EMR - Trainee Train Drivers - Recruitment Discussion

[Spider1806]

Was my favourite, some questions you could have logically guessed like the one asking what the train braking system does. Answer I remember was to do with applying friction via discs near the wheels to slow them down.

Thanks

Did you manage the computer one well with Joy sticks?

I hear if you come off it’s not a major issue as long as you get back on track?

 

[NSEWonderer]

Thanks

Did you manage the computer one well with Joy sticks?

I hear if you come off it’s not a major issue as long as you get back on track?

Yeah. Explained in more detail in my above post #134.

 

[Spider1806]

Was my favourite, some questions you could have logically guessed like the one asking what the train braking system does. Answer I remember was to do with applying friction via discs near the wheels to slow them down.

How long is the training process 18 months to be qualified?

 

[NSEWonderer]

How long is the training process 18 months to be qualified?

Have no clue.

 

[Aspen90]

I have been given my date now so working towards that

What’s the pass rate for these tests? As in the individual tests? Is it like 80% each test?

What dates have you been given? Where are they doing the testing?

 

[clarets2005]

How long is the training process 18 months to be qualified?

Your classroom stuff and assessments (PTS, Rules, Traction, Simulator) will take about 6 months, give or take, then you'll be out with a Driver Instructor to build your hours doing passenger services, ECS moves, working the same diagrams as them. The minimum amount of hours required before you can qualify depends on the company, but as an example, ours is 275 hours with a minimum of 45 in darkness. Depending on DI availability, proactivity, diagrams and other things, that could take you 4 months, could take you 12.

 

[Spider1806]

EMR do it differently to other TOC’s.

The first stage will be JUST the paper tests as listed above. Then should you be successful at this stage you’ll be called back on another date to do the EMR assessment day. This is a whole day of individual and group exercises throughout the day. Then they do a cut at lunch time and those who were successful throughout the day go on to their driver manager interviews in the afternoon.

If you’ve passed your DMI (find out within 2 weeks normally) then you’ll go back and do your stage 2 computer OPC psychometric tests. This is the final stage, if you pass this you’re in.

The EMR assessment day does NOT count towards your two lives in the psychometric tests. So if you don’t get through on the EMR day, it’s not the end of the world and you’ve got the stage 1 tests in the bank for the next time or TOC you apply to.

Do you only get marked down for mistakes on bourdon, or do you get marked down for actual missed 4 dots if you get me?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Sep 2024 ==

Your classroom stuff and assessments (PTS, Rules, Traction, Simulator) will take about 6 months, give or take, then you'll be out with a Driver Instructor to build your hours doing passenger services, ECS moves, working the same diagrams as them. The minimum amount of hours required before you can qualify depends on the company, but as an example, ours is 275 hours with a minimum of 45 in darkness. Depending on DI availability, proactivity, diagrams and other things, that could take you 4 months, could take you 12.

thanks

 

[Amnesiac]

Do you only get marked down for mistakes on bourdon, or do you get marked down for actual missed 4 dots if you get me?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Sep 2024 ==


thanks

That will be explained on the day. If you’re using the Group Bourdon tool just try to eliminate mistakes as much as possible. There’s nothing there to catch you out with any of these tests, it’s just to test whether you have the natural skills to be a train driver.

 

[Spider1806]

That will be explained on the day. If you’re using the Group Bourdon tool just try to eliminate mistakes as much as possible. There’s nothing there to catch you out with any of these tests, it’s just to test whether you have the natural skills to be a train driver.

No totally get that

When practising I am not making actual mistakes more missing the odd one you see? rather than say crossing out a three or 5 dot

So asking are you marked down for missing ones or marked down for making an actual mistake?

 

[clarets2005]

No totally get that

When practising I am not making actual mistakes more missing the odd one you see? rather than say crossing out a three or 5 dot

So asking are you marked down for missing ones or marked down for making an actual mistake?

Simply put, the Group Bourdon is marked based on your speed and accuracy. Best advice (other than what the materials the OPC gave you say) is just to keep practicing mate. Don't let it get to your head, and just be as quick and as accurate as you can.

 

[Spider1806]

Simply put, the Group Bourdon is marked based on your speed and accuracy. Best advice (other than what the materials the OPC gave you say) is just to keep practicing mate. Don't let it get to your head, and just be as quick and as accurate as you can.

what I have been doing is practising 100% but what I find myself doing is say there is 6 4 dots in that line i find 5 etc, so no actual mistake more I miss one that's all

 

[adrsanda]

what I have been doing is practising 100% but what I find myself doing is say there is 6 4 dots in that line i find 5 etc, so no actual mistake more I miss one that's all

The more you practice the more you notice what the 4 dot pattern looks like it might take a little while but just keep at it. Try lightly tapping every pattern with your pencil/pen as you go along, I found I was less likely to miss one that way

 

[Spider1806]

The more you practice the more you notice what the 4 dot pattern looks like it might take a little while but just keep at it. Try lightly tapping every pattern with your pencil/pen as you go along, I found I was less likely to miss one that way

Thank you, have you recently done the testing then?

 

[adrsanda]

Thank you, have you recently done the testing then?

I did my stage 1 testing in January and my stage 2 in march

 

[Spider1806]

I did my stage 1 testing in January and my stage 2 in march

with which TOC?

 

[adrsanda]

with which TOC?

Arriva, so it was enhanced . I unfortunately didn’t get through the Dmi

 

[Spider1806]

Arriva, so it was enhanced . I unfortunately didn’t get through the Dmi

Oh really what happened do you think?

 

[adrsanda]

Oh really what happened do you think?

There was an issue on the day and my interview got pushed back in time two times (it started about 1.5hrs after it was supposed to) so I was already a bit off and then went and completely forgot the routes and more information about arriva rail itself and only remembered their values. I think that’s what possibly did it as they use as scoring matrix and you need to get a minimum score. So my advice would be to learn as much as you can about the TOC you’re applying for. I did ask for feedback on what areas I need to improve on, but they never replied unfortunately .

 

[Spider1806]

There was an issue on the day and my interview got pushed back in time two times (it started about 1.5hrs after it was supposed to) so I was already a bit off and then went and completely forgot the routes and more information about arriva rail itself and only remembered their values. I think that’s what possibly did it as they use as scoring matrix and you need to get a minimum score. So my advice would be to learn as much as you can about the TOC you’re applying for. I did ask for feedback on what areas I need to improve on, but they never replied unfortunately .

I get the values but are you expected to know routes before hand?

 

[adrsanda]

I get the values but are you expected to know routes before hand?

I would try to learn at least a little bit of route knowledge 100%, as in the DMI they will probably ask you about them

 

[NSEWonderer]

For those who do have stage 1 assessment dates, roughly when is it? Gives me an idea of when to expect the EMR specfic Assessment day as I'm skipping Stage 1.

 

[Aspen90]

The internals I’ve spoken to at various depots haven’t had any dates yet.

 

[NSEWonderer]

The internals I’ve spoken to at various depots haven’t had any dates yet.

Ah fairs. Early days after all.

 

[dalaw]

Maybe it’s just me but wondering if anybody else on here is finding it a little odd that although BenJones1604 has been asked on multiple occasions ‘what date has he been given and depot applied for?’ Somehow that question keeps getting avoided and left unanswered. Obviously a heads up for the rest of us on dates and for what depot would help people on here!
Find it a little strange too that nobody else at all has come on here to say they’ve been given a date thus far.
Feels a little suspect to me but maybe that’s just my inquisitive mind… who knows!!

 

[NSEWonderer]

Maybe it’s just me but wondering if anybody else on here is finding it a little odd that although BenJones1604 has been asked on multiple occasions ‘what date has he been given and depot applied for?’ Somehow that question keeps getting avoided and left unanswered. Obviously a heads up for the rest of us on dates and for what depot would help people on here!
Find it a little strange too that nobody else at all has come on here to say they’ve been given a date thus far.
Feels a little suspect to me but maybe that’s just my inquisitive mind… who knows!!

It's not unlikely that he may have, also not everyone's that's applied is on the fourm so they're could be some of those that have also recieved dates.

 

[dalaw]

Don’t get me wrong, I get that. Only a small percentage of applicants will be on here but alongside it seeming to be a quick turnaround from application closing to getting a date, it looks odd following this thread that answering the ‘date’ question seems to be consistently missed… Each to their own though.
Good luck all!

 

[NSEWonderer]

Don’t get me wrong, I get that. Only a small percentage of applicants will be on here but alongside it seeming to be a quick turnaround from application closing to getting a date, it looks odd following this thread that answering the ‘date’ question seems to be consistently missed… Each to their own though.
Good luck all!

To be fair in the previous campaign for Kettering it seemed to be quick between the shortlist email and thr first few assessment center dates.

 

[Aspen90]

In the past they have done Lincoln and Boston on the same day and same place and the same for Kettering and London. It would be interesting to see if any London applicants have been given a date and location as London would surely have more applicants than the rest and I’d assume they’d be first? I could be wrong. Stage 1 and EMR group assessment days have in the past been done at different locations as no DM’s are needed for stage 1 days.

 

[NSEWonderer]

In the past they have done Lincoln and Boston on the same day and same place and the same for Kettering and London. It would be interesting to see if any London applicants have been given a date and location as London would surely have more applicants than the rest and I’d assume they’d be first? I could be wrong. Stage 1 and EMR group assessment days have in the past been done at different locations as no DM’s are needed for stage 1 days.

If you don't mind me asking but of the Depots which roughly seems to have the most Vaccancies?

 

[Aspen90]

Honestly, I don’t know. I know Derby weren’t advertising as they have a backlog of depot drivers so there’s a wait to go mainline there. It was a surprise Kettering was advertising as apparently they were oversubscribed already with drivers so who knows! Boston is a tiny depot, I think the smallest. Kettering are picking up quite a few London jobs so maybe London, I really don’t know the planning behind it. Maybe the government have come in and told TOC’s to get recruiting as I’d imagine that when this pay deal is sorted loads will retire?? GWR are recruiting at quite a few depots, LNER have just had a recruitment drive, I’m just guessing though.