Automotive Mechanic cross train to Rail Mechanical Fitter

Automotive Mechanic / Vehicle Technician → Rail Mechanical Fitter (Full Training Provided)
Horsham

£43,000 Starting Salary, move to £48,500 after passing probation 
Progression to £53,000
Company Van and fuel card
34 Days Holiday
Cross Train into the Rail Industry

Are you an Automotive Mechanic, Vehicle Technician, HGV Technician, Plant Fitter, Agricultural Engineer or Mechanical Fitter looking for something different?

Would you like to use your engineering skills on some of the UK's most advanced specialist maintenance equipment whilst receiving full rail industry training and excellent long-term career progression?
No previous rail experience is required.

Our client, one of the UK's leading rail engineering companies, is looking for mechanically minded engineers to join their specialist Mobile Maintenance Train (MMT) engineering team based in Horsham.

This is a unique opportunity to move into the rail industry whilst continuing to work on complex diesel, hydraulic, pneumatic and mechanical systems.
Salary & Benefits
£43,000 starting salary
Progression to approximately £48,500 after successful completion of initial technical competency training (typically around 6 months)
Further progression to approximately £53,000 once fully qualified
Company van provided
Fuel card included
34 days annual leave
Pension scheme
Life assurance
Healthcare cash plan
Eye care scheme
Employee wellbeing programme
Fully funded hotels, meals and travel when working away
Full rail engineering training provided
Long-term career progression with structured competency-based salary increases
Opportunity to work on highly specialised engineering equipment rarely seen outside the rail industry The Role The Mobile Maintenance Train (MMT) is effectively a fully equipped engineering workshop built onto a train.
These specialist trains operate overnight across the UK rail network supporting railway infrastructure maintenance and carrying sophisticated engineering equipment worth millions of pounds.
As an MMT Mechanical Fitter, your role is to ensure the train remains safe, reliable and operational through planned maintenance, inspections and fault finding.
The role combines:

Mechanical maintenance
Preventative servicing
Fault diagnosis
Hydraulic repairs
Pneumatic repairs
Diesel engine maintenance
Mechanical drive systems
Electrical fault finding
Depot-based servicing
Night-time engineering support You will receive full training from experienced rail engineers through a structured development programme.
What You'll Be Working On The Mobile Maintenance Trains contain a wide variety of engineering systems including:

Diesel engines
Mechanical transmission systems
Hydraulic equipment
Pneumatic systems
Compressors
Electrical systems
Onboard computer diagnostics
Specialist railway engineering equipment If you've worked on cars, vans, HGVs, buses, military vehicles, agricultural machinery or heavy plant equipment, many of your existing skills will transfer directly into this role.
Working Pattern The role operates on a balanced five-week roster:

200 hours over a five-week period
Average 40 hours per week
Fully compliant with rail industry fatigue management standards The railway operates 24 seven days a week, so weekend and bank holiday working forms part of the rota with rest days allocated elsewhere.

Day Shifts

Most day shifts are completed at the Horsham depot.

Typical hours are:
8:00am – 4:00pm
Daytime duties include:

Planned maintenance
Mechanical servicing
Repairs
Fault finding
Inspections
Replacing worn components
Preparing trains for overnight operation Approximately 90% of daytime work is completed at your home depot.
Night Shifts Night shifts provide one of the most interesting aspects of the role.
Typical examples include:

10:00pm – 6:00am
12:00am – 8:00am Start and finish times vary depending on engineering requirements.
At the start of the shift you report to depot before travelling onboard the Mobile Maintenance Train to its overnight worksite.

As the designated onboard engineer, you provide technical support should the train suffer a significant mechanical issue whilst supporting railway maintenance operations.

Minor faults are generally dealt with by train operators, meaning your role is often standby engineering support until required.

The trains contain welfare facilities including seating areas, kitchen facilities and workspaces, ensuring engineers remain comfortable throughout the shift.
Travel Your home depot will be Horsham, although occasional travel to other depots may be required for annual leave cover, sickness cover or operational requirements.

Where overnight stays are required, accommodation, parking and meals are fully funded by the company.

Annual Overhaul Programme Each summer engineers take part in a two-week overhaul programme in York where the Mobile Maintenance Trains are stripped down, serviced and rebuilt.

This provides valuable hands-on training and experience.
All travel, accommodation and meals are paid for by the company.

Full Training Provided No previous rail experience is necessary.
Your first six months will include:

Classroom-based technical training
Foundation engineering modules
Practical depot experience
Working alongside experienced engineers
Technical competency assessments
Safety training
Hands-on servicing and maintenance Essential requirements:

Mechanical engineering experience
NVQ Level 3 or equivalent practical experience (flexibility for strong candidates)
Full UK Driving Licence
Good fault-finding ability
Positive attitude and willingness to learn
Ability to pass medical, DBS and drug & alcohol screening Apply Now If you're an experienced mechanic or engineer looking to cross train into the rail industry, this is an outstanding opportunity to build a long-term career with one of the UK's leading rail engineering organisations, offering excellent training, progression and the opportunity to work on highly specialised engineering equipment that keeps Britain's railway moving safely.

Send your CV through the link, and we will contact you asap for a chat about your transferable skills.  #ENG1