How2Become

[sw1ller]

Hi all.

As i am doing everything i can to get ahead, i was thinking about buying the 'how 2 become a train driver' CDROM, its about £20.

I was wondering if anyone has bought this and more importantly, would they recommend it?

If not, where can i get the practice tests online and would my money be better spent getting a professional to look at my CV?? My English is pretty Sub-standard.

Thanks a lot guys.

Dave

 

[E&W Lucas]

Hi all.

As i am doing everything i can to get ahead, i was thinking about buying the 'how 2 become a train driver' CDROM, its about £20.

I was wondering if anyone has bought this and more importantly, would they recommend it?

If not, where can i get the practice tests online and would my money be better spent getting a professional to look at my CV?? My English is pretty Sub-standard.

Thanks a lot guys.

Dave

Don't waste your money. There is plenty of information available online, if you go looking for it.

Two things you should consider though:
1. Train driving is not a suitable career, for people who need to be "spoon fed" everything. You have to be able to self manage.

2. Written English is very important. The ability to write clear and accurate reports, is an essential part of the job.

 

[sw1ller]

Don't waste your money. There is plenty of information available online, if you go looking for it.

Two things you should consider though:
1. Train driving is not a suitable career, for people who need to be "spoon fed" everything. You have to be able to self manage.

2. Written English is very important. The ability to write clear and accurate reports, is an essential part of the job.

Fair comment. However, i dont see how asking for a little help every once in a while constitutes as being "spoon fed". I do see where you are coming from though as i assume initiative is a vital factor when it comes to handling a 200 tonne missile doing 100 plus MPH.

 

[PeteH]

I started with this website about a year ago:

http://www.traindriver.org/index.html

 

[sw1ller]

I started with this website about a year ago:

http://www.traindriver.org/index.html

thanks pete, i've been on this on, it's very good. I especially liked the 'trainee train driver's blog'

 

[BLS]

They get a bad press on here but I found them invaluable. Yes a lot of the information is already out there, but the more you've got the better in my opinion. There's one on the managers interview which I thought was brilliant, I am hopeless at interviews and it was a great revision tool for me.

Don't get me wrong they're not the be all and end all, and they're probably not for everyone but they definately helped me get my drivers job.

 

[sw1ller]

They get a bad press on here but I found them invaluable. Yes a lot of the information is already out there, but the more you've got the better in my opinion. There's one on the managers interview which I thought was brilliant, I am hopeless at interviews and it was a great revision tool for me.

Don't get me wrong they're not the be all and end all, and they're probably not for everyone but they definately helped me get my drivers job.

Ok, now i'm back to square one again!! Haha. I think if i get an interview somewhere then i will get it. Doesn't sound worth the money in the meantime.

Thank you for your view on this.

 

[455driver]

Easiest answer is to take it one step at a time, step one is seeing the adverts and applying for an application form, step two is ensuring the application form is filled in correctly with your best possible answers and posted back in good time.

Once those two have been done you can start on step three but until those two are done the rest is irrelevant.

 

[W230]

I started with this website about a year ago:

http://www.traindriver.org/index.html

Likewise. I found it very useful and it gave loads of information, especially on the workings/shifts etc on the railways that I didn't know as I was "off the street".

After applying, I was lucky enough to get an invite to an assessment day, which is when I first appeared on here and found people on these pages to be very knowedgeable and helpful on the assessments. I passed those and i'm in training with a TOC now.

Bit confused by what you mean by your english is sub-standard? While I would agree with E&W Lucas that it's certainly important to be able to write and communicate clearly, your english doesn't come across as bad in your posts (you should see some posts on the forum ). If you mean in terms of english not being your first language, well we have an eastern european bloke on our course at the moment and he seems to be learning the rules/traction in a second language ok (well a few funny phrases come out occassionally).

Personally, I wouldn't bother getting the CD ROM you mention. I don't think there would be any additional information on there that you couldn't find on the internet. The only other advice I could maybe give is that although I came "off the street", my impression from being in the job and speaking to others on my course is that it would probably have been easier to get that all important invite to an assessment day if I had been making a sidestep from another postion in the railway. That's only my 2p worth though and i'm sure others will have different opinions!

Good luck!

 

[sw1ller]

Easiest answer is to take it one step at a time, step one is seeing the adverts and applying for an application form, step two is ensuring the application form is filled in correctly with your best possible answers and posted back in good time.

Once those two have been done you can start on step three but until those two are done the rest is irrelevant.

I totally agree. I have it firmly implanted in my noggin now that this is the career path i want to take but it can be a little frustrating when the only trainee job available at the moment is near Edinburgh (FirstScotRail) Ive only been on this site for a few days but i have been looking for a couple of months. I just seem to be thinking, what could i be doing in the meantime while i wait for a vacancy to appear on one of the 11 TOCs careers pages i have saved.

I will just have to be more patient and stop over thinking things i suppose.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Likewise. I found it very useful and it gave loads of information, especially on the workings/shifts etc on the railways that I didn't know as I was "off the street".

After applying, I was lucky enough to get an invite to an assessment day, which is when I first appeared on here and found people on these pages to be very knowedgeable and helpful on the assessments. I passed those and i'm in training with a TOC now.

Bit confused by what you mean by your english is sub-standard? While I would agree with E&W Lucas that it's certainly important to be able to write and communicate clearly, your english doesn't come across as bad in your posts (you should see some posts on the forum ). If you mean in terms of english not being your first language, well we have an eastern european bloke on our course at the moment and he seems to be learning the rules/traction in a second language ok (well a few funny phrases come out occassionally).

Personally, I wouldn't bother getting the CD ROM you mention. I don't think there would be any additional information on there that you couldn't find on the internet. The only other advice I could maybe give is that although I came "off the street", my impression from being in the job and speaking to others on my course is that it would probably have been easier to get that all important invite to an assessment day if I had been making a sidestep from another postion in the railway. That's only my 2p worth though and i'm sure others will have different opinions!

Good luck!

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply with this very informitive text. If you're in training then you must have enough on your plate, so thanks.

I am English but my spelling is atroucious (i just had to ask siri how to spell atroucious, i had it with 2 't's) I'm fairly well educated, have NVQ L3 in driving goods vehicles, IT, Networking and so on but anything with 3 or more sylibles and then i'm knackerd!! haha. Its just something i will have to work on, it seems i have a lot of time before any positions become available.
Anyway, congratulations on the new carrer. I have read the trainee drivers blog on that website and although it was in 2005, the job seems really exciting. Hope you're finding its going well. All the best

 

[455driver]

I have been looking for a couple of months.

I was looking for 5 years, it all came good in the end.

 

[sw1ller]

I was looking for 5 years, it all came good in the end.

OH!!!

Haha. Well lets hope it doesnt take that long but i wont give up!

 

[Joe20365]

i just had to ask siri how to spell atroucious

Well, if you want to improve, you might need to find a better teacher.

 

[sw1ller]

Well, if you want to improve, you might need to find a better teacher.

HAHA. I'll just stick to smaller words, see how far that gets me

 

[387star]

I found that a book a bit too easy (the practice stuff)

Think it is much harder on the day

I mean if the mechanical comp is anything like those questions it is a breeze! but I understand it is much harder so I have been going through it properly and throwing the numbers in gear ratios, lever mechanical advantage etc and worked through about three books now? got a fourth one as well!

however the interview is the greatest obstacle for me I would like a more demanding job than I have now even though I am already a lot more confident than this time last year!