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Free advice, softwares, practise ideas for Train Operator Job

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Allseeingeye

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15 Mar 2016
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12
Hi everyone,

As I can see from reading the forums, you are well aware of the night Train Operator Jobs available at TFL at the moment.

I recieved an email yesterday to attend my first assesment :D

Having a rollercoaster of emotions as I have always loved trains! A bit of an obession that never quite faded.

Anyways, I was hoping someone might be able to reach out and provide some sound advice.

Im currently not working full time so offering links to websites selling packages on how to become a train driver wont be suitable for the moment, unfortunately!

I did manage to find a copy of the Bourdon Tool on here, so thanks for that. Any other softwares, downloads I could find would be great

But could someone possible give me some guidance on the kind of revision I should be doing? Here is the information from the email:

On the Day of your Assessment Event

For this assessment you will be required to do a Following Information, Understanding Information and Error ID test as well as a SCAAT test.
You should be with us for around 4 hours in total.
If you are successful at this stage you will be invited to complete a second stage assessment which will involve a communication exercise and a competency based interview. The interview competencies you will be assessed on at the second stage are as follows:
• Customer Service Orientation
• Results Focus
• Safety Awareness
Technical Competency
• Fault Finding

I did read through the practise manual and found the Understanding Information, following Information and Error ID relatively straight forward.

Are you allowed to use a pen and paper whilst doing the Error ID?

Is the SCAAT test done on computer or by hand?

How long roughly do each of these last?

Any suggestions, advice and general kindness with some support is much appreciated and I thank you in advance.

I dont usually get the heeby geebys but my stomach is going off on one!

Thanks

Ed
 
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sfxdude

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2014
Messages
91
Hi everyone,

As I can see from reading the forums, you are well aware of the night Train Operator Jobs available at TFL at the moment.

I recieved an email yesterday to attend my first assesment :D

Having a rollercoaster of emotions as I have always loved trains! A bit of an obession that never quite faded.

Anyways, I was hoping someone might be able to reach out and provide some sound advice.

Im currently not working full time so offering links to websites selling packages on how to become a train driver wont be suitable for the moment, unfortunately!

I did manage to find a copy of the Bourdon Tool on here, so thanks for that.

But could someone possible give me some guidance on the kind of revision I should be doing? Here is the information from the email:

On the Day of your Assessment Event

For this assessment you will be required to do a Following Information, Understanding Information and Error ID test as well as a SCAAT test.
You should be with us for around 4 hours in total.
If you are successful at this stage you will be invited to complete a second stage assessment which will involve a communication exercise and a competency based interview. The interview competencies you will be assessed on at the second stage are as follows:
• Customer Service Orientation
• Results Focus
• Safety Awareness
Technical Competency
• Fault Finding

I did read through the practise manual and found the Understanding Information, following Information and Error ID relatively straight forward.
This thread has lots of the information you're after, it's worth a read through (and indeed this post should probably be merged into that thread).

Are you allowed to use a pen and paper whilst doing the Error ID?
Yes, it's much like the practice ones.

Is the SCAAT test done on computer or by hand?
All the tests are pen/pencil and paper.

How long roughly do each of these last?
(Roughly) about 20 mins each. The SCAAT test is slightly shorter and the Error ID slightly longer I think.
 

Allseeingeye

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2016
Messages
12
This thread has lots of the information you're after, it's worth a read through (and indeed this post should probably be merged into that thread).


Yes, it's much like the practice ones.


All the tests are pen/pencil and paper.


(Roughly) about 20 mins each. The SCAAT test is slightly shorter and the Error ID slightly longer I think.

Thank you very much for your help.

I know this seems like a silly question but regarding the bourdon test, when practising on the computer, you are limited in how you scan the visual information and cant go back more than one space.

I am assuming you just have to mark off the matching symbols with a pen and can just scan randomly instead of line at a time?

Will have a good read of the link, really appreciate that, thanks
 

sfxdude

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2014
Messages
91
Thank you very much for your help.

I know this seems like a silly question but regarding the bourdon test, when practising on the computer, you are limited in how you scan the visual information and cant go back more than one space.

I am assuming you just have to mark off the matching symbols with a pen and can just scan randomly instead of line at a time?

Will have a good read of the link, really appreciate that, thanks

The tfl test is the SCAAT not the group bourdon.

You are strongly advised to work line by line rather than just scanning randomly. Whilst you can go back and look at stuff you've already marked it's not really the point of the test and will lose you valuable time.
 

Allseeingeye

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2016
Messages
12
The tfl test is the SCAAT not the group bourdon.

You are strongly advised to work line by line rather than just scanning randomly. Whilst you can go back and look at stuff you've already marked it's not really the point of the test and will lose you valuable time.

Sorry thats what I meant, the name of the software is called Bourdon.

Thanks for the advice, I usually do things in a logical way so will take this approach.
 

Allseeingeye

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2016
Messages
12
And almost certainly fail.

So are the actual tests a full page like the Bourdon tool prints out, or the same thats included in the practise tests?

You have 30 seconds for each one, if its a page long, Im assuming you want a balance of speed and accuracy.

Not too quick but not too slow
 

ComUtoR

Established Member
Joined
13 Dec 2013
Messages
9,399
Location
UK
So are the actual tests a full page like the Bourdon tool prints out, or the same thats included in the practise tests?

Apologies. My comment was about the random checking of the test. You absolutely need to do it line by line.
 

sfxdude

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2014
Messages
91
So are the actual tests a full page like the Bourdon tool prints out, or the same thats included in the practise tests?

You have 30 seconds for each one, if its a page long, Im assuming you want a balance of speed and accuracy.

Not too quick but not too slow

They're pretty much identical to the SCAAT printouts you get from that tool.

Absolutely - speed and accuracy are both important.
 

Allseeingeye

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2016
Messages
12
They're pretty much identical to the SCAAT printouts you get from that tool.

Absolutely - speed and accuracy are both important.

Thats good to hear, I done OK with both the SCAAT printouts and also the valves Error Identifaction, I found it be quite straight forward.

I did get 2 answers wrong with the following the information in the practise test however, so I need to get back to reading and do what they advise on the practise information.

Luckily I am only working part time at the moment so it gives me alot of time to prepare.

Any other advice or online practise tests for following information?

The valves test they provide information on how to practise for those.

Must feel great if you are succesful with this role.

I am still not understanding why this takes 4 hours though, is a big part of this time waiting around or is this 4 hours of actual testing?
 
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TDK

Established Member
Joined
19 Apr 2008
Messages
4,155
Location
Crewe
They're pretty much identical to the SCAAT printouts you get from that tool.

Absolutely - speed and accuracy are both important.

Accuracy is paramount speed is second on the importance of the test
 

sfxdude

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2014
Messages
91
I am still not understanding why this takes 4 hours though, is a big part of this time waiting around or is this 4 hours of actual testing?

Each test whilst only lasts for about 20 mins has to be explained, examples given, materials given out, collected in etc. There's a break half way through as well.
 

Allseeingeye

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2016
Messages
12
Each test whilst only lasts for about 20 mins has to be explained, examples given, materials given out, collected in etc. There's a break half way through as well.

I have printed a few full size A4 sheets from the tool.

I have been timing myself 30 seconds per sheet, I seem to be able to only get down to the 7th or 8th line.

Is this bad or good?

No mistakes though
 

Allseeingeye

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2016
Messages
12
So Just to clarify:

Following Information, Understanding Information and Error ID test as well as a SCAAT test.

The above is going to be the first assessment on the one day?

I do read a fair amount but have started to read a bit more, especially instruction manuals.

The error ID test is this going to be exactly the same as the one in the practice? I just ordered a book on mechanical comprehension but don't want to invest my energy in the wrong direction. I found this to be relatively straight forward.

The SCAAT test is just a matter of focus and practice and I have the software for it.
Will these be 30 seconds per sheet?

When it says if you are successful is this referring to the second assessment ?
What is the difference between the second fault finding and the first ID error test?


You should be with us for around 4 hours in total.
If you are successful at this stage you will be invited to complete a second stage assessment which will involve a communication exercise and a competency based interview. The interview competencies you will be assessed on at the second stage are as follows:
• Customer Service Orientation
• Results Focus
• Safety Awareness
Technical Competency
• Fault Finding
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also just another thank you for everyone in guiding me and helping me

I owe you all a drink (only if I am successful) :)
 
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