GCR Voulenteering??

[deltic1989]

Im thinking about getting into a bit of voulenteering this summer at the GCR. What i'm wondering is who do I have to contact? Im interested in being a signalman or TI. Are there any specific things I need to know for this particularly signalman? cheers guys.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

You won't become a signalman just by doing it for the summer! As Tomnick will no doubt say, it's a long, hard slog.

 

[Tomnick]

Quite right, it's not a job you can walk straight into - if you started training (with some GCR experience already under your belt) for the grade now, you might be passed out by midsummer! However, if you're interested in the longer-term, it'd certainly be achievable in a couple of years with the right approach - the place to start would probably be the platform grades (Porter, initially, if I'm not mistaken) to get a real feel for how the Railway operates. After a year or so, and probably after shadowing Guards and loco crews for a couple of turns, you could then put yourself forward for consideration for the next training course as a Signalman (seven days of theory spread over a fairly lengthy period, interspersed with practical training).

I'd be happy to help as much as I could (as the Signalling Instructor) to help you through the process and answer any questions or direct them to the right person, but you'd really have to take the lead by contacting the Booking Office - 01509 230726 - and expressing an interest in volunteering on the station (Loughborough or Rothley will probably give you the best experience relevant to signalling, though Quorn's a cracking little station too).

Although I believe we're currently short of TTIs, it does seem to lend itself to going on as a trainee Guard - from there it's almost a sideways step to training as a Signalmen, so it's a bit of a convoluted route if that's what you want to achieve.

It's certainly a bit of a slog, but we'll give you all the training you need, so as long as you're prepared to put the time and effort into learning it (and that's why the experience is essential), you shouldn't have a problem!

Good luck...!

Tom

 

[scotsman]

I'm not on the GCR, but I'm using the TTI grade as a stepping stone to becoming a Guard - I watch the Guard at work anyway and I tend to help him out with wee bits and pieces (we don't actually do TTIs, as far as I'm aware - it's the only on train position I can do at the moment!)

 

[ralphchadkirk]

As an extension to my post, I started as a junior porter at Alton on the MHR. Around 2 - 3 years of that, and I've (as of a couple of months ago) been accepted as a trainee guard so I can pass out when I'm 18. I've got my Higher Training Assessment soon as a result of that.
I'm also passed in piloting, handsignalling (colour-light) and point-winding. Again, all these will happen when I'm 18.
I've done a number of things though, from a couple of days in the box (it really makes you appreciate how hard the signalman works) and a bit of P-Way.

 

[Tomnick]

That's the best way to go - the more experience you can get in various departments in the early days, the easier your ride will be through the training for an operational grade. Your progression sounds about the most sensible approach anyway, and that's what I'd advise a completely new starter to expect to go through.

 

[AlexS]

It's all a long road!

I started on the GCR at 16 in 2006 as a porter at Loughborough Central, got promoted to platform inspector (train dispatcher essentially) at 17 and duty station master (probably closest equivalent grade is chargeman/station supervisor) at 18 - although that was a fairly fast rate of progress really - I'm still the youngest DSM on the railway several years later (and also the youngest signalman, but I'm likely to lose that particular distinction fairly soon as there's a lad in training younger than me!).

When I was 19 I moved out to Quorn and Woodhouse again as a duty station master where I remain to this day. I also qualified at 20 as a signalman following around 6 months training or so, and work Loughborough and Rothley boxes, and somewhere along the way, as a shunter as well, more as a matter of convenience than through any particular desire to do that job (it sometimes needs doing!).

I'm also an installer in the Signalling and Telegraph (or Telecommunications!) department, assisting in the installation of signalling equipment or attending faults/maintenance jobs on occasion with a technician (as a signalman unfortunately I'll never be able to progress to the technician grade!).

So essentially to give you an idea of timescale:

Year 1 - I was a porter
Year 2 - I became a platform inspector (train dispatcher)
Year 3 - I became a station master (station chargeman/supervisor)
Year 4 - I became a signalman
Year 5 - I intend to sign my 3rd and probably 4th box when Swithland Sidings opens, and to pass as a guard - just waiting on an assessment for that.

It's all worth the work in the end though - at the age of 21 I hopefully have a long time ahead of me to enjoy it!

 

[langerdan712]

Hey guys, I'd be relatively new to the board.

Great little intro's by a few people there into how volunteering works and how quickly you can expect to get through the grades, I'm in Ireland and work with a preserved railway run more like a business though unfortunately. I was thinking of maybe trying to do either a few weeks/a couple of months volunteering with a preserved railway over in the UK during next summer if at all possible does anybody know if any railway operates such a facility? I'd like to become try a job as a cleaner as I'd have an interest in steam etc... but there's no available opportunities like that over here and I'd love to get to know a steam loco in a practical manner as books can only help you so much.

 

[deltic1989]

thanks for the advice guys I'll have a chat with the booking office (any ideas when the best time to call is?). As signalling is a responsable job i wasnt expecting it to be an overnight thing. Really what I want to do is be a part of railway history. I'm in Lincoln but I can get to Loughbro fairly easily and I have a lot of time on my hands due to being between jobs so I can really commit. Thanks again.

 

[Tomnick]

Daytime's the best time to call, midweek - they should put you in contact with the relevant person for station grades. Any problems, or if you don't hear back from them in a sensible time, let me know (and keep pushing).

 

[Spagnoletti]

I was thinking of maybe trying to do either a few weeks/a couple of months volunteering with a preserved railway over in the UK during next summer if at all possible does anybody know if any railway operates such a facility? I'd like to become try a job as a cleaner as I'd have an interest in steam etc... but there's no available opportunities like that over here and I'd love to get to know a steam loco in a practical manner as books can only help you so much.

I'm sure there are several preserved railways who'd be happy to have you but bear in mind some (if not all) will require you to become a member for insurance reasons. At least that's the case where I volunteer.