Train Service Controller

[WestRiding]

I have noticed on Northerns website, that this is a vacancy. The wage is very good, but does that include Sundays etc, and would it be beneficial to try going to see the job at York in action, or would this not be possible before applieing?

 

[BestWestern]

Very unlikely you would be granted access to Northern's control centre. This job is very intense, can involve a lot of pressure in times of disruption, and requires a 24 hour shift pattern seven days a week - if the trains are running, there is somebody on the control desk. It is likely to be a flat salary with no enhancements I would think.

In short, the Controller is generally responsible for making direct decisions on how to keep trains moving, both day to day and when it goes belly up. It requires sharp organisational abilities, a talent for teamwork and liasing with numerous other staff and agencies, and the knack of holding it all together in a tight spot. It's also a safety critical post and entails all that comes with it (drug and alcohol requirements, etc).

 

[Tomnick]

Group visits have certainly been arranged to various Controls in the past, sometimes for outsiders to the industry, so it can be done - especially for someone who knows when to keep quiet and out of the way.

I've briefly visited the Control office of one of our TOCs on a couple of occasions in the past, and they were very busy indeed...watching Deal or No Deal!

 

[A-driver]

Group visits have certainly been arranged to various Controls in the past, sometimes for outsiders to the industry, so it can be done - especially for someone who knows when to keep quiet and out of the way.

I've briefly visited the Control office of one of our TOCs on a couple of occasions in the past, and they were very busy indeed...watching Deal or No Deal!

I know control visits have been requested by passengers on my toc before and your last sentence is part of the problem-control rooms tend to have two modes-everything calm with staff sitting around doing nothing (overpaid lazy staff...) and then all if a sudden absolute chaos when 2 people are trying to field calls from 75 ground staff, deal with signallers, senior managers, get info out, make decisions etc so neither suitable for visitors!

 

[Tomnick]

Properly supervised, and standing very quietly out of the way, I think it'd be a useful exercise to let some of the doubters see how chaotic it is when it all kicks off - staff and punters alike. I'm as guilty as most when trying to get a sensible answer from Control when it's all going wrong - it's frustrating, but less so if you take a moment to think about how many others are asking similar questions!

 

[LBSCR Times]

And then there are Controllers and Controllers......
When all hell breaks loose, some just get on with the job in hand, while others make so much noise, that you wonder if anything does get done!
Yes, organised groups often visit the Controls, especially rail users groups.
Also staff on the ground do. FCC Driver Managers used to bring (Thameslink) drivers in to the Controls, usually on one of their rare briefing days, to meet the face behind the phone. So it can be possible, if you work within the industry.

 

[Sammy h]

Always been interested in control, but nothing has ever come up internally with Virgin. I might put in a speculative application, although I only have on board and booking office experience so I wont be getting my hopes up.

 

[WestRiding]

I work for Network Rail already so can have access to York IECC, so could maybe arrange it through Network Rail, who work alongside Northern.

 

[JCLeeds]

I am very interested in applying for this; am outside the industry but am keen to get in to this, especially with Northern due to my location. Can anyone help me with what they are looking for? I have previously applied last year for trainee driver with Northern, I passed the driver interview and got as far as a borderline pass on the old reaction test (borderline pass = fail unfortunately)

Will that application be a negative or positive when applying for this? Are there any similarities with the driver application process?

Any advice or insight hugely appreciated, thanks

 

[wensley]

It's a really interesting working environment, with my role I have and still do visit NR/TOC Controls. I also spent a period working on one of the control floors at a TOC, but not as a Controller.

It's certainly true that the situation can change in an instance, and it can be a very stressful environment during disruption. However, if you like a challenge, not knowing what the next phone call will bring, and are good at problem solving then I'd recommend giving it a go!

 

[western Champion]

Always been interested in control, but nothing has ever come up internally with Virgin. I might put in a speculative application, although I only have on board and booking office experience so I wont be getting my hopes up.

One of the girls off on board catering at Wolves recently got a job as a route manager in Control. She had a detachment for a couple of weeks to see if it was what she wanted to do then when a vacancy came up she applied and got it.

Speak to your manager about it. I'd imagine it's possible for Resources at Preston as well.

Oh and I've been in Control and Resources when it's gone "tits up" and believe me they earn their money.

 

[G0ORC]

Group visits have certainly been arranged to various Controls in the past, sometimes for outsiders to the industry, so it can be done - especially for someone who knows when to keep quiet and out of the way.

I've briefly visited the Control office of one of our TOCs on a couple of occasions in the past, and they were very busy indeed...watching Deal or No Deal!

I can speak with over 30 years experience in controls in various posts including Control Manager, Operations Manager and PSB manager I can tell you that I would be delighted to see the controllers reading the newspaper - although I'm not too sure about them watching TV though!.

It translates into meaning that the job is going well - as simple as that.

However, when the s**t hits the fan the control staff earn their money, believe me. Its no job for the faint-hearted - I know lots of people who loved it (I did myself) but a fair few who couldn't take the pressure. You really don't know what the next phone call will bring.

Its not the sort of job for everyone and I certainly wouldn't expect someone with no operational knowledge or experience to get a post in a control room be that TOC, FOC or NR. I have great respect for the controllers, it can be the easiest job in the world and in a split second become the hardest.

Calm under pressure you have to be but the main quality for me is being able to make a decision. Changing events have a nasty habit of turning a good decision or strategy into a bad one and I would never criticise a controller for making a bad decision - just for not making a decision at all and letting a situation drift.

I loved the work but I was glad to get out into retirement - its much quieter!

 

[Tomnick]

I can speak with over 30 years experience in controls in various posts including Control Manager, Operations Manager and PSB manager I can tell you that I would be delighted to see the controllers reading the newspaper - although I'm not too sure about them watching TV though!

Don't get me wrong, there was no criticism intended on my part - I appreciate the frequent and sudden transition from calm to chaos! I do think, as touched upon above, it'd be very useful for the staff on the ground to occasionally spend some time in their own Control (and vice-versa) - I gather that there's a bit of a push at the moment to get us signalling types released every now and again for just that purpose - and also for drivers and signalmen to spend a bit of time in each other's working environment.

I'd certainly agree that plenty of knowledge and experience really ought to be a must for any Controller - it really does help, when trying to explain a complicated situation to them, if they know the geography of the line in question, what moves are possible with the signalling and so on.

 

[G0ORC]

Don't get me wrong, there was no criticism intended on my part - I appreciate the frequent and sudden transition from calm to chaos! I do think, as touched upon above, it'd be very useful for the staff on the ground to occasionally spend some time in their own Control (and vice-versa) - I gather that there's a bit of a push at the moment to get us signalling types released every now and again for just that purpose - and also for drivers and signalmen to spend a bit of time in each other's working environment.

I'd certainly agree that plenty of knowledge and experience really ought to be a must for any Controller - it really does help, when trying to explain a complicated situation to them, if they know the geography of the line in question, what moves are possible with the signalling and so on.

Don't worry, I didn't take it as a criticism of controllers and I'm sure that most reasonable people will appreciate what they do.

As far as getting some ideas of each others operational problems I could not agree more.

At one time there was a culture of us and them but after being approached by a local Drivers' Manager, we hosted many visits to Power Boxes by drivers from any number of depots in the 90s and the feedback we got was wholly positive. Similarly getting controllers and signallers to ride out with drivers was one of the best things we did then.

Personally I gained a whole new breadth of knowledge and respect from the ride-outs that I did and so did the signallers - one signaller told me he'd gained more appreciation of what a driver does and the difficulties he/she has from one ride out on a heavy oil train than he had had in 25 years in a signalbox.

I'm very glad to see that it still happens.

 

[Tomnick]

I'm very glad to see that it still happens.

Sadly it doesn't happen very much at the moment, around here at least; it's something that they seem keen to restart though, which is encouraging. Hopefully that'll develop to allow us to get out for cab rides more often, and vice-versa - given the almost continual interaction between the two roles, it's unfortunate that we each have so little appreciation of the problems that the other faces.

 

[JCLeeds]

Interesting from everyone here with experience, it does sound like something I would like to do. Does anyone know anything about the application process, with Northern? Is it anything like the trainee driver process?

 

[Suraggu]

I have applied for this role as it is the career I wanted to do, Ive been in the railway for some years now in many different roles including a control position and you soon realise why they are paid so much.

It isn't a job for the faint hearted, it isn't a job so that you can play with your giant train set. Putting a 142 on a Leeds -Nottingham express vice 158 will not look good in a non emergency situation. Being able to keep cool and work with other parties to deliver the best train service for the customers and your colleagues. They are paid because when the crap hits the fan you have yo keep cool and carm and that can be very hard to do in an environment where people are shouting and information is being thrown around extremely quickly.

I will also say Northerns application is asking for a lot more detail than other applications I have filled out in the past.

Whoever gets this job will be extremely lucky and be able to cope with the sheer amount of pressure to deliver when things go wrong.

 

[WestRiding]

142 on Leeds - Nottingham. Not allowed, so that would look bad.

 

[fabs]

Hi

Have just joined this forum, it looks to be a useful area to gain advice. I too have just applied for the Train Service Controller job in York. I have a friend who does a similar job for London Underground and he is surprised they haven’t recruited internally for this post (he did caveat that with he got his job being an external candidate). I just wanted to ask those that are in the industry ‘What are the chances?’ My background is military Air Traffic Control; I have only just (2 days ago) discussed with the wife and made the decision to try to settle in my current area permanently. I hope I get through the paper sift as the application was a bit of a rush and may show as I didn’t really fully ‘civilianise’ some of my answers. Fingers crossed.
I wonder if anyone has any assessment day tips (just in case I get through), I last did an aptitude test and selection process in 1995! I imagine I need to research the company as much as possible. Do I need to practise my speed/distance/time stuff again etc?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Suraggu]

Email from Northern today, "thanks but no thanks". No bother Il stick with East Coast