Rail construction and maintenance operatives: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time rail construction and maintenance operatives in the UK earned a median £46,403 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 19% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 83rd of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £39,848 and £54,541.
Median full-time pay: women £41,751 a year, men £46,476 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 13,000 employee jobs, 92% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 30.0% (from £35,694), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | £600.40 | £14.34 | – | – | £13.95 |
| 20th percentile | £38,526 | £694.40 | £15.45 | £35,624* | £642.40 | £14.96 |
| 25th percentile | £39,848 | £711.80 | £17.07 | £37,877 | £690.60 | £15.58 |
| 30th percentile | £41,656 | £739.00 | £17.41 | £39,520 | £707.80 | £17.05 |
| 40th percentile | £42,717 | £777.30 | £19.15 | £42,122 | £769.10 | £18.09 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £46,403 | £813.80 | £20.85 | £44,445 | £795.60 | £20.04 |
| 60th percentile | £49,612 | £895.70 | £22.13 | £47,854 | £874.50 | £21.65 |
| 70th percentile | £52,513* | £944.70 | £23.50 | £51,251* | £921.50 | £23.35 |
| 75th percentile | £54,541* | £990.20* | £24.96 | £53,815* | £984.10 | £23.60* |
| 80th percentile | – | £1,059.40* | £25.86* | – | £1,031.30* | £25.48* |
| Mean | £48,467 | £869.00 | £21.11 | £45,363 | £819.40 | £20.85 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £35,694 | £668.50 | £16.13 | £34,953 | £660.60 | 13* |
| 2022 revised | £38,266 | £754.30 | £18.55 | £37,658 | £729.60 | 12* |
| 2023 revised | £39,406 | £942.00 | £21.69* | £39,025 | £911.80 | 9* |
| 2024 revised | £44,053 | £779.70 | £19.76 | £42,194 | £756.60 | 10* |
| 2025 provisional | £46,403 | £813.80 | £20.85 | £44,445 | £795.60 | 13* |
What rail construction and maintenance operatives do
Rail construction and maintenance operatives lay, re-lay, repair and examine railway track and maintain surrounding areas. (ONS SOC 2020, 8153)
Also covers: line Inspector (railways), maintenance man (railway maintenance and repair), relayer (railways), track maintenance engineer, trackman (railways), ultrasonic engineer (railway maintenance and repair), block layer, bridge examiner, line inspector, maintenance hand, maintenance man, maintenance technician, rail layer, railway engineer, railway repairer, road layer, road man and road repairer (34 titles in the ONS coding index).
- 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
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.
Related
Construction operatives (median £35,290) · Road construction operatives · Scaffolders, stagers and riggers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026