CrossCountry - Apprentice Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[mr_ixolite]

Has anyone been offered a course start at the end of May for any depot?

Where have you heard that courses are starting in may?

 

[KaneLeb]

I applied for Newcastle in October. I haven’t been rejected yet and the only correspondence I’ve had since completing the SHL tests was an email saying they will be in touch in the coming weeks (that was 9th Jan). I know someone on this forum going for the Newcastle depot has been sent for psychometrics already. (I already have psychometrics so not really sure what stage of the process I’m at).

I'm in the same boat, except I don't already have psychometrics. I did email them for an update but got no response back.

 

[Reactor Scram]

Where have you heard that courses are starting in may?

From the recruitment team.

 

[mr_ixolite]

From the recruitment team.

oh wow, sooner than I expected, from oct 25 recruitment is this? have you had your Dmi then?

 

[Reactor Scram]

oh wow, sooner than I expected, from oct 25 recruitment is this? have you had your Dmi then?

I'm from the Sept 2023 recruitment drive. Still waiting in the talent pool. Did my DMI in March 2024.

Psychometrics were after DMI for those of us in the Sept 2023 campaign.

Hopefully you guys from 2025 move a bit quicker!

I will add that different depots have different requirements. Birmingham for example always seems to need people as it's the main hub. Good luck!

 

[mr_ixolite]

I'm from the Sept 2023 recruitment drive. Still waiting in the talent pool. Did my DMI in March 2024.

Psychometrics were after DMI for those of us in the Sept 2023 campaign.

Hopefully you guys from 2025 move a bit quicker!

I will add that different depots have different requirements. Birmingham for example always seems to need people as it's the main hub. Good luck!

Ah that makes a bit more sense, thought it was a bit quick!

 

[jaybon92]

I assumed that I wouldn't need to do the SHL assesments as in the email it stated that if done before wouldnt need to do it again. Gotta do the spatial again ! Ahh well

 

[Tysoe]

I will go back for sure I have revised and learnt about the role of a train driver and put a lot of effort Into this something I really want. If somebody fails a dmi that does not count as the psychometric am I right

In my opinion, the test isn't just about passing the task. It's can you listen to instruction and complete the task as instructed.

They would've made it very clear it was a timed task and you failed to pick that up, which is why you failed.

 

[KSC]

In my opinion, the test isn't just about passing the task. It's can you listen to instruction and complete the task as instructed.

They would've made it very clear it was a timed task and you failed to pick that up, which is why you

 

[mr_ixolite]

I was the only one to make it to computer assessments from my group passed the wafv and 1 second image
They were however one after the other with no gap inbetween so I was left to it from one to the next. So there was no information given as I got to each test it was a case of one to the next immediately my understanding was accuracy which led me to taking extra time where I could have done it a lot faster

Did you have 4 people in your group?

 

[timmy827]

Anyone here do thier physcometrics at Birmingham recently?

My brother was one of the first to sit them a few weeks back at the end of January, he was told he had passed on the day by the OPC.

He is just waiting for Crosscountry to get intouch now but he has heard nothing back.

I am a train driver myself and it seems like crosscountry have a very unusual way of handling their recruitment even by railway standards.

I passed psychometrics and MMI in October and waited until Feb to get a call about DMI...
Now I've done DMI and am playing the waiting game again!

 

[ramsy12]

Guys can someone help me to find Spatial Reasoning test practice material as I am not able to find enough as per guidance provided by members in earlier msgs.
I did research for YouTube but all are limited.
Any help will be appreciated.
Anyone else waiting for SHL Spatial Reasoning Test???

 

[jaybon92]

Guys can someone help me to find Spatial Reasoning test practice material as I am not able to find enough as per guidance provided by members in earlier msgs.
I did research for YouTube but all are limited.
Any help will be appreciated.
Anyone else waiting for SHL Spatial Reasoning Test???

Only thing you can really do is do thebpratise tests that are online when googled. There are youtube videos for tips but best thing is just going over the tests and getting used to the concept of it.

I've done it before and about to do it again

 

[ramsy12]

Only thing you can really do is do thebpratise tests that are online when googled. There are youtube videos for tips but best thing is just going over the tests and getting used to the concept of it.

I've done it before and about to do it again

Thank You Mate, what depot you going for Spatial ability Test??? Did you receive the link? Can you share me some link mate, which would be helpful.

 

[jaybon92]

Thank You Mate, what depot you going for Spatial ability Test??? Did you receive the link? Can you share me some link mate, which would be helpful.

I done it for Birmingham before but my commute times was too long and I'm doing it for leicester now.

Im not sure if I can post links on here, just Google spatial reasoning test" theres a few sites that do them

 

[ramsy12]

I done it for Birmingham before but my commute times was too long and I'm doing it for leicester now.

Im not sure if I can post links on here, just Google spatial reasoning test" theres a few sites that do them

Yeah I did them. Just wondering if anymore questions will be helpful in practice.

 

[jaybon92]

Yeah I did them. Just wondering if anymore questions will be helpful in practice.

I didn't find too may only a handful online to be honest. It is difficult so giving yourself every chance by the understanding what to look for really

 

[ramsy12]

I didn't find too may only a handful online to be honest. It is difficult so giving yourself every chance by the understanding what to look for really

Yes I did came across few tips on YouTube to solve them and they are helpful.

 

[MH117]

I've completed the SHL before. With the questionnaire it states they will only use one SHL results. Im not sure why I was rejected last time but im.now worried it was due to the SHL.. I wasnt informed of why and they never got back to me when I asked for feed back

I read it as only one SHL score being used, but as I passed it within 12 months I presumed my last scores would be used but I’ve had to email to do them again. I’ve emailed cross country recruitment to check but it’s been days with no reply

 

[jaybon92]

I read it as only one SHL score being used, but as I passed it within 12 months I presumed my last scores would be used but I’ve had to email to do them again. I’ve emailed cross country recruitment to check but it’s been days with no reply

Yeah strange i did email but nothing either

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

Yeah strange i did email but nothing either

And i passed it only a few months ago

 

[KSC]

Did you have 4 people in your group?

 

[DJP78]

Yes mate

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Mar 2026 ==

A little confused if somebody could help having failed at the 2 handed for psychometric I have been told I have to wait until next year to redo.
If I do it privately next year do you pick up from the last point or do you have to begin from the beginning again.
Another question is if you pass privately and for example the toc wants you to complete there psychometric that you did the year before but you fail it how does it work having passed privately but failed for the toc this would essentially be 3 attempts …? What happens then they say you have to wait 5 years but if you have a valid private pass can you use that sorry if it’s long winded a friend brought up the question and actually I didn’t think of this.

So, as you say, the national psychometric process has changed recently i.e., 3 attempts max with 'wait it out' timescales before being eligible for reattempts.

Don't know for certain what the current retake rules are, but can confirm a few candidates I've spoken with, who needed retakes, resat the specific test(s) they needed to retake. This was with RCG (Railway Competence Group) Stockport. Might be different for other testing centres like Watford OPC. Hopefully others might confirm?

Regarding private psychometrics, all passes are valid for 5 years via RSSB. Most TOC's accept psychometrics within 12-36 months and will progress you straight to DMI, provided scores are high enough in their other tests, sifting and if the national psychometric scores are high enough (some TOC's stipulate enhanced, others standard). Some TOC's will accept older passes up to the 5 years.

If you don't secure a trainee job within the first few years, the risk of being asked to retake the psychometrics rises. In this scenario, if a candidate then went on to fail a test that had previously been passed, then this failure will take precedent over the previously passed test and DOES count as a life lost.

The industry treats psychometric tests as a 'current competency indicator', not a 'permanent qualification' say. The most recent performance reflects the candidates current suitability. In your scenario, the latter failure will override the previous pass and as such, any prospective employers recruiter will be notified that the candidate needs a retake etc.

Hope that helps!

 

[KSC]

So, as you say, the national psychometric process has changed recently i.e., 3 attempts max with 'wait it out' timescales before being eligible for reattempts.

Don't know for certain what the current retake rules are, but can confirm a few candidates I've spoken with, who needed retakes, resat the specific test(s) they needed to retake. This was with RCG (Railway Competence Group) Stockport. Might be different for other testing centres like Watford OPC. Hopefully others might confirm?

Regarding private psychometrics, all passes are valid for 5 years via RSSB. Most TOC's accept psychometrics within 12-36 months and will progress you straight to DMI, provided scores are high enough in their other tests, sifting and if the national psychometric scores are high enough (some TOC's stipulate enhanced, others standard). Some TOC's will accept older passes up to the 5 years.

If you don't secure a trainee job within the first few years, the risk of being asked to retake the psychometrics rises. In this scenario, if a candidate then went on to fail a test that had previously been passed, then this failure will take precedent over the previously passed test and DOES count as a life lost.

The industry treats psychometric tests as a 'current competency indicator', not a 'permanent qualification' say. The most recent performance reflects the candidates current suitability. In your scenario, the latter failure will override the previous pass and as such, any prospective employers recruiter will be notified that the candidate needs a retake etc.

Hope that helps!

Thank you this was very informative

 

[MH117]

I assumed that I wouldn't need to do the SHL assesments as in the email it stated that if done before wouldnt need to do it again. Gotta do the spatial again ! Ahh well

I got an email back today saying my previous scores are being taken forward and that I don’t need to redo them

 

[chalkijr]

I got an email back today saying my previous scores are being taken forward and that I don’t need to redo them

Would you mind sharing the email address? I emailed them months and months ago and have heard no reply... I'm just wondering if I have been using the incorrect email address.

 

[jaybon92]

I got an email back today saying my previous scores are being taken forward and that I don’t need to redo them

I just redone the assesment. I didn't want to wait for a reply and miss the deadline and muck it all up. Just hope I done the same or better than the first time haha

 

[ramsy12]

I just redone the assesment. I didn't want to wait for a reply and miss the deadline and muck it all up. Just hope I done the same or better than the first time haha

Hi Mate, what assessment did you complete and which depot is it for???? I am waiting for the initial assessment link for Cambridge. Anyone else same like me???

 

[sktt25]

Is anyone else on the March cohort? I got an offer late February due to a drop out

 

[jaybon92]

Hi Mate, what assessment did you complete and which depot is it for???? I am waiting for the initial assessment link for Cambridge. Anyone else same like me???

Leicester, and the initial online assesments theres 2 to complete. The one I done before was for Birmingham im assuming I got rejected due to commute times for that one

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2026 ==

Leicester, and the initial online assesments theres 2 to complete. The one I done before was for Birmingham im assuming I got rejected due to commute times for that one

And its a behaviour questionnaire and a spatial reasoning test. Look up spatial reasoning on Google as it is quite difficult

 

[AndrewJC]

Leicester, and the initial online assesments theres 2 to complete. The one I done before was for Birmingham im assuming I got rejected due to commute times for that one

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Mar 2026 ==


And its a behaviour questionnaire and a spatial reasoning test. Look up spatial reasoning on Google as it is quite difficult

Hi, I’ve got my spatial reasoning and behaviour test to complete by the 16th March for Leicester depot. What does the behaviour test consist of? Thank you.