SOC 2020 · 8153
Rail construction and maintenance operatives
Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations from
Skilled Worker
Not eligible
No Skilled Worker route through this code.
Salary floor
£41,700
The higher of the going rate and the general threshold.
Shortage lists
Not listed
This code is on neither the Immigration Salary List nor the Temporary Shortage List.
What this occupation actually pays
ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, full-time gross annual pay.
- UK pay for this occupation
View these figures as a table
| Percentile | Pay |
|---|---|
| 25th | £39,848 |
| 50th | £46,403 |
| 75th | £54,541 |
| Region | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK 2025 | — | £39,848 | £46,403 | £54,541 | — |
| East 2025 | — | — | £54,210 | — | — |
| East Midlands 2025 | — | — | £42,059 | — | — |
| London 2025 | — | — | £43,505 | — | — |
| North West 2025 | — | — | £40,881 | — | — |
Job titles in this code
What the work involves
Rail construction and maintenance operatives lay, re-lay, repair and examine railway track and maintain surrounding areas.
Typical tasks
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
Entry routes and qualifications
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Rail Engineering and apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3 are available.