GWR Train Driver talent pool

[Cornish Cannon]

One of the things you need to consider If you don't hear anything for a good year or more is there are a lot of trainee drivers at the wrong depots, by that I mean it wouldn't have been their first home choice, but they like most of us wanted a job as a driver so applied for anything.

As soon as they are able to and qualified they will try to relocate to there ideal home depot. So some depots might not take any new trainee drivers for years as lots of drivers will want to move there as soon as a job opens up. I know plenty of trainees that will move as soon as possible to where they want to be.

 

[Old Chap]

One of the things you need to consider If you don't hear anything for a good year or more is there are a lot of trainee drivers at the wrong depots, by that I mean it wouldn't have been their first home choice, but they like most of us wanted a job as a driver so applied for anything.

As soon as they are able to and qualified they will try to relocate to there ideal home depot. So some depots might not take any new trainee drivers for years as lots of drivers will want to move there as soon as a job opens up. I know plenty of trainees that will move as soon as possible to where they want to be.

That is really interesting and actually quite obvious as life decisions for families and friends are really important if house moves are required. I have no idea what the rules are for redeployment after having qualified but my experience was that I had to choose one depot and although I spoke to GWR and said I would move anywhere, the DMI is the interview for a specific depot rather than one acceptable to all in GWR. I would still move anywhere a job was available, but that, at the moment, is not an option.

 

[Carrie-Cole]

For me, i applied In 2017 for for the 2018/2019 intake. In the pool from March 2019. still swimming around now.

Hi Cannon, congratulations on your role and good luck with training; not long now!

After being placed into the Plymouth talent pool recently, the position on my online application has now switched to a depot driver based at Laira, which by the looks of it is similar to what you are about to start training for. Assuming I'm now sat in a pool for a depot driver (if such a pool exists) I was wondering if you had any specific information regarding this role in terms of salary/ hours/ training schedule and how any future move to a mainline driver might come about? Any info/ advice is much appreciated!

Cheers

When do you start your training for the Plymouth talent pool?

 

[Nevergiveup]

Just got an invitation to assessment day on 8th Feb for SWR Basingstoke! Not much time to prepare

 

[Nonuts]

Just got an invitation to assessment day on 8th Feb for SWR Basingstoke! Not much time to prepare

All the very best for that. I (for the next 7 days) work for SWR. Far I as know you'll do all assessments on the day. DMI next then MMI. That seems to be the process from what our new drivers tell me. I honestly don't think a lot of prep is needed for the assessments, just an understanding of what you'll be doing. There are loads of very descriptive threads on here about the assessments which are a great help. If you have a particular question about them, feel free to ask me... or, in fact, anyone on here who's got through them in the past couple of years. Everyone's pretty cracking on here for advice, regardless of what stage they're at.

 

[PearoTheHero]

Sorry for the slow reply. I'm currently on a drivers course as an external. My instructor has told us he hasn't got any planned courses on his agenda. My DSM also said the same about a month ago. I'm not trying to bring any of you down, trust me when I say I understand what almost all of you are going through. I'm just going on what I've been told. Obviously if some of you have start dates then this information could be wrong but I would be interested in knowing where they're proposing to train you

 

[Stigy]

Sorry for the slow reply. I'm currently on a drivers course as an external. My instructor has told us he hasn't got any planned courses on his agenda. My DSM also said the same about a month ago. I'm not trying to bring any of you down, trust me when I say I understand what almost all of you are going through. I'm just going on what I've been told. Obviously if some of you have start dates then this information could be wrong but I would be interested in knowing where they're proposing to train you

How do you mean you don’t know where they propose to train more trainees? I assume your trainer is talking about training he is conducting? I guess it could still be planned as there are a number of training locations, he just may not be involved directly?

 

[Nevergiveup]

Thank you for the kind words and yes I may have to do all the assessments on the day unless there wasn’t enough time to do them due to limited equipments availability or something along those lines as mentioned on the email. I’ll be going through the practice material they sent and anything else I can find on here and on the internet, thanks once again

All the very best for that. I (for the next 7 days) work for SWR. Far I as know you'll do all assessments on the day. DMI next then MMI. That seems to be the process from what our new drivers tell me. I honestly don't think a lot of prep is needed for the assessments, just an understanding of what you'll be doing. There are loads of very descriptive threads on here about the assessments which are a great help. If you have a particular question about them, feel free to ask me... or, in fact, anyone on here who's got through them in the past couple of years. Everyone's pretty cracking on here for advice, regardless of what stage they're at.

 

[Nevergiveup]

These are the assessments mentioned on the Email, so I’m assuming at this stage I do not have to worry about MMI & DMI, is that correct?
Or once I’ve done all the assessments would I be required to sit either DMI, MMI or both on the same day?


The assessments carried out on the day are as follows:

• Colour Vision
• Trainability for Rules and Procedures
• Group Bourdon Concentration
• Test of Everyday Attention (TEA-Occ paper test)
• Test of Vigilance (WAFV)
• Test of Perception (ATAVT)
• Written Communication Test (WCT)
• The 2Hand Co-ordination Test

 

[Nonuts]

These are the assessments mentioned on the Email, so I’m assuming at this stage I do not have to worry about MMI & DMI, is that correct?
Or once I’ve done all the assessments would I be required to sit either DMI, MMI or both on the same day?


The assessments carried out on the day are as follows:

• Colour Vision
• Trainability for Rules and Procedures
• Group Bourdon Concentration
• Test of Everyday Attention (TEA-Occ paper test)
• Test of Vigilance (WAFV)
• Test of Perception (ATAVT)
• Written Communication Test (WCT)
• The 2Hand Co-ordination Test

With SWR you'll sit a DMI a different day and if successful there the MMI a different day again.

With SWR you'll sit a DMI a different day and if successful there the MMI a different day again

 

[Nevergiveup]

Thank you for the information, much appreciated! So for now I’ll just focus on the assessments

With SWR you'll sit a DMI a different day and if successful there the MMI a different day again

 

[PearoTheHero]

How do you mean you don’t know where they propose to train more trainees? I assume your trainer is talking about training he is conducting? I guess it could still be planned as there are a number of training locations, he just may not be involved directly?

This could of course be the case. It wouldn't make sense that they're still interviewing for pools but then they're valid for 5 years so who knows.

 

[Carrie-Cole]

Took 3 weeks for me to find out I had passed my DMI, 3 days later for the call about medical and start date

When did you do your medical? Also when was your start date?

 

[Liam00086]

When did you do your medical? Also when was your start date?

My medical was 25th September and start date is 10th Feb

 

[dan2610]

So I had my DMI on Friday and thought it went ok and was relatively happy with how it with.

Email back this morning to say I’m in the talent pool so I’m very pleased

 

[Liam00086]

So I had my DMI on Friday and thought it went ok and was relatively happy with how it with.

Email back this morning to say I’m in the talent pool so I’m very pleased

Congratulations, what depot? Hopefully not a long wait

 

[dan2610]

Congratulations, what depot? Hopefully not a long wait

Thanks! Going to be Penzance depot.

 

[Nevergiveup]

Congratulations, I’ve got my assessment day next week and email says I may have to do all the assessments on the same day, would I also be required to do SJE & MMI on same day if I successfully complete the assessments? This is with SWR.

So I had my DMI on Friday and thought it went ok and was relatively happy with how it with.

Email back this morning to say I’m in the talent pool so I’m very pleased

 

[Nonuts]

Congratulations, I’ve got my assessment day next week and email says I may have to do all the assessments on the same day, would I also be required to do SJE & MMI on same day if I successfully complete the assessments? This is with SWR.

As I mentioned above. Mmi is the last stage of SWR's process and will be a different day. Dmi will be before. In that SWR mmi last anything up to 4 hours and GWR's is only an hour I'd guess the sjt is done on MMI day

 

[dan2610]

Congratulations, I’ve got my assessment day next week and email says I may have to do all the assessments on the same day, would I also be required to do SJE & MMI on same day if I successfully complete the assessments? This is with SWR.

I’m not sure about SWR. I had my SJE along with my computer based tests, then the MMI all on one day. The DMI was the final stage and that was done over about 90 minutes on its own.

 

[Nevergiveup]

Oh I see, so you done the paper tests on a different day? Also the ATAVT test, do you have any advice/tip on doing well in that? I’m really struggling with it as I’ve heard the pictures disappear after 1 second or is it after few seconds?

I’m not sure about SWR. I had my SJE along with my computer based tests, then the MMI all on one day. The DMI was the final stage and that was done over about 90 minutes on its own.

 

[Nevergiveup]

oh yes you mentioned before that DMI & MMI will be separate days from the assessments!
What would be your advice for ATAVT test? If there are a lot of object in the image would be be good to assume all 5 objects are there?
?

As I mentioned above. Mmi is the last stage of SWR's process and will be a different day. Dmi will be before. In that SWR mmi last anything up to 4 hours and GWR's is only an hour I'd guess the sjt is done on MMI day

 

[Nonuts]

oh yes you mentioned before that DMI & MMI will be separate days from the assessments!
What would be your advice for ATAVT test? If there are a lot of object in the image would be be good to assume all 5 objects are there?
?

It's different from the training material. I think its. Pedestrian, cyclist, traffic light, road sign , vehicle. Just click what you saw. Assuming all are there could mean you click something that wasn't. As with a lot of railway tests I don't think being 100% accurate is the goal, just to see that you take in as much information in a split second as required

 

[Nevergiveup]

I had found a similar practice test online with motor vehicles pedestrians traffic light etc but on there if you miss out anything then you get incorrect answer so I was thinking I’d have to be 100% accurate, I’m ok with finding 1-3 objects but it’s when there’s all 5 objects in the picture it’s very difficult to spot all 5 in a second or less

It's different from the training material. I think its. Pedestrian, cyclist, traffic light, road sign , vehicle. Just click what you saw. Assuming all are there could mean you click something that wasn't. As with a lot of railway tests I don't think being 100% accurate is the goal, just to see that you take in as much information in a split second as required

 

[dan2610]

Oh I see, so you done the paper tests on a different day? Also the ATAVT test, do you have any advice/tip on doing well in that? I’m really struggling with it as I’ve heard the pictures disappear after 1 second or is it after few seconds?

Yeah the paper tests were over half a day on their own in September then I did everything else apart from the DMI in November.

The pictures flash up for about a second I’d say. It’s very, very quick and it’s not designed for you to be able to study the entire picture. My only advice would be to make sure you’re aware of what you’re looking for, and only select the items that you’re certain you saw. I had a couple of instances where I knew I’d seen 2 items but thought I might’ve seen another, so I just put 2. I don’t know how they mark it, but I decided to go with trying to get them right even if I missed some, rather than trying to get more right but also more wrong.

 

[Nevergiveup]

Ah I see, they’ve asked me to do paper and computer tests on the same day unless there isn’t enough time then they will arrange another day.
Regarding the picture, yes I am aware of what I’m looking for and 2-3 objects shouldn’t be a problem for me it’s when there’s 4-5 objects in one picture lol but I’ll take your advice and just select what I see on it even if it a picture with a lot of vehicles and big junctions

Yeah the paper tests were over half a day on their own in September then I did everything else apart from the DMI in November.

The pictures flash up for about a second I’d say. It’s very, very quick and it’s not designed for you to be able to study the entire picture. My only advice would be to make sure you’re aware of what you’re looking for, and only select the items that you’re certain you saw. I had a couple of instances where I knew I’d seen 2 items but thought I might’ve seen another, so I just put 2. I don’t know how they mark it, but I decided to go with trying to get them right even if I missed some, rather than trying to get more right but also more wrong.

 

[dan2610]

Ah I see, they’ve asked me to do paper and computer tests on the same day unless there isn’t enough time then they will arrange another day.
Regarding the picture, yes I am aware of what I’m looking for and 2-3 objects shouldn’t be a problem for me it’s when there’s 4-5 objects in one picture lol but I’ll take your advice and just select what I see on it even if it a picture with a lot of vehicles and big junctions

I spoke to people on the day after we sat the test and some said they guessed on some pictures, e.g. if there’s a busy junction with traffic then they also assumed traffic lights or signs too, so selected that even if they didn’t see it.

I wouldn’t personally do that but everyone on my day passed that test so I don’t think you should worry yourself too much over it.

 

[Nevergiveup]

Yes that’s was I was thinking as I did some practice test and was getting better score when I select all the options if the picture is of a busy junction and lots of traffic.

Thank for the information I’ll just try my best on all the assessments and take it from there

I spoke to people on the day after we sat the test and some said they guessed on some pictures, e.g. if there’s a busy junction with traffic then they also assumed traffic lights or signs too, so selected that even if they didn’t see it.

I wouldn’t personally do that but everyone on my day passed that test so I don’t think you should worry yourself too much over it.

 

[Fair mo]

Does anyone from the par Depot have any DMI'S coming up?

 

[Lee70]

Had my DMI January 8th For Exeter depot. Have been accepted into the talent pool and am now, what feels like, just sat in limbo just waiting for the call!! Gonna just put it to the back of my mind now, and plod on in the job I’m tired of ‍♂️
My hope would be to have started driver training by end of this year....