GWR - Trainee Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Brenfield]

Exactly. I don’t know if it matters too much as long as you ask some relevant questions. But for candidates all the answers are interesting to us.

They only thing a candidate shouldn’t ask is nothing at all

There probably are some questions that you shouldn't ask like "how strict is the drink driving policy?" but i would hope no one taking the role seriously and who got to the DMI stage would need to ask that lol

 

[translucent88]

No worries, RF has been helpful to me so trying give back where I can.

Start with GWR at Bristol Temple Meads on 13 July, so not long now.

Further details on my timeline here:

How has your first week been?

 

[Reactor Scram]

How has your first week been?

Very good, thanks. First day in the depot doing some paperwork and getting company phone / tablet and seeing the facilities at the station.

Next couple of days was in Swindon for corporate induction and customer experience training. Then a couple of days at the academy for introductions and tablet training.

Personal Track safety next week.

 

[Qev27]

For those that have started, what were the reference requirements? I have been self employed for over a year now and by the time I get onto a course it’s likely I will have been self employed for 2+ years. Do they require references from an actual employer within the last 2 years etc.? I would hate to get this far and fail on something silly like referencing. Thanks!

 

[B00kworm]

I had my DMI on Tuesday for Reading, and was told August and November courses were filled and they were currently filling for February 2027. But, the course won’t just be for Reading drivers, it’ll also be filled with other depots drivers, such as Oxford, so it depends how many are needed for each area and the urgency for those drivers. There are lots of places needing filling, but someone going for an interview now, may or may not get onto February‘s course.

Also, just because I did my DMI before someone else, doesn’t mean I’d be ahead of them, if successful. They send the results to recruitment in batches, either weekly or fortnightly, because they’re interviewing lots of people, and then recruitment can sit on this for a couple of weeks before sending emails to everyone - I was told they can send it weekly, but that’s unlikely, just because of the sheer volume of interviews taking place.

Anyone going for a DMI should prepare their own questions because the driver managers are happy to answer these types of questions.

Training takes place in Reading.

This is really helpful, thank you. How long after your MMI did your DMI take place? I’m trying to gauge timescales (it’s tough!) it seems a round 6-8 week gap between so far, I have my MMI at the beginning of August

 

[Brenfield]

This is really helpful, thank you. How long after your MMI did your DMI take place? I’m trying to gauge timescales (it’s tough!) it seems a round 6-8 week gap between so far, I have my MMI at the beginning of August

Hi, i'm not the guy you asked but:
I did my MMI on the 1st June and I've got me DMI coming up next week. so about 7 weeks between MMI and DMI.
I got the DMI invite on the 3rd July

 

[Reactor Scram]

For those that have started, what were the reference requirements? I have been self employed for over a year now and by the time I get onto a course it’s likely I will have been self employed for 2+ years. Do they require references from an actual employer within the last 2 years etc.? I would hate to get this far and fail on something silly like referencing. Thanks!

References are sorted after you receive your contract. You need to provide two and one should be a professional one, whereas the other can be a character one.

Don't get hung up on this, it's a bit of a tick box exercise. If I were you, as self employed, I'd ask a client, if you have a good enough relationship, to do the professional one. It's the closest thing you'll have a boss, I guess.

If in doubt, you can certainly reach out to recruitment. I found them pretty responsive.

I see you're for Bristol - FYI they are still looking for Bristol places on course over the next 12 months but the projected requirements have halved since the start of the year owing to business uncertainty. This is a better situation than some depots where recruitment appears to be paused for the time being.

 

[translucent88]

If i dont do well in the MMI (and dont progress), does this count towards one of my three attempts? Or does that rule only apply to the actual tests?

 

[loudmouth]

If i dont do well in the MMI (and dont progress), does this count towards one of my three attempts? Or does that rule only apply to the actual tests?

It counts as one of your attempts

 

[lennie1]

6 weeks from MMI to DMI, but probably equally as important to you, is that it was around 4 weeks from passing my MMI until I received an invite for my DMI.

 

[SmugStarlord]

6 weeks from MMI to DMI, but probably equally as important to you, is that it was around 4 weeks from passing my MMI until I received an invite for my DMI.

Im coming up to 7 weeks waiting for a MMI date now l. Im sure this is the longest wait ive had in the whole process so far

 

[lennie1]

I think my timings for MMI were similar. I imagine it’ll be any day for you, fingers crossed.

 

[translucent88]

Any advice on the kinds of questions to expect in the MMI?

 

[Brenfield]

Any advice on the kinds of questions to expect in the MMI?

hi, The exact list of the 6 questions has been posted previously in this thread so if you do some digging you should find them.

 

[IndegoMouse]

hi, The exact list of the 6 questions has been posted previously in this thread so if you do some digging you should find them.

yes it has not changed for years! Be prepared to be asked to change all of your answers though. They will ask you for a different scenario on some of the questions and will also go back to questions so make sure you are not making things upas you will forget and become inconsistent (at least this was my experience, and I passed)

 

[lennie1]

hi, The exact list of the 6 questions has been posted previously in this thread so if you do some digging you should find them.

Good luck with your DMI this week.

 

[B00kworm]

References are sorted after you receive your contract. You need to provide two and one should be a professional one, whereas the other can be a character one.

Don't get hung up on this, it's a bit of a tick box exercise. If I were you, as self employed, I'd ask a client, if you have a good enough relationship, to do the professional one. It's the closest thing you'll have a boss, I guess.

If in doubt, you can certainly reach out to recruitment. I found them pretty responsive.

I see you're for Bristol - FYI they are still looking for Bristol places on course over the next 12 months but the projected requirements have halved since the start of the year owing to business uncertainty. This is a better situation than some depots where recruitment appears to be paused for the time being.

Hiya, sorry a million questions incoming…do you know if the professional one is supposed to be an employment reference?Many, if not most employers don’t give references anymore, just confirm employment dates and titles held etc which isn’t really a professional reference.

Also, is there a minimum time required to be employed by someone to put them as a reference do you know? With how long the process takes some people change their role between applying and being offered a role. Which kinda leads to the next question…Do you know when they actually conduct the references checks? The whole talent pool thing had me thinking about the occasions people have waited over a year to be offered a course. Or even longer. What happensu if you change your employer between providing a reference and actually getting a course? Perhaps they don’t care once you’ve passed medical and references but I guess lots can happen for a person in that time.

Sorry to bombard you! Thanks

 

[Reactor Scram]

Hiya, sorry a million questions incoming…do you know if the professional one is supposed to be an employment reference?Many, if not most employers don’t give references anymore, just confirm employment dates and titles held etc which isn’t really a professional reference.

Also, is there a minimum time required to be employed by someone to put them as a reference do you know? With how long the process takes some people change their role between applying and being offered a role. Which kinda leads to the next question…Do you know when they actually conduct the references checks? The whole talent pool thing had me thinking about the occasions people have waited over a year to be offered a course. Or even longer. What happensu if you change your employer between providing a reference and actually getting a course? Perhaps they don’t care once you’ve passed medical and references but I guess lots can happen for a person in that time.

Sorry to bombard you! Thanks

It should be an employer, yes. Once you have a contract you provide the names and emails of the two people you are nominating through the GWR portal then recruitment do the rest. Note, this is work email addresses only. The form offers the referee the chance to write some free text and other stuff is rating certain traits. It asks the relationship to you and how long they've known you. So for me reference checks were done about 12 weeks before I started. But ultimately they are only done once you have a contract, and once you have your contract you can hand your notice in then so your employer shouldn't be too surprised. There will not be a large amount of time between you sorting references to starting. You will not be seeking an alternative job at this point because you've just been offered a job on the railway!

Unaware of any minimums but clearly if one of your referees states they've known you 1 month then recruitment might get you to try again.

In my case, I was unemployed by the time they did reference checks and had been for some time but provided details of my former line manager and that's that. Just reach back to your most credible (and helpful) line manager.

 

[B00kworm]

It should be an employer, yes. Once you have a contract you provide the names and emails of the two people you are nominating through the GWR portal then recruitment do the rest. Note, this is work email addresses only. The form offers the referee the chance to write some free text and other stuff is rating certain traits. It asks the relationship to you and how long they've known you. So for me reference checks were done about 12 weeks before I started. But ultimately they are only done once you have a contract, and once you have your contract you can hand your notice in then so your employer shouldn't be too surprised. There will not be a large amount of time between you sorting references to starting. You will not be seeking an alternative job at this point because you've just been offered a job on the railway!

Unaware of any minimums but clearly if one of your referees states they've known you 1 month then recruitment might get you to try again.

In my case, I was unemployed by the time they did reference checks and had been for some time but provided details of my former line manager and that's that. Just reach back to your most credible (and helpful) line manager.

Thank you! Yeah that makes sense. I was confused at what point they were asking for referees - at the point of conditional offer or nearer the time to you actually starting training. I’ve got my MMI in 2 weeks so I’m way away from that yet.

Now just to guess when a course might be if I get through to the end!

 

[officewalla]

Hiya, sorry a million questions incoming…do you know if the professional one is supposed to be an employment reference?Many, if not most employers don’t give references anymore, just confirm employment dates and titles held etc which isn’t really a professional reference.

Also, is there a minimum time required to be employed by someone to put them as a reference do you know? With how long the process takes some people change their role between applying and being offered a role. Which kinda leads to the next question…Do you know when they actually conduct the references checks? The whole talent pool thing had me thinking about the occasions people have waited over a year to be offered a course. Or even longer. What happensu if you change your employer between providing a reference and actually getting a course? Perhaps they don’t care once you’ve passed medical and references but I guess lots can happen for a person in that time.

Sorry to bombard you! Thanks

You could mail the hiring manager and ask these questions.

 

[RobotBen91]

It should be an employer, yes. Once you have a contract you provide the names and emails of the two people you are nominating through the GWR portal then recruitment do the rest. Note, this is work email addresses only. The form offers the referee the chance to write some free text and other stuff is rating certain traits. It asks the relationship to you and how long they've known you. So for me reference checks were done about 12 weeks before I started. But ultimately they are only done once you have a contract, and once you have your contract you can hand your notice in then so your employer shouldn't be too surprised. There will not be a large amount of time between you sorting references to starting. You will not be seeking an alternative job at this point because you've just been offered a job on the railway!

Unaware of any minimums but clearly if one of your referees states they've known you 1 month then recruitment might get you to try again.

In my case, I was unemployed by the time they did reference checks and had been for some time but provided details of my former line manager and that's that. Just reach back to your most credible (and helpful) line manager.

In terms of the references, I work in the retail sector and managers are not allowed to give references. My line manager has been helpful and sent me the policy on this to pass on to the relevant person as they can request a generic reference which Head Office can provide. Would they likely accept this? I'm long out of contact with previous Managers from years ago.

 

[Sotac464]

In terms of the references, I work in the retail sector and managers are not allowed to give references. My line manager has been helpful and sent me the policy on this to pass on to the relevant person as they can request a generic reference which Head Office can provide. Would they likely accept this? I'm long out of contact with previous Managers from years ago.

I wouldn't worry about references, my work which is a big company dont give references, only dates you work for them.

 

[Reactor Scram]

In terms of the references, I work in the retail sector and managers are not allowed to give references. My line manager has been helpful and sent me the policy on this to pass on to the relevant person as they can request a generic reference which Head Office can provide. Would they likely accept this? I'm long out of contact with previous Managers from years ago.

With this one, I'd signpost you to recruitment and they can advise you. Anything beyond what I've put before is speculative and outside of my own experience.

 

[jackf15]

Hi,

Has anyone had there DMI with GWR recently? Got mine next week, just wondered what sort of questions they ask. Any heads up would be great.

Cheers

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2026 ==

Hi, i'm not the guy you asked but:
I did my MMI on the 1st June and I've got me DMI coming up next week. so about 7 weeks between MMI and DMI.
I got the DMI invite on the 3rd July

How did you get in with the DMI

 

[vc99]

Do gwr use the vse enhanced test nowadays?

 

[Brenfield]

Hi,

Has anyone had there DMI with GWR recently? Got mine next week, just wondered what sort of questions they ask. Any heads up would be great.

Cheers

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2026 ==


How did you get in with the DMI

hi, I though it went well, despite the train i was going to get to it being cancelled at the last minute, though the proof will be in the email whenever i hear back from them. At the moment I'm just sitting with my fingers, toes, and anything else i can crossed.

For the questions it was a mix of normal job interview and MMI style. I think its structured as they had sheets with the questions on that they were filling in as we went along. I was in there about 1.5 hrs but the last 30min or so was sort of friendly back and forth with questions i was asking them. I got asked things like what I knew about the company / why i wanted to be a driver. As well as MMI style questions about procedures and customer service.
One question that threw me was they asked me about a time when i had received bad customer service. I couldn't think of an answer or how it would fit but apparently it was about if you would challenge things that weren't right. Like if you were in a restaurant and the food was cold, would you speak to a manager or just leave kind of thing.

If you want any more specific help drop me a DM. I'm happy to help.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2026 ==

Hi mate,

How do I DM you?

Click the little envelope at the top and click start new conversation. Then put me a the recipient at the top.

 

[jackf15]

Strange it’s not an option for me

 

[Brenfield]

Strange it’s not an option for me

i sent one to you, see if you get it.

 

[Twin82]

Strange it’s not an option for me

If I’m correct, you have to respond a total of five times to threads before you can send DM’s. Not sure if you also have to register an account. Maybe someone can clarify this…

 

[vc99]

From what I was told, and just doing a google search, doing the vse at home is part of the sifting process but failing actually counts as 1 of your psychometric fail for any company that uses the VSE at enhanced standard.

Hey. So does that mean, it wont affect my pass with gwr then?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jul 2026 ==

Any advice on what to expect on the VSE??

Did u do vse?