Occupation 8234 · Process, plant and machine operatives
Rail transport operatives assist drivers in the operation of passenger and goods trains, drive locomotive engines in coal mines, guide wagons and coaches in marshalling yards and sidings to make up trains, operate signals and points to control the movement of rail traffic, and monitor the operation of surface and underground railways.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Candidates may be required to have good hearing, eyesight, and normal colour vision and pass a medical examination for entry to some posts. Training is initially undertaken in training centres, followed by practical experience on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in Rail Services are available at level 2 and 3.
Protection master · Railway worker · Shunter · Signalman (railways) · Transport supervisor (railways)
| Measure | Hours | Basis | Period | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 12,800.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 13,100.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 13,700.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | — | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate and confidence interval not available since the group sample size is zero or disclosive (0-2) |
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 600.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 13,700.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | — | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500 |
ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.
| Region | Measure | Hours | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 2,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| East Midlands | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 1,300.00 | 2026-03 |
| London | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 2,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| North East | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| North West | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 900.00 | 2026-03 |
| Northern Ireland | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| Scotland | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 600.00 | 2026-03 |
| South East | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 3,600.00 | 2026-03 |
| South West | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 900.00 | 2026-03 |
| Wales | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| West Midlands | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 8234 : Rail transport operatives | None | 1,300.00 | 2026-03 |
ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 8 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.
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