A career as a signaller

[The Difference]

Anyone else in this position end up being offered a role? Kinda losing hope a little..

My job offer was under different circumstances, but similar none the less. I passed all assessments and interview stage, but was placed in a reserve list having been told I met the standard required. I was only to be kept on the reserve list for 6 months I believe, but thankfully I received the excellent news after a long 5 months. I got a phone call totally out the blue offering me the position. After a month or so I had forgotten about it all and moves on with my life. Stopped checking emails etc all the time as to not let it eat me up. I guess what I’m saying is don’t let the hope eat you up, but equally don’t give up hope. Get on with your life and forget about NR for a while, if it’s meant for you, it won’t go past you. That phone call out the blue offering the position is still fresh in my mind. What a day!! I was buzzing for weeks afterwards. I really hope you get the same sort of outcome. GL.

 

[MrsCake21]

Hi all

Just out of interest where is the best place to look for upcoming jobs in their area? Is it direct on the NR website?

 

[OllieJ149]

I've recently been offered a job as a Grade 2 Signaller. I'm very pleased to have been offered this job, and my IST course will start in February in Bristol.

I just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice for the course, and is there any pre-course learning I could do that would help me to prepare for it?

TIA

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==

Hi all

Just out of interest where is the best place to look for upcoming jobs in their area? Is it direct on the NR website?

I applied via Indeed. I have seen a few Signaller jobs in North Wales advertised this way recently.

 

[LW17]

I've recently been offered a job as a Grade 2 Signaller. I'm very pleased to have been offered this job, and my IST course will start in February in Bristol.

I just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice for the course, and is there any pre-course learning I could do that would help me to prepare for it?

TIA

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==


I applied via Indeed. I have seen a few Signaller jobs in North Wales advertised this way recently.

Congrats! i'm on that course to.

 

[The Difference]

Hi all

Just out of interest where is the best place to look for upcoming jobs in their area? Is it direct on the NR website?

There are links on Indeed when jobs are available, but I would apply directly via NR or set up notifications with them for job alerts in the area(s) you are looking for. A friend advised me of the position I applied for and sent me a link via Indeed, but once I sent my application NR prompted me to apply directly via their own site (they did give me a link to do this) GL in your search. Hard recruitment process, but worth it if/when you get that phone call with the job offer.

 

[MylesHSG]

Basically, Annual Leave Allowance (ALA) is the calculation of monetary value of night shift premium paid based on the ordinary rostered night time you have worked in the previous year (January - December). If you didn't work any nights the ALA% would be nil. It does differ depending on how many night turns you have worked the previous year.

Thank you very much! I did send an email to payroll a few years ago suggesting maybe they could publish a list of all the pay categories and what they mean or have an index on the payslip itself but they never responded either way.

 

[muz379]

I just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice for the course, and is there any pre-course learning I could do that would help me to prepare for it?

Firstly congratulations on the job offer .

Secondly , there isn't much I would advise to do to prepare for the course , if you are not already I would make sure that I was comfortable using the phonetic alphabet as youll be using it everyday during training and in your career as a signaller . Other than that everything is taught in the order and way that it is for a reason , and trying to get ahead might mean you learn some of the fundamental stuff incorrectly or have misunderstandings . Some on my course did learn the bell codes as well although quickly forgot a lot of them once the course got started until they come to study the regulation concerned .

As for when you are on the course , you will only get out what you put in , personally i dont think it is possible to pass the course without spending time outside the classroom learning and embedding the knowledge from the days sessions try and get into the habbit of this early on and it will just be routine for the later weeks . Also if you can when you get there try and learn how to use the sim including the back desk as quickly as you can as really the sooner you can be comfortable practicing on that even when the trainer isn't around the better . And dont neglect sim time even later on when you have exams coming up , I know it will be tempting to do so .

Also even if you feel daft doing it , if the trainer is going over something and it really is not making sense (particularly early on) make sure you ask them to put it in a different way or spend extra time on it . There is quite a lot of material to get through so if the trainer thinks everyone gets something they will move on to the next thing . Likewise if you are having any issues with anything make sure you ask the trainer for extra help , theyll put as much effort in to helping you pass as you are prepared to put in from the other side .

 

[SimplyLovely]

Hi all

Just out of interest where is the best place to look for upcoming jobs in their area? Is it direct on the NR website?

I would just do it via the NR website, the roles do show up on Indeed but they will make you apply via the NR site anyway so might as well do it from the jump.

 

[High Dyke]

Thank you very much! I did send an email to payroll a few years ago suggesting maybe they could publish a list of all the pay categories and what they mean or have an index on the payslip itself but they never responded either way.

You're welcome. There used to be a document, I believe on the epay system, that mentioned the abbreviations on payslips. Not sure it showed everything though.

 

[OllieJ149]

Firstly congratulations on the job offer .

Secondly , there isn't much I would advise to do to prepare for the course , if you are not already I would make sure that I was comfortable using the phonetic alphabet as youll be using it everyday during training and in your career as a signaller . Other than that everything is taught in the order and way that it is for a reason , and trying to get ahead might mean you learn some of the fundamental stuff incorrectly or have misunderstandings . Some on my course did learn the bell codes as well although quickly forgot a lot of them once the course got started until they come to study the regulation concerned .

As for when you are on the course , you will only get out what you put in , personally i dont think it is possible to pass the course without spending time outside the classroom learning and embedding the knowledge from the days sessions try and get into the habbit of this early on and it will just be routine for the later weeks . Also if you can when you get there try and learn how to use the sim including the back desk as quickly as you can as really the sooner you can be comfortable practicing on that even when the trainer isn't around the better . And dont neglect sim time even later on when you have exams coming up , I know it will be tempting to do so .

Also even if you feel daft doing it , if the trainer is going over something and it really is not making sense (particularly early on) make sure you ask them to put it in a different way or spend extra time on it . There is quite a lot of material to get through so if the trainer thinks everyone gets something they will move on to the next thing . Likewise if you are having any issues with anything make sure you ask the trainer for extra help , theyll put as much effort in to helping you pass as you are prepared to put in from the other side .

Thank you very much for the advice, it is much appreciated!

 

[Open_G]

Thank you very much for the advice, it is much appreciated!

Firstly congratulations on the job offer .

Secondly , there isn't much I would advise to do to prepare for the course , if you are not already I would make sure that I was comfortable using the phonetic alphabet as youll be using it everyday during training and in your career as a signaller . Other than that everything is taught in the order and way that it is for a reason , and trying to get ahead might mean you learn some of the fundamental stuff incorrectly or have misunderstandings . Some on my course did learn the bell codes as well although quickly forgot a lot of them once the course got started until they come to study the regulation concerned .

As for when you are on the course , you will only get out what you put in , personally i dont think it is possible to pass the course without spending time outside the classroom learning and embedding the knowledge from the days sessions try and get into the habbit of this early on and it will just be routine for the later weeks . Also if you can when you get there try and learn how to use the sim including the back desk as quickly as you can as really the sooner you can be comfortable practicing on that even when the trainer isn't around the better . And dont neglect sim time even later on when you have exams coming up , I know it will be tempting to do so .

Also even if you feel daft doing it , if the trainer is going over something and it really is not making sense (particularly early on) make sure you ask them to put it in a different way or spend extra time on it . There is quite a lot of material to get through so if the trainer thinks everyone gets something they will move on to the next thing . Likewise if you are having any issues with anything make sure you ask the trainer for extra help , theyll put as much effort in to helping you pass as you are prepared to put in from the other side .

Everything above is spot on, it may sound blatantly obvious but I’d add to this- engage with the course as much as possible. Put yourself forward when the tutors are demonstrating something new on the sim and need a volunteer, answer questions, ask lots, help your fellow cohorts- explaining something you understand to those who don’t will embed your knowledge and also will mean they owe you one for later. Finally, leave nothing out there… By this, I mean -there is a failure rate, and occasionally this is not just due to lack of effort. Don’t leave yourself wondering and do everything in your arsenal to achieve.

 

[muz379]

help your fellow cohorts- explaining something you understand to those who don’t will embed your knowledge and also will mean they owe you one for later.

This is really good advice as well . Naturally you'll find that some people are better at different elements of the course than others . I found the practical stuff came quite naturally to me so spent a lot of time helping others with theirs as well which just made my practical skills even better . But I needed a push from those better at exams / revision to help me with that . So then firing questions at me at random helped them with their prep as well .

It's not as if you are in competition . Tbh it was a really nice feeling the end of our course when everyone passed . And still nice today to hear from people about how they are getting on at their locations. You'll spend a lot of time together during the course and will probably find you make some decent friends especially if you end up working in the same area afterwards.

 

[Iron_Duke]

I've recently been offered a job as a Grade 2 Signaller. I'm very pleased to have been offered this job, and my IST course will start in February in Bristol.

I just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice for the course, and is there any pre-course learning I could do that would help me to prepare for it?

TIA

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==


I applied via Indeed. I have seen a few Signaller jobs in North Wales advertised this way recently.

Congratulations and good luck. I was a Signaller years ago and enjoyed my time in the grade.

Understanding how and why signalling exists is useful when you get back to your box. IST will teach you the rules but not necessarily the context as to why they apply. If you're curious to look at the profession in more detail then books like "Two Centuries of Railway Signalling" by Geoffrey Kitchenside will help. It might be useful to read it later but depends on how interested you find signalling.

The other tome that was always recommended reading was 'Red for Danger' by Tom (LTC) Rolt. This will help you understand the human role in railway safety...!

 

[Ducatist4]

Red for Danger is an excellent book.

 

[John Webb]

"Red for Danger" has seen some updates since L T C Rolt died. More recent publications are "Obstruction Danger" written by the former signalman Adrian Vaughan in 1989 and O S Nock's "Historic Railway Disasters" first published 1966 and updated in 1987.

 

[SimplyLovely]

It is still a great read, even if it is a little old now. The writing is quite technical, so depending on your rail knowledge, you may slightly struggle to grasp exactly what is going on but you should still get good insight. The chapters on signaller errors was the most impactful (was going to say "favourite" but given the subject matter that may not be the best choice of words!).

If anyone prefers a more visual approach, there is a great youtube channel called Fascinating Horror that makes really interesting short form documentaries about various subjects. Their collection of railway disaster videos are really good watches. The first one I watched was the Quintinshill one, which I have linked below as it is only 12 minutes long but well worth a watch for anyone unfamiliar with the incident.

The Quintinshill Disaster

 

[northwestern]

The external job list has been very quiet for a while (no jobs advertised currently). Is this the same internally? To be expected pre Xmas?

 

[High Dyke]

The external job list has been very quiet for a while (no jobs advertised currently). Is this the same internally? To be expected pre Xmas?

Probably not for all areas. However, some routes have been previously restricted in how many staff they can recruit or jobs to advertise. Even if there is a shortfall in numbers within that route.

 

[bouff34]

Probably not for all areas. However, some routes have been previously restricted in how many staff they can recruit or jobs to advertise. Even if there is a shortfall in numbers within that route.

Some areas seem to have recruited too many apprentices and pool signallers - they all seem to be training on boxes that they haven't actually got positions at and are competing against each other to try and find roles....

 

[FWC7707]

Does anyone know whether Warrington Central is still working AB towards Glazebrook ?

 

[Amack92]

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've posted.

I had an interview around April time and was placed as a reserve candidate. I didn't hear anything back on that role.

But I did receive a phone call this morning inviting me to do a Motivational Fit Interview. Recruitment don't know the exact location or grade etc.

Just wondering what people's experiences are with this and any advice on how best to prepare.

Cheers,
Aidan

 

[CoachB]

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've posted.

I had an interview around April time and was placed as a reserve candidate. I didn't hear anything back on that role.

But I did receive a phone call this morning inviting me to do a Motivational Fit Interview. Recruitment don't know the exact location or grade etc.

Just wondering what people's experiences are with this and any advice on how best to prepare.

Cheers,
Aidan

It's more casual than the interview you had in April. It'll be with the manager who will be hiring you and a member or HR.

You'll still get asked some of the questions like you did at original interview so brush up on your answers to them but it's more about the manager getting to know you a bit better.

As for role, grade & location the manager will be able to explain what role it is when they interview you. It could be a grade 2 training role or something more specific but don't be afraid to ask questions.

Hopefully, going by mine and others previous experience of these motivational fit interviews you'll hear back in a day or two and be offered a job

 

[Amack92]

Thanks for getting back to me.

Okay that's good news then, I'll definitely need to do some revising just in case, been a while since the interview.

Yeah I'm not sure, I spoke to recruitment after and they didn't say where abouts specifically as they didn't know, they just said who I was speaking with in the interview.

Yeah fingers crossed! I'm really looking forward to it, and greatful to a second shot. I will go over questions to ask and write them down.

 

[Manda2194]

Can anyone help me with what desks and the grading are in Manchester ROC.

 

[Trothy]

Can anyone help me with what desks and the grading are in Manchester ROC.

Manchester link - 3 panels - Grade 8
Liverpool link - 3 panels - Grade 8
Macclesfield/Blackpool/Wavertree link - Grade 6
SSM - 2 on shift - Grade 10

Not quite sure about the new Crewe panels as yet.

 

[muz379]

Manchester link - 3 panels - Grade 8
Liverpool link - 3 panels - Grade 8
Macclesfield/Blackpool/Wavertree link - Grade 6
SSM - 2 on shift - Grade 10

Not quite sure about the new Crewe panels as yet.

Crew Pannels will initially be 2 X Grade 6 panels Crew South & Crew Independant lines .

And presumably an SSM

 

[macmed94]

For those who have done the interview recently, what were some of the questions you were asked?

 

[Manda2194]

Manchester link - 3 panels - Grade 8
Liverpool link - 3 panels - Grade 8
Macclesfield/Blackpool/Wavertree link - Grade 6
SSM - 2 on shift - Grade 10

Not quite sure about the new Crewe panels as yet.

Crew Pannels will initially be 2 X Grade 6 panels Crew South & Crew Independant lines .

And presumably an SSM

Thank you both. Really appreciate your help. As much info as anyone can tell me is greatly appreciated

 

[Trothy]

Crew Pannels will initially be 2 X Grade 6 panels Crew South & Crew Independant lines .

And presumably an SSM

Controversially no SSM. At least not yet.

 

[Manda2194]

is there any word on when the Crewe workstations will actually open or are they already there. I’m assuming the recruitment campaign is for those workstations