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Chiltern - Apprentice Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

topfisher

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28 May 2025
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Somewhere nearby
A lot of guess work here but they might be waiting to see the results of the next stage 2 so they can do all the DMIs around a similar time? I have stage 2 next week

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Anyone who has done the VSE care to share any tips? I never received the online one so don't really know what to expect. I bought an online one and have it perfected but not sure how similar it is to the real thing and I'm worried that I've almost learnt the program at this point. Mainly part 3- the circuit and the symbols. Are you clicking error if it skips a station and then yes or no with the symbols matching? Or do you have to click on the shapes themselves if they match? Any help greatly appreciated.
Best of luck....
 
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R

RailUK Forums

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20 Oct 2025
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5
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Bethnal green
Hi applied to Aylesbury for the role of apprentice train driver in July, have passed the OPC tests & MMI and they have passed back to Ayl for DMI:D.

(I've checked the Chiltern application portal and it's still on 1.2VSE testing)

Does anyone have any ideas how long this process takes?

I've seen an job ad for depot manager @ Aylesbury would this delay the DMI process in the above application?

Any advice on this would be appreciated.
Hi, I've just done the OPC tests, was quite confident on all besides tea occ
I definitely made one mistake on the tone as part 1 but got the rest correct, part 2 I started late, I think I may have missed double symbol, and part 3 Im confident I got all tones correct but I missed one double symbol. Does anyone know if that'll warrant a fail
 

topfisher

Member
Joined
28 May 2025
Messages
58
Location
Somewhere nearby
Hi, I've just done the OPC tests, was quite confident on all besides tea occ
I definitely made one mistake on the tone as part 1 but got the rest correct, part 2 I started late, I think I may have missed double symbol, and part 3 Im confident I got all tones correct but I missed one double symbol. Does anyone know if that'll warrant a fail
Hello,
It's very difficult to tell what warrants a pass or a fail....look at it this way; when I did my paper tests, I thought I really messed up the dials checking test...
I thought I had failed....but I fortunately passed....
Hope this helps
 

Ridetherails

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19 Feb 2025
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211
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Birmingham
Likewise, some of the paper tests I was, yeah I did good, some I was like, well that’s the end of that. Was very surprised I passed. I know people who thought they had walked it and failed.

Just a matter of, what is done is done and put it to the back of your mind as you’ll hear back when you hear back, could be days, could be months, could be a year+
 

Pintman

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13 Dec 2023
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The Pub
No one knows the pass marks other than the assessment centres, it's impossible to know how well you've done until you get told. You can be 100% confident and 100% wrong!
 
Joined
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Bethnal green
Thanks guys for the responses, hopefully I've done enough to pass, the first part was entirely my fault but the assessor always asked if anyone had questions for all tests besides part 2 which I had a question, ultimately made me miss 5-10 seconds of a 45 second test
 

Speedbird100

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Joined
9 Mar 2019
Messages
42
Hello all, I have just got an email for the online VSE assessment. Is it just for the examples given in the OPC link for the square in the boxes and letters in boxes? I’m a bit confused with reading some of the articles on here that talk about other test types. Many thanks
 

traintee

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Joined
13 Feb 2013
Messages
83
Hello all, I have just got an email for the online VSE assessment. Is it just for the examples given in the OPC link for the square in the boxes and letters in boxes? I’m a bit confused with reading some of the articles on here that talk about other test types. Many thanks
The actual test is different the practice materials just teach you similar skills you will need for the test.
 

Ridetherails

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Joined
19 Feb 2025
Messages
211
Location
Birmingham
Hello all, I have just got an email for the online VSE assessment. Is it just for the examples given in the OPC link for the square in the boxes and letters in boxes? I’m a bit confused with reading some of the articles on here that talk about other test types. Many thanks
The test itself will be on the left screen a circular track with a simulated train moving station to station and you have to say if there is an error in movement.

The other part of the test is 2 columns of figures and you have to say if cokum 1 matches cokum 2 or is there an error, and then you have to do both parts at the same time, all with a minimal time before next instance happens.

It’s an interesting test, if you pass it you’ll get to do it again but supervised later on in the process
 

Speedbird100

Member
Joined
9 Mar 2019
Messages
42
The test itself will be on the left screen a circular track with a simulated train moving station to station and you have to say if there is an error in movement.

The other part of the test is 2 columns of figures and you have to say if cokum 1 matches cokum 2 or is there an error, and then you have to do both parts at the same time, all with a minimal time before next instance happens.

It’s an interesting test, if you pass it you’ll get to do it again but supervised later on in the process
Thank you very much

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The actual test is different the practice materials just teach you similar skills you will need for the test.
Thank you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

The test itself will be on the left screen a circular track with a simulated train moving station to station and you have to say if there is an error in movement.

The other part of the test is 2 columns of figures and you have to say if cokum 1 matches cokum 2 or is there an error, and then you have to do both parts at the same time, all with a minimal time before next instance happens.

It’s an interesting test, if you pass it you’ll get to do it again but supervised later on in the process
Is there an example before it begins??
 
Last edited:

topfisher

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Joined
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Location
Somewhere nearby
Thank you very much

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Thank you

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Is there an example before it begins??
Yes, there is a little practice session before the main test, but be aware that there is no practice for the 3rd part of the test where you watch the track and the signals.
 

Ridetherails

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19 Feb 2025
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Birmingham
As silly as it sounds, remember to breath and stay calm. On part 3 the test speeds up and slows down so stay calm and focused otherwise it will get away from you.
 

Ridetherails

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Joined
19 Feb 2025
Messages
211
Location
Birmingham
I was told a month or so ago there would be 2-3 places for moor street on the April course. Also heard a rumour about a few places on a January course.
But as with all things railway, anything can happen.
 

Speedbird100

Member
Joined
9 Mar 2019
Messages
42
Anybody know how long it is after you do the online OPC VSE assessments that the results are emailed out?
 

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