r/networkrail

​Fantastic news for the nature community today! After a massive wave of public pressure and a petition signed by over 14,000 of you, Network Rail has officially reopened the swift nesting holes at the Chapel Milton viaduct in Derbyshire! 🥳

​What happened?

During essential maintenance work earlier this spring, contractors accidentally sealed up dozens of traditional nesting gaps with new mortar. For swifts—who travel 6,000 miles from Africa to return to the exact same hole every year—this was a potential disaster.

​Why it matters:

​The Clock was Ticking: Swifts are arriving in the UK right now. If those holes stayed blocked, whole colonies could have been lost.

​Safety in Numbers: Along with unblocking the original holes, Network Rail has installed brand-new bird boxes to give these "Screaming Endurance Athletes" even more room to grow.

​Setting a Precedent: This win shows that biodiversity must be part of infrastructure planning, not an afterthought. Network Rail has promised to "learn from this" to protect other sites like the Inver viaduct in the future.

​Let’s hear it for the campaigners and locals who spoke up for those who have no voice! 🗣️💪

​What can you do?

Keep an eye (and ear) out for the first "screaming parties" of the season! If you see swifts returning to your area, let us know in the comments! 👇

#NaturaAi ​#NatureNews #SaveOurSwifts #WildlifeVictory #Biodiversity #Derbyshire #SwiftBricks #NatureConservation

I went through the apprenticeship application stages up until the online assessments and was waiting for the results for them.

I waited well over a month which is fine by me as I know recruitment can take a while.

I then received this email. I was confused by “the reserves list” section so I decided to call the recruitment number (not the number shown on the email). BTW the person on the other end sounded like they were in bed and half asleep lol.

What threw me off was the HR person said that I was put on a reserves list and if someone drops out of the assessment then I will be “called up”. I won’t have to do the whole application process again.

And that this could be later this year.

Is this just something they say to people they reject (lot of employers do this) or does it actually happen?

Thanks guys