The rail network sees 4.7 million train journeys every single day in the UK – that’s a lot of travelling and that means, there’s a lot of maintenance needed. The safety, reliability and quality of the railway are paramount for passengers, employees and the entire rail network. Without reliable train services, safety will be at risk and delays will likely occur.
Rail track maintenance workers are in charge of a whole host of responsibilities. They’re a vital contributor to the safety and reliability of the railway and without them – the network wouldn’t run as smoothly. These sought-after opportunities are all over the rail industry as the future of rail has some INCREDIBLE developments looming.
In this post, we’re going to look at what rail track maintenance is, why it’s an important job, what the job role entails, who would be best suited to the role and how you can go about getting the appropriate experience and training for this role.
We’ll cover:
What is Rail Track Maintenance?
Rail track maintenance covers the day to day upkeep of the entire rail network. The maintenance workers ensure that the entire rail infrastructure is safe and reliable. This can include inspecting signalling and power supplies, tracks and bridges, embankments, fences, level crossings, surrounding area safety and more.
There are 40,000 bridges and tunnels, 9,000 level crossings and 9,941 miles (16,000 km) of railway tracks in Great Britain’s rail network – that’s a lot, so there’s going to be a lot of maintenance needed – it’s guaranteed.
Without rail track maintenance workers, obstacles and errors won’t be highlighted, the entire rail network would be at risk and delays would happen regularly. Railway maintenance helps ensure everyone travels on time and safely.
Not only do maintenance workers inspect the infrastructure but they also look for obstacles and problems occurring. They’re problem highlighters and solvers. They may look for worn areas of the railway, they may look for fallen objects on the line and they’ll ensure that in bad weather, the rail network is clear to run smoothly.
Rail track maintenance is a team effort and requires dedication, professionalism and high levels of concentration. The work is maintained in all weather conditions and it’s a hands-on role.
What Does The Job Entail?
This role offers diversity, flexibility and each day will offer a different challenge – meaning you’ll never be stagnant in this role and there’s always room for development. This is a team led role and you’d normally work in a small team and take instructions from a trained team leader. After you’ve finished training, you would then follow safe working practices to carefully protect you, your team and all of the passengers – safety is absolutely vital.
Where will you be working? This role is primarily outdoors in all weathers. But don’t worry, you’ll always be given protective clothing (reflective overalls, a hard hat and safety boots as an example) and the appropriate tools for the job. For this role, there’s a strict policy for drug and alcohol use so you could be tested at any given time.
In this role, your usual hours may vary between shifts and the current priorities and emergencies at that time. You might cover day shifts or you may do night times or weekends. In this role, it’s important to minimise inconvenience to travellers so work is usually scheduled around the quieter times on the rail. If you like to travel and explore, this role can open that opportunity too. Sometimes you may be expected to work away from home and be on call for sudden emergencies.
Day-to-day tasks could include:
- Install and renew track, tunnels, embankments, cuttings, level crossings and bridges.
- Measure tracks to check sections are at the correct distance apart and the right height.
- Inspect tracks for defects using specialised equipment.
- Report and clear potential obstacles.
- Survey sections of track to identify maintenance needs.
- Report accidents and incidents and identify occuring problems.
- Perform lookout and hand signalling duties during trackside operations.
- Carry out site surveys to check if repairs are needed.
Is This Job For You?
If you enjoy hands-on work, you have a flexible approach to working and you’re dedicated to helping solve problems – this could be the role for you. If you thrive off working in a team and like using challenging machinery, you’ll certainly enjoy this role.
Rail track maintenance workers use different tools daily such as picks, spades, pneumatic drills and more. You might be required to level, line and tamp machines and you may even need to mix and lay concrete sometimes. This is great if you like getting your hands dirty, working with team players and like the idea of making a positive difference on the rail network. Your work will always be appreciated and you’ll never be wasted that’s for sure.
With all roles in the rail industry, no previous experience is required – as long as you’re 19 years old or above an opportunity could be available after expert training. However, it is worth highlighting that you might already have some key skills and behaviours that will stand you in good stead for this role. These may also help you throughout your training too. Here are some of the key ones you should know:
- Be a problem solver: you thrive off providing solutions – this is essential across the network.
- Observation: this is essential for highlighting problems that could occur before they pose danger.
- Attention to detail: in this role, detail is paramount for the safety of others.
- The ability to use machinery: throughout this role you’ll be required to use machinery daily, whether that’s on your own or as a team. You’ll be trained to do this though.
- Team player: every task you carry out will be as a team, so this is vital.
- Be flexible and open to change: things can happen at any time on the rail network, so if you’re able to pivot with the demands, you’ll succeed.
- Physical skills: movement, coordination, grace, good eye sight, good hearing and good physical fitness will all be monitored to ensure the rail network is in the most capable hands.
- Computer skills: when it comes to recording threats or problems, this will need to be carried out on tech based equipment.
How To Become A Rail Track Maintenance Worker
Although this role may seem daunting, it doesn’t need to be – it’s exciting. With the correct training, the right expert support and the confidence to succeed, a promising career as a rail track maintenance worker could be yours. In the rail industry, growth and career development is always guaranteed with the proposed plans in place for the future.
Career progression is available in this role if that appeals to you. With experience and knowledge, you could be promoted from a supervisor to a team leader. With further training, you could even become a track inspector, engineering technician or you could even help with the future of the rail as a track designer and manager. The possibilities are endless!
So whether you’re starting out in your career or you’re wanting to reskill from a previous profession, there’s opportunities for everyone over the age of 19. All you’ll need is an attractive training opportunity that will help you secure a role in the rail industry. The recruitment process for this role always includes a medical. This includes tests to screen for drug and alcohol abuse, and tests for physical fitness, hearing, eyesight and colour vision.
Get On The Right Track With Your Career
Everyone deserves a career and role they thrive in. No matter your experience level, background or age – changing careers or starting your career can be daunting. It can provide some obstacles and sometimes, there may be questions that crop up. However, with an expert team on hand to provide you with all the information you need – you’ll feel reassured that the rail industry is exciting, prosperous and rewarding.
If you want to learn more about the other roles in the rail industry or how a typical progression plan could work in rail, we’ve got the resource for you! In our FREE downloadable you’ll learn everything you need to know about A Professional Rail Career Progression Plan and how you can kickstart your career today. Get on track, put yourself first and start doing some of the most rewarding work across the UK.
