Railway Jobs

If you are thinking about working for a rail company then this guide to railway jobs should make it easier to decide if this option will really suit you. There are various options open to you here with various types of company. Since the railways denationalised various organisations have moved into the sector so you could, for example, find yourself working for:

A rail company (i.e. a company that operates one or more rail lines).
A national company that works on the railway network (i.e. National Rail or Network Rail).
A local contractor (i.e. a company that supplies manpower and services to railway companies).

The kinds of jobs available on UK railways vary. Typical options here include:

Rail staff - for example, people who work on trains/lines such as drivers, guards, signalling staff, catering staff and cleaners and people who work for a rail company (but not on a train) such as ticket office staff, station staff and telesales/admin specialists.
Maintenance staff - for example, people who work to keep trains and rail lines in good working order such as engineers, health and safety specialists, surveyors, construction specialists, planners and maintenance and building crews.

Most hands-on railway jobs may not need you to have specific previous experience (although this may well be helpful in getting you a job in the first place). Many rail companies and related contractors will give on the job training for new recruits.