Network Rail’s Southern Region is worked hard to keep control centres and signal boxes open 24/7, despite losing staff to self-isolation and sickness during the coronavirus crisis.

However, there is a great need to keep trains running day and night to allow key workers to get to their jobs and food from across the country.

Therefore, Network Rail wants to retrain former staff to provide backup.

Controllers and local managers who are qualified signallers are already back in signal boxes across Network Rail’s Kent, Sussex and Wessex Routes.

Any former professional signallers interested in helping the railway should email [email protected]

What did the officials say?

Network Rail’s managing director for Southern Region, John Halsall, said:

“This region carries half of all passengers in the country and Channel Tunnel railfreight and the pressure is on us to keep that going more than ever before. I’m appealing for signallers who’ve retired, left the railway, or moved on to other jobs in Network Rail that they can take a break from, to come back and help us keep the south moving.

“Under normal circumstances we have enough signallers to keep trains running whatever happens, from flu to winter colds season, but these are not normal circumstances and without signallers to route trains there will be no way we can keep the whole network open.

“So if you can help us, get in touch.”

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