VT Trainee Driver - EXAMS.

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

Hi all,

Been accepted through to the second stage of testing; VSE and M7SJT with OPC.

Just wondering if anyone has done this recently. I’ve been having a crack at the VSE practice and they’re going pretty well from what I can tell, even the third task, where you have to do both tasks at the same time HOWEVER I’m concerned I’m not attacking it correctly.

I’m doing it from left to right, going from the 1st task to the 2nd and so on and so forth, but I’m wondering now whether I’ve interpreted the instructions wrong...

Anyone who has done this recently please shout up, I’m about to loose my marbles!!!!

RailUK Forums

Westcoast-ting · 28 Feb 2019

If you using the practice material then it’s completley different to the actual tests.

If you google vse train driver their is a YouTube video of stage 1 ( similar but not exact)

Stage 2 is 2 sets of 3 or 4 shapes which you check against each other.

Stage 3 is both together.

If you search this forum there is lots of talk about the vse as it’s quite a hard test

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

Amazing. Thank you so much for this info! I did do some searching on here but I must need to delve more!

Really appreciate you replying.

Westcoast-ting · 28 Feb 2019

If you look at the freightliner trainer driver thread on here from page 4 onwards people are discussing the at home set of tests.

slidingdoors · 28 Feb 2019

One of the tasks is the primary task (the one on the right where the shapes change rather than the 'train track' IIRC). So make sure you prioritise that. It's possible to get into rhythm and check the shapes on the right and still have a second to check the track (on the left) for errors. But as said it is pretty challenging. Probably harder than most of the OPC tests you go on to do! <- This refers to stage 3. The first two stages is doing each one independently which is obviously a lot easier.

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

Ohhhh yes, just checked it now. Heads gone even into more of a melt down! The practise tests are NOTHING like the real ones from what I’m reading; all that time looking at those bloody letters and it’s going to be shapes.

Doomed; to give up or not

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

I actually am doomed haha!! So you would say on the 3rd task to prioritise the ‘train track’ than the shapes?

Mgv1349 · 28 Feb 2019

Lucy said:
I actually am doomed haha!! So you would say on the 3rd task to prioritise the ‘train track’ than the shapes?

I’d prioritise the shapes more than the track as they change faster but keep an eye on the track aswell.

slidingdoors · 28 Feb 2019

It actually tells you at the start which to prioritise. And I'm 99% sure it was the shapes.

Take a deep breath and do it in a quiet room with no-one around and it's honestly not too bad. Quite fun in an adrenaline inducing way

Westcoast-ting · 28 Feb 2019

Yes. But it may have changed so just check.

As said before part 3 is parts 1 and 2 together.

Part one is very slow and as you will complete it has a pattern.

Part two will take a lot of concentration and has high demand periods where your checking 4 pairs not 3. They will also time out and give you an out of time error.

This is just my opinion but the right hand side is their to distract you from the sedate task on the left ! Almost like train driving the sedate task is interrupted by other things happening like fire alarms, signaling errors etc !

So follow the instructions, do what you can on the right but don’t miss the left. I never made a fault on the left and missed loads more than I wanted on the right and I’ve passed it a 3 times now I think

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

Well that’s a a lot of amazing and insightful information guys. Thanks very much.

I was going to do it tonight but after this I’m going to push it and do it next Friday on my day off. Need to be done by March 11th and as of tomorrow I’m on 05:45 starts for 8 days so maybe Friday morning when I’m alone and fuelled with coffee will be the best option

Firestarter · 28 Feb 2019

Is this for the Apprenticeship train driver position?

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

Firestarter said:
Is this for the Apprenticeship train driver position?

Yes that’s correct, well I’m not 100% sure whether it’s an apprenticeship but it’s for trainee drivers...probably way out of my depth but if I don’t have a go I’ll never know :lol:

Westcoast-ting · 28 Feb 2019

I would say apprenticeship as the internals closes this Sunday 3rd

Lucy · 28 Feb 2019

The starting pay (although v. nice, not really something I’m too bothered about as job satisfaction takes over with a role like this) is 37k..seems hefty for an apprenticeship. But it’s a serious job and knowledge is money for sure in a profession like this.

KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED (I’ll be most likely on here on Friday being a typical girl and crying about how horrible it was haha)

FManc · 28 Feb 2019

It’s not an apprenticeship in the typical sense with a reduced salary that you would typically associate with this kind of programme.

It’s essentially a normal trainee role with the same pay, structure etc... but you also gain a qualification in train driving (Level 3) I think it is.

Paddy67 · 1 Mar 2019

What company is this apprenticeship with that you are talking about?

Set_DRA · 1 Mar 2019

Paddy67 said:
What company is this apprenticeship with that you are talking about?

Virgin Trains

GJL9916 · 1 Mar 2019

Set_DRA said:
Virgin Trains

Not seen anything posted on their careers site?

FManc · 1 Mar 2019

GJL9916 said:
Not seen anything posted on their careers site?

Internal only

GJL9916 · 1 Mar 2019

FManc said:
Internal only

Ah ok sorry, thought It was missing out there! Cheers

Set_DRA · 1 Mar 2019

FManc said:
Internal only

There was an external application process aswell. I think that was around a year ago.

390036 · 17 Mar 2019

I think you're right and can be related back to this thread last year (albeit Lucy appears to be talking about the OPC Stage before that summarised below).

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/virgin-trains-west-coast-apprentice-train-driver.160946/page-5

To recap: Virgin Trains parked a large group of successful Stage 1 recruits in their Talent Pool with the intention of reopening another round of recruitment this year. This has now happened because my friend has been invited by the OPC for Stage 2 assessments (at Crewe, across one day) covering:

· The WAFV Vigilance Exercise
· The ATAVT Perception Test
· The 2-Hand Co-ordination Test
· The Structured Interview
· and an interview with a manager from Virgin Trains.

VT Trainee Driver - EXAMS.

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