Signaller to Driver move..

[City Signaller]

Anyone share there experience of making this 'sideways' move?
I would assume attempting in making the move from a signalling position to that of driver would be strengthened by way of exposure to the railway environment and rules and regs. Not a given by any means but, certainly helpful.

 

[WestRiding]

I would love to make the sideways move as you put it. But, the considerable cut in pay whilst training would make it impossible with other commitments at home. And then the pay only goes up in segments over time. One of the down-falls of privatisation. Signalling is pretty specialist leaving us with nowhere else to go, other than higher grade signalling. Then there is the possibility of failing at various stages learning to be a driver, meaning you could potentially be left jobless. If I was grade 3 or lower I would do it, anything more than grade 3 and it is a pay cut for at least a year. I suppose the same situation exists for drivers who want to get into signalling, as it is very rare for new signallers to become grade 7 etc from the start, so again would be taking a pay cut. If it wasn't for mortgages, cars, having a life, bills, holidays and hobbies. I don't hink rules and regs knowledge mean too much, DB Schenker for example require 'c' or above for maths from the start, I failed maths, yet signal their trains.

 

[City Signaller]

I would love to make the sideways move as you put it. But, the considerable cut in pay whilst training would make it impossible with other commitments at home. And then the pay only goes up in segments over time. One of the down-falls of privatisation. Signalling is pretty specialist leaving us with nowhere else to go, other than higher grade signalling. Then there is the possibility of failing at various stages learning to be a driver, meaning you could potentially be left jobless. If I was grade 3 or lower I would do it, anything more than grade 3 and it is a pay cut for at least a year. I suppose the same situation exists for drivers who want to get into signalling, as it is very rare for new signallers to become grade 7 etc from the start, so again would be taking a pay cut. If it wasn't for mortgages, cars, having a life, bills, holidays and hobbies.

I agree, it's certainly a tough call. I'm grade 3 with an FP percentage so mid thirties basic. Interested in making the move what with all the pending box closures talk, However the drop in money whilst training and lack of job security during that time makes it a real head scratcher

 

[WestRiding]

Try to get higher in the signalling grade would be my first thoughts, and I genuinely don't think the closures will happen as quick as what has been stated.

 

[City Signaller]

Yeah thanks for your input, I passed up a recent opportunity to try and progress some grades but will definitely have a go next time.
Sometimes you need someone else to say the thing your thinking

 

[Latecomer]

A lot of drivers gave up decent salaries to train. You have to screw up quite badly to fail during training and even if you flunk one part or the other you normally get another chance provided you show the right qualities. You've already shown a few by reaching the training phase and the company have already committed money to your training.

I'm not saying this would be the case for all but the main danger could actually be your rules knowledge and it could be a case of needing to reign it in a bit in the presence of other trainees. There are some companies now where the training pay actually approximates a semi-decent living wage.