First Rail London - Trainee Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Jovis]

Kieran Turnbull replied to me to enquiry with recruitment@firstcustomercontact.com ,so geuss thats the new email for the recruitment for first group. I did send them an email but from what I see on the forums recruitment teams usually never bother to respond at all.

Update: Emailed recruitment in the morning and received email from OPC in afternoon saying that I have been booked in for Wednesday geuss first rail is on top of their recruitment.

 

[GrooveLine]

Kieran Turnbull replied to me to enquiry with recruitment@firstcustomercontact.com ,so geuss thats the new email for the recruitment for first group. I did send them an email but from what I see on the forums recruitment teams usually never bother to respond at all.

Update: Emailed recruitment in the morning and received email from OPC in afternoon saying that I have been booked in for Wednesday geuss first rail is on top of their recruitment.

Fantastic news!

 

[TeddyTinker]

Hi, does anyone know what the diagrams are like for NXG Depot?

 

[GrooveLine]

Received email today that I've made it through to Stage 2 assessments, which are VSE, SJE and MMI.

 

[DA1]

How long have people waited to hear after DMI’s? Was it via email?

 

[Henry68]

Anybody got any tips for the MMI

 

[DA1]

Anyone who applied with Arriva Rail London heard anything at all since it’s gone to First Rail London from the recruitment team?

 

[GrooveLine]

Anyone who applied with Arriva Rail London heard anything at all since it’s gone to First Rail London from the recruitment team?

Received email to do stage 1 over two weeks ago and was invited to stage 2 last week, both after First Rail took over.

 

[Jovis]

Anyone who applied with Arriva Rail London heard anything at all since it’s gone to First Rail London from the recruitment team?

Yes did stage 2 yesterday, received email confirming I passed and at the top of the Email 2 logos OPC and FirstRailLondon

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Anybody got any tips for the MMI

Hey, I would say try to link your answer to safety think about how you deal with repetitive tasks and be very honest because they go into very detail of what you are doing and if you was feeling frustrated in a situation say so don't hide your feelings by saying fine because i kept saying fine and they would ask the question again because it is not acceptable answer.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 May 2026 ==

Received email today that I've made it through to Stage 2 assessments, which are VSE, SJE and MMI.

Gongrats!!! Hope you do well in your stage 2! Best of luck!

 

[DA1]

Thanks for the responses, I’ve emailed to chase an outcome after my interview and I’m yet to hear anything back so I just wanted to make sure it was the correct email.

 

[Jovis]

Thanks for the responses, I’ve emailed to chase an outcome after my interview and I’m yet to hear anything back so I just wanted to make sure it was the correct email.

I was given this contact from Kieran T. They did not reply to my request confirming the re-booking at the OPC but it was re-booked .I would say drop an email to them if you haven't done yet might take a while but will respond eventually and you will know where you stand.

recruitment@firstcustomercontact.com

 

[DA1]

I was given this contact from Kieran T. They did not reply to my request confirming the re-booking at the OPC but it was re-booked .I would say drop an email to them if you haven't done yet might take a while but will respond eventually and you will know where you stand.

recruitment@firstcustomercontact.com

Yes thats the email I have as well, will try my luck but not holding much hope of a response.

 

[GrooveLine]

Yes did stage 2 yesterday, received email confirming I passed and at the top of the Email 2 logos OPC and FirstRailLondon

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 May 2026 ==


Hey, I would say try to link your answer to safety think about how you deal with repetitive tasks and be very honest because they go into very detail of what you are doing and if you was feeling frustrated in a situation say so don't hide your feelings by saying fine because i kept saying fine and they would ask the question again because it is not acceptable answer.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 May 2026 ==


Gongrats!!! Hope you do well in your stage 2! Best of luck!

Thank you. I passed the VSE and am awaiting results for MMI. Don't know quite what to make of the interview, but feel content to wait and feel really proud to get this far. Worst comes to worst, ill apply again in the future.

 

[Jovis]

Thank you. I passed the VSE and am awaiting results for MMI. Don't know quite what to make of the interview, but feel content to wait and feel really proud to get this far. Worst comes to worst, ill apply again in the future.

I felt the same way, worst case scenario you just have to do it again but this time you know what to expect and can practise to be more familiar I thought I failed but its your mind that plays tricks on you thinking about worst of it then best once you done.

 

[GrooveLine]

I felt the same way, worst case scenario you just have to do it again but this time you know what to expect and can practise to be more familiar I thought I failed but its your mind that plays tricks on you thinking about worst of it then best once you done.

Thanks Jovis. Appreciate your words.

 

[DA1]

Recruiting again for Trainee and Qualifieds:

Trainee

Trainee Train Driver - New Cross, Greater London, United Kingdom

Who are we First Rail London (FRL) is the train operating company responsible for running the London Overground network under a concession agreement with Transport for London (TfL). The concession began in May 2026. First Rail London is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and...

careers.firstgroup.co.uk

Qualified

Qualified Train Driver - New Cross Gate - New Cross, Greater London, United Kingdom

Who are we First Rail London (FRL) is the train operating company responsible for running the London Overground network under a concession agreement with Transport for London (TfL). The concession began in May 2026. First Rail London is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and...

careers.firstgroup.co.uk

 

[loudmouth]

Interesting. Does anyone know when was the last time they recruited for New Cross? I'm just wondering if this is likely to be for a talent pool or they actually need Trainee drivers. Would it be too hopeful for a training date this year?

 

[Jovis]

From the advertisement it says that they will start onboarding if succesfull and this location is advertised pretty frequently would say twice a year so I would assume that they are very busy and would start straight away but that is just assumption.
@GrooveLine Hey got your results yet for stage 2?

 

[Henry68]

Hi, anybody got any tips for DMI I was successful on my stage 2 so just waiting for FRL to contact me directly. Also is the DMI the last stage

 

[20atthemagnet]

Interesting. Does anyone know when was the last time they recruited for New Cross? I'm just wondering if this is likely to be for a talent pool or they actually need Trainee drivers. Would it be too hopeful for a training date this year?

Given the insane turnover of staff at NXG it’s likely anyone applying would be straight in.

 

[Twin82]

Hello. Does anyone know if I would be risking a life applying for the current NXG vacancy with my SE enhanced pass?

Am I right to say that First Rail has taken over from Arriva? If this is the case, anyone knows if the recruitment process will follow GWR or Arriva’s method of recruiting especially for the sifting stage?

 

[DA1]

I was told a few months ago there’s a course planned to start every month!

 

[MO12110]

Just applied for First Rail. Did an assessment last year December 2025, passed TRP2 national standard but failed trp1 and Tea-Occ. Hopefully the assessment happen in December (highly doubt it)

 

[Rohmeric]

Just applied for NXG passed opc stage 1 and 2 and also passed vse last year may. only failed the MMI Hopefully i can secure this.

 

[Business Bob]

Interesting. Does anyone know when was the last time they recruited for New Cross? I'm just wondering if this is likely to be for a talent pool or they actually need Trainee drivers. Would it be too hopeful for a training date this year?

LO dont really do Talent Pools so those successful will be for open vacancies. There's 1x NXG class of 5 about to start their driving hours and a class of 6 starting the Driver Training course on the 15th June. There is also 3 Willesden Classes in the school atm

I was told a few months ago there’s a course planned to start every month!

They had the same in 2019

 

[GrooveLine]

From the advertisement it says that they will start onboarding if succesfull and this location is advertised pretty frequently would say twice a year so I would assume that they are very busy and would start straight away but that is just assumption.
@GrooveLine Hey got your results yet for stage 2?

Hey Jovis,
Thanks for asking.
Got my email this morning. I didn't pass my MMI on this occasion, but the email was worded really nicely. I did have a positive experience with the OPC team
I've requested feedback and look forward to applying again. I saw the new advert too. Just started a bus driving apprenticeship (unfortunately I couldn't use my examples as a trainee in the MMI. I had others, but know that a year's experience in bus driving will make for a more solid MMI). Look forward to hearing more about your journey on the forum.

 

[Jovis]

Sorry to hear @GrooveLine, however I think you are definitely on the right path. I see that the bus driver path to train driver is one of the strongest from examples given in this forum. You will definitely be put in situations that MMI is asking about. Definitely ask for feedback as far as I understand they will tell you how many questions you have failed and which one, you can focus on that entirely and I would say at the same time prepare for DMI.

 

[v16ull]

Afternoon all
I applied for the trainee driver role at NXG last night (the very second I saw the vacancy) and stayed up till 4am lol

I’ve received an email which says my application is with the hiring manager which I guess just means it’s not been binned by the robots.

I’ve never applied for a trainee driver job before, I understand there are OPC tests. Please excuse my ignorance but what do these tests involve and how best can I prepare should I be selected for the next round?

 

[loudmouth]

Given the insane turnover of staff at NXG it’s likely anyone applying would be straight in.

Can I ask why there's a high staff turnover? That's slightly concerning

 

[DA1]

Can I ask why there's a high staff turnover? That's slightly concerning

I believe a lot of the drivers start out as trainees at New Cross which is the most intense of Overground depots and then put in internal transfers to other depots.