Rail construction and maintenance operatives

£39,629

Average salary

Average annual salary UK 2020 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

47 hours

Average weekly hours

Average weekly hours UK 2019 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

5.71%

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate UK 2020 | Labour Force Survey

Definition: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

*SOC Code (Standard Occupational Classification): 8143

Rail construction and maintenance operatives lay, re-lay, repair and examine railway track and maintain surrounding areas.

Common tasks include:

patrols length of track and visually inspects rails, bolts, fishplates and chairs for distortion or fracture;
checks tightness of bolts and wedges, replaces damaged rail chairs and repacks ballast under sleepers if necessary;
lubricates points, examines fences, drains, culverts and embankments and carries out any necessary maintenance;
spreads ballast and lays sleepers or metal plates at specified intervals;
positions lengths of rail, sets of points and crossovers and secures rail with bolts, wooden wedges or clips;
fastens together sections of rail by bolting fishplates to rails.

Qualifications

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Off- and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Rail Transport Engineering are available at Levels 2 and 3.

*Introduced in 1990, SOC is a multi-purpose common classification of occupations in UK. Jobs are defined in terms of skill level and skill content, including qualifications, training and work experience.

Employment status: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

Regional employment: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

Future employment: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

Top 12 industries: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

Alternative & related job titles: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

Patrol (railways) Roadsman (mining) Man, road (mining) Engineer, ultrasonic (railway maintenance and repair) Trackman (mine: not coal) Examiner, track Constructor, way, permanent Inspector, line (railways) Patrolman (railway maintenance and repair) Lengthman (railway maintenance and repair) Inspector, ultrasonic (railways) Patrolman (railways) Installer, way, permanent Detector, flaw, rail, ultrasonic Engineer, ultrasonic (railways) Trackman (railway maintenance and repair) Man, maintenance (railway maintenance and repair) Examiner, bridge (railways) Man, way, permanent Lengthman (railways) Relayer (railway maintenance and repair) Man, maintenance, track (railways) Layer, track Layer, rail Trackman (railways) Wagonwayman Layer, road (railway maintenance and repair) Examiner, bridge (railway maintenance and repair) Hand, maintenance (railway maintenance and repair) Operator, detector, flaw, rail, ultra Railman (coal mine) Relayer (railways) Repairer, railway Setter, road Layer, plate Operator, ultrasonic (railway maintenance and repair) Patrol (railway maintenance and repair) Man, maintenance (transport: railways) Sub-inspector (railways: engineering) Layer, road (railways) Repairer, road (mine: not coal) Sub-inspector (railway maintenance and repair) Operator, ultrasonic (railways) Man, maintenance, track (railway maintenance and repair) Layer, block (mine) Inspector, ultrasonic (railway maintenance and repair) Worker, maintenance, track, rail

Equality focus: Rail construction and maintenance operatives

Breaking down the official government big data sources by gender, age and region. Hours and pay data based on full time equlivalent roles.