A career as a signaller

[CrossfitGuy]

Hi,

Where's your IST?
I found working in groups and constantly questioning each other really helpful. Also I found switching off over the weekend helps.
I used Google flash cards and just kept going over them.


No problem. Good luck with the interview and sig school. Any questions, give me a DM and I'll try help out.


Hi cxlla,
I'm in a G2 box and do 10hr shifts. It's a nice job when all is working fine, you earn your money when it doesn't . Rosters differ, I do 3 on 4 off and 4 on 3 off. I'll pick up a rest day working most weeks. Weeks are split early and late shifts. Skills fade can happen so when it's quiet, I'll look at my rule books or run scenarios that could happen in my box.
We have a great team, hand overs are key. Meaning I don't take work home and I can shut off for the night.

Hi Brett55

I will be doing my training in glasgow and then I will be based on the west coast in ayrshire...

Thanks for your insights, it's good to hear everyone agreeing on how to approach the learning. I am excited to get started.

 

[Badger27]

Hi folks, does anyone know signaller shift pattern for Brampton ? I have spoke to my friends in Carlisle but they say it comes under the North East section.

 

[UPhi]

Hi again everyone,

Once accepting an offer & passing medical etc, how long does it usually take before getting that call for a start date? (Or is that like 'how long is a piece of string?')

Applied in the London area if that makes any difference.

Just eager to get started & organise stuff for IST...

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fennel]

Grade 3 is around £37.6k
Two 12hr Sundays per month would take that to around £46.3k
Add night premium to give another £1kish maybe over the year.

So without any other OT over your two booked Sundays you'll get £47k.

In reality you'll pick up an extra day or two per month, more if there's a vacancy in the box. £50k+ is realistic minimum.

This is all assuming your box is 12hr shifts and rostered 24/7.

thank you mate, and would you know what would be the possible working pattern. or may be which is the most common one these days. i would be possibly at Worcester.

 

[Brett55]

Hi again everyone,

Once accepting an offer & passing medical etc, how long does it usually take before getting that call for a start date? (Or is that like 'how long is a piece of string?')

Applied in the London area if that makes any difference.

Just eager to get started & organise stuff for IST...

Thanks in advance!

Hi UPhi, I waited 2/3 weeks, however this was over the Christmas and new years period.
I Had to wait 7 weeks to actually start due to IST course dates.
Cheers.

 

[UPhi]

Hi UPhi, I waited 2/3 weeks, however this was over the Christmas and new years period.
I Had to wait 7 weeks to actually start due to IST course dates.
Cheers.

Thanks for the reply.

Just eager to get started and haven't even had a prospective date yet.
Will keep tying to revise and look forward to it!

 

[Brett55]

Thanks for the reply.

Just eager to get started and haven't even had a prospective date yet.
Will keep tying to revise and look forward to it!

The recruitment process was a painful wait. I waited 5 months from job offer to start date. But worth the wait.

 

[Open_G]

The recruitment process was a painful wait. I waited 5 months from job offer to start date. But worth the wait.

I’ll see your 5 months and raise you 10. March to January

 

[Bexifer]

Hi again everyone,

Once accepting an offer & passing medical etc, how long does it usually take before getting that call for a start date? (Or is that like 'how long is a piece of string?')

Applied in the London area if that makes any difference.

Just eager to get started & organise stuff for IST...

Thanks in advance!

I had my medical 4th March, start date end of April and IST starts two weeks later

 

[tiptoptaff]

In-person assement time in 30mins. Just over the road having a coffee.

Thanks to all who've answered questions directly and provided a wealth of knowledge on this thread.

Wish me luck!!

 

[feaky4]

In-person assement time in 30mins. Just over the road having a coffee.

Thanks to all who've answered questions directly and provided a wealth of knowledge on this thread.

Wish me luck!!

Good luck! You’ll smash it

 

[tiptoptaff]

Good luck! You’ll smash it

Diolch!

 

[cxlla]

Hi again everyone,

Once accepting an offer & passing medical etc, how long does it usually take before getting that call for a start date? (Or is that like 'how long is a piece of string?')

Applied in the London area if that makes any difference.

Just eager to get started & organise stuff for IST...

Thanks in advance!

Hi UPhi

This is how my experience has been. Hope it helps.

First application: 18th January 2025
Assess Centre: 19th February
Job offer : 25th Feb
Medical Booked on : 10th March
Medical Date: 10th April
Proposed Start Date: 18th August
IST Start Date : 1st September

My IST is York... im probably the forst one Booked on, if anybody else reads this and is headed to york let me know.

My longer wait may be due to having a 3 month notice period with my current employer though. As you are advised not to hand notice in until medical has been passed and cleared.

 

[Brett55]

In-person assement time in 30mins. Just over the road having a coffee.

Thanks to all who've answered questions directly and provided a wealth of knowledge on this thread.

Wish me luck!!

Good luck bud

 

[godfreycomplex]

In-person assement time in 30mins. Just over the road having a coffee.

Thanks to all who've answered questions directly and provided a wealth of knowledge on this thread.

Wish me luck!!

Break a leg!

 

[Manda2194]

Afternoon everyone. I am waiting for an IST but it is a VDU course I am told rather than AB.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

 

[godfreycomplex]

Afternoon everyone. I am waiting for an IST but it is a VDU course I am told rather than AB.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Track Circuit Block course delivered by a simulator based on a "Visual Display Unit" (computer signalling, in fact)

 

[bouff34]

Afternoon everyone. I am waiting for an IST but it is a VDU course I am told rather than AB.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

What type of box are you going to? Because if you are going to an AB area that course will be totally irrelevant to you...

 

[tiptoptaff]

Good luck! You’ll smash it

Good luck bud

Break a leg!

Thanks all...

Seemed to go alright. Think I gave a good account of myself. Waiting game now!

 

[SimplyLovely]

What type of box are you going to? Because if you are going to an AB area that course will be totally irrelevant to you...

I’m pretty sure their manager who is booking the course knows which course will be relevant for the area, if they are told that’s the course they need, it will be the one they need.

 

[cxlla]

Just seeking some clarity.... I have a role for a G2 Trainee. My box/role has not been confirmed yet and I will need to apply for roles whilst I'm in IST. Can I apply for any roles from Grade 2-9 or will I be expected to apply for a box related to the training I've had. If you were to say get a role in a control centre or similar would you then need to undertake further training or would this all be on the job training.

 

[HamSandwich]

Hi folks, does anyone know signaller shift pattern for Brampton ? I have spoke to my friends in Carlisle but they say it comes under the North East section.

Currently a four week roster, the boxes shut on Saturday and Sunday nights. Hoping to get the roster changed to something better, there's even talk of weekends being 24 hour which would give a better roster I believe?

This is the roster for residents, the relief roster is different.

Week 1
Tues night, Wednesday night, Saturday late, Sunday late
Week 2
Monday night, Friday day, Saturday early, Sunday early
Week 3
Monday day, Thursday night, Friday night
Week 4
Tuesday day, Wednesday day, Thursday day

 

[Corviee]

Heyyys everyone!

I've just passed all my medical etc & I'm due to start signalling school in York later in April, all going well I'll be moving to a grade 2 position after! ^•^

I'm just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for the best way to prepare myself for both signalling school & the role.

I've worked in stressful positions with shift work, nights etc before buuut I'm entirely new to the industry after coming out of the public sector and pretty much a blank slate.

I *really* really want to do everything I can to smash it in this job though, I'm nervous that I'm not doing something I could be to prepare myself right now.

Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated! :3

 

[Brett55]

Just seeking some clarity.... I have a role for a G2 Trainee. My box/role has not been confirmed yet and I will need to apply for roles whilst I'm in IST. Can I apply for any roles from Grade 2-9 or will I be expected to apply for a box related to the training I've had. If you were to say get a role in a control centre or similar would you then need to undertake further training or would this all be on the job training.

Morning mate,

You can apply for different grades / boxes / rocs. I was on an AB IST and my lom asked me to apply for a roc. If you get accepted for an interview, it'll at least give you experience. If they are different grades / boxes ect. I would express interest with the lom first, they might be able to give you some advice or put you on further conversion courses.

Depending on what IST you are doing, (AB, TCB or VDU) you'll most likely need a conversion.

 

[Ducatist4]

Learning the phonetic alphabet is about all the prep you can do at this stage. They will teach you everything else you need to know.

 

[Brett55]

Heyyys everyone!

I've just passed all my medical etc & I'm due to start signalling school in York later in April, all going well I'll be moving to a grade 2 position after! ^•^

I'm just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for the best way to prepare myself for both signalling school & the role.

I've worked in stressful positions with shift work, nights etc before buuut I'm entirely new to the industry after coming out of the public sector and pretty much a blank slate.

I *really* really want to do everything I can to smash it in this job though, I'm nervous that I'm not doing something I could be to prepare myself right now.

Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated! :3

Morning Corviee,

York is huge (great to see) and some really good WDS's. You'll get 2 weeks prior to do some pre IST e-learning. You can brush up on the phonetic alphabet. During the course, take as many notes as possible, flash cards, tabs for rule books and get in as much sim time as you can. I found it key, to working with others on the course and testing each other at every opportunity.

 

[Dazza75]

Heyyys everyone!

I've just passed all my medical etc & I'm due to start signalling school in York later in April, all going well I'll be moving to a grade 2 position after! ^•^

I'm just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for the best way to prepare myself for both signalling school & the role.

I've worked in stressful positions with shift work, nights etc before buuut I'm entirely new to the industry after coming out of the public sector and pretty much a blank slate.

I *really* really want to do everything I can to smash it in this job though, I'm nervous that I'm not doing something I could be to prepare myself right now.

Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated! :3

Welcome to York IST in April, there's a few of us already on this forum who are going to be on the same course. Just try and absorb plenty of the info that the good people on here post. They are very knowledgeable and are here to help.

If it makes you feel better, I am coming from a job that is completely unrelated to the rail industry so am really nervous as to what to expect, i think it's completely natural to be like that, at least I hope so!!

 

[Fennel]

hi all, once you pass the assessment centre, how long is the wait usually from that point to start of IST, are you able to defer the IST, let say you have notice to serve at your current job or you have holidays booked. Has anyone been in this situation where they had to delay the IST and is it even possible or you just have to be on the IST they offer. Many Thanks.

 

[feaky4]

Heyyys everyone!

I've just passed all my medical etc & I'm due to start signalling school in York later in April, all going well I'll be moving to a grade 2 position after! ^•^

I'm just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for the best way to prepare myself for both signalling school & the role.

I've worked in stressful positions with shift work, nights etc before buuut I'm entirely new to the industry after coming out of the public sector and pretty much a blank slate.

I *really* really want to do everything I can to smash it in this job though, I'm nervous that I'm not doing something I could be to prepare myself right now.

Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated! :3

Hey congrats! I’ll be in York for IST April 28th as well, not to much to do to prepare I don’t think, I’m just trying to relax and enjoy my time before it all starts, I’m sure we can all work together and help each other through this!

 

[UPhi]

Hi UPhi

This is how my experience has been. Hope it helps.

First application: 18th January 2025
Assess Centre: 19th February
Job offer : 25th Feb
Medical Booked on : 10th March
Medical Date: 10th April
Proposed Start Date: 18th August
IST Start Date : 1st September

My IST is York... im probably the forst one Booked on, if anybody else reads this and is headed to york let me know.

My longer wait may be due to having a 3 month notice period with my current employer though. As you are advised not to hand notice in until medical has been passed and cleared.

Hi Cxlla,

Very similar to my timeline so far.
Medical passed mid March.

How soon after medical did they inform you of the start date? Knowing if it's a few weeks or months to wait gives time to plan & prepare.

Not only excited to start but wanted to book holidays for summer etc.

Guess it'll be a few months wait then...more time to read up on Bell codes & when a train can pass a signal at danger lol