How to become a rail and rolling stock builder or repairer
Official title: Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers
Also called: Coach repairer, Carriage repairer, Rolling stock engineer, Rolling stock technician, Body maker, Tube fitter, Frame fitter, Wagon fitter, Engine tuber, Fleet engineer, Train engineer, Brake examiner
Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers erect, fit, assemble and repair rolling stock parts and sub-assemblies, and test and adjust new engines for trains.
Main tasks
- Examines drawings and specifications to determine appropriate methods and sequence of operations
- Fits and assembles parts and/or metal sub-assemblies to make train engines
- Examines rolling stock for defects, removes, replaces and repairs faulty parts
- Inspects and tests new and repaired machinery for conformity with standards and specifications
- Oils and greases train engines
- Maintains record of repairs and maintenance carried out
How to become one
Entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades or a BTEC/SQA award. Apprenticeships at level 3 and other vocational qualifications at level 2 and 3 are available.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £64,322 a year
- About 16,300 people work in this job now, and about 15,400 are projected by 2035. (-5.6%)
Related jobs
- Boat and ship builders and repairers
- Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians
- Vehicle body builders and repairers
- Vehicle paint technicians
- Aircraft maintenance and related trades
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Questions people ask
How do I become a rail and rolling stock builder or repairer?
Entrants usually possess GCSEs/S grades or a BTEC/SQA award. Apprenticeships at level 3 and other vocational qualifications at level 2 and 3 are available.
How much does a rail and rolling stock builder or repairer earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £64,322 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a rail and rolling stock builder or repairer a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 16,300 to about 15,400 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a rail and rolling stock builder or repairer?
Not always. 26% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03