West Midlands Trains (inc. LNWR) - Trainee Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Rammie]

Thats really quick considering the ad hasn’t closed. Did they accidentally tick one of the boxes that does an automatic reject? Like not agreeing to a drug test or living more than an hour away? So many tick boxes it’s easy to get them wrong. It took about 2 months to hear when I applied last time.

Double checked it myself and everything was ok. Only thing I can thing of is when I put out post code ‍ to google maps it said we lived 58 mins travel in a car on a good day.

 

[Jobey]

Anyone applied for the trainee position at Worcester Shrub Hill? I'd applied previously to Chiltern in Birmingham and passed Stage 1 and 2 at OPC, but failed the MMI. Hoping those passes make it more likely I'll get through the sift.

Anyone know anything about sleep apnea and driving. Last time I applied (December 2024) I was undiagnosed, but now I'm diagnosed but treated with CPAP. Thanks.

 

[Fauxbeer]

Anyone applied for the trainee position at Worcester Shrub Hill? I'd applied previously to Chiltern in Birmingham and passed Stage 1 and 2 at OPC, but failed the MMI. Hoping those passes make it more likely I'll get through the sift.

Anyone know anything about sleep apnea and driving. Last time I applied (December 2024) I was undiagnosed, but now I'm diagnosed but treated with CPAP. Thanks.

Hi Jobey,
I applied for Birmingham but after completing my application, went back to the website and noticed Worcester was available, which is much closer to me in Malvern.
Was gonna apply again but read that candidates shouldn't apply for multiple locations with multiple applications.
I took this as that they hopefully should ask if I'd like to go to Worcester first, is this correct anyone? Thanks.

 

[itsmejuniior]

Hi Jobey,
I applied for Birmingham but after completing my application, went back to the website and noticed Worcester was available, which is much closer to me in Malvern.
Was gonna apply again but read that candidates shouldn't apply for multiple locations with multiple applications.
I took this as that they hopefully should ask if I'd like to go to Worcester first, is this correct anyone? Thanks.

When you apply and get to the application it would have a drop down menu on what depot you wanted to apply for. If you picked Birmingham from that list then I wouldn't probably try and contact HR

 

[Trains101]

Anyone know what the contracted hours are for WMT driver ? Weekly

 

[andrewguk]

How did you find the test ?

Not as intense as I thought it was gonna be. To be fair, I did practice before attending so I knew what to expect on all the tests.

Just hope I've done enough to get through to the 2nd stage.

 

[monkeynut]

Anyone applied for the trainee position at Worcester Shrub Hill? I'd applied previously to Chiltern in Birmingham and passed Stage 1 and 2 at OPC, but failed the MMI. Hoping those passes make it more likely I'll get through the sift.

Anyone know anything about sleep apnea and driving. Last time I applied (December 2024) I was undiagnosed, but now I'm diagnosed but treated with CPAP. Thanks.

Hi I am starting with Worcester soon and cannot wait to get going

From my understanding as long as you are treated and are compliant with treatment then there shouldn’t be a problem. Happy to chat off the forum if that would help

 

[whitby26]

Yes that’s correct, I did the same. Passed everything with GTR beginning of last year. Applied for Bletchley Nov last year and went directly to my DMI in February. Just started the 4th week of training

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2026 ==



You should be fine. WMT don’t use the Arctic Shores as a soft method so it should have no bearing on your application. Good luck.

That’s cool, same as me I passed all with GTR just waiting for DMI

 

[magicflash]

Not as intense as I thought it was gonna be. To be fair, I did practice before attending so I knew what to expect on all the tests.

Just hope I've done enough to get through to the 2nd stage.

Do you recommend any other practice materials than we get sent that I could buy
I hope you pass stage 2

 

[andrewguk]

Do you recommend any other practice materials than we get sent that I could buy
I hope you pass stage 2

Dot test for sure. Make sure you practice on paper/pencil and not on a PC/laptop.

The last test involves circling certain symbols as well as counting tones that are played out loud. If you can find some videos on YouTube maybe that'll play tones and at the same time, complete the dot test. That's what I did.

 

[newtownmgr]

Anyone know what the contracted hours are for WMT driver ? Weekly

35 hours, 4 days a week. Subject to any future Sunday agreement

 

[Jobey]

Hi I am starting with Worcester soon and cannot wait to get going

From my understanding as long as you are treated and are compliant with treatment then there shouldn’t be a problem. Happy to chat off the forum if that would help

Yes I’ve used it every night since diagnosis and it’s worked a treat. Feel free to DM me. When did you apply for worcester?

 

[Trains101]

35 hours, 4 days a week. Subject to any future Sunday agreement

Cheers mate

 

[mr_ixolite]

Jumping the gun a bit but out of curiosity can anyone tell me where training would take place if I was successful? Also, West Midlands use an enhanced standard for psychometrics, correct? Is that a separate test on top of the normal tests or a higher score on the normal tests?

 

[Matteo1988]

I sent the application to bletchley 2 weeks ago and I wanted to know normally when do they reply you back

 

[jamziig]

Hello, Please I have been invited for Train driver assessment and also sent a material to practice with. I want to practice more please where can I access free mateirals, the one I saw on Railprep is £45 and cant afford that. Would appreciate a good direction.

When ur test

 

[DaveChooChoo]

I attended yesterday's stage 1 OPC assessment in Birmingham.

For anybody attending in the future make sure you bring "proof of your national insurance number" as well as your ID.

Two people couldn't sit the test cause they didn't bring it.

Any news back? I sat them last Thursday and still waiting.

 

[whitby26]

I sent the application to bletchley 2 weeks ago and I wanted to know normally when do they reply you back

The job advert hasn’t closed yet, I waited 6 months after applying before I heard anything with another toc

 

[Jobey]

I sent the application to bletchley 2 weeks ago and I wanted to know normally when do they reply you back

when i applied with chiltern it was a good few months before I was invited to do the OPC, I'm assuming that's the same everywhere

 

[andrewguk]

Any news back? I sat them last Thursday and still waiting.

Nothing.

Hopefully by the end of next week, we'll hear something

 

[HH24]

When I did stage 1 back in March, I heard back 12 days later. I think they said 7-10 working days so expect to wait up to two weeks

 

[Ryder]

I have just submitted an application for the 2027 intake too, good luck to everyone.

 

[monkeynut]

Yes I’ve used it every night since diagnosis and it’s worked a treat. Feel free to DM me. When did you apply for worcester?

When CPAP works it is amazing

I applied back in October and got my conditional offer last week so wasn’t too bad

 

[andrewguk]

Any news back? I sat them last Thursday and still waiting.

I've failed

Just had the email off LNWR

 

[Ally2900]

Just got a rejection email for Wolves. Shame, as I put a lot of time and effort into my application, even using the STAR method for their example questions.

Ah well...it is what it is.

 

[mr_ixolite]

Just got a rejection email for Wolves. Shame, as I put a lot of time and effort into my application, even using the STAR method for their example questions.

Ah well...it is what it is.

same here, and I've already got an in date psychometrics pass under my belt.... railway recruitment is insane

 

[Ally2900]

same here, and I've already got an in date psychometrics pass under my belt.... railway recruitment is insane

I don't know what more I could have done. I'm thinking perhaps it's because I put down Wolves as my closest depot when in theory it's actually Shrewsbury (but they never advertise for this depot!!).

They can't provide feedback so I'm guessing it's either this or my answers were not strong enough and they are looking more of safety conscious prev experience.

 

[mr_ixolite]

I don't know what more I could have done.

same to be honest, I thought I had good answers to the questions although I don't honestly believe someone has sat down and read them at this point, this must be an automated sift at this stage due to the numbers involved so that would suggest something automatable like a postcode / distance from depot check, I'm 40 minutes away from the depot I applied for but if they have 2000 other applicants that live closer then I could understand being pushed out, would be nice if they could tell you that if that is the case, but I'm amazed that a valid psychometrics pass didn't at least get me in a room with a driver manager, they would rather pay to put someone else through the tests (who might fail and thus wasted money) just insane... 2nd knockback for west mids (1st time was without my psychometrics) and I've honestly no idea what they want to be honest, it's no wonder there's a driver shortage

I'm thinking perhaps it's because I put down Wolves as my closest depot when in theory it's actually Shrewsbury

Maybe, but as long as it fell under the hour commute it shouldn't have been an issue

 

[Ally2900]

same to be honest, I thought I had good answers to the questions although I don't honestly believe someone has sat down and read them at this point, this must be an automated sift at this stage due to the numbers involved so that would suggest something automatable like a postcode / distance from depot check, I'm 40 minutes away from the depot I applied for but if they have 2000 other applicants that live closer then I could understand being pushed out, would be nice if they could tell you that if that is the case, but I'm amazed that a valid psychometrics pass didn't at least get me in a room with a driver manager, they would rather pay to put someone else through the tests (who might fail and thus wasted money) just insane... 2nd knockback for west mids (1st time was without my psychometrics) and I've honestly no idea what they want to be honest, it's no wonder there's a driver shortage



Maybe, but as long as it fell under the hour commute it shouldn't have

Ah, sorry to hear that. Really doesn't make much sense does it?
I'm about a 50-55 minute drive so like you said, they could give preference for people living closer if they have a high volume of applicants which is fair enough.

 

[Matteo1988]

same to be honest, I thought I had good answers to the questions although I don't honestly believe someone has sat down and read them at this point, this must be an automated sift at this stage due to the numbers involved so that would suggest something automatable like a postcode / distance from depot check, I'm 40 minutes away from the depot I applied for but if they have 2000 other applicants that live closer then I could understand being pushed out, would be nice if they could tell you that if that is the case, but I'm amazed that a valid psychometrics pass didn't at least get me in a room with a driver manager, they would rather pay to put someone else through the tests (who might fail and thus wasted money) just insane... 2nd knockback for west mids (1st time was without my psychometrics) and I've honestly no idea what they want to be honest, it's no wonder there's a driver shortage



Maybe, but as long as it fell under the hour commute it shouldn't have been an issue

I've applied for bletchley and the distance between my house and the depot is arround 10 minutes, this means they will pick me 100% lol.