Location
Appleby, GB
Department Name
BJ TME Appleby Indirect G2
About Network Rail
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Network Rail operates and maintains the railway infrastructure 24/7 365 days a year. Our purpose is to connect people and goods with where they need to be and our vision is for a simpler, better, greener railway.
The North West route is part of the North West and Central region and runs from Cheshire in the south to Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Cumbria in the North, with the two Northern Powerhouse cities of Liverpool and Manchester on the route, as well as the tourist destinations of Blackpool and the Lake District.
Major stations across the route include Crewe, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly.
We're a very busy region, with 1.3 million passengers travelling on our rails every weekday, and 700,000 tonnes of freight moved a week. With 571 stations in the North West & Central region, we make up a quarter of Britain's railway system.
For us, '
Diversity'
means recognising differences between people while valuing the contribution they make. '
Inclusion'
means creating safe and welcoming workplaces with fair cultures that encourages innovative and fresh ways of thinking.
We value the commitments you may have outside of work and will consider flexible and hybrid working applications. If we can make it work – we will
Please click here for more information
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Brief Description
Are you interested in Track Maintenance?
Do you enjoy hands on problem solving, fault finding and inspection?
Then this might be a role for you
We are looking to recruit for Operatives on an 18 month fixed-term basis within our Track team based out of our depot located in Appleby-in-Westmorland.
As part of the role, you will undertake inspection, faulting, track maintenance and track renewal. An Operative is the first step in a Track maintenance career but there are progression opportunities into Technician then Team Leader roles and above.
Tr
ack maintenance offers a dynamic and diverse role based on mechanical engineering skills. There is a variety in tasks, from walking the tracks to finding faults to taking the track apart and putting back together, in a limited timeframe, to ensure the trains can begin running as scheduled once the work is completed. This ensures that no two days are the same.
You will be working on tasks such as:
* Track inspection – walking the tracks to find faults and fix before they become an issue
* Track maintenance – attending faults identified by the track recording vehicles and carrying out manual repairs
* Support OTM's – provide support to on track machines such as tampers and stoneblowers
We value individuals with transferable skills, a willingness to learn and want to develop new skills. This includes people who have experience with:
* General labouring skills, such as using petrol powered machinery
* Mechanical problem-solving, for example car mechanics or metal working
* Basic IT knowledge, such as using an iPad
Whether you're new to the field or bringing experience from another technical discipline, there are plenty of opportunities for growth and advancement within Network Rail.
Please Note: There will be a requirement to work on call in this role. These contracts are for 18 months but may have the potential to become permanent.
About The Role (External)
You'll be responsible for maintaining, inspecting and repairing the track network, (also known as the Permanent Way or P-Way) to keep the railway safe and efficient.This is a very manual role as you'll be working with rails, sleepers and ballast that support the trains, together with their associated drainage and ancillary structures.
Operative Position
- You will be a key member of the team, carrying out tasks as directed by the Team Leader. You'll be responsible for ensuring that work is completed safely, efficiently, and to the required standards.
You'll also check that vehicles, plant, tools, equipment and materials under your control are fit for use and are used/stored and disposed of correctly.
This role is essential for maintaining the smooth functioning of operations, and it sets the foundation for career progression into more technical or leadership roles within Track.
Essential Criteria
* Able to work as part of team
* Able and willing to drive vehicles as required by business need
* Have interest or experience in Mechanical Engineering
* Be willing to work outdoors in all weather types at any time of the day
* We willing to learn and maintain competence from a variety of differing training methods
* Desire to always improve yourself and make things better
Desirable Criteria
* Already hold a valid PTS
* Hold qualifications of Mechanical engineering from either further education or from previous employment, or be able to demonstrate these principles from experience
This role involves days, nights and weekend working, and is a safety critical role so subject to drug and alcohol testing and passing of the relevant medical assessment.
You must also live within a 60 minute driving distance from the location you will be working from.
How To Apply (External)
We are a Disability Confident Leader and want to make the most of the skills and talents disabled people bring to the workplace -skills and talents we need in our business Click here for more information
Salary and benefits:
* Salary as below per role:
* Operative IMC25: £31,444
* Pro-rata annual leave entitlement
* My benefits – our discounted online shopping site
* A range of discounted offers including, childcare vouchers, healthcare offers – cycle to work, healthcare club discounted membership and other benefits
* Subsidies of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets
* 75% discount on leisure travel
* A choice of contributory pension schemes
* 2 weeks paid reserve leave for our Armed Forces community
Want to find out about what fantastic benefits we offer? Find out here
Network Rail adheres to a
structured pay framework
, any salary offered will be within the pay range advertised.
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information
Closing date: 29th September 2025. Assessment Centre's will take place on for these roles on week commencing 15th October 2025 in Appleby.
Safe behaviour
is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision
We will endeavour to offer a diverse interview panel wherever possible.
Drugs & Alcohol test:
All prospective candidates offered a conditional role will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5 year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced.