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Redhill GWR Conductor Vacancy

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SurreySun

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9 Feb 2018
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Hi all,

I have recently been accepted to attend the Assessment Centre for position of conductor at GWR based in Redhill.
I noticed the job has been advertised twice in as many months! (Missed the first advert by a day, successful on the second one)

Just a few questions really, if anyone wouldn’t mind helping?
1. The assessment is based in Swindon, which is at the very least a 2hr journey for me. Will there be help with the cost of transport?
2. I spoke to HR when booking my assessment centre date. She said there was also and interview this day. And it was the only day, no second round. Can anyone confirm this?
3. Any pointers on said interview? Questionwise?
4. How do GWR do as employers? Are they a good company?
5. How long is training?
6. What are the salaries? Training and then qualified? They were on the advert but then disappeared.

Sorry for all the questions, I’ve had a browse in the forums but can’t find any concrete answers.

Thanks in advance.
 
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paulwestwood

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11 Nov 2012
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87
Hi all,

I have recently been accepted to attend the Assessment Centre for position of conductor at GWR based in Redhill.
I noticed the job has been advertised twice in as many months! (Missed the first advert by a day, successful on the second one)

Just a few questions really, if anyone wouldn’t mind helping?
1. The assessment is based in Swindon, which is at the very least a 2hr journey for me. Will there be help with the cost of transport?
2. I spoke to HR when booking my assessment centre date. She said there was also and interview this day. And it was the only day, no second round. Can anyone confirm this?
3. Any pointers on said interview? Questionwise?
4. How do GWR do as employers? Are they a good company?
5. How long is training?
6. What are the salaries? Training and then qualified? They were on the advert but then disappeared.

Sorry for all the questions, I’ve had a browse in the forums but can’t find any concrete answers.

Thanks in advance.

1. If your speak to HR they may say that your confirmation letter may be used as your travel ticket on GWR services depending where you are travelling from, although really you should be paying your own travelling expenses as part of working on the railway involves being able to get to work at unsociable hours when public transport is not readily available.

2. Normally all assessment days are now done in two parts. i.e. Conductor paper tests on one day, and if successful you would be called back to attend Assessment Day 2 which is the group assessment followed by Interview providing you are successful. This is how it works at other depots so shouldn't be any different for Redhill.

3. Questions are competence based and you will need examples of transferrable skills.

4. GWR have been good, Bear in mind its the railway rumours are alway going round and round unless you have it in writing dont take it as gospel.

5. Training will last 12 weeks plus depending on availability of trainers and assessors.

6. Salaries are 20k whilst training and 30k when qualified and productive based on what it says on the Westbury Conductor advert on the GWR.com careers site.

7. Please note all these answers are on this forum already and salaries are on GWR Careers website as of now because i've just looked.

8. A proactive attitude is required also.

9. I hope this helps.
 

SurreySun

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Thank you for your help Paul. Much appreciated I was obviously looking in the wrong places, and a search of GWR conductor was not showing any appropriate results. Please accept my apologies.

Completely understand I need my own transport. I drive. Redhill is 15 mins max from my home. Asking someone to travel to Swindon for a job interview is obviously going to be costly. For example a two hour drive one way (95 miles) Just saying. It wouldn’t be a problem for me to pay my own way, but maybe others cannot afford this? Just seems unusual to hold the interview here.
 

tsr

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TOCs will often issue a complimentary travel pass for those selected to attend interviews and assessments. This covers a return journey from your home to the location of the assessment, on the condition you only use the services of the train operator to whom you're applying. FGW certainly used to do this, though I'm not sure if the rebranded GWR operation does the same thing.

Redhill to Swindon is entirely plausible as a journey made only on GWR trains.
 

SurreySun

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9 Feb 2018
Messages
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TOCs will often issue a complimentary travel pass for those selected to attend interviews and assessments. This covers a return journey from your home to the location of the assessment, on the condition you only use the services of the train operator to whom you're applying. FGW certainly used to do this, though I'm not sure if the rebranded GWR operation does the same thing.

Redhill to Swindon is entirely plausible as a journey made only on GWR trains.
Thank you! I’m going to get in touch with HR on Monday to confirm everything.
 

paulwestwood

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11 Nov 2012
Messages
87
Thank you for your help Paul. Much appreciated I was obviously looking in the wrong places, and a search of GWR conductor was not showing any appropriate results. Please accept my apologies.

Completely understand I need my own transport. I drive. Redhill is 15 mins max from my home. Asking someone to travel to Swindon for a job interview is obviously going to be costly. For example a two hour drive one way (95 miles) Just saying. It wouldn’t be a problem for me to pay my own way, but maybe others cannot afford this? Just seems unusual to hold the interview here.

A lot of the training and assessments are done quite often at Swindon, As far as I am aware even some of the Guards Rules training is now done in Swindon along with Retail Training, so you and others could be spending a fair bit of time there.
Also with regard to the assessment centres initial written conductor tests they may be holding tests for other depots at the same time so doing them in Swindon will be more cost effective for the company.
 

SurreySun

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9 Feb 2018
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A lot of the training and assessments are done quite often at Swindon, As far as I am aware even some of the Guards Rules training is now done in Swindon along with Retail Training, so you and others could be spending a fair bit of time there.
Also with regard to the assessment centres initial written conductor tests they may be holding tests for other depots at the same time so doing them in Swindon will be more cost effective for the company.

I see. I think this may be my naivety to the industry. Too used to being a passenger for the last 10 years. Steep learning curve for me over the next week.
 

Emmsie

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13 Feb 2018
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Hi SurreySun. What day is your assessment I am going down on Friday. GWR do send you a travel pass but when I applied Redhill wasn't an option for closest GWR station so I selected Dorking but will just pay the extra for the Redhill to Dorking bit. If you are Friday aswell we can meet up
 

SurreySun

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Sorry, I’ve only just seen this. How did you get on today?
I have my assessment centre Monday morning.
 

Emmsie

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Fine, I passed but have to wait to see if I get shortlisted for next stage. Its not too bad but when you do the first exercise they only give you a couple of minutes which was a surprise as I don't think they warned us so when the instructor called time I'd only done about 30% of it. On the others I managed probably around 45%, there is no way you can complete it all so don't worry about that. Hav you thought about applying to Southern as an OBS
 

Sprinter153

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It is interesting recruitment is going ahead, both vacancy lines in the Redhill roster have been filled now! I don't think there are any plans to expand either as it is a very small depot. Previously they have offered Redhill candidates jobs at Reading if they are available.
 

Emmsie

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It is interesting recruitment is going ahead, both vacancy lines in the Redhill roster have been filled now! I don't think there are any plans to expand either as it is a very small depot. Previously they have offered Redhill candidates jobs at Reading if they are available.
That doesn't surprise me but can't see how someone applying to Redhill can work out of Reading. Do you know anything about the diagrams. is it just backwards and forwards to Reading or are there other routes.
 

SurreySun

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Fine, I passed but have to wait to see if I get shortlisted for next stage. Its not too bad but when you do the first exercise they only give you a couple of minutes which was a surprise as I don't think they warned us so when the instructor called time I'd only done about 30% of it. On the others I managed probably around 45%, there is no way you can complete it all so don't worry about that. Hav you thought about applying to Southern as an OBS


I think I might look at applying for southern after seeing the post above. Reading is too far for me to drive. Brighton is only 20 mins!
 

Emmsie

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I think I might look at applying for southern after seeing the post above. Reading is too far for me to drive. Brighton is only 20 mins!
Its also easier for you to progress at Southern as their offices and ROC are closer. The OBS role is OK and the base is quite big at Brighton, I wish I had stuck it out.
 

SurreySun

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Its also easier for you to progress at Southern as their offices and ROC are closer. The OBS role is OK and the base is quite big at Brighton, I wish I had stuck it out.
Thank you! How long were you there? Any tip? Interview process the same. I’ll still go Monday morning, and keep practising, just in case. But the post doesn’t fill me with the greatest confidence.
 

Emmsie

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Thank you! How long were you there? Any tip? Interview process the same. I’ll still go Monday morning, and keep practising, just in case. But the post doesn’t fill me with the greatest confidence.
I went via an agency so the process was very easy. Sent my CV got an interview, they asked me to tell them a little about myself and had one competency question 'give us an example of a time you gave exceptional customer service' and that was it got the phonecall that afternoon and was in training 10 days later. I was there 5 months but I had other things going on and couldn't really settle to the job.
 

SurreySun

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It is interesting recruitment is going ahead, both vacancy lines in the Redhill roster have been filled now! I don't think there are any plans to expand either as it is a very small depot. Previously they have offered Redhill candidates jobs at Reading if they are available.
This is really interesting. Thank you for the update.
 

SurreySun

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I went via an agency so the process was very easy. Sent my CV got an interview, they asked me to tell them a little about myself and had one competency question 'give us an example of a time you gave exceptional customer service' and that was it got the phonecall that afternoon and was in training 10 days later. I was there 5 months but I had other things going on and couldn't really settle to the job.
None of the tests like GWR? I’m going to go direct. I wonder if the process is different. Really appreciate all the info you’ve given.

If there are no Tedhill jobs would you commute to reading?
 

Emmsie

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The OBS role is not safety critical but hopefully they have improved the training as it was woefully inadequate and I had to think how I would have coped with the incident today.
 

Emmsie

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None of the tests like GWR? I’m going to go direct. I wonder if the process is different. Really appreciate all the info you’ve given.

If there are no Tedhill jobs would you commute to reading?
No way. I was based at East Croydon and that was a nightmare with no parking, so stressful getting to work as you absolutely have to be on time. I have a friend at Southern that has got an interview for Train Services Manager and wants to hire me if/when he gets it as he knows I'm good at the job so will wait for that.
 

SurreySun

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The OBS role is not safety critical but hopefully they have improved the training as it was woefully inadequate and I had to think how I would have coped with the incident today.
Interesting. I’ll apply this week and see how I go. Always worth keeping my options open especially if there are no tests!
 

Emmsie

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None of the tests like GWR? I’m going to go direct. I wonder if the process is different. Really appreciate all the info you’ve given.

If there are no Tedhill jobs would you commute to reading?
There was an online Maths test that I nearly screwed up as I didn't have a calculator and nearly ran out of time but other than that no. None of the tests on friday were hard to be honest.
 

tiptoptaff

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Any chance this thread could return to being about GWR Conductors and not Southern OBS? Thanks
 

SurreySun

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Sorry for the late reply. I failed the assessment. How are you getting on?

I notice the job has gone back up. Interesting as it was mentioned above that the vacancies had been filled?
 

Emmsie

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Sorry for the late reply. I failed the assessment. How are you getting on?

I notice the job has gone back up. Interesting as it was mentioned above that the vacancies had been filled?
I received an email saying i'd passed the assessment and that they would review everything and if I got shortlisted they would invite me back but haven't heard anything since. I'd assume as they are readvertising the postion that although I passed they have decided not to progress me further. Very strange. Did you apply to Southern?
 

SurreySun

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How very strange. Still very odd they are advertising and it’s filled.
No I haven’t, I’ve decided against it. Did you?
 

Emmsie

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I can't apply as applied less than 6 months ago. They are now advertising for Gatwick Express
 
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