Position: Trainee Ground Staff
Location: Doncaster
Division: Rail Services
Safety Critical Status: Safety Critical
Reporting to: Delivery Manager
Post Deputy: As per Roster
Purpose of Role
After successful completion of training:
To prepare freight trains for service, facilitate movements to/from the operational Railway and control freight train movements in a defined area of responsibility.
Key Areas of Responsibility & Accountability
After successfully completing training, you will undertake the following duties
- Ensure freight train and associated wagons are correctly prepared for service.
- Ensure freight train and associated wagons are correctly disposed of when not in service and /or left unattended.
- Assist train driver with brake continuity testing.
- Complete train documentation e.g. Train preparation certificate, Train certificate of readiness and up-date T.O.P.S as required.
- Carry out shunting and train preparation duties, including Coupling/uncoupling of wagons and locomotives.
- Carry out load examination duties to railway industry standards.
- Carry out shunting and train preparation duties, including
- Operate ground frames and hand points as required to facilitate train movements.
- Undertake technical examination of rolling stock.
- Assist maintenance/servicing staff undertaking maintenance/servicing activities, as required where competent.
- Work various shift patterns including nights, weekends and bank holidays.
- Must be prepared to lodge away from home, when required.
- Ensure the highest level of professionalism when dealing with other individuals within the company, clients and members of the public.
- Be proactive and tenacious towards health and safety.
- Able to work in a logical manner, good communication, commercially aware with the ability to remain vigilant in charging surroundings.
- Detaching crippled or unsafe rolling stock including unsafe or dangerous loads.
- A proven safety record and the ability to work with little direct supervision.
- Challenging un-safe working practices.
- Meeting and keeping up to date with all industry standards.
- Ensuring the highest level of safety at all times, not taking risks or short cuts at any time no matter how routine the task is.
- Communicate with others involved with train movements/operations to ensure all parties have a clear understanding of the task.
- Check and double check all basic processes e.g. points, routes, brakes Scotches, loads, fouling points and speed.
- Working shifts and reporting any fatigue or other issues to your line manager than may affect the safe operation of trains.
- Being prepared to deal with any out of course incidents.
- Act in a courteous and professional manner at all times.
- As you will expect the organisation may change from time to time and you will be expected to meet the operational requirements.
- Any other reasonable duties as required from time to time.
Report Preparation, after successful completion of training
- Wagon defect reports.
- Incident reports.
- Train preparers log books and report forms.
Ad Hoc reporting as requested.
Person Specification
The job holder will have
- Experienced train preparer to meet current industry standards.
- Personal Track Safety.
- Rules and Regulations competent.
- Freight Train Operations, Loading and Rolling Stock Examination.
And what do we offer?
At Colas Rail we know how important job satisfaction is for everyone to support with life at home, your health and financial well-being, that's why in return we offer:
- Competitive Salary
- Company funded Job Use Van
- Business Fuel Card* (for business fuel purchases only)
- Industry leading Life Assurance
- Healthcare Cash Plan
- Wellbeing Employee Assistant Programme
- Pension Scheme
- Eye Care Vouchers
- Long Service Award
- Season Ticket Loan
- Occupational Health Service
About Us
Joining Colas Rail UK provides the opportunity to not only establish yourself within one of the rail industry's biggest and most prestigious, multi-disciplined contractors, providing you with a springboard that can take you career to new heights.
We take pride in nurturing talent and providing opportunities for you to unlock your potential at whatever stage you are in your career. We encourage cross-collaboration and innovation and if you are interested in learning Colas Rail will enable that.
Every day we work together safely to solve real problems, with a shared goal of enhancing the Infrastructure and Logistics which is key to the UK Rail Network and wider Supply Chain. Everyone here has a voice and we encourage all to speak up, discuss their ideas and implement them.
We are always looking for passionate people to join our business and with several bases across the UK, there are plenty of opportunities to join our vibrant, creative, and diverse teams.
Colas Rail hold three core values: Caring, Sharing and Daring. We take care our of our employees, always ensuring safety is a top priority and we nurture our collective wellbeing. We share a passion for what we do, celebrate our achievements and value high standards like nowhere else. We dare to take on new challenges, we are one of the international leaders in our industry. We keep on innovating, expanding, and conquering new markets.
The performance of Colas Rail UK is dependent upon improving and developing the skills and abilities of all employees, and our Equal Opportunities Policy, above all else, aims to achieve this objective.