Ground Staff (Crewe)

Colas Rail UK; Crewe; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

26 days Annual Leave

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

Job summary

Colas Rail UK is seeking an experienced ground staff member to prepare freight trains and wagons for service. You will support train movements, conduct safety checks, and assist with brake testing, documentation and hand points as required.

The role involves mentoring junior staff, shift work including nights, and a commitment to a safe, compliant railway environment across defined routes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a train preparer or similar rail role.
• Strong knowledge of safety standards and Personal Track Safety.
• Understanding of rail regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience with freight train operations and load examinations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare freight trains and wagons for service.
• Dispose of trains and wagons when not in service or unattended.
• Assist train driver with brake continuity testing.
• Mentor and train other ground staff as required by leadership.

Skills

Train preparation

Safety compliance

Rail regulations

Freight operations

Rolling stock inspection

Job description

Make your mark with Colas Rail UK

At Colas Rail, differences matter. Join a team where being your authentic self is respected, encouraged, and vital to our success. At Colas Rail you'll be at home. You'll be welcomed into an inclusive team where there's a role for every talent and a close-knit, familial culture. You will also get the opportunity to help us transform transportation, set new standards, and dare to be different.

This is true because

• We value everyone as part of the same team.
• We treat everyone as equals - and everyone is approachable, from the CEO down.
• We put you in control of your career to lead and grow in any way you want.
• We have a culture of care, from safe working environments to diversity and inclusion.
• We're renowned for innovation, adopting new ideas, and daring to be different.
• We are building a more sustainable future and our projects impact infrastructure for generations.

About Us

Step into the world of Colas Rail, where a century of expertise merges with a daring spirit to shape the future of rail infrastructure. At Colas Rail, we deliver transport solutions for sustainable mobility. We are a leading rail infrastructure business with on track plant and freight capabilities. As a subsidiary of the Colas Group, we are part of over a hundred years' experience in delivering major innovations across our sector. Every day, thousands of trains run on tracks built, designed, or maintained by Colas Rail.

Leading by our Values

Our values, Respect, Commitment, Pioneering and Sharing are at the heart of everything we do. These values feed into our main strategies and accompany us daily in realising our ambitions.

We Respect

our employees, celebrate diversity and foster a culture of safety, care and respect for everyone we interact with. We care about our employee’s wellbeing and create an environment of inclusivity and support.

We Commit

by showing up wholeheartedly. When we commit together, we invest in everyone’s success. We invest in our customers, our teams and our colleagues, and we lead with safety, integrity, passion, purpose, ethics and transparency.

We Share

as we all hold knowledge that could and should be shared, enabling us to grow and making us a strong collective. We have a passion for excellence, celebrating achievements and nurturing talent.

We Pioneer

to push boundaries, imagine what does not yet exist and dare to do what others do not. We innovate with ambition, and we find solutions.

Purpose of the Role

To prepare freight trains for service, facilitate movements to/from the operational Railway, and control freight train movements, in a defined area of responsibility, in a safe and timely manner. Assist Principle Ground Staff and training team with inductions, mentoring, training and assessing other ground staff as required.

Key Responsibilities

• 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
• Undertake mentoring, training, assessing and briefing other ground staff as directed by Delivery manager and rostering/training teams.
• 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.
• 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.

Person Specification

• Experienced train preparer to meet current industry standards.
• Personal Track Safety.
• Rules and Regulations competent.
• Freight Train Operations, Loading and Rolling Stock Examination.
• Ability to work various shift patterns including nights, weekends and bank holidays.
• Prepared to lodge away from home, when required.
• Professionalism when dealing with other individuals within the company, clients and members of the public.
• 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 changing surroundings.
• A proven safety record and the ability to work with little direct supervision.
• Challenges un-safe working practices.

What we Offer

• Competitive Salary
• 26 days Annual Leave
• 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

We’d particularly encourage applications from women, or those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diversity drives innovation and creativity, and we actively seek to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, heard, valued and respected. Regardless of background, disability, age, race, religion, or gender, everyone is welcome at Colas Rail.

We strive to promote equity and eliminate discrimination, actively seeking to create a workforce reflective of communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, offering flexible and inclusive adjustments to the interview process.

As part of a positive action drive to address under-representation we encourage applications from women, ethnically diverse individuals and people with disabilities, along with all candidates who identify with protected characteristic groups under the Equality Act 2010.

We are proudly part of the Disability Confidence Scheme, and as such we operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme if you meet the minimum requirements.

On joining Colas Rail you’ll have access to our growing Employee Network Groups including Railbow (representing the LGBTQ+ community), BeyonDisability (representing those with disabilities) and Cross Culture (representing people from ethnic backgrounds). Everyone is welcome to join our network groups whether you are part of the community or an ally.

Work life balance is important to us; flexible working options are available where feasible and dependant on the role. Please discuss this during the interview process.