Swr minimum guard age

Anyone know how old you have to be to apply for a guard role?

18, it’s only really mainline drivers where you have to be 21+

18 for a guard, 21 for mainline driver at the point of passing out so you could be 20 when appointed to the role.

But with the current competition for jobs at both ends of the train being so high, it's very rare (but not entirely unknown) to see people that young getting through.

Boski said:

Anyone know how old you have to be to apply for a guard role?

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As per what @craigybagel said, although it's 18, it's extremely rare for a person that young to be recruited as a guard.

For safety-critical roles, they will be looking at your experience and asking you about this in interview. Most young (early-20s) guards start off in ticket office, on gateline, etc. and then go for an internal vacancy after being in that role for a few years.

If you can take and fail guards assessments an unlimited number of times (I don't know about them - others will), I'd say that you might as well apply as it will be at least good practise, but just be aware that you would be unlikely to be successful. If you can only fail the guards assessments x number of times (like drivers assessments), I wouldn't want to risk failing them when you're at such a young age that you wouldn't be likely to get the role even if you passed.

Hope this is helpful. Sorry if it's not really what you wanted to hear.

Arrvia Trains Wales did hold the title of having the youngest mainline driver at one point, barely 21 on passing out - I think his pass out was delayed until he was 21 in fact.

Thanks for the heads up guys. I’m currently 18 and work Gateline so may hold off for a while