For the 100th time, search this forum, it is all on here! Make an effort for yourself. Sorry to be blunt mate but do some research!
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A career as a train driver
- Thread starter Thornaby
- Start date
For the 100th time, search this forum, it is all on here! Make an effort for yourself. Sorry to be blunt mate but do some research!
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RailUK Forums
concentration, rules, reactions, mechanical, fault finding, a structured experience based interview with the same questions always asked (working alone, safety, emergency, rules...) and a final managers interview if successful
Beveridges
Established Member
Plus describing a time you had to solve a difficult problem!
Theres also, describe a time you completed a training course lasting longer than two weeks.
Be aware that there is also a Glop test and a Dials test. Some search on previous posts will fill you in on the specifics.
The concentration and reaction tests can both be practiced using excellent aids that can be freely downloaded.
daddy_badger
Member
if it's northern then it involves matching a string of letters and numbers.
daddy_badger
Member
ABC123XYZ
- ABC133XCZ
- ABC123XYZ
- ABCI23XYZ
- ABC213XYZ
TheVicLine
Member
Surely it would be easy for you to 'enhance your chances', you and 3 friends could take a line each and away you go...
Has this really got anything at all to do with driving a train anyway, can't see it myself. It seems like it's just another way of cutting the numbers down, next they will be getting you to recite the alphabet backwards while playing PacMan, top 50 highest scores go through to the next stages where you all compete in a blindfolded egg and spoon race over 100m of ballast...
daddy_badger
Member
that was just an easy example and the test is to aide concentration whilst under pressure, its easy to pass. I doubt unless you are some sort of remedial one would fail it.
TheVicLine
Member
Oh yeah I know, taken and passed it before.
The test is still rubbish and unnecessary though IMO. I actually think the OPC assessments are good in general. The GBT is a fairly good indication of concentration, a skill defo required when driving a train, and the reactions test simulates cab conditions of reacting fast to sight and sound changes e.g. changing colour light signals and in cab audible vigilance and AWS warnings.
Picking out lines of matching numbers, the nearest I get when driving is trying to work my way through a jumbled up diagram, and a concentration test?, they already use the GBT so why this as well?
Bin it Northern, it's just your HR dept trying to justify their bonuses. My blindfolded egg and spoon race is better, more fun, and would assess concentration too. If we did the race in the 10ft of a busy running line then there would be even more pressure and we would also have the possibility of cutting the numbers of applicants down too, it's a win win.
The test is still rubbish and unnecessary though IMO. I actually think the OPC assessments are good in general. The GBT is a fairly good indication of concentration, a skill defo required when driving a train, and the reactions test simulates cab conditions of reacting fast to sight and sound changes e.g. changing colour light signals and in cab audible vigilance and AWS warnings.
Picking out lines of matching numbers, the nearest I get when driving is trying to work my way through a jumbled up diagram, and a concentration test?, they already use the GBT so why this as well?
Bin it Northern, it's just your HR dept trying to justify their bonuses. My blindfolded egg and spoon race is better, more fun, and would assess concentration too. If we did the race in the 10ft of a busy running line then there would be even more pressure and we would also have the possibility of cutting the numbers of applicants down too, it's a win win.
daddy_badger
Member
reminds me almost of headcodes. I don't understand why the test is used but guessing that somone with a degree in psychology would know.
After applying nearly two years ago I finally have my manager interview with GA for the west Anglia area.
Any tips? I really don't want to fall at the last hurdle after waiting sooo long.
More worried about if I get through and then fail the medical due to BMI or being too tall..
Any tips? I really don't want to fall at the last hurdle after waiting sooo long.
More worried about if I get through and then fail the medical due to BMI or being too tall..
After applying nearly two years ago I finally have my manager interview with GA for the west Anglia area.
Any tips? I really don't want to fall at the last hurdle after waiting sooo long.
More worried about if I get through and then fail the medical due to BMI or being too tall..
It all depends, you can search this Forum and hope the advice is good or be honest and answer them with your own ideas. BMI is 33 or below, height is 6'6" or below and all this info is on this forum already in numerous posts. You seriously need to stop worrying about things that might happen. Write a list of all your worries and then after the event see how many were totally uncalled for.
What interview are you doing? The Final managers interview or the competence based interview?
After applying nearly two years ago I finally have my manager interview with GA for the west Anglia area.
Any tips? I really don't want to fall at the last hurdle after waiting sooo long.
More worried about if I get through and then fail the medical due to BMI or being too tall..
Since GA have taken over they are very hot on values so I suggest you research them. I did mine under NX so can't say much more than sorry.
Ah. I heard it may depend on the managers! I will look into the values just to be safe. These are the ones on their site? somewhere.. I remember values from being at the GA Academy on the wall.. Is it those ones?
The final manager interview
Thanks for your thoughts. You're right, it's just hard after waiting so long!
Ah. I heard it may depend on the managers! I will look into the values just to be safe. These are the ones on their site? somewhere.. I remember values from being at the GA Academy on the wall.. Is it those ones?
The final manager interview
Thanks for your thoughts. You're right, it's just hard after waiting so long!
Yes those are the ones.
richie26188
Member
- Joined
- 16 Jul 2013
- Messages
- 49
Just applied for a job, been sent an email with a online visual comparison test. Can skills used for this be practised? or is it just basic common sense
Lincoln_biker
Member
It's fairly straight forward. Plenty of folks have explained it on here. Try searching "visual comparison" on here or "Northern online visual comparison" on google and you'll get bombarded with info! I used the 'Fit Brains' app from iTunes to help. It has a visual comparison game using shapes instead of numbers where you have to spot shapes. The Northern one is essentially spotting the odd pair of numbers in groups. It might not help everyone, but it did me and I passed the online visual comparison test only a few weeks ago. Your best bet is to have a good trawl here first. Good luck! LB
12-18months depending on how quickly you can get your hours and road learning done(depends how many spare instructors there are and what the content of the job is like in terms of driving hours).
Mine took about 8 months of training with NXEA now GA then you have to have a final assessment with your driver manager which takes all day before he passes you out as qualified (money goes up to i think 75% or 85% of what drivers earn) then it takes one year after that date for you to be on full money this includes learning all the routes within this timescale.
ChrisTheRef
Established Member
GA is roughly 4 months of classroom based and 4 months of practical train handling before a final exam and (hopefully) driving on your own - on core routes. You also get a pay rise (£31k apx) at this point.
Over the next year you add other routes etc as well as regular downloads, exams and assessments. A year after you initially passing out you go from "Newly Qualified Driver" to "Qualified Driver", and onto full pay.
In short, if you start in March 2014, you'd hope to qualify November 2014 and "fully qualify" November 2015.
Hope this helps.
Over the next year you add other routes etc as well as regular downloads, exams and assessments. A year after you initially passing out you go from "Newly Qualified Driver" to "Qualified Driver", and onto full pay.
In short, if you start in March 2014, you'd hope to qualify November 2014 and "fully qualify" November 2015.
Hope this helps.
Silv1983
Member
Seems like Northern like to make us wait. It's 80% pay on qualifying. 90% after one year - and full pay after 2 years from date of qualification.
Beveridges
Established Member
Only 1 year with GA ?
With Northern it takes 2 years after 'passing out' to go from "newly qualified" to "qualified" - Both on the Mainline and on Depot!
I thought 2 years was standard, I didn't know different TOC's had different durations on this.
A Driver classed as a "Newly qualified" means more management assessments, more OTMR downloads, more management ride outs, plus they are not allowed to route conduct.
It doesn't make a difference to pay on Depot, but does on the Mainline.
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NinjaJihad
Member
- Joined
- 25 Jul 2013
- Messages
- 51
Hello gents,
After some advice for my upcoming assessment for a Trainee Driver position.
- For the Mechanical comprehension test, I've sourced quite a few practice tests online but obviously there is such a wide range of questions that can be asked. Is there a definitive practice test I should look at, or any topics in particular I should brush up on?
- For TRP part 2, the practice material I was sent seemed quite easy, involving Dials and arrows. I'm guessing the actual test will be a lot more intense, i'm finding it hard to source any other relevant practice tests for this. So any advice would be welcome.
- For the reaction and co-ordination test, how subtle are the beeps through the headphones? Do they get progressively quieter as they do during the hearing test part of a medical?
And finally, any tips on how to get your brain in top working order on the day?
Apologies to the regulars if this has been asked many times, I'm sure it has! and thanks in advance
After some advice for my upcoming assessment for a Trainee Driver position.
- For the Mechanical comprehension test, I've sourced quite a few practice tests online but obviously there is such a wide range of questions that can be asked. Is there a definitive practice test I should look at, or any topics in particular I should brush up on?
- For TRP part 2, the practice material I was sent seemed quite easy, involving Dials and arrows. I'm guessing the actual test will be a lot more intense, i'm finding it hard to source any other relevant practice tests for this. So any advice would be welcome.
- For the reaction and co-ordination test, how subtle are the beeps through the headphones? Do they get progressively quieter as they do during the hearing test part of a medical?
And finally, any tips on how to get your brain in top working order on the day?
Apologies to the regulars if this has been asked many times, I'm sure it has! and thanks in advance
Becoming a train driver has all the tests however they seem to be on the easy side. I did find one of the tests useful even though I have yet to take the assessment. This was based on the fault finding test where you had to follow switches and mark off the correct end result... does get your mind working in a certain way
For the mechanical I would suggest either 'Mechanical aptitude and spatial relations tests' by Petersons or 'Mechanical Aptitude' by National Learning Corperation. The latter is great with a bookful of questions some very similar.. however explanations for answers are not given so it was a headache via web searches to find explanations... a lot of it doesn't require explanation, however. A lot of it really is common sense once you know the basic rules.
What do Pulleys and Gears do is a great kids book with the basics in it and some nice pics
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Beveridges
Established Member
How2Become CD and all the practice material sent by CCL / DB are very much on the easy side compared to the real thing.
Mech test is usually MT4.1 these days which is the harder one. 36 questions in 18 minutes. One question about circuits in here similar to the Barrons examples. Reading the Barrons book will give you the skills to answer about 5 questions on the mech test. The rest you can either guess or work out yourself. One question is about which way a tree will fall when chainsawed. Another shows 3 car tyres and asks which one is over inflated. One questions has 3 flag poles and asks which one is strongest. Other questions include pipes, chains, wheels, pivots, rivets, sliders, rack and gears, bell cranks, cams, levers, liquids, pulleys, joints and more. sometimes combinations of these. Difficult to prepare for as the Barrons book is not very comprehensive it has nothing on pipes and stuff just gears and cogs which is only a few questions worth in the Mech test MT4.1. There are other mech practice books and websites but none are of the standard for MT4.1 the Barrons book is the best of a bad bunch. But it's still nowhere near ideal - its a bit like using a GCSE revision book to prepare for an A Level exam!
Glop test is 18 questions in 7 minutes. Reading up on Sandite before sitting this test is the best way to prepare.
The Boredom test should be easy if you have practiced it. Reactions will be a bit harder but the downloadable practice tool helps a good deal.
I always thought this was the easiest test and does not require any practice. All you have to do is make sure you understand the instructions before the thing starts
The beeps are the same volume throughout. They are not hard to hear.
The downloadable Practice aid is what you need to get through this. If you can get good with the practice tool (faster than 800ms), you'll find the real thing a breeze, at least Part 1.
Part 2 where you set your own speed, you have to ensure you do not fall into the trap of going too fast and making mistakes!!
hours & hours of practice on the days leading up to the test.
Mech test is usually MT4.1 these days which is the harder one. 36 questions in 18 minutes. One question about circuits in here similar to the Barrons examples. Reading the Barrons book will give you the skills to answer about 5 questions on the mech test. The rest you can either guess or work out yourself. One question is about which way a tree will fall when chainsawed. Another shows 3 car tyres and asks which one is over inflated. One questions has 3 flag poles and asks which one is strongest. Other questions include pipes, chains, wheels, pivots, rivets, sliders, rack and gears, bell cranks, cams, levers, liquids, pulleys, joints and more. sometimes combinations of these. Difficult to prepare for as the Barrons book is not very comprehensive it has nothing on pipes and stuff just gears and cogs which is only a few questions worth in the Mech test MT4.1. There are other mech practice books and websites but none are of the standard for MT4.1 the Barrons book is the best of a bad bunch. But it's still nowhere near ideal - its a bit like using a GCSE revision book to prepare for an A Level exam!
Glop test is 18 questions in 7 minutes. Reading up on Sandite before sitting this test is the best way to prepare.
The Boredom test should be easy if you have practiced it. Reactions will be a bit harder but the downloadable practice tool helps a good deal.
I always thought this was the easiest test and does not require any practice. All you have to do is make sure you understand the instructions before the thing starts
The beeps are the same volume throughout. They are not hard to hear.
The downloadable Practice aid is what you need to get through this. If you can get good with the practice tool (faster than 800ms), you'll find the real thing a breeze, at least Part 1.
Part 2 where you set your own speed, you have to ensure you do not fall into the trap of going too fast and making mistakes!!
hours & hours of practice on the days leading up to the test.
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NinjaJihad
Member
- Joined
- 25 Jul 2013
- Messages
- 51
Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.