CrossCountry - Apprentice Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[mr_ixolite]

I focused more on the smaller items like the sign and traffic lights as the cars you will see in your peripheral.

This, also try and mutter what you see under your breath and repeat it until you have clicked your answers

 

[electricdreams]

Hi all,

I’ve got my OPC assessment day on the 28th of May. I’m revising and going through the practise material that I’ve been given. When you’re doing the AART at the assessment day, I was curious to find out the duration of time the image stays on the screen before disappearing. The practise material I have, the image literally flashes on and off the screen in less than a second and I’m finding it almost impossible to pass.

Any advice is also welcome. Thank you.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 May 2026 ==

Hi all,

I’ve got my OPC assessment day on the 28th of May. I’m revising and going through the practise material that I’ve been given. When you’re doing the AART at the assessment day, I was curious to find out the duration of time the image stays on the screen before disappearing. The practise material I have, the image literally flashes on and off the screen in less than a second and I’m finding it almost impossible to pass.

Any advice is also welcome. Thank you.

I reckon it's about half a second. Which, to my eyes, actually felt longer than I was expecting. My method was to ignore what I always subliminally managed to spot in practice, which was cars and bikes. So I made a conscious effort to search for pedestrians, traffic lights and traffic signs, and then repeat those in my head after the image dissapeared. Seemed to work well enough! I practiced using Google Maps street view in Vienna - asked my partner to find a scene with 2-5 of the objects and then I opened my eyes for a split second. Really helped!

Generic advice is plastered all over this forum and was massively useful for me, but shout out if you need anything specific.

 

[finny110]

Hi, was wondering if anyone could help me

I applied for the apprentice train driver in feb (derby) but haven't heard anything as of yet with regards to next steps or have been unsuccessful, someone i know has applied but been unsuccessful so unsure if this is good news or they have just forgotten.

If anyone is in the same boat or knows anything please let me know

Cheers

 

[LeeG05]

Hi, was wondering if anyone could help me

I applied for the apprentice train driver in feb (derby) but haven't heard anything as of yet with regards to next steps or have been unsuccessful, someone i know has applied but been unsuccessful so unsure if this is good news or they have just forgotten.

If anyone is in the same boat or knows anything please let me know

Cheers

Exactly the same here but for Cambridge. I believe the first set of applicants have been sent for Psychometrics/DMI, and those of us who are still Pending will be asked to take them if enough people fail, or they need more trainees - that’s what I’ve heard anyhow, I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong

Generally, I think no news is probably good news!

 

[Shunter Bones]

Exactly the same here but for Cambridge. I believe the first set of applicants have been sent for Psychometrics/DMI, and those of us who are still Pending will be asked to take them if enough people fail, or they need more trainees - that’s what I’ve heard anyhow, I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong

Generally, I think no news is probably good news!

I applied for Cambridge the day the advert came out, I already have an enhanced psychometric but i'm still sat at pending. I have been sat at pending with other applications and they have just gone to "No longer under consideration" without so much as a thanks but no thanks email, so it's hard to tell what's going on

 

[MH117]

I’m in for Derby, already had SHL assessments from last year so breezed through, already got enhanced psychometrics. Andy called a few weeks ago to say he’d contact me in a couple weeks when they plan dmi’s. . Yet many have now booked in and already now done their dmi’s and I’ve had no contact at all. .

 

[ku_ku_ka_cho]

I applied for Cambridge the day the advert came out, I already have an enhanced psychometric but i'm still sat at pending. I have been sat at pending with other applications and they have just gone to "No longer under consideration" without so much as a thanks but no thanks email, so it's hard to tell what's going on

Im sat on an OPC pass for Cambridge and was told I would be getting a DMI and medical in January but since then been kicked down the road and now radio silence. It's not very good is it.

 

[Shunter Bones]

Im sat on an OPC pass for Cambridge and was told I would be getting a DMI and medical in January but since then been kicked down the road and now radio silence. It's not very good is it.

It's quite frustrating being told one thing and then something else happening, all we can do is keep applying.

 

[softquaser]

Derby and Cambridge are now advertising Qualified Train Drivers. I was in consideration for Derby and had been in the talent pool for two years, myself and I believe all the others who were in this pool were "let go" due to having too many drivers.

 

[ChooWoo]

Derby and Cambridge are now advertising Qualified Train Drivers. I was in consideration for Derby and had been in the talent pool for two years, myself and I believe all the others who were in this pool were "let go" due to having too many drivers.

They are doing DMIs for Derby this week and last for trainees, so must still need people

 

[Arsenal]

Derby and Cambridge are now advertising Qualified Train Drivers. I was in consideration for Derby and had been in the talent pool for two years, myself and I believe all the others who were in this pool were "let go" due to having too many drivers.

That’s odd, throughout the application process so far I’ve been consistently told that they’ve exhausted their entire talent pool for Derby?

 

[Anon272916]

I applied for Newcastle last year (I think October). Have sat the spatial awareness tests and haven’t been rejected following those. But that was a while ago. I know some people have been progressed through to psychometrics and DMI. Has anyone got any info that may be in the same boat?

 

[softquaser]

That’s odd, throughout the application process so far I’ve been consistently told that they’ve exhausted their entire talent pool for Derby?

There were definitely 5 of us in line for Derby in February. We were told that Derby had too many drivers because so many had transferred over from Birmingham over the previous two years

 

[chalkijr]

I’m in for Derby, already had SHL assessments from last year so breezed through, already got enhanced psychometrics. Andy called a few weeks ago to say he’d contact me in a couple weeks when they plan dmi’s. . Yet many have now booked in and already now done their dmi’s and I’ve had no contact at all. .

Did you never hear back from the Manchester app pal? I e not heard anything since doing the SHL tests and I'm still sat on pending in the portal. I even sent some follow up emails to which I never got a reply...

 

[cherrygun7]

Hi everyone,
Was wondering if anyone had any experience with this- I’ve just been for my opc testing and unfortunately failed one of the computer ones, so I can only re sit that one in a year. Does that mean I would have to go through the whole process again- apply for the vacancy / get through the spatial tests and then see if I get further? are thr spatial ones valid for any time at all( it would be over a year since I first took those )
Thank you

 

[Jovis]

Hey,
Yes you will have to do all over again, you need to contact OPC to find out exactly what you have failed because the ones you have passed will be valid for 5 years. The online spatial is not recorded at all so you will have to re-do that aswell. OPC is recorded so if you did pass some of the tests the pass will stay and won't have to do them again.

 

[mr_ixolite]

also remember the clock is already ticking on the tests you did pass, so if you retake the one you failed in 12 mths time and pass, that one will be valid for 5 years from that date but your others will only have 4 years left on them at that point

 

[KSC]

Hey,
Yes you will have to do all over again, you need to contact OPC to find out exactly what you have failed because the ones you have passed will be valid for 5 years. The online spatial is not recorded at all so you will have to re-do that aswell. OPC is recorded so if you did pass some of the tests the pass will stay and won't have to do them again.

I’m sure you don’t have to do the spatial awareness again I’m pretty sure you go back and pick up from the tests you failed who told you have to resit spatial.

 

[Jovis]

I’m sure you don’t have to do the spatial awareness again I’m pretty sure you go back and pick up from the tests you failed who told you have to resit spatial.

I applied with Arriva,XC both spatial tests were the same and with SHL (so if the were recorded I shouldnt have to do it again) I am very sure you have to re-do it as they dont keep record of it besides for that specific application when you apply they compare in what percentile of candidates you are for that specific job application and thats it.

 

[Pintman]

Hey,
Yes you will have to do all over again, you need to contact OPC to find out exactly what you have failed because the ones you have passed will be valid for 5 years. The online spatial is not recorded at all so you will have to re-do that aswell. OPC is recorded so if you did pass some of the tests the pass will stay and won't have to do them again.

I thought Cross Country used RCG for their tests? Surely you'd need to go to them to find out what you failed?

 

[ChooWoo]

I thought Cross Country used RCG for their tests? Surely you'd need to go to them to find out what you failed?

Yeah its RCG in Manchester, they will most likely advise you if call them

 

[Jovis]

Yes you are right @Pintman , my apologies just been recently focused on OPC too much.

 

[IndegoMouse]

Has anyone from the Feb 26 applicant process had a DMI yet?

 

[electricdreams]

Has anyone from the Feb 26 applicant process had a DMI yet?

Nope, waiting for a call following passing pschyometrics at the start of May.

 

[IndegoMouse]

Nope, waiting for a call following passing pschyometrics at the start of May.

which depot had you gone for?

 

[electricdreams]

which depot had you gone for?

Derby

 

[canisrex]

Has anyone from the Feb 26 applicant process had a DMI yet?

Had mine in Cambridge
Waiting to hear back

 

[electricdreams]

Had mine in Cambridge
Waiting to hear back

Good luck, how did you feel it went?

How long was the wait from psychometrics to DMI for you?

 

[rozza1234]

Good luck, how did you feel it went?

How long was the wait from psychometrics to DMI for you?

My wait was 6 months. It is normal to hear nothing in between each phase and each phase can be a very long wait.

 

[IndegoMouse]

My wait was 6 months. It is normal to hear nothing in between each phase and each phase can be a very long wait.

6 months seems a crazy wait! I guess I just need to put it to the back of my mind and continue as normal then. I certainly wont chase again as don't want to annoy them

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jun 2026 ==

My wait was 6 months. It is normal to hear nothing in between each phase and each phase can be a very long wait.

It would also be great to PM you to get some tips on DMI if at all possible