position. Jobs on the railway are very popular! London Underground advertised a drive role recently and there were 10,000 applications with just over 400 getting through the initial sift.

Yeah I can imagine.

They have just emailed back and said pretty much the same thing. It's purely down to sheer volume of numbers.

Still as an active application so just a waiting game.

 

[CoachB]

Not really sure how it ended up with those particular hours, most Scottish boxes I know of are rostered as 12-00. Actual hours vary hugely from box to box though.

The boxes on my line (Scotland) are rostered 07:00-19:00 however we have a local box agreement at mine for 06:00-18:00

 

[LW17]

Any hints or tips for the video interview?

Just relax and be yourself. Treat it like a normal job interview in person and you'll be fine.