Recent content by Spurs1961

Hi Ow3n, I can only advise from an engineering point. Unfortunately you are in a difficult situation from an engineering point of view, most railway employers ask for a minimum of level 3 qualifications and some mechanical/electrical experience (generally college doesn't count as real world...

I believe, this would be bringing the units into the sheds, dropping the de-raileur, making the unit safe for technicians to work on and any other requirements within the job description.

Hi sthilhere, If you are asking about rolling stock, generally an operative is someone who (cleans / other duties) the train. Generally speaking a technician is someone who carries out maintenance, repairs, fault finding. Generally the shift patterns i have worked have been 4 on 4 off nights...

I just had a thought, there are companies who provide contractors for the railway. Shorterm group and Clemtech are 2 companies, that lads I know used to get in to Siemens and Alstom. You might be able to try them and get a foot in the door. Just a thought.

Hi squizz11 Hi squizz11, I'm a rolling stock technician and to be honest you should apply to some companies for maintenance technician and take a chance as all companies seem to be asking for an NVQ Level 3. I'm guessing you don't have any real world engineering experience (i don't mean for...

Hi squizz11, TFL are a great company to join and be able to move around different job roles but for track or signals the jobs are very different. Signals would require you to have a strong electrical background and track would generally require you to have a strong mechanical background. It...

I will admit that I wasn't an apprentice on the railway but I worked on aircrafts as an apprentice for a company who was very unionised and we were not allowed to join until our apprenticeship was completed. I think the union were allowed to be involved in any issues but I know it was deemed we...

@DeeArmani I can't remember everything as I done several tests for the jobs I applied for but it was basic electrical symbols, direction of cogs and ratios I think. Nothing really difficult.

There really isn't anything to revise, it's basic mechanical, electrical and math questions. If you come from those backgrounds it should be pretty straightforward. Good luck.

It's a written test, multiple choice as well if I remember correctly. Electrical, mechanical, mathematics and possibly drawing identification skills but I might be getting confused with another test when it comes to the drawing. It's fairly straightforward and not to difficult. Good luck.

I can't give you a definitive answer but believe it will probably be as follows. Train maintainer, you will sit in a pool with a preference of where you want to be located (east London for example) and when a position becomes available they will contact you with a start date but you could...

@Spurs1961, you said you were offered 3 positions, just out of curiosity were they all engineering-related ones and were they all with LU? Hi Bankz, yes they were all engineering. Bakerloo line project, central line project and train maintainer if I remember correctly.

Hi Chongy84, at Clapham Junction they didn't work shifts, they did 7 till 3 Monday to Friday. It could possibly have changed but I think the company would of had a fight on their hands as that was their contract at that time. Bournemouth I have no idea. Hope this helps.

Hi Hackney, I got Acton TMU. I was lucky enough to be offered 3 positions from the 4 jobs i applied for and HR said I needed to make a choice, I really didn't like the previous job I was in and couldn't sit waiting in a pool so took one of the other positions. It's worked out really well and...

Hi Bankz, I applied for this over a year ago around November 2022 I think. The process can be a little drawn out but if I remember correctly from applying to being offered a position in the pool was about 5 months. Obviously then waiting in a pool could be much longer (think there was a link...