Electrical Apprentice Jobs

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Electrification & Plant

It’s your line, you’ll keep power flowing through it and keep thousands of trains moving. And you’ll do it every day.

40% of our network is electrified and over 60% of all rail traffic is electric. So you can imagine the size and importance of our work. We not only maintain the power for these overhead lines and the electrified rail, we also have to make sure everything is done safely and efficiently. In addition, we take responsibility for all our fixed plant, including the generators, pumps and electrical supply systems.

Electrification & Plant can be divided into three areas: Contact Systems � which allows the train to pick up electrical current; Distribution � where we make sure that the power gets from the National Grid to the train; and Plant � which is all the fixed machinery that is used trackside to keep the railway running. In fact, there is a wide range of work, and you’ll get a good general insight into much of what we do. Also E&P is a massive part of our infrastructure � overall we use 1% of the electricity generated in the UK.

• What you’ll do

During the scheme you will work across a number of different areas to learn about the different facets of our network and become skilled in various disciplines.

Contact Systems

There are various tasks here. You could be measuring the height and stagger of Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) to make sure the OLE is aligned properly. If there’s an incident, you may be called upon to help get the line re-opened. All the time we carry out lineside inspections and repairs to ensure equipment is always working correctly. We also have to check and fix the bonding cables (the ones that lie on the ballast); and when engineering work is to be carried out, we have to carry out the isolations and earthings to make sure work can be done safely.

Distribution

This involves everything from installing and maintaining electrical supplies (mainly for overhead lines or conductor rails) and testing high-voltage protection systems, to inspecting and maintaining high and low voltage power supply equipment ? such as transformers, switchgear and cables. With the electrical supply operating in so many different areas, you could be working everywhere from swing bridges to signal boxes.

Plant

We also operate a large range of electrical and mechanical line side equipment to support the network. This includes electrical point heating to ensure that points do not freeze in winter; standby generators for back-up power for signalling equipment and control centres, track and tunnel drainage pumping systems; and electrical supplies to equipment rooms and signal boxes.