Transport for Wales - Conductor Recruitment and Discussion

[crisky]

I’ve changed roles mate, can’t see it having much of a bearing to be honest. I’d imagine it will come up when they request reference details etc. given the talent pool wait times, it must be fairly common.

Cheers for the reply, I’m in those very early stages and need to get used to waiting!

 

[TC12]

Does anyone know if any of the psychometric tests a train driver sits are transferable to the tests of a conductor at TFW?

 

[David-1]

Does anyone know if any of the psychometric tests a train driver sits are transferable to the tests of a conductor at TFW?

Hi,

No they aren’t, I asked the same question last year below is the response I got off tfw

 

[WirralLine]

Brilliant news, well done. Is it 3 months full time training in Chester?

From what I can gather, you spend 11 to 12 weeks in the classroom and then the rest learning routes and traction.

Whilst it is mostly Mon-Fri office hours classroom based work with an assessment at the end of each module, you do get to go out and do some hand on practical stuff too. Usually youll go out into the yard and practice personal track safety, travel to Mach depot for 158 training, Birkenhead for 230 training. If Network Rail can accommodate you should get to visit a mechanical signal box (often Gobowen or one of the Shrewsbury boxes) and Chester Power Box when studying signalling. For retail you do a day with a mentor doing tickets for a shift. When it comes to dispatch youll go out with your trainer doing doors, and eventually toward the end of classroom you do a week with a mentor one on one working trains following their shift pattern.

At the end of classroom you do the big exam, then go out route learning which takes a few months depending on the depot. At the end of route learning you do 3-4 weeks with a mentor (1 on 1) before being signed off over each route with your manager then finally let out alone.

Quite a few needed for Chester due to upcoming changes in the May timetable, presumably as the changes involve the coast, HHD/LLJ may need more too.

Hope this helps!

 

[Manda2194]

Whilst it is mostly Mon-Fri office hours classroom based work with an assessment at the end of each module, you do get to go out and do some hand on practical stuff too. Usually youll go out into the yard and practice personal track safety, travel to Mach depot for 158 training, Birkenhead for 230 training. If Network Rail can accommodate you should get to visit a mechanical signal box (often Gobowen or one of the Shrewsbury boxes) and Chester Power Box when studying signalling. For retail you do a day with a mentor doing tickets for a shift. When it comes to dispatch youll go out with your trainer doing doors, and eventually toward the end of classroom you do a week with a mentor one on one working trains following their shift pattern.

At the end of classroom you do the big exam, then go out route learning which takes a few months depending on the depot. At the end of route learning you do 3-4 weeks with a mentor (1 on 1) before being signed off over each route with your manager then finally let out alone.

Quite a few needed for Chester due to upcoming changes in the May timetable, presumably as the changes involve the coast, HHD/LLJ may need more too.

Hope this helps!

here’s hoping for more vacancies. I was on holiday the time they recruited for Chester so completely missed it

 

[crisky]

Whilst it is mostly Mon-Fri office hours classroom based work with an assessment at the end of each module, you do get to go out and do some hand on practical stuff too. Usually youll go out into the yard and practice personal track safety, travel to Mach depot for 158 training, Birkenhead for 230 training. If Network Rail can accommodate you should get to visit a mechanical signal box (often Gobowen or one of the Shrewsbury boxes) and Chester Power Box when studying signalling. For retail you do a day with a mentor doing tickets for a shift. When it comes to dispatch youll go out with your trainer doing doors, and eventually toward the end of classroom you do a week with a mentor one on one working trains following their shift pattern.

At the end of classroom you do the big exam, then go out route learning which takes a few months depending on the depot. At the end of route learning you do 3-4 weeks with a mentor (1 on 1) before being signed off over each route with your manager then finally let out alone.

Quite a few needed for Chester due to upcoming changes in the May timetable, presumably as the changes involve the coast, HHD/LLJ may need more too.

Hope this helps!

Sounds hopeful for us in the LLJ talent pool then. I wonder when training courses would start if there are timetable changes in May?

 

[Welsh Wizard]

Whilst it is mostly Mon-Fri office hours classroom based work with an assessment at the end of each module, you do get to go out and do some hand on practical stuff too. Usually youll go out into the yard and practice personal track safety, travel to Mach depot for 158 training, Birkenhead for 230 training. If Network Rail can accommodate you should get to visit a mechanical signal box (often Gobowen or one of the Shrewsbury boxes) and Chester Power Box when studying signalling. For retail you do a day with a mentor doing tickets for a shift. When it comes to dispatch youll go out with your trainer doing doors, and eventually toward the end of classroom you do a week with a mentor one on one working trains following their shift pattern.

At the end of classroom you do the big exam, then go out route learning which takes a few months depending on the depot. At the end of route learning you do 3-4 weeks with a mentor (1 on 1) before being signed off over each route with your manager then finally let out alone.

Quite a few needed for Chester due to upcoming changes in the May timetable, presumably as the changes involve the coast, HHD/LLJ may need more too.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info.. sounds like a great experience.

 

[TC12]

Did anyone apply for the Carmarthen talent pool recently? Have you heard anything since applying?

 

[crisky]

Anyone in the Llandudno Junction talent pool here?

 

[hugsop]

Anyone in the Llandudno Junction talent pool here?

I am

 

[crisky]

I am

Oh great When did you go in it, and have you heard anything at all?

 

[hugsop]

Oh great When did you go in it, and have you heard anything at all?

Only recently, had an interview in November and found out a few days later, not heard anything yet, how about you?

 

[crisky]

Only recently, had an interview in November and found out a few days later, not heard anything yet, how about you?

Same as me! Realising that it's all very early days, but if I hear anything I'll let you know

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Jan 2026 ==

To clarify, I haven't heard anything yet

 

[hugsop]

Same as me! Realising that it's all very early days, but if I hear anything I'll let you know

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Jan 2026 ==

To clarify, I haven't heard anything yet

Yeh think we will need to get used to waiting, same here

 

[WelshConductor]

Any updates on courses from people in the Cardiff Mainline pool?

 

[Marsprobe]

Any updates on courses from people in the Cardiff Mainline pool?

No but I'm also waiting for Valleys. Just need to know where we stand really. Should I start looking for a new job? Can I book a family holiday this year? Will I time out in July?

 

[AL86]

No but I'm also waiting for Valleys. Just need to know where we stand really. Should I start looking for a new job? Can I book a family holiday this year? Will I time out in July?

I'm feeling the exact same, I really feel that my time will run out. I've put booking holidays on hold. I emailed and had the generic reply with no news

 

[Lisag1905]

I'm feeling the exact same, I really feel that my time will run out. I've put booking holidays on hold. I emailed and had the generic reply with no news

Hey..new to this forum. Im also waiting in the Cardiff talent pool. Can I ask how long you've been waiting please? Whats most people's waiting times looking like?

 

[KaiCorless23]

Hey..new to this forum. Im also waiting in the Cardiff talent pool. Can I ask how long you've been waiting please? Whats most people's waiting times looking like?

Hey Lisag1905, I have been in the talent pool for Cardiff mainline since march last year. (:

 

[AL86]

Hey..new to this forum. Im also waiting in the Cardiff talent pool. Can I ask how long you've been waiting please? Whats most people's waiting times looking like?

15 months for me

 

[Marsprobe]

Thought this might be of interest. It's dated October 2025..Someone earlier requested a recent one which was dated Nov 2025 which unfortunately still shows 86 in talent pool. Does detail about courses though

Disclosure page | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

tfw.wales

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jan 2026 ==

Just noticed in the most recent one - Nov 2025, It shows 86 waiting in talent pool for Cardiff BUT they had also included Rhymney and Treherbert in that total so hopefully the Cardiff/VL should be around the 60 mark if you subtract Treherbert and Rhymney?

 

[TakeTHighRoad]

Hi there, first post as someone who applied for Chester in October. I got an email just before Christmas to say I'd passed the tests, but haven't heard anything since

Am I right in thinking there's currently 0 people in the pool for Chester? And am I right in thinking the lower number in the pool the better in terms of getting a course if you get into the pool?

 

[Lewisham2221]

And am I right in thinking the lower number in the pool the better in terms of getting a course if you get into the pool?

Not necessarily. Lower numbers in the talent pool could indicate that they don't anticipate vacancies becoming available at those depots, but they've got people in the pool in case someone retires, finishes with ill health etc. relatively unexpectedly. Whereas a higher number in the talent pool could indicate that they're already planning to offer course places to people. But it's all fluid, and a higher number in the talent pool could simply indicate that more people applied for that depot, or successfully passed the assessments and interview. If they only really need 10 people in a pool for one depot, but 12 impress at the interview/assessment stage, there's no real cost to the business of giving all 12 a place in the talent pool.

 

[TakeTHighRoad]

Not necessarily. Lower numbers in the talent pool could indicate that they don't anticipate vacancies becoming available at those depots, but they've got people in the pool in case someone retires, finishes with ill health etc. relatively unexpectedly. Whereas a higher number in the talent pool could indicate that they're already planning to offer course places to people. But it's all fluid, and a higher number in the talent pool could simply indicate that more people applied for that depot, or successfully passed the assessments and interview. If they only really need 10 people in a pool for one depot, but 12 impress at the interview/assessment stage, there's no real cost to the business of giving all 12 a place in the talent pool.

Oh I see. Thanks for the clarification
I think it's a learning experience for everyone!

 

[Lisag1905]

15 months for me

Thank you. Its a nightmare having to wait isn't it. I feel like my life has been on hold just waiting to be called on

 

[crisky]

Thank you. Its a nightmare having to wait isn't it. I feel like my life has been on hold just waiting to be called on

How long have you been waiting for?

 

[Lisag1905]

How long have you been waiting for?

14 months for me

 

[crisky]

14 months for me

It's a long time to wait. It's only been a few months for me, but I can see already how difficult it will be to wait, even though that's all we can do.

 

[Lisag1905]

It's a long time to wait. It's only been a few months for me, but I can see already how difficult it will be to wait, even though that's all we can do.

It is. My worry is not being called up within the 24 months. Im wondering how often that actually happens

 

[akaMcMonagle]

It's a long time to wait. It's only been a few months for me, but I can see already how difficult it will be to wait, even though that's all we can do.

I feel that! It's only been 2 weeks for myself in the Shrewsbury pool, but I'm very cautious about booking anything too far in advance just in case I get the call.