A career as a signaller

[Open_G]

The new 'Ops Deal' agreement guarantees two attempts at IST. It may have happened somewhere, sometime (perhaps in very exceptional circumstances) but I have never known or heard of anyone getting a third shot at passing the course.

I’m not sure if this is what you mean but my cohort had a person on their second attempt having failed the first written paper. With us he failed the second written paper, before finally passing in his third group.

 

[SIMONGUZZA@GMA]

I've got my IST on the 9th Jan in Newport. Is there anyone else here been told the same? I am seeing alot for Bristol on the 9th, whats the chances the training team has made a mistake?

I'm staring my ist in Newport on 15th January so I'll be one week behind you , I'll be more than happy to hear your feedback after you've done week one! Best of luck

Have you had information on where you will be staying?

 

[Teuchter]

What I would like to know is whether that behavioural “questionnaire” they gave us is used for: is it part of the test (are you scored on it) or is it more of a “get to know you” sort of thing?

Aye, behavioural questions will have ‘right’ answers for want of a better phrase - some can make you look impulsive or emotional, others might make you look in control and cool under pressure.

 

[gator op]

Info request please?

If you have a 8 hour shift that starts 10pm tonight which is bank holiday rate and it runs for 8 hours, do you get the bank holiday rate for the full shift or just the 2 hours?

 

[The Puddock]

Info request please?

If you have a 8 hour shift that starts 10pm tonight which is bank holiday rate and it runs for 8 hours, do you get the bank holiday rate for the full shift or just the 2 hours?

Just till midnight.

 

[Andy9gc]

Quick question regarding bank holidays.

Am I right in saying if your on a day off and not working, you can choose one of the following:

1. Day off in Lieu with no compensation
2. Day's pay at base rate

If you take the pay option how many hours are paid?

 

[Napier]

It's easy for a lot to say, but like you say fair enough you back yourself and gamble on finishing IST which is fair enough, but not actually having a specific post once finishing IST brings a certain level of uncertainty to the role.

Then to get its in their best interest to find everyone a role, so why even bother with this no box after training system. At this point it's been proven that interviews can be arbitrary

TBH it’s a load of cobblers doing it the way they are, this came about because of COVID, we had loads of signallers shielding so we where short, repeated requests for retired signallers to come out of retirement and pull the levers again were pretty much fruitless.

So they thought about employing a massive talent pool off the streets and most of which got 12 month contracts, since 2020 they’ve kept on the influx which of contingents which on our patch hadn’t been that bad as we’ve had plenty of staff movement. I know the ROC in York were encouraging IST attendees to apply for jobs in the ROC in York, trying to poach them from other areas after the other areas cost centre's had coughed up for the training.

 

[ajs101]

Can anyone tell me what they do with newly recruited signallers after IST if there aren't any vacant posts?

 

[Mindset]

Hi there. I was informed that it would be local induction and generally just getting exposure to the railway and would be Monday - Friday. I think my IST starts on 22nd January but I havent been informed of the location.

I know someone starting 22nd Feb in Scotland. Not sure what school specifically.

 

[AJay55]

I have noticed previous comments on the thread about resident signallers being on general purpose relief shifts. Does anyone know how that works, ie if this covers both days and nights it must be nigh on imlossible to plan anything outside of work on those weeks and you might then be faced with a day shift one day and then a night shift the next going into just two rest days? What happens of there is no leave or sickness to cover on those days? All very confusing

 

[muz379]

Can anyone tell me what they do with newly recruited signallers after IST if there aren't any vacant posts?

Post 18076 & Post 18099 cover this , basically you learn a box or according to 18099 multiple boxes in your area whilst applying for vacancies .

I have noticed previous comments on the thread about resident signallers being on general purpose relief shifts. Does anyone know how that works, ie if this covers both days and nights it must be nigh on imlossible to plan anything outside of work on those weeks and you might then be faced with a day shift one day and then a night shift the next going into just two rest days? What happens of there is no leave or sickness to cover on those days? All very confusing

Relief signallers do have to give a lot of flexibility You dont know your shifts until the thursday before , and could indeed be on days or nights , nights into a free day . For the trouble though there is a flex premium on top of the basic salary . But still it is not for everybody .

If there are no boxes in your area that need covering you can be given other stuff like briefings or development days to complete , or can be kept spare .

 

[AJay55]

Post 18076 & Post 18099 cover this , basically you learn a box or according to 18099 multiple boxes in your area whilst applying for vacancies .

Relief signallers do have to give a lot of flexibility You dont know your shifts until the thursday before , and could indeed be on days or nights , nights into a free day . For the trouble though there is a flex premium on top of the basic salary . But still it is not for everybody .

If there are no boxes in your area that need covering you can be given other stuff like briefings or development days to complete , or can be kept spare .

Thanks Muz. Are relief signallers different to residential signallers who have GP days on their rosta working just that box?

 

[Brett55]

Hi guys, anyone had their medical recently?
How'd it go, what are they checking?

Cheers

 

[Canonite]

The new 'Ops Deal' agreement guarantees two attempts at IST. It may have happened somewhere, sometime (perhaps in very exceptional circumstances) but I have never known or heard of anyone getting a third shot at passing the course.

One chap on our course passed on the third attempt.
After I failed my week 10 exam, I went back to IST in another training centre and then passed rather comfortably. A guy was on that course for a third attempt and then passed.
They really don’t just chuck you out the door.

 

[nom de guerre]

Quick question regarding bank holidays.

Am I right in saying if your on a day off and not working, you can choose one of the following:

1. Day off in Lieu with no compensation
2. Day's pay at base rate

If you take the pay option how many hours are paid?

However many hours you would have worked had you been working.

Thanks Muz. Are relief signallers different to residential signallers who have GP days on their rosta working just that box?

Residents with GPR/Flexi/Spare days (whatever term you want to use) built into their roster experience unpredictability only in relation to those shifts. The rest of their shifts will be predictable months/years in advance.

Reliefs only work GPR/Flexi/Spare days, so all of their shifts are unpredictable.

 

[AJay55]

However many hours you would have worked had you been working.



Residents with GPR/Flexi/Spare days (whatever term you want to use) built into their roster experience unpredictability only in relation to those shifts. The rest of their shifts will be predictable months/years in advance.

Reliefs only work GPR/Flexi/Spare days, so all of their shifts are unpredictable.

Cheers

 

[Andy9gc]

However many hours you would have worked had you been working.



Residents with GPR/Flexi/Spare days (whatever term you want to use) built into their roster experience unpredictability only in relation to those shifts. The rest of their shifts will be predictable months/years in advance.

Reliefs only work GPR/Flexi/Spare days, so all of their shifts are unpredictable.

Thanks!

 

[endofthetunnel]

Cheers

To add that on a fixed residents roster, which have ‘spare’ shifts built in, they have fixed start and finish times but no assigned panel/workstation. You cannot be moved from the assigned shift times on a fixed roster unless it’s with mutual agreement.

 

[BrummieBobby]

Hi, new to the site and apologies if this has already been asked somewhere in the very long in thread. I would be grateful for an insight into the attrition rate for signallers in passing the probationary period. Would it be fair to assume that most pass the necessary competencies to make the grade? Thanks in advance

On my IST a few years back, we had one candidate (From a class of 9) fail the course and have to join the next one, which he promptly failed again and was let go. New trainees I have worked with suggest a similar rate of failure.

With regards to signallers who have passed IST and then been removed from the job in the first year, I know of 2, both of whom had underlying issues which should have been picked up sooner, but for whatever reason, were not.

The main thing is, as others have said, the training program (IST and location specific training) are hard going at times. There is no medal for turning up, the standards to be reached are high for a reason. However, if you apply yourself, work with those around you and ask for help if you are struggling with something, you will succeed.

 

[vinoboxer]

On my IST a few years back, we had one candidate (From a class of 9) fail the course and have to join the next one, which he promptly failed again and was let go. New trainees I have worked with suggest a similar rate of failure.

With regards to signallers who have passed IST and then been removed from the job in the first year, I know of 2, both of whom had underlying issues which should have been picked up sooner, but for whatever reason, were not.

The main thing is, as others have said, the training program (IST and location specific training) are hard going at times. There is no medal for turning up, the standards to be reached are high for a reason. However, if you apply yourself, work with those around you and ask for help if you are struggling with something, you will succeed.

Care to elaborate on the guys that passed IST but were removed from the job? Are we talking disciplinary stuff or something else?

 

[AJay55]

To add that on a fixed residents roster, which have ‘spare’ shifts built in, they have fixed start and finish times but no assigned panel/workstation. You cannot be moved from the assigned shift times on a fixed roster unless it’s with mutual agreement.

Thank you. Very helpful

 

[Napier]

Definitely this! You will need your weekends to recover before the week starts again. It's only a few months to put your friends and social life on hold for the sake of an amazing job for possible the rest of your working life - totally worth it.

Amazing job?

Nothing amazing about it TBH.

 

[JH9]

Amazing job?

Nothing amazing about it TBH.

Please expand

 

[Napier]

Please expand

Roster is crap, grading of boxes doesn't reflect workload you deal with, management are brought up as the tickbox cult, the platitudes NR project don't actually mean anything when they need to get the job covered at all costs, they refuse to look at why they have massive staff turnover in some areas, the start of every CP we seem to get a new CEO who thinks they are the first the reinvent the wheel, they look for waste in the wrong areas.

I have noticed previous comments on the thread about resident signallers being on general purpose relief shifts. Does anyone know how that works, ie if this covers both days and nights it must be nigh on imlossible to plan anything outside of work on those weeks and you might then be faced with a day shift one day and then a night shift the next going into just two rest days? What happens of there is no leave or sickness to cover on those days? All very confusing

Have a read of the NRP it gives you all the rest times etc etc.

 

[AJay55]

Roster is crap, grading of boxes doesn't reflect workload you deal with, management are brought up as the tickbox cult, the platitudes NR project don't actually mean anything when they need to get the job covered at all costs, they refuse to look at why they have massive staff turnover in some areas, the start of every CP we seem to get a new CEO who thinks they are the first the reinvent the wheel, they look for waste in the wrong areas.


Have a read of the NRP it gives you all the rest times etc etc.

Will do. Is the massive staff turner applicable to the signaller role?

Will do. Is the massive staff turner applicable to the signaller role?

*turnover*

 

[DrTrickDish]

Hi all,

Newbie here! Anyone with any experience of Rugby ROC? Got my medical on 8th Jan, no start date as yet but believe I'll be in Milton Keynes for IST

 

[Kraken]

Amazing job?

Nothing amazing about it TBH.

I think it’s an amazing job. I work on my tod in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature. I only see my boss about once a month and when I do he mostly sorts my requests and gripes out. Every shift I go home and forget about trains and work until it’s time for the next shift, no fretting about the project that I need to send out by the end of the week. I get 8 days off in a row every four weeks and, once things like overtime and holiday pay supplement is factored in, the pay is extraordinary for an entry level job with no qualifications required. I’ve never read so many books or drunk so many cups of tea as I have in the last 3 years.

Sure it’s not all roses - I do sometimes crave somebody to chat rubbish to in the office and those 12hr nights can get punishing - but overall this is by far my favourite job I’ve ever had. I’m sure there are jobs out there in signalling I wouldn’t like (I don’t particularly fancy working in a ROC at the moment) but the lifestyle in single-manned AB boxes suits me to a T.

 

[Equalizer]

Hi All
I'm starting next week without any ist dates assigned. I've still not heard from lom about what is going to happen on 1st day or where to even show up and what to wear etc..

I've been given the online training materials which will only unlock to access next week when I start.

Can anyone advise what is going to happen on first day and what to wear please.

I'm not used to such last minute communications before starting a new job as I like to plan in advance the day and also my travel to location in order to make a good impression . Lolz

 

[Lpf93]

Hi All
I'm starting next week without any ist dates assigned. I've still not heard from lom about what is going to happen on 1st day or where to even show up and what to wear etc..

I've been given the online training materials which will only unlock to access next week when I start.

Can anyone advise what is going to happen on first day and what to wear please.

I'm not used to such last minute communications before starting a new job as I like to plan in advance the day and also my travel to location in order to make a good impression . Lolz

I’d call HR and find out from them. Have you had any emails sent with information on them? (Check junk) as this should have been sent possibly a few weeks before.

Jeans/trousers and non sports tops were fine when I was there in July but could be different (I’ll try and find the email and send it to you for what to wear).

First couple of days will just be a bit of an introduction and some of NWR HR policies I imagine but could be different again for the shorter course.

Speak to your LOM and the roster department. They should have sorted your hotel/train tickets out already

 

[Equalizer]

I’d call HR and find out from them. Have you had any emails sent with information on them? (Check junk) as this should have been sent possibly a few weeks before.

Jeans/trousers and non sports tops were fine when I was there in July but could be different (I’ll try and find the email and send it to you for what to wear).

First couple of days will just be a bit of an introduction and some of NWR HR policies I imagine but could be different again for the shorter course.

Speak to your LOM and the roster department. They should have sorted your hotel/train tickets out already

Hi and thanks mate

So basically I got an email a week ago with start date and employee number and name of lom with them cc in email.

But they said the lom will be in contact closer to time. I didn't want come across pushy so haven't emailed the lom yet.

And no nothing in spam or text or any calls were made to me.

Ist wise as far as I'm aware is all up in the air atm. All I've been given is access to the online training which can't be accessed until next week.