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A career as a train driver
- Thread starter Thornaby
- Start date
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R
RailUK Forums
Sorry to jump in on your post but i'm sure this question has been asked lots so didn't want to fill the feed up. Basically I'm due to leave the Military in a couple of months after spending 6 years as an Air Traffic Controller in the Navy. I was looking to start a job on the railways (GWR) as it seems like a nice change and was hoping to become a driver eventually like everyone else I'd imagine. I was wondering what the best way to become a driver is, I was thinking about applying to become a ticket inspector and then working up through to Guard/Train Manager and then onto driver as this seems like logical progression but not sure if this is the best way about it. Also do train crews get a preference on what routes they work, is it varied or is it the same ones every day? Thanks in advance for any help it's much appreciated.
Hi,
You can certainly join the railway in another role other than Trainee Driver, which can also help when you want to move on to driving. You’ll get some great experiences you can use in interviews as well as transferable skills. Having said that, you’ll have plenty of these skills already given the nature of your current job.
Alternatively, keep an eye out for jobs on the FirstGroup recruitment pages for driver jobs and just apply. As you may be aware there, GWR have been recruiting trainee drivers for talent pools an awful low of late so you may have a bit of a wait.
Good luck with whatever you chose!
HiMorning,
I am currently on page 30 of this particular forum and started my journey to become a "Trainee Train Driver" in Aug 2019, after researching, trawling TOCs and job sites for a Trainee Train driver job for almost 9 years, all the information and answers to the majority of questions are amongst these pages.
I personally am now awaiting medical having passed all the previous interviews and assessments and this is the 3rd post I have written, on different threads, simply because taking the time and effort of reading through these pages most definitely answer all the questions anyone wanting to become a train driver should need from any walk of life/experience or background.
If a question needs asking then for sure ask it but I recommend taking the time reading most, if not all, of these pages to see if the question has been answered previously.
Good luck on your journey if you pursue it. Go for it
Can you guide me or send me the link where they train trainee drivers ?
I am looking for nearly 2 years and I can't find any website to be train driver
Did you find how to become train driver ?? Yet if yes plzz guide me too I want to be train driver too Thnx .
martin2345uk
Established Member
Mate you just need to check the careers sections of the websites of all the train operating companies, or at least the ones near you!
Drivers are trained by each TOC. Not all TOCs will take Trainees and will only take qualified Drivers. The training process can take anything from 10-24 months and is all done 'in house' so you won't find somewhere that trains people to become Drivers and then apply for a job somewhere.
You need to look at the TOCs where you live and start from there.
The process to Driver :
Application
Website advertisement - They are often posted for a very limited time.
Online test/application - More and more popular. Generally considered to be a 'computer sift'
CV/Traditional 'sift' - CV/Online no testing and more of a generic application sift.
Assessment (two attempts only)
Done in various ways but you need to sit specific tests - Tested by the OPC or 'in house'
MMI (Multi Modal Interview) interview - Set questions, required to pass
Interview
DMI (Driver Manager Interview) - More traditional interview but tends to have set questions for every candidate
Medical
Various medical standards need to be met - Eyesight, hearing, weight, general fitness.
Get the job : and then....
PTS / Rules
Each TOC does it their own way but you need to pass each stage before you progress further. PTS takes a couple of days, Rules can take around 12 weeks. You MUST pass both.
Traction
Traction may be integrated into the next stage, dependent on TOC but I only know ones that have it as a pre-requisit for the next step so be prepared to have to pass Traction before proceeding. Traction is all about what units you will drive at your TOC, so it is bespoke to each TOC.
Manual Handling
You will have an Instructor/Mentor to guide you through the driving process. You need to carry out 225hrs as a minimum number of driving hours. This needs to include a minimum number of dark hours. This may/may not include route learning as that is bespoke to each TOC.
Assessment
You will have a 'final assessment' where you are assessed on everything learned so far. You need to meet the TOCs competency standard and a 'final' assessment can take anything up to a couple of weeks, again, bespoke to each TOC.
Routes/additional training
Dependent on the TOC you may need to learn specific routes or traction for your depot/link.
Driver - Post qualified (anything up to 3yrs)
Most, if not all, TOCs have some kind of post qualified period. You are considered to be 'probational' and may be subject to additional assessments/downloads/observation etc. You may have additional constraints, such as transfer periods, productivity periods, etc. This may also come with a reduced salary.
Driver - Qualified
Phew. its all over... J/K
Continual assessments, Safety briefings/updates, competency management, unannounced monitoring, downloads, skills enhancements.... etc... etc..
Same procedure.
One of our Drivers was offered a job in Germany based on his experiences as a Driver here. You still have to tick various competency boxes but you will have many transferable skills and would likely sail through the process.
In the application process you would certainly have an advantage.
One of our Drivers was offered a job in Germany based on his experiences as a Driver here. You still have to tick various competency boxes but you will have many transferable skills and would likely sail through the process.
In the application process you would certainly have an advantage.
Artemisclat
New Member
I am new to this forum. I applied for the job of train driver for Transport For Wales (TFW) in February and had a telephone interview in September. I have a face-to face interview next week. Please could someone give me some advice on the types of questions that will be asked, if there is any pre-reading material that people suggest and what types of things I should know about the company. Thank-you in advance.
Ive just sent you a couple of dms. Not sure if you'll be able to reply as Im sure you have post 5 times on the forum first. Let me know if you get them.
Markylad
Member
Recently applied for Firstgroup and Arriva trainee driver, its been interesting reading on the forum. A friend recently passed the final stage for Metro driver, this has pushed me on for applying as train driver. Been a civil servant in a highly stressful environment for 23 years, so hoping that stands me in good stead.
Artemisclat
New Member
Thank you Robbie, I've read and replied to your message.
Artemisclat
New Member
When I had my telephone interview I was asked to describe a day in the life of a train driver. Just in case I get asked this in the face to face interview has anyone got any tips or advice on any websites to read. Thanks
Hello. My partner unfortunately did not pass the simulator assessment today. He has been training for a year. It is my understanding that he will get one more chance to do the simulator test. Does anyone please have any tips for him for the 2nd time round? He is really beating himself up. I feel gutted for him. Understandably he is now panicking about the 2nd chance. Any tips would be hugely appreciated. Thank you.
Hello and thanks for your response. Not sure. He is v upset and went to bed early so we haven't really spoken. Hope he will tell me tomorrow. I feel gutted for him. He takes this job so seriously and has passed all the other assessments up to now with flying colours
CloudDriver
Member
Quick question, quite new to the industry-
What happens if you have passed the initial Train Driver Assessment including MMI then fail the Driver Manager Interview? Guessing this will make you unsuccessful for that role?
Is it then a case of continuing to apply to other companies and will having passed the Assessment Center give you an advantage for these roles?
What happens if you have passed the initial Train Driver Assessment including MMI then fail the Driver Manager Interview? Guessing this will make you unsuccessful for that role?
Is it then a case of continuing to apply to other companies and will having passed the Assessment Center give you an advantage for these roles?
daddy_badger
Member
Thanks, but already got those ones.
Liam_mcsweeney
Member
Quick question. I’ve just attended a first assessment for freightliner. Received results today which said I’d passed to national standard but not to freightliner enhanced standard. Just wondering where this leaves me as to applying for other jobs with other companies? Also would this count as 1 of my 2 allowed fails or not as I passed to national standard? Any help would be greatly appreciated
One of your two lives have been used for enhanced assessments unfortunately, however as you’ve met the national standard, both lives are in-tact for this. You can apply to other TOCs who assess to the national standard whenever they’re recruiting, but will have to wait 6-months before applying to a TOC or FOC who use the enhanced standard.
You ‘should’ now jump straight to the stage 2 assessments (national). I say ‘should’ as some TOC/FOCs have made candidates redo all assessments regardless.
S-Car-Go
Member
- Joined
- 19 Mar 2019
- Messages
- 222
This happened to me last year. Passed all assessments including MMI, but failed DMI. Yes it's a fail/unsuccessful for role. I was given no interview feedback.
But! You are correct, apply for everything going after that. You're gonna be busy! Applications are usually posted for 1 week and withdrawn after 3 days! Psychometric results are on OPCs database for 5 years. However most TOCs accept those results for 2-3 years.
I applied the following year to 4 TOCs. 1 was very efficient with their recruiting process, 3 months later I skipped the psychometrics, 1 interview, 1 medical, and given a start date 2 months later. If anything, it's nicer, as you only have to prep for 1 interview the second time round. Currently halfway through the classroom training, and it's going great! Any questions, message to ask!
CloudDriver
Member
Quick question- I'm under the impression that once you get through the Assesment Center you are almost there, my question is what happens if you fail the Manager Interview?
Where do all those people go whom have passed but are not recruited? Do most eventually make it?
Where do all those people go whom have passed but are not recruited? Do most eventually make it?
You’re almost there in terms of the psychometric assessments definitely, because once you have these, you don’t have to retake them for (usually) at least 3-years. The psychometrics are the only assessments whereby you have the two lives rule (including the MMI). If you don’t get offered a job after a DMI you will usually be fast tracked to this stage the next time you apply to any TOC or FOC as long as you get past their papersift or other criteria they may have when inviting candidates to assessment centres (some don’t have a sift at this stage, such as Freightliner).
My next point decides opinion, but I speak from experience and am fairly confident in what I say; You’re naturally more desirable if you have assessment passes under your belt as it’s one less logistical issue for the company to worry about. I have heard of some TOCs and FOCs asking candidates to retake psychometric assessments though so beware (GWR and DB Cargo being two), although I passed my assessments with SWT/Freightliner and didn’t have to retake any for either DB or GWR, and subsequently went on to become a trainee driver with GWR.
Getting a job offer is just the start of it to be honest (there’s a medical too, which naturally people worry about). If you’re offered a job, put your life on hold for at least a year as you’ll basically be back at school and having assessments non-stop from being recruited to passing out (even then you’ll have assessments whilst you’re still newly qualified).
Gotta agree with this. I passed the psychometric tests and failed at dmi. After that , I was offered a dmi at three different toc's. Two within 4-5 months and one a year after . I actually applied for the one that offered it a year after , within four months , just that they seem to have left me on hold while the testing phase was ongoing.
Failure rates taper off the deeper you get in to the process but there is still failure at EVERY level. High at the initial sift, still quite high at first assessments, smaller drop off if you take the MMI seperate, small numbers at the medical stage and then the DMI.....
The DMI could, in theory, pass everyone. The problem is that you have a limited number of vacancies. Getting large numbers of applicants still means that there is competition for the job. This doesn't mean you 'fail' at the DMI You could smash your DMI out the park but you still don't get a job offer. Of course there will be those who still can't make it pass the DMI stage for whatever reason. I would hope that TOCs only invite people to a DMI with the intention of offering someone the job It isn't like the assessments where you need a high number of applicants because the failure rate is so high.
I would say that most who pass the assessments go on to the next stage. Maybe not with the TOC they applied to but as others highlight, you have a pass and can apply elsewhere.
CloudDriver
Member
Very helpful info thank you.
Do you get anything to say you have passed or is it purely word of mouth and placed in a system somewhere?
Do you get anything to say you have passed or is it purely word of mouth and placed in a system somewhere?