SWR - Guards Recruitment and Discussion

[the_bear]

Hello all,

Are there any SWR commercial guards in the house? Just been given a conditional offer starting at the end of the year.

Was wondering if anyone could shed some light on their own experiences in the role? Shifts, overtime, career progression, enjoyment etc…

Thanks

 

[railwaypanda]

Hello! Congrats on getting the job! I am just about to finish the training (I started in July) so if you have any questions about the training, I can help the shifts vary depending on which depot you’re in, my depot has an overnight shift for example and you do that same shift all week I believe.

I am really enjoying it so far, but I worked in the ticket office before so for me it is much more interesting!

 

[Bigfoot]

Was wondering if anyone could shed some light on their own experiences in the role? Shifts, overtime, career progression, enjoyment etc…

Shifts, very much depot dependent.
Overtime, usually a fair bit, again depot dependent.
Career progression, you could become a guards coach, leading crew, guards trainer, guards manager, driver or more. There's no official progression, that's up to you.
Enjoyment is entirely on the individual.

 

[the_bear]

Hello! Congrats on getting the job! I am just about to finish the training (I started in July) so if you have any questions about the training, I can help the shifts vary depending on which depot you’re in, my depot has an overnight shift for example and you do that same shift all week I believe.

I am really enjoying it so far, but I worked in the ticket office before so for me it is much more interesting!

Cheers for that bud. Glad to hear you’re enjoying it! Maybe see you out and about soon!

 

[swrfanatic]

Morning guys,

Extremely interested in the Commercial Guard role at SWR but I have **** maths skills and have not touched it since year 11 - what is the assessment like and can anyone give me a run down of the process?

Terrible maths skills*

 

[MiNi]

I did my assessment in Southampton in 2019, so it may have changed. But I'm no maths wizard but I found it quite easy. However 1 of the starting 14 people fell at the first hurdle and was sent packing within the first half an hour.

 

[swrfanatic]

Oh I see, fair enough - were you successful?

 

[MiNi]

Unfortunately not. I was 1 of the final 3 out of 14 left. Was there 9.30-3and passed all the other tests that were(from memory),,eyesight,maths,scaatt,raatt,customer service,rvce and Tcst. Messed up the last one(ticket checking & selling test). And was sent on my way home.

 

[swrfanatic]

Would you be able to go through the assessment process and what happens?

 

[MiNi]

Arrive,sign in,go to room with other applicant's(could be various jobs,I was in there with drivers and maintenance people). Name called and taken into a room with assessor to do vision test. Shown around 20 cards and have to read the number on card(for colour vision). Pass ok then back into room. After other have had vision test then all into classroom for the other tests. Maths was first then all back into room,after 10 minutes or so the door will open and if your name is called you are taken away on your own to be told you failed and you leave straight away. The same happens after the other tests also. Obviously lunch is taken in between these tests.

 

[Mainsideman]

Worth noting that

Morning guys,

Extremely interested in the Commercial Guard role at SWR but I have **** maths skills and have not touched it since year 11 - what is the assessment like and can anyone give me a run down of the process?

Terrible maths skills*

are you currently a guard? You need to have done 1 year as a metro guard before applying for commercial at the inner depots.

 

[Kite159]

The ticket selling test requires some level of maths to be able to pass. Working out totals of multiple tickets (ie 2 adults + 1 child) and working out what change is needed if someone wants to pay with a £10 for a £3,40 ticket etc. So basic maths, from memory they provided a 'discount' sheet for railcards fares (so a case of looking up the 'normal' fare on the list to get the discounted fare.

Stuff which in real life the revenue equipment does for you.

Anyhow good luck with the assessment.

 

[the_bear]

Did mine at the end of last year. There is no Maths test anymore for the commercial guard assessment day. Just colour cards, Raat and Scaat..

 

[MiNi]

Did mine at the end of last year. There is no Maths test anymore for the commercial guard assessment day. Just colour cards, Raat and Scaat..

So no maths,customer service,rvce or ticket selling test anymore ?.

 

[the_bear]

So no maths,customer service,rvce or ticket selling test anymore ?.

Nope. Purely just the Raat, Scaat and colour cards on the assessment day. Followed by an interview on another day. On the day I was there the lady said it had all very recently changed

Does anyone know if there are commercial guards based out of Exeter??

 

[swrfanatic]

The ticket selling test requires some level of maths to be able to pass. Working out totals of multiple tickets (ie 2 adults + 1 child) and working out what change is needed if someone wants to pay with a £10 for a £3,40 ticket etc. So basic maths, from memory they provided a 'discount' sheet for railcards fares (so a case of looking up the 'normal' fare on the list to get the discounted fare.

Stuff which in real life the revenue equipment does for you.

Anyhow good luck with the assessment.

Oh I see, thats a relief. Thank you for your response.

 

[GemGem]

Nope. Purely just the Raat, Scaat and colour cards on the assessment day. Followed by an interview on another day. On the day I was there the lady said it had all very recently changed

Does anyone know if there are commercial guards based out of Exeter??

Yeovil

 

[Ducatichick]

Morning guys,

Extremely interested in the Commercial Guard role at SWR but I have **** maths skills and have not touched it since year 11 - what is the assessment like and can anyone give me a run down of the process?

Terrible maths skills*

Please don’t be out off by it. I passed these tests (I can only assume they’re the same or similar as the ones for a shunter) and found them easy.
I also hadn’t touched math in a very long time and I have an insane fear of exams. You can’t do wrong for trying hey?
You could always pick up some maths books from WHSmiths or something just to brush up on your math in the meantime?

 

[swrfanatic]

Thank you for your advice - I went to WHSmith earlier to buy some basic maths revision books so I can brush up on some skills which could help me. I hope.

 

[the_bear]

Thank you for your advice - I went to WHSmith earlier to buy some basic maths revision books so I can brush up on some skills which could help me. I hope.

There is no maths test..

 

[MiNi]

Commercial Guard Yeovil now advertised.

 

[the_bear]

Yeovil

Thanks for that! Are there commercial guards at London Waterloo also?

 

[swr444]

As far as im aware, the ticketing selling and checking test has now been scrapped. It has been for internals

 

[Kite159]

Thanks for that! Are there commercial guards at London Waterloo also?

Yep, there are commercial guards based at Waterloo (although I would imagine they are massively outnumbered by Metro guards)

 

[the_bear]

Yep, there are commercial guards based at Waterloo (although I would imagine they are massively outnumbered by Metro guards)

Cheers bud. Never seen them advertise for Waterloo, must be popular I’m guessing?

 

[godfreycomplex]

Cheers bud. Never seen them advertise for Waterloo, must be popular I’m guessing?

Mostly filled by internal transfers from non-commercial guards historically

 

[Kite159]

Makes sense as it's a logical next step for any metro guards if they want more money and to get outside London more often.

 

[swrcommguard]

Metro Guards are expected to check and scan tickets these days so the only real difference is that Commercial Guards have cash handling responsibilities and can sell tickets.

The pay differential between the two roles is still quite large though.

 

[swrfanatic]

There is no maths test..

thats a relief

 

[lizzieblott]

I've got mine coming up for the 4th Feb at Southampton, no maths test but the raat and scaat test, aswell as the colour blindness test.