Chiltern - Apprentice Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[topfisher]

Congratulations on passing! Do you mind sharing what kind of questions were asked in the DMI? Is it completely different to the MMI?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Aug 2025 ==

Hi guys, I've got my DMI coming up in a few days and was wondering if anyone could share some light on any of questions that get asked? Would me much appreciated. Will it be different from the MMI questions we filled out on our pre-interview form sheet? I've filled out a personality questionnaire also, which apparently forms the basis of the questions they ask in the DMI.

Hello,
Congratulations for your DMI invite.... What depot is it for?
I haven't had my DMI yet, I'm still waiting for invite to DMI.
Best of luck for your DMI....

 

[aesha2905]

Hello,
I got an email from OPC, I’ve successfully passed Stage 1 of the assessment and will soon be taking the Stage 2 tests. Could someone please explain in detail what each stage involves? In the PDF I have, some of the test descriptions are not very clear. Additionally, I’ve been informed that the VSE test will also be included. Does anyone know what this test involves and how best to prepare for it?

 

[Ridetherails]

If you list the tests you’re sitting I can give you some insight

 

[aesha2905]

If you list the tests you’re sitting I can give you some insight

• VSE Supervised (Visual Search Exercise) – repeat of the test completed online
• WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests
• SJE (Situational Judgement Exercise)
• MMI structured interview

 

[Ridetherails]

• VSE Supervised (Visual Search Exercise) – repeat of the test completed online

Exactly the same as you did at home but as it says, supervised

• WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests

These are the hardest ( in my opinion )

WAFV - sat watching a white screen, a grey box flashes up for 1 second, disappears, flashes up again. When it flashes Black you have to press a button to acknowledge it. Lasts about 30minutes. As the test goes on it will appear the grey gets darker as tricks you in to thinking it might be black, just remember it’s only solid black you acknowledge

ATAVT - there’s some things online, but basically you are shown a photograph for a second or 2 and you have to say which, if any, of the 5 topics you saw. You will be looking for the same items in every picture. Only say what you absolutely saw! Practice this with the stuff you find online.

2-Hand

You have to move a ball through a small maze. I think it’s 10 times you repeat this. You can’t really practice this as controls are reversed to normal and sensitivity is interesting . Basically it’s speed, accuracy and also recovery from mistakes. I race fpv drones so my hand eye coordination is sharp and this was hard. Just stay calm and don’t get flustered when the ball goes outside of the lines

• SJE (Situational Judgement Exercise)

You just have to use your own judgement for the situations given

• MMI structured interview

Learn and remember STAR technic. You will be given the questions at the start of the day for you to give a brief reference / answer to before taking the computer tests. Make it relevant to the role in which ever way you see fit and keep it truthful as they will probe for details, facts and if its true. Safety / rules / concentration / dealing with problems / lone working etc…

 

[topfisher]

• VSE Supervised (Visual Search Exercise) – repeat of the test completed online
• WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests
• SJE (Situational Judgement Exercise)
• MMI structured interview

WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests are all pretty difficult on their own merit.
Especially the WAFV, you just have to hold your nerve and only press the green button when you see the box change from light grey to slightly dark grey....it doesn't have any pattern in when it changes...it just changes randomly.....so don't try and predict it....also sometimes it doesn't change for long, but keep staring at it.....this test is 30 mins long

ATAVT, it s a memory test....don't try and guess what you saw....try and sit back in your chair, so that the whole picture is visible with you having to turn your head to look at the peripheral....this helped me.....17 Images to look at

2 hand co-ordination...I found this pretty simple, I practiced like 5 times before the test started...
And I took my time on the practice....don't race to the finish....try and understand the controls, try and juged the sensitivity and the behaviour....and then once you kind of understand that.... start the test.... practice track is same as test track...just keep the red ball in the track...it's not that difficult.

Best of luck everyone

 

[aesha2905]

• VSE Supervised (Visual Search Exercise) – repeat of the test completed online

Exactly the same as you did at home but as it says, supervised

• WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests

These are the hardest ( in my opinion )

WAFV - sat watching a white screen, a grey box flashes up for 1 second, disappears, flashes up again. When it flashes Black you have to press a button to acknowledge it. Lasts about 30minutes. As the test goes on it will appear the grey gets darker as tricks you in to thinking it might be black, just remember it’s only solid black you acknowledge

ATAVT - there’s some things online, but basically you are shown a photograph for a second or 2 and you have to say which, if any, of the 5 topics you saw. You will be looking for the same items in every picture. Only say what you absolutely saw! Practice this with the stuff you find online.

2-Hand

You have to move a ball through a small maze. I think it’s 10 times you repeat this. You can’t really practice this as controls are reversed to normal and sensitivity is interesting . Basically it’s speed, accuracy and also recovery from mistakes. I race fpv drones so my hand eye coordination is sharp and this was hard. Just stay calm and don’t get flustered when the ball goes outside of the lines

• SJE (Situational Judgement Exercise)

You just have to use your own judgement for the situations given

• MMI structured interview

Learn and remember STAR technic. You will be given the questions at the start of the day for you to give a brief reference / answer to before taking the computer tests. Make it relevant to the role in which ever way you see fit and keep it truthful as they will probe for details, facts and if its true. Safety / rules / concentration / dealing with problems / lone working etc…

Thank you for sharing valuable information

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Aug 2025 ==

WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests are all pretty difficult on their own merit.
Especially the WAFV, you just have to hold your nerve and only press the green button when you see the box change from light grey to slightly dark grey....it doesn't have any pattern in when it changes...it just changes randomly.....so don't try and predict it....also sometimes it doesn't change for long, but keep staring at it.....this test is 30 mins long

ATAVT, it s a memory test....don't try and guess what you saw....try and sit back in your chair, so that the whole picture is visible with you having to turn your head to look at the peripheral....this helped me.....17 Images to look at

2 hand co-ordination...I found this pretty simple, I practiced like 5 times before the test started...
And I took my time on the practice....don't race to the finish....try and understand the controls, try and juged the sensitivity and the behaviour....and then once you kind of understand that.... start the test.... practice track is same as test track...just keep the red ball in the track...it's not that difficult.

Best of luck everyone

Thank you so much ☺️

 

[maf]

WAFV, ATAVT and 2-Hand computerised tests are all pretty difficult on their own merit.
Especially the WAFV, you just have to hold your nerve and only press the green button when you see the box change from light grey to slightly dark grey....it doesn't have any pattern in when it changes...it just changes randomly.....so don't try and predict it....also sometimes it doesn't change for long, but keep staring at it.....this test is 30 mins long

ATAVT, it s a memory test....don't try and guess what you saw....try and sit back in your chair, so that the whole picture is visible with you having to turn your head to look at the peripheral....this helped me.....17 Images to look at

2 hand co-ordination...I found this pretty simple, I practiced like 5 times before the test started...
And I took my time on the practice....don't race to the finish....try and understand the controls, try and juged the sensitivity and the behaviour....and then once you kind of understand that.... start the test.... practice track is same as test track...just keep the red ball in the track...it's not that difficult.

Best of luck everyone

Just to add to the 2 hand co-ordination, you can practice as much as you like before you start the actual test. I actually misread the info and did it as quickly as possible and ended up sitting there waiting for a while for the other candidates to finish and actually went off the track quite a few times on the way so don't worry too much if you do go off, just get yourself back on and carry on and don't worry if you see other people doing the test really slow or fast. I finished first out of 5 people and still passed everything.

With the WAFV I found the mistakes I made was being too jumpy and pressing the button when it didn't change

If you do not pass the above computer tests you will not be asked to do the MMI. We had been asked to fill in our answers to the questions after we passed the computer tests and before lunch. The interviewer kept asking me how I felt about the decisions I had made for my answers, asking 'and how did that make you feel' over and over but worded slightly differently every time.

 

[topfisher]

After your computer based tests, you will be allowed to go away for a little 15-20mins break.....when you come back, the OPC assessors will come back and call a few names out, if your name is called, it means that you have unfortunately failed the computer based tests, if they don't call out your name, congratulations, you have passed. While those who have failed are being given feedback, You will be informed that you have passed as a group....as in, one of the OPC assessors will come and inform the remaining candidates that they have passed all the assessments....
Best of luck everyone

 

[topfisher]

Following successful completion of stage 2 assessment, has anyone received invite for DMI? any news/communication from Chiltern railways?!?

 

[Ridetherails]

Nope.

Dropped them an email a couple of weeks ago to see what was what but radio silence.

I’ve resigned myself to the fact it wont be this side of the new year

 

[Hot rod]

Following successful completion of stage 2 assessment, has anyone received invite for DMI? any news/communication from Chiltern railways?!?

Chilterns communication is very poor I emailed them about the same thing two months ago still no replies reply makes me wonder if I really want to work for a company like this

 

[HeelBurton]

who are you all emailing by any chance?

 

[Hot rod]

who are you all emailing by any chance?

Recruitment a guy called David I have a phone number for him too but phone is dead

 

[HeelBurton]

Recruitment a guy called David I have a phone number for him too but phone is dead

Thanks

 

[Ridetherails]

who are you all emailing by any chance?

I just sent to the generic recruitment email asking if they could confirm they had indeed had my results passed back to them from opc, automated reply saying I would have a response within 7 days, that’s best part of 3 weeks ago now lol.

 

[jmes]

Following successful completion of stage 2 assessment, has anyone received invite for DMI? any news/communication from Chiltern railways?!?

I completed Stage 2 mid-July and had my DMI for Aylesbury in mid-Aug. I'm still awaiting the decision of the DMI to this day, I chased up the recruitment team but have had no response.

I'm putting it down to them being super busy, and possibly holiday season for the recruitment team??

 

[rob2210]

I sent them an email chasing up the handover from the OPC.
Had a reply saying they haven't long had the results passed to them but it all comes down to manager availability for the DMI.
For reference I used recruitment@chilternrailways.co.uk

 

[Ridetherails]

I sent them an email chasing up the handover from the OPC.
Had a reply saying they haven't long had the results passed to them but it all comes down to manager availability for the DMI.
For reference I used recruitment@chilternrailways.co.uk

When did you email them as that’s who I emailed about exactly the same thing but radio silence.

 

[topfisher]

Nope.

Dropped them an email a couple of weeks ago to see what was what but radio silence.

I’ve resigned myself to the fact it wont be this side of the new year

I feel the same...won't be this year..... hopefully sometime next year?!?
I emailed recruitment@chilternrailways.co.uk to ask whether they received my pass result from OPC, I'm still waiting for a reply...

 

[rob2210]

When did you email them as that’s who I emailed about exactly the same thing but radio silence.

Emailed yesterday and had the response within the hour. I only asked if there was any update after passing Stage 2 on the 26th August.
Response was, "only just had notification from OPC that you have passed and as soon as there is availability for. DMI, I'll be in touch." Chap called David

 

[kiteyoung]

Does anyone know what it means to have failed the application? I passed all the OPC tests for stage 1 and stage 2, but got an email today saying that they won't be progressing my application with Chiltern further.

 

[Hot rod]

Does anyone know what it means to have failed the application? I passed all the OPC tests for stage 1 and stage 2, but got an email today saying that they won't be progressing my application with Chiltern further.

Maybe you live too far ?

 

[HeelBurton]

Where do you live and what depot did you apply for?

Does anyone know what it means to have failed the application? I passed all the OPC tests for stage 1 and stage 2, but got an email today saying that they won't be progressing my application with Chiltern further.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Sep 2025 ==

Banbury depot talent pool has been advertised. (Apprentice trainee driver mainline)

Good luck if applying

 

[Manjago]

Any Tips for VSE in regards to identifying if the shapes match or not.

Thanks

 

[Rohmeric]

hey guys just a quick question. On May 6th I passed my stage 2 opc but failed the MMI for Chiltern. Will i eligible to apply again in November the 6th exactly or November 1st?.
This was for the February 2026 training so my opc would have been valid. And does this 6 month waiting period happen will all TOCs. i know arriva dont do an MMI i will be fast tracked to a DMI.

 

[HeelBurton]

hey guys just a quick question. On May 6th I passed my stage 2 opc but failed the MMI for Chiltern. Will i eligible to apply again in November the 6th exactly or November 1st?.
This was for the February 2026 training so my opc would have been valid. And does this 6 month waiting period happen will all TOCs. i know arriva dont do an MMI i will be fast tracked to a DMI.

I believe the wait here is now 1 year under the new ruling which was introduced December 2024 as this was your first attempt.

I am happy to be corrected though.

 

[mcgrindah]

Arriva do an MMI on stage 2 at the OPC.

 

[Rohmeric]

Arriva do an MMI on stage 2 at the OPC.

Would they have a similar 6 month opc eligibilty?

 

[Class2ldn]

hey guys just a quick question. On May 6th I passed my stage 2 opc but failed the MMI for Chiltern. Will i eligible to apply again in November the 6th exactly or November 1st?.
This was for the February 2026 training so my opc would have been valid. And does this 6 month waiting period happen will all TOCs. i know arriva dont do an MMI i will be fast tracked to a DMI.

Everyone does an mmi but some companies do it at different stages so you wouldn't be fast tracked to DMI.
The mmi forms part of the assessments so you have 2 attempts left now but as above I believe its a 1 year wait between assessments.