Well considering training is 16 weeks just in the classroom, they wouldn’t be getting fully qualified, competent drivers within the 6 months so I think June /July is unlikely. They have the talent pool for a reason and can rely on those candidates before bringing new people straight into training. I know someone who has been in the talent pool for the past 2 years. Whilst I don’t think that would be the case for everyone, I think telling people training would be soon is giving false hope.
Any idea when they will open the trainee programme to Crewe applicants?
Not a clue I'm afraid. I don't think there's even any word as to when Crewe depot will become a thing.
I don't think enhanced is perfect. But it'll probably be 80-90% for enhanced and anything lower will be standard. But it's hard to know as they don't give out that information.
It's not the act of having qualified drivers in 6 months. It's the act of showing that you're building your driving capacities.
Good luck. Mines not until next Wednesday
Good luck mate! Early night tonight and just try not to overthink it! Let us know how you get on.
Thanks mate! Plenty more days for practice then haha! Feels like the process has gone so quick for me so far.. but it’s not given me time to dwell on it too much which I suppose is a good thing!
Thanks mate! Let’s hope the little one decides to sleep through tonight haha! Yeah I’ll keep you posted, good or bad!
I’m heading up tomorrow night for assessments on Thursday morning. Please update on here how it goes!Thanks mate! Plenty more days for practice then haha! Feels like the process has gone so quick for me so far.. but it’s not given me time to dwell on it too much which I suppose is a good thing!
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Thanks mate! Let’s hope the little one decides to sleep through tonight haha! Yeah I’ll keep you posted, good or bad!
It’s unlikely to be any time soon. The depot has been pushed back to next March now and it’s massively oversubscribed.
Drive…?
That's obviously not going to be possible.
Didn’t I already suggest that rather than waste money on test materials you don’t need?!
I’m staying at the travelogue the night before. Room was around 50 quid. Just didn’t want to stress about the journey on the day so thought might as well. That way I can just head to the OPC nice and fresh in the morning.
You did, but I'm trying to get a few opinions to see whether or not it's worth the risk just getting an early morning train and saving myself the money that I would other spend on a night on a nearby Travelodge, or instead to pay for one night away to guarantee that I will be there on the morning of the assessments, bearing in mind that there are several early morning trains I could catch that would get me to Crewe before 8am.
Thanks for your input!
I have also booked a hotel for the night before. Like others I want to arrive fresh and not have to worry about being late. Hope this helps with your decision.
Much obliged. I think the general consensus now is to arrive fresh without the anxiety of being late. That said, surely Liverpool's proximity to Crewe and it's multiple Avanti and LNR connections mean taking the train early in the morning isn't too big a risk? I honestly don't know right now, because if I leave it too long the rooms might get more expensive.
If they ask at interview if you’re a decisive person, don’t say ‘not sure’
If they ask at interview if you’re a decisive person, don’t say ‘not sure’
glad I'm not the only one thinking the same lolIronically saying "no" is more decisive than not being sure.If they ask at interview if you’re a decisive person, don’t say ‘not sure’
You should only be doing the tests on the email. If you pass those I believe you get through to stage 2 which will be computer based tests and interview.
Do it then.
Do what you feel comfortable doing, I got a hotel the night before doing psychometrics for LNER, was around 30 miles from my house so thought it would take some stress out of the experience...... I didn't sleep a wink I think mainly because I wasn't in my own bed.
So far I have been unsure because of several factors regarding this decision, so I'm not necessarily fighting it, I'm just trying to assess the risks involved. Yet strangely enough actually writing out the idea of gambling has made me a lot more confident in opting for the hotel option. After all, aside from the need to be decisive, good train drivers don't really take risks and always act in a safety-conscious manner. Therefore in this case I think it's probably better to be safe than sorry and not make risky decisions. Not quite comparable I know, but I think that the principle is at least very similar.
Thank you for your input. The emboldened point has helped solidify my decision!
Well spotted
i think you should calm down and just make a decision which will suit you best to be successful on the day! Surely that’s worth paying an extra few quid for the job you are going for?
One of the qualities looked for in a train driver is the ability to risk assess quickly, so treat it as a risk assessment. Pros of taking the train on the day - it's cheaper and will motivate you further. Cons - the risk of not making it on time (and hence missing the assessment) is > ~ 5% (using standard train delay metrics), and you may arrive slightly more stressed. Pros of staying in a hotel the night before - you'll be well rested, stress will be kept to a minimum and the risk of not making it on time is 0%. Cons of the hotel - it's more expensive and your sleep may be of a lower quality due to unfamiliar surroundings/circumstances out of your control. Choose based on your individual approach to risk and preferences!
