SWR - Trainee Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Nicnic]

Hi all, I'm looking for a bit of advice .
I applied for a few roles as a trainee train driver, Yeovil/Bournemouth /Salisbury. I have passed the assessment's. I have just been invited for an interview for SWR for the Yeovil position. I live in Hampshire and would have to relocate if successful. I have been told there are a lot of people in front of me for the Bournemouth /Salisbury Roles. Is it worth waiting for a position for B/mouth/Salisbury roles as I wouldn't have to relocate and how long is the wait? or Go for the position in Yeovil and try to relocate later. Thanks

 

[vikingdriver]

Hi all, I'm looking for a bit of advice .
I applied for a few roles as a trainee train driver, Yeovil/Bournemouth /Salisbury. I have passed the assessment's. I have just been invited for an interview for SWR for the Yeovil position. I live in Hampshire and would have to relocate if successful. I have been told there are a lot of people in front of me for the Bournemouth /Salisbury Roles. Is it worth waiting for a position for B/mouth/Salisbury roles as I wouldn't have to relocate and how long is the wait? or Go for the position in Yeovil and try to relocate later. Thanks

You would need to complete your training then wait 3 years to request an internal transfer. So that'll probably be around 4 and a half years after starting. You would then join the back of the queue waiting to transfer and however long that will take.

 

[Javelin_55]

I think whether it's worth waiting really depends on how much you want the job.

No-one will be able to tell you for certain how long you'll be waiting for a specific depot, and your assessment results will only be valid for a few years. You could easily find yourself still waiting when they expire. And once they do you'll have to re-sit the tests, which will put you to the back of the queue... again.

Personally, I'd get straight in wherever gives me the opportunity. If you've already relocated, you might find you're happy at Yeovil and stay there. You never know.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Moderator note: From July 2025, this thread should be used for all new trainee driver and trainee driver talent pool discussions.

These appeared yesterday but don’t think they’ve been mentioned here yet?

Fratton - https://careers.southwesternrailway...iver-fratton-fratton-hampshire-united-kingdom

Salisbury - https://careers.southwesternrailway...-salisbury-salisbury-wiltshire-united-kingdom

Woking - NOW CLOSED

 

[Steprenity]

OMG How did the Woking one close so fast? That's the one I've been waiting for, I literally checked the SWR jobs page 3 days ago and didn't see any trainee driver roles at all. The other two are too far away for me.

 

[Flange Squeal]

OMG How did the Woking one close so fast?

Because trainee driver jobs get such a large number of applications so quickly, it’s not unusual for operators to close the adverts once a certain number of applications is made. At popular locations this can be a matter of just hours. Many of the recruitment websites for each operator have a ‘Job Alerts’ feature you can sign up to that will email you when a job matching your desired criteria goes live.

 

[thejedtrain]

Looks like all jobs down now. I’m waiting for Waterloo, anyone know if Trainee train driver Waterloo will be up any time soon? Missed the one from April.

 

[I_am_Nobody]

Highly unlikely, I’d say. It’s the one I am waiting for too… the form in April wasn’t working for me, wasn’t letting me apply!

 

[NSEWonderer]

Looks like all jobs down now. I’m waiting for Waterloo, anyone know if Trainee train driver Waterloo will be up any time soon? Missed the one from April.

Sailsbury is still up

 

[thejedtrain]

Sailsbury is still up

It was down earlier when I checked, so whoever is interested better apply asap. Good luck all.

 

[Pcoftw]

Hi all,

Just wondering out of the following three depots what would your choice be and why? Guildford, Wimbledon and Strawberry hill. Commute time is not a major factor as I’ll be moving. I understand rent varies in all three locations so COL and QOL will differ. However, purely from a works perspective which is the better depot to go with?

 

[Jev90]

I've just been unsuccessful in the online questions (most/least likely to do) , I currently work on the railway, so I tried to answer from a personal point of view but also what SWR would be looking for,
Did anyone else get through this and could give me some support please?

 

[nicstar]

I went ahead with the Interviews DMI and MMI, Which i passed & then onto the Occupational Health medical which seemed to going well, and then the ECG I was told it was not a normal ECG and the doctor said i was unfit to work! I went straight to my doctors surgery where they did two ECGs which were perfect. I received a letter from Occupational Health stating an Echocardiogram could be considered....Waiting for the NHS would take 3-4 months so i paid privately for it, £1050.00. The Echo was perfect ,nothing wrong. I now have "fit for normal duties". So just waiting confirmation of start date. But the moral of the story is: I won't have to relocate. So i just want to say a big thank you for the advice.

 

[Aziz93]

Good evening,

I am following up on a previous thread I now can’t find.

I passed the second stage of assessments for the Trainee Train Drivers role for SWR (Feltham). It involved going to their Southampton recruitment centre and completing the computerised reaction tests.

Did anyone else here go? I was one of not many who passed and just wanted to know with what regularity they’re processing people into interview stage?

Thanks in advance

 

[Chippychips]

They have vacancies for Waterloo and Basingstoke posted today 23/09/25.

Not sure how long they will stay up though.

 

[thejedtrain]

With the online test they send you when you apply, is that from SWR or OPC? Guessing SWR send it, if you pass, then they pass details over to OPC?

 

[Train_girl101]

Did anyone manage to apply for Waterloo? Didn’t seem to be up for long and I missed it

 

[Mabs]

I went ahead with the Interviews DMI and MMI, Which i passed & then onto the Occupational Health medical which seemed to going well, and then the ECG I was told it was not a normal ECG and the doctor said i was unfit to work! I went straight to my doctors surgery where they did two ECGs which were perfect. I received a letter from Occupational Health stating an Echocardiogram could be considered....Waiting for the NHS would take 3-4 months so i paid privately for it, £1050.00. The Echo was perfect ,nothing wrong. I now have "fit for normal duties". So just waiting confirmation of start date. But the moral of the story is: I won't have to relocate. So i just want to say a big thank you for the advice.

You can get it done for £295 at Vista health Waterloo. Results in 2 days.

 

[Chippychips]

Did anyone manage to apply for Waterloo? Didn’t seem to be up for long and I missed it

Less than a day. Wow.
SWR vacancies seem to go relatively quickly (especially the London depots), which is a shame because most may miss the opportunity if at work or not in a position to apply until "later that evening", to find it gone in less than 24 hours.

Basingstoke has been taken down too.

Might be worth checking again tomorrow morning. I recall something similar happening with the last Waterloo ad and it came back the next day for a limited time.

 

[Train_girl101]

Less than a day. Wow.
SWR vacancies seem to go relatively quickly (especially the London depots), which is a shame because most may miss the opportunity if at work or not in a position to apply until "later that evening", to find it gone in less than 24 hours.

Basingstoke has been taken down too.

Might be worth checking again tomorrow morning. I recall something similar happening with the last Waterloo ad and it came back the next day for a limited time.

Oh wow, Basingstoke was just up half an hour ago. But thanks for the advice I will keep checking!

 

[ReeTrains]

Hi can anyone help/give me some advice/ideas as I’m really confused?

I applied for the recent Waterloo vacancy, and I passed the assessment. However, I just got an email today saying I didn’t progress. The reason they stated was not being within the 60 mins limit. ‘Based on your address and the travel information that you have provided, this does not look achievable for the required shift times’. May I just state that was the only reason listed in the email. The problem with that is I live in London so public transport is only 30 mins to Waterloo and I also drive and it’s is like 45-50 mins, so I fall within the limit. I also stated on the application that I could/would travel underground, car and/or train.

I have emailed them/tried to call but yet to hear a response. I do understand there would be a lot of other applicants, and I would be content if they just stated that it was for that reason but they put a reason that is completely false down.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Hi can anyone help/give me some advice/ideas as I’m really confused?

I applied for the recent Waterloo vacancy, and I passed the assessment. However, I just got an email today saying I didn’t progress. The reason they stated was not being within the 60 mins limit. ‘Based on your address and the travel information that you have provided, this does not look achievable for the required shift times’. May I just state that was the only reason listed in the email. The problem with that is I live in London so public transport is only 30 mins to Waterloo and I also drive and it’s is like 45-50 mins, so I fall within the limit. I also stated on the application that I could/would travel underground, car and/or train.

I have emailed them/tried to call but yet to hear a response. I do understand there would be a lot of other applicants, and I would be content if they just stated that it was for that reason but they put a reason that is completely false down.

Is it within the limit from times of both 2am-4am and 2pm-4pm. Essentially within the peaks, using Google maps. If the car falls out of that range for either it is classed as out of the limit

 

[ReeTrains]

Is it within the limit from times of both 2am-4am and 2pm-4pm. Essentially within the peaks, using Google maps. If the car falls out of that range for either it is classed as out of the limit

I just had a look 2am-4am is 40 mins and 2pm-4pm is 65 mins so it will be because of the 2pm-4pm, which is extremely tough/annoying to take as it’s only 5 mins

And it probably also means SouthWestern is completely off limits for me since Waterloo is probably the closest to me

 

[NSEWonderer]

I just had a look 2am-4am is 40 mins and 2pm-4pm is 65 mins so it will be because of the 2pm-4pm, which is extremely tough/annoying to take as it’s only 5 mins

And it probably also means SouthWestern is completely off limits for me since Waterloo is probably the closest to me

Yeah they're pretty tough on the limit sadly. Best thing you could do is email to appeal it and see what happens but asbyou said, they'll probably have many other candidates, within range. Depending on where you live, southeastern at charing Cross and Arriva overground at New Cross are still recruiting, I believe.

 

[ReeTrains]

Yeah they're pretty tough on the limit sadly. Best thing you could do is email to appeal it and see what happens but asbyou said, they'll probably have many other candidates, within range. Depending on where you live, southeastern at charing Cross and Arriva overground at New Cross are still recruiting, I believe.

Yeah I applied for the Charing Cross before in July and didn’t get it, this one won’t let me apply now so assume it’s the same job vacancy. I have applied for both overground vacancies at New Cross and Willesden Junction, the latter I’ve been put into a talent pool for OPC assessment test dates after passing the VSE

 

[Chippychips]

Has anyone else heard anything (whether good or bad)?

Also, for anyone that might be in the knowledge of past experience with the SWR process, whats the next steps usually?
Is it further online testing? Dmi? Assessments? what comes first?

 

[mcgrindah]

Has anyone else heard anything (whether good or bad)?

Also, for anyone that might be in the knowledge of past experience with the SWR process, whats the next steps usually?
Is it further online testing? Dmi? Assessments? what comes first?

Thanks for posting about the Waterloo vacancy this week. I passed the online test but live too far away for them to consider my application.

 

[rakoczigabi]

Has anyone else heard anything (whether good or bad)?

Also, for anyone that might be in the knowledge of past experience with the SWR process, whats the next steps usually?
Is it further online testing? Dmi? Assessments? what comes first?

My sister and her partner applied for Basingstoke. Done the online assessment. Haven’t heard anything since. So fingers crossed.

When I done my inperson assessments , it was all in one day in Southampton. Then two separate days for the interviews. This was a few years ago now.

My ex done his at end of last year , assessments were broken down in half. One day paper sessions , different day computer assessments. All done in Southampton.

Then two separate days for this interviews, he’s only having his first interview next week so not a fast process.

 

[Chippychips]

My sister and her partner applied for Basingstoke. Done the online assessment. Haven’t heard anything since. So fingers crossed.

When I done my inperson assessments , it was all in one day in Southampton. Then two separate days for the interviews. This was a few years ago now.

My ex done his at end of last year , assessments were broken down in half. One day paper sessions , different day computer assessments. All done in Southampton.

Then two separate days for this interviews, he’s only having his first interview next week so not a fast process.

Thank you for the info. Southampton for assessments is likely the next stage then! Good to know.
My partner applied and was asking me what the process is like so I thought I'd ask to see if someone may be privy to this information.
"Not a fast process" is the motto of railway recruitment.

When you say two separate days for the interviews and that someone you know is having their first interview next week, what does this mean?
They do two DMIs?

 

[rakoczigabi]

Thank you for the info. Southampton for assessments is likely the next stage then! Good to know.
My partner applied and was asking me what the process is like so I thought I'd ask to see if someone may be privy to this information.
"Not a fast process" is the motto of railway recruitment.

When you say two separate days for the interviews and that someone you know is having their first interview next week, what does this mean?
They do two DMIs?

Two interviews , one MMI and the second one is DMI.
Not too sure which is first or second nowadays.

When I had mine I done DMI first , then a few weeks later MMI.

After passing both , there was the medical. Hope it helps