A career as a train driver

[Rohmeric]

Maybe it varies from company to company. for southeastern I had 3, just like Sotac said.we were given a core question bank comprising of 30 questions split between their 3 ways of working. So we were given a question from each of the 3 categories. What company did you apply t

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I applied for SWR. Ive practiced 11 answers for different questions. The Motivational answers are separate and thats not a problem. The answers will be straight from a research and from the heart.

 

[JC108]

Howdy. Just a general question. If you pass all the stage 1 and Stage 2 tests but fail the interview is that a life lost?
I’ve read the lives just relate to the psychometric tests but want to confirm?

 

[CarineNoctua]

Howdy. Just a general question. If you pass all the stage 1 and Stage 2 tests but fail the interview is that a life lost?
I’ve read the lives just relate to the psychometric tests but want to confirm?

Which interview was it? If it was the DMI then it isn’t a life lost. If it was the MMI then it was a life lost.

If you first took part in the assessments AFTER November 2024 then you know have three lives rather than two.

 

[JC108]

Which interview was it? If it was the DMI then it isn’t a life lost. If it was the MMI then it was a life lost.

If you first took part in the assessments AFTER November 2024 then you know have three lives rather than two.

It was the CBI with Avanti. Still waiting to see if I passed but doubt it so just looking g at worse case scenario. I did the interview this week. This first time I took the assessments. Both days was this month.

 

[Class2ldn]

The cbi forms part of the assessments so that will be a life lost if you fail it.

 

[JC108]

The cbi forms part of the assessments so that will be a life lost if you fail it.

Ah ok, thank you. Fingers crossed in that case but it was tough I will say that.

 

[tallFella]

Making it into the talent pool for the TOC I applied to feels like a great achievement.

The wait for making it onto a course now is probably going to be the hardest part in the process.

Anyone else felt like this going into a talent pool?

 

[Amir_tod]

Hi everyone,
I’m after a bit of advice from anyone who’s been through the train driver recruitment process.
I’ve been working in the rail industry for the last few years (COSS, Site Warden and Trackman) and I’m now trying to become a Trainee Train Driver.

So far I’ve passed:
M7 SJT (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
DFFT (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
TEA-Occ (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
TRP 1B (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
TRP 2 (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
Group Bourdon (Arriva) - Nov 2025
SJE (Arriva) - Nov 2025

With Arriva, I passed the assessments and was shortlisted, but I was then told they’d closed the recruitment pool, so I didn’t get any further.

I’m now trying to work out the best way forward. I know assessment attempts are limited, so I don’t want to waste any opportunities.

If you were in my position, what would you do? Would you apply for every Trainee Driver vacancy that comes up, or be more selective?

Also, based on the assessments I’ve already passed, does anyone know what I’d likely have left to complete?

Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Class2ldn]

Well id apply to all tocs that are within an hour's travelling time, anymore then that you wont get a look in anyway.

 

[Ladybird]

Hey guys normally during a DMI how many competency based questions do you normally get asked?

About 3 or 4 marked questions.

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

Hi everyone,
I’m after a bit of advice from anyone who’s been through the train driver recruitment process.
I’ve been working in the rail industry for the last few years (COSS, Site Warden and Trackman) and I’m now trying to become a Trainee Train Driver.

So far I’ve passed:
M7 SJT (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
DFFT (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
TEA-Occ (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
TRP 1B (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
TRP 2 (Greater Anglia) - Feb 2025
Group Bourdon (Arriva) - Nov 2025
SJE (Arriva) - Nov 2025

With Arriva, I passed the assessments and was shortlisted, but I was then told they’d closed the recruitment pool, so I didn’t get any further.

I’m now trying to work out the best way forward. I know assessment attempts are limited, so I don’t want to waste any opportunities.

If you were in my position, what would you do? Would you apply for every Trainee Driver vacancy that comes up, or be more selective?

Also, based on the assessments I’ve already passed, does anyone know what I’d likely have left to complete?

Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks!

It really depends on the TOC, with my one after the assessments I had the DMI then the MMI. Some have it the other way around.

 

[tallFella]

It really depends on the TOC, with my one after the assessments I had the DMI then the MMI. Some have it the other way around.

Did you pass with LNER?

 

[Ladybird]

Did you pass with LNER?

No southern

 

[Folkestonechap]

Footwear

Just been emailed a request for which footwear to choose before I start training. What do current train drivers recommend. Boot or trainer style? Or is it down to personal preference?

 

[driver9000]

Footwear

Just been emailed a request for which footwear to choose before I start training. What do current train drivers recommend. Boot or trainer style? Or is it down to personal preference?

They're your feet so consider what will you be most comfortable wearing for 10-12 hours a day? I wore company supplied boots for years but have now switched to safety trainers which my company permits but we have to buy ourselves if we want to wear them. I keep a pair of boots in my locker as spares.

 

[mickeyC]

Footwear

Just been emailed a request for which footwear to choose before I start training. What do current train drivers recommend. Boot or trainer style? Or is it down to personal preference?

I’ve got the Apollo Rockfall safety trainers, really comfortable to wear all day.
I wear one size bigger than my usual trainers.

 

[Folkestonechap]

I’ve got the Apollo Rockfall safety trainers, really comfortable to wear all day.
I wear one size bigger than my usual trainers.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[whitby26]

If a TOC has agreed a pay rise and I start training after the pay rise takes effect would my starting wage be at the new rate or would I be on the advertised wage when I applied and not be entitled to the pay rise ? In my current job the new starter wage goes up with pay rises I’m just wondering if the railway would be the same. Thanks

 

[driver9000]

If a TOC has agreed a pay rise and I start training after the pay rise takes effect would my starting wage be at the new rate or would I be on the advertised wage when I applied and not be entitled to the pay rise ? In my current job the new starter wage goes up with pay rises I’m just wondering if the railway would be the same. Thanks

New rate.

 

[Folkestonechap]

New rate.

At my TOC I signed a contract, then about 3 days later they called back and I had to sign a new one with the higher pay.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Sunday at 13:24 ==

New rate.

At my TOC I signed a contract, then about 3 days later they called back and I had to sign a new one with the higher pay.

 

[whitby26]

At my TOC I signed a contract, then about 3 days later they called back and I had to sign a new one with the higher pay.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Sunday at 13:24 ==


At my TOC I signed a contract, then about 3 days later they called back and I had to sign a new one with the higher pay.

Hopefully that’s the case with my TOC.