GWR - Trainee Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Swordfish3]

Just wondering if we were in the same Assessment day, do you remember the date of yours? No I think the training will be very thorough. Having said that if we're training with conductors and other GWR internals, it'd be nice to increase our knowledge a bit closer to their level.

So looking back at my emails I was June 16th for the assessment day down in Plymouth. Agreed it'd be really helpful if there were some specific beforehand reading material or something we could get into in order to hit the ground running.

Most I've found online is the Train Driver Manual from the Rail Safety and Standards Board - but I'm unsure if its actually valuable info or not?

 

[PLY2AYS]

Wow really interesting thank you! Does anyone have any examples of how it works in GWR? And have an example of a rotation they do?

Normally it’s a set rest day pattern but it’s depot specific.

For example:

Monday and Tuesday rest days
Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday shifts
Wednesday Thursday Rest days
Friday Saturday shifts
Sunday rest day
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday shifts
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday rest days

(If you put this into a calendar and colour the rest days in, you can see how it repeats and it’s quite useful to plan ahead)

So it rotates like that. However I am aware that there are current negotiations to bring Sundays inside the working week, as opposed to the GWR contract “commitment/obligation to work Sundays”

Someone more knowledgeable than me will be able to tell you where that is at.

As a trainee you typically work Monday to Friday in the classroom and when handling you follow the rest day pattern of your driving instructor, but you won’t have to work Sundays until you pass out.
That may change with the negotiations. Hope that helps.

 

[RobotBen91]

So looking back at my emails I was June 16th for the assessment day down in Plymouth. Agreed it'd be really helpful if there were some specific beforehand reading material or something we could get into in order to hit the ground running.

Most I've found online is the Train Driver Manual from the Rail Safety and Standards Board - but I'm unsure if its actually valuable info or not?

Ah almost. Your's was a couple of days before mine. I wouldn't worry. The main thing is that when the training starts for us we give it 100%.

 

[FriendlyBomb]

We are pleased to advise that you have been successful in the video interview stage of the application process and your application is now waiting for psychometric history checking to be completed.

Once the check has been completed you will either:

• be invited to attend a part or full assessment,
• be invited to a face-to-face interview with the Driver Management Team
• your application will be brought to an end if you have failed any of the tests within the last 6 months or you have already had 2 attempts at the process and been unsuccessful.

If you do not hear from us within the next month, your application has passed the psychometric testing check and you will be invited to assessment/ interview when dates are scheduled. This may not be for a few months so please be patient and we will be in touch when we have further updates.

Got this through today.
Really thought I tanked my video interview. So anyone further along knows what happens next?
I know it says but what order?

 

[Frenchy7119]

Got this through today.
Really thought I tanked my video interview. So anyone further along knows what happens next?
I know it says but what order?

Check to see if you have done any tests in the past, either done so don’t need to do all again or failed to many times and can’t progress or none and need a full assessment day !

 

[samdj]

I've had my DMI this week, just wondering how long people waited before finding out if they were successful (or not)?

 

[WillPlym]

I've had my DMI this week, just wondering how long people waited before finding out if they were successful?

I found out I was successful through an email around 48hrs after the interview.

 

[FriendlyBomb]

Check to see if you have done any tests in the past, either done so don’t need to do all again or failed to many times and can’t progress or none and need a full assessment day !

Does this include network rail? Didn’t get as far as psychometric tests with them. Tanked the video interview.

 

[BarneyGumble]

congrats. that seems like quite a quick turn around for the video interviews, which depot are you applying for?
I only did my interview last week for Reading and I'm not expecting to hear anything for a while based on what other people have said on these forums.

Paddington. I wouldn't be shocked if its quicker because of how much turnover a London terminal must have.

 

[officewalla]

There are limits - 1) shift length no more than 12 hours, 2) minimum of 12 hours rest between shifts, 3) no more than 72 hours worked in 7 days (it resets when you have a day off, so not a rolling 7 days), 4) no more than 13 consecutive shifts without a day off. Working 7 days in a row is a very common feature of train driver and conductor rosters.

Companies might have their own arrangements which may be stricter but these are the basic standards the rail industry works to. They're also not actually prescribed in legislation, just industry 'best practice'. Coming from the police, I was very surprised to learn that there is no such thing as a train tacograph!

What purpose would a tachograph serve? One set will have multiple drivers during its time in service and no one driver will spend more than a few hours in the same set. However, trains do have a data recording device that drivers need to login to each time they get in the cab.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2026 ==

Same here - DMI in September - Medical is outstanding.

On another note I wonder if anyone would know about the content of the training at all? As in what are the modules etc?

Most importantly is there anything pro-active I could be doing/studying/watching in advance of the training to get the best start possible?

Do nothing. You will get taught everything that you need to know. Trying to get ahead of the game is likely to be more of an issue as you will think that you know something and then the rules change and you are taught something else.

 

[Mins]

has anyone been to the assessment center recently?

what is the day like and what tests are there to do? is there any interviews etc?

i got mine in a few weeks

TIA

 

[officewalla]

has anyone been to the assessment center recently?

what is the day like and what tests are there to do? is there any interviews etc?

i got mine in a few weeks

TIA

You will find all the hints and tips all over this forum. The assessment is not meant to be spoon fed in advance for good reason. Use the practice pack sent to you and check this forum and other internet sources out and you will find plenty of information.

 

[Mins]

You will find all the hints and tips all over this forum. The assessment is not meant to be spoon fed in advance for good reason. Use the practice pack sent to you and check this forum and other internet sources out and you will find plenty of information.

okay thank you

 

[RiverDon]

What purpose would a tachograph serve? One set will have multiple drivers during its time in service and no one driver will spend more than a few hours in the same set. However, trains do have a data recording device that drivers need to login to each time they get in the cab.

I was just saying that was my preconception before I started on the rail without knowing anything about it or how driver shifts worked. I'm a driver now and I understand why we don't have them and I have been shown how the data recorder works.

 

[BA11Eagle]

Hi,

Anyone in the Talent Pool for Bristol Parkway? Just wondered if anyone had heard any news on any courses; last I heard there were ones in February so now I’m all out of the loop!

(Got into the talent pool in October 2025 and before anyone repeats the most common RailUK Forum line of “IT TAKES TIME”, I know I’m just asking )

 

[Reactor Scram]

Hi,

Anyone in the Talent Pool for Bristol Parkway? Just wondered if anyone had heard any news on any courses; last I heard there were ones in February so now I’m all out of the loop!

(Got into the talent pool in October 2025 and before anyone repeats the most common RailUK Forum line of “IT TAKES TIME”, I know I’m just asking )

I interviewed 3 weeks ago for Temple Meads and got through, so Temple Meads talent pool. Whilst I was there I was told that central region (so both Bristol depots plus South Wales, Glos, Westbury) have courses scheduled for April and June.

Not an exact answer but it's something.

 

[halfajob]

From speaking to people at Parkway they are waiting for people to be signed off and there's a backlog. The main thing with Parkway compared to Temple Meads is that Parkway trainees have to sign off Paddington as a core route which is around 170hrs minimum. Temple meads and Gloucester drivers only sign local trips initially so they can get signed off quicker. It depends on how you feel. Trips up and down the Severn Beach or Long drives to Paddington..

 

[BA11Eagle]

I interviewed 3 weeks ago for Temple Meads and got through, so Temple Meads talent pool. Whilst I was there I was told that central region (so both Bristol depots plus South Wales, Glos, Westbury) have courses scheduled for April and June.

Not an exact answer but it's something.

Brill thank you, don’t think I’ll be making it on to any of those courses but glad to hear that there are more planned in so soon.

From speaking to people at Parkway they are waiting for people to be signed off and there's a backlog. The main thing with Parkway compared to Temple Meads is that Parkway trainees have to sign off Paddington as a core route which is around 170hrs minimum. Temple meads and Gloucester drivers only sign local trips initially so they can get signed off quicker. It depends on how you feel. Trips up and down the Severn Beach or Long drives to Paddington..

I see, so this backlog stops other Parkway drivers who are in the talent pool from getting on courses? Seems harsh.

 

[halfajob]

Brill thank you, don’t think I’ll be making it on to any of those courses but glad to hear that there are more planned in so soon.



I see, so this backlog stops other Parkway drivers who are in the talent pool from getting on courses? Seems harsh.

To be fair, there are a lot of drivers who are waiting to retire but holding on to see if there will be a buyout for Sunday's coming into the working week. I imagine as soon as that's confirmed there will be a number of experienced drivers leaving.

 

[class ep-09]

Brill thank you, don’t think I’ll be making it on to any of those courses but glad to hear that there are more planned in so soon.



I see, so this backlog stops other Parkway drivers who are in the talent pool from getting on courses? Seems harsh.

It’s harsh but if DI’s are busy with previous trainees doing their hours , next lot of trainees would have nothing to do ( and still get paid), which would be quite pointless .

 

[samdj]

Hi, I had a DMI last week, still no response, what is the longest people have waited to find out either way?

Cheers

 

[LondonRrd]

Hi, I had a DMI last week, still no response, what is the longest people have waited to find out either way?

Cheers

I waited 3 weeks for a response regarding my DMI. Not sure if that’s the longest timeframe people have waited but it felt like an eternity!

 

[GooseWaffe]

Quick question to those who’ve passed the medical:
Is BMI a big deal? Mine’s on the high side, but I’m fit and active.

Hiya, i had a BMI over 33, they’ll ask you some extra questions just incase but as long as you’re fit you’re all good

 

[bas32]

Hiya, i had a BMI over 33, they’ll ask you some extra questions just incase but as long as you’re fit you’re all good

You must have been extremely lucky then. Others have failed their medical for having a BMI over 33 and their job offer withdrawn

 

[Pabl007]

You must have been extremely lucky then. Others have failed their medical for having a BMI over 33 and their job offer withdrawn

Hi, I had my medical a little over a week ago and was told they are cracking down on that side and anything over 32 is likely to be a fail although a little discretion is allowed.

 

[samdj]

I waited 3 weeks for a response regarding my DMI. Not sure if that’s the longest timeframe people have waited but it felt like an eternity!

Thank you!
A panic post yesterday after seeing how people had found out so soon after their DMI, found out this morning that I passed!

 

[Embraerguy]

Hi,

Anyone in the Talent Pool for Bristol Parkway? Just wondered if anyone had heard any news on any courses; last I heard there were ones in February so now I’m all out of the loop!

(Got into the talent pool in October 2025 and before anyone repeats the most common RailUK Forum line of “IT TAKES TIME”, I know I’m just asking )

Hi,

I m in the pool since April last year. BPW is slow plus the lack of trainers at the Marsh really slows things down.

Fingers crossed for the April/May course but won’t hold my breath!

 

[lennie1]

Got this through today.
Really thought I tanked my video interview. So anyone further along knows what happens next?
I know it says but what order?

I too have just received the same message for Reading today. I may see you there!

 

[MaxCherry25]

Hi, I had my medical a little over a week ago and was told they are cracking down on that side and anything over 32 is likely to be a fail although a little discretion is allowed.

Have you received your formal contract and start date now?

 

[Pabl007]

Have you received your formal contract and start date now?

Not yet but have completed all checks and got my fit for work certificate…so hopefully soon

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Feb 2026 ==

Have you received your formal contract and start date now?

What depot are you waiting for?