EAL L3 Certificate in Traction & Rolling Stock Systems

This is a 15 day classroom and workshop based, tutor led course providing the introductory knowledge and practical skills for Service leavers considering a future role as a Traction and Rolling Stock Technician or Engineer within the rapidly expanding rail sector.

The course will be a mix of theory and hands on practical training to ensure that attendees are confident in their ability to put their knowledge into practice within the workplace. The course will be delivered at the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR), which is a partnership between the National Skills Academy for Rail, the Government and Siemens. 

The 3 week course has been created by NTAR in conjunction with industry employers, to ensure the training will provide a sufficient knowledge base to ‘hit the ground running’ and build on this experience in the workplace. 

This is an ideal course for those seeking a new career within rail engineering at a time of huge growth in the rail sector. Attendees should have some technical qualifications and/or engineering skills and be keen to progress these as a Traction and Rolling stock Technician. Attendees will understand the vehicle components and be able to maintain and fault find equipment, at all times maintaining strict health and safety guidelines.

Attendees will require some engineering experience – ideally a Level 2 in electrical or mechanical engineering or equivalent.

Relevant experience could include the Domestic Electrical Installation course at RTC Aldershot or equivalent.

The 3 week course will cover the following areas:

• Current Collection and electrical systems

  This unit is designed to give an overview of train electrical systems including current collection components and the train line systems, in order to undertake fault finding  in these systems

• Train systems and schematic drawings

  Provides an understanding of the role of schematic drawings in identifying systems and components and carrying out fault finding on trains

• Train saloon Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems

  This module introduces the HVAC systems used in providing passenger comfort in the saloon vehicle of specific fleets.  The legal requirements of working with refrigerants safely are covered. Attendees will also learn how to test a system using an external laptop and how to identify faults in the system.

• Train radio and cab safety systems

  Gain an understanding of the location, function and critical nature of radio and cab safety systems and how to carry out testing on the systems in respect of train into service requirements.

• Traction and Rolling Stock (T&RS) braking systems

  Attendees will be introduced to the brake systems on traction units and carriages. This will cover integrated products, air supply, brake control, wheel slide prevention, ancillary equipment and the brake control unit maintenance tool.

• Exterior and saloon door systems

Develop the knowledge of the maintenance and installation of railway vehicle doors. Attendees will learn to carry out fault finding activities and produce reports on these activities.

The qualification time is approximately 100 hours and up to 30 hours of this will be outside of the classroom, studying and completing assessments in the evenings during the course.

Rolling Stock Technicians and Engineers carry out routine electrical and mechanical maintenance to ensure trains are prepared on time and are operating efficiently and safely. They will be involved in fault finding and overseeing any modifications to parts and equipment, as well as being involved in the design of new trains’ electrical and mechanical parts.  Employment opportunities will be on site, in a depot or in a technical office, leading and carrying out rail engineering tasks.

At present, 100,000 people are employed in the UK Rail Engineering industry, with 14,500 directly involved in traction and rolling stock. With an ageing workforce, many major large scale projects and a move towards a ‘Digital Railway’ and ‘smart trains’,  it is anticipated that 12,000 new technicians and engineers will be required by 2025.

CTP work with a number of rail operators and recruiters who frequently advertise such vacancies at our Employment Fairs throughout the UK and via the CTP Rightjob website. NTAR also have links to Employers and can provide advice on rail sector recruitment.