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Railway Signaller

Do you want to become a Railway Signaller? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

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Railway signallers work from small control rooms known as signal boxes, and are responsible for the safe movement of trains into and out of their control area. Signals range from the old semaphore type, operated by hand, to modern, power operated signals, operated by pressing buttons or computer keys. All signallers:

• work from a daily train plan that gives them information about diversions, timetable changes, engineering work and routes
• set a route for each train, using signals to send information out to the equipment on the ground - this controls all the points on the route that they want the train to take
• alert the signal box ahead that the train is on its way, either automatically via a computer or by manually ringing a bell
• communicate, usually by telephone or radio, with train drivers and maintenance workers, and let their area control room know if there are any problems.

Signallers usually work 36 hours a week. They work a shift pattern that can include early starts, nights and late finishes as well as weekend and bank holiday work. Signal boxes can be small and based at the side of the track or a level crossing, or be a larger control room based at a station or busy junction.

Salaries range from £20,000 for new signallers to more than £40,000 for signallers at the highest grades.

A railway signaller should have:

• an eye for detail, as well as an ability to concentrate at all times
• an interest in trains, signalling systems, timetables and the railway industry
• a willingness to follow instructions and to handle responsibility
• a good awareness of safety issues.
• Railway signallers work for Network Rail based in signal boxes throughout the UK.

Signallers need to be at least 18 years of age on entry. No formal academic qualifications are required, but good reading, writing and number skills are important. Signallers also need to have good or corrected eyesight, normal colour vision and good hearing. The recruitment process is stringent.

Signallers undertake an initial full-time training course at a signalling school, which lasts nine weeks. After this they train mainly in signal boxes. They usually start on less complicated boxes and, with training and assessment, move into more complex signalling work. Some work towards NVQ/SVQ in Rail Transport Operations (Signal Operations) at Level 2. Network Rail offers a railway operations Apprenticeship.

Promotion is possible to higher grades and then onto the supervisory job of senior signaller, and on into management. Signallers can also move into the more specialised job of control room operator, monitoring the position of every train on the network from a high-tech control room.

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