Station Control Assistant info (Manc Picc)

[Tomilda]

Hello,

First time poster, made an account especially to get some more info regarding a role I will be filling very soon. I was fortunate enough to be successful in filling a vacancy of a Station Control Assistant in Manchester Piccadilly. All that I have left to do is attend a medical assessment of some sort (pass it too) then I can agree a start date. I've found some threads regarding this role here and there but they don't have a whole lot of detail, don't have what I'm looking for or from some years ago.

I'm wanting to know a bit more of the day to day activities/jobs I would be doing as the job description on the job advert was a simplified bullet point list. I've been told it would be a more office/Control Room based role but not entirely, what would I be doing if not in an office or suchlike? What would I be doing whilst in the office/Control Room?

What would the times I'd be working be like? I've found a thread from a few years ago of someone in this role saying their rotas are done nine-weekly with at least one week in there being nights, how long would my shifts be and how many days a week? My contract states I am to work 35 hours a week, although I'm not sure how many days I'd be working or how many hours I'd be working a day.

Is there anything I can purchase or learn to make my initiation/training process easier? I think I saw someone mention the use of a Rail Atlas elsewhere to this website. Would brushing up on some basic railway geography and general significant town/city geography help too?

Any more info on the role or what I can expect from working at MAN would be greatly appreciated, this is my first railway job after wanting to get into this industry for a couple years. I managed to get to the interview stage for both a NR Signaller role and a Northern Conductor role in previous years so have been keen and excited to be successful! I forgot/just didn't manage to ask all these questions at the end of my interview so hopefully someone here could help me out!

TIA!

 

[Horizon22]

Firstly welcome to the forums and congratulations!

Hello,

First time poster, made an account especially to get some more info regarding a role I will be filling very soon. I was fortunate enough to be successful in filling a vacancy of a Station Control Assistant in Manchester Piccadilly. All that I have left to do is attend a medical assessment of some sort (pass it too) then I can agree a start date. I've found some threads regarding this role here and there but they don't have a whole lot of detail, don't have what I'm looking for or from some years ago.

I'm wanting to know a bit more of the day to day activities/jobs I would be doing as the job description on the job advert was a simplified bullet point list. I've been told it would be a more office/Control Room based role but not entirely, what would I be doing if not in an office or suchlike? What would I be doing whilst in the office/Control Room?

Well the bullet point list will be fairly instructive and should give you the core detail and I imagine the interview went over the skillsets they wanted and you obviously met them. I would say ask these questions at interview (I do note you forgot to ask them and ran out of time!).

The vast majority of your time would be in the station control room at Manchester Piccadilly. You may on very rare occasions be given "other duties" but these will be few and far between. The bulk of your duties will be announcements, managing the CIS, coordinating radio communications with station staff and liasing with TOC and NR controls as required during normal service and in times of disruption.

What would the times I'd be working be like? I've found a thread from a few years ago of someone in this role saying their rotas are done nine-weekly with at least one week in there being nights, how long would my shifts be and how many days a week? My contract states I am to work 35 hours a week, although I'm not sure how many days I'd be working or how many hours I'd be working a day.

The exact roster would be dependent on the number of staff required on each shift and what has been agreed. But it will probably be a mix of 7/8/9 length early (e.g. 0700-1500), late (e.g. 1500-2300), night shifts (2300-0700). It is also probable it would involved 12 hour shifts on the weekend (0700-1900 / 1900-0700). It will over the course of 9 weeks average out to 35 hours, so some weeks might be 50 hours, others might be 20 (as an example) taking into account your rest days.

Is there anything I can purchase or learn to make my initiation/training process easier? I think I saw someone mention the use of a Rail Atlas elsewhere to this website. Would brushing up on some basic railway geography and general significant town/city geography help too?

A cursory look at the railway geography in around Manchester Piccadilly and the TOCs that operate through there can't hurt, but you'll be taught everything you need to whilst having your induction and desk training.

 

[Tomilda]

Thank you very much for your reply! Will take all the above on board in waiting for my start date!