FCC Trainee Train Driver First Stage

[Darksoul27]

Hi guys, I have finally got a first assessment date for a trainee position with FCC (First Capital Connect) after a 10 month waiting period and am looking forward to taking my tests in Feburary. I fought i would post up and ask a few questions and see if i can get any useful tips for the day.

Firstly does anyone know if the Group Bourdons test is done on paper or computer?

Do you do the the dots only test or is it the shapes one aswell?

On my list of what i will do on the day it says:

Driver Fault finding test
A trainability Test
A concertration test

Now it doesnt say anything about the Mechanical comprehension test but its in the pack abou this test. I have read on the forums about other companies taking this away so was wondering if this was the case with FCC or not? (thou i have been brushing up on the subject anyway)

Anyone got any good advice, tips or links then i would be most greatful

cheers Ant

 

[Karmakanik]

Well done on getting to the interview stage.
The group bourdon test is done on paper, as is the scaat (shapes). I found it much easier than using the keyboard but practising relentlessly paid off big style. If you don't see dots and squiggles when you close your eyes in bed, you are not practicing enough!
I seem to remember there was no mechanical comprehension test, shame really as I felt that was one of my strong points.

Out of interest, which depot have you applied for?

You're probably aware that patience is a virtue, it's been over 7 months since I (and several others) passed the managers interview and are awaiting a start date/medical and nearly a year since I initially applied!

Good luck and practice and read as much on here as you can.

 

[Darksoul27]

Hi and thanks for the reply. I was wondering if you could or someone could give me a link to the boudon/scaat test sheets so i can print them out (as FCC do the paper ones) and practice them if possible. I put Kings Cross as my depot by the way and again thanks for the reply

 

[Karmakanik]

http://railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1262664&postcount=378

Hopefully that works. I found the scaat test much harder than the group bourdon. Make sure you practice all three modes of the scaat, I was pretty terrible the first few times but soon got better.

 

[Darksoul27]

Hi was wondering for the trainability for Rules and procedures Test you have 18 questions to answer, can someone tell me what the pass mark is for this.Do you need to get all 18 right to carry on to the next stage. Thanks

 

[MR_P]

Hi was wondering for the trainability for Rules and procedures Test you have 18 questions to answer, can someone tell me what the pass mark is for this.Do you need to get all 18 right to carry on to the next stage. Thanks

Nobody knows the pass marks. Except the examiners of course

 

[Darksoul27]

^ Yeah point taken was just wondering if people that have passed this in the past if they knew how many you got right on the test as a rough guide.

 

[Dolikkledo]

Hey well done. Just practice alot. Keep on improving on your accuracy and finishing time. No one knows the pass mark. This because it is not nationalised. Each company or assessment centre set their own pass mark. And none of them will tell you because what they may classify as fail may be pass another. As traineetraindriverinfo.com taught me just practice concentraion test till you go dotsy.

Usually they wont tell you how many you got right. they just tell you pass.

 

[MR_P]

I thought there were more than 18 questions, anyhow I got about 2/3 the way through and passed.

 

[Darksoul27]

The driver fault finding test with FCC is it similar to the one they give you with the practise material as i found this pretty easy and was wondering if the one on the day is alot harder?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I thought there were more than 18 questions, anyhow I got about 2/3 the way through and passed.

From the information pack i got from FCC is says the first TRP where you listen to audio is 18 questions which you get 7 minutes and the second TRP which is the dials and cables is 43 questions with a time limit of 8 minutes. I take it not everyone finishes 43 questions in 8 minutes?

 

[Dolikkledo]

yea you are on the right line Darksoul27. The TRP is 18 and the cables 40 i think. I am not sure about the 43.

As Mr P said 2/3 got him through i.e 75%. So it is safe benchmark to aim pass.

 

[MR_P]

Arr yes I was thinking of the cables and dials test! - again I got about 2/3 of the way through (So did most) and got a good pass.

The fault finding test examples are just what they are like on the day (Method wise) - yes some of them are more involved as they may have more than one fault you have to prioritise with a bit more cross referencing. I would say thou if you found the examples ok you shouldn't have the too much issue on the day either.

 

[Nuttytoffee]

I did similar tests on Wednesday for FGW. You are right, it is 18 questions in 7 minutes for the Trainability test and 43 in 8 minutes for the dials. Just listen carefully as everything is explained to you and if you are not sure then don't be shy to ask questions. I asked as I hadn't been sent the practice material and I am glad I did. I managed about 31 dials (not sure if they were all right!) and most people I spoke to afterwards had achieved around the same. Whether that is enough only time will tell!

 

[Class2ldn]

If you haven't been sent the practice stuff you shouldn't have gone to the assessment. Good luck anyway.

 

[Nuttytoffee]

I know mate but I had a bit of help before hand from the kind people on here so wasnt as dumb as I looked and thanks.

 

[Class2ldn]

Well seems like you done ok anyway. I'm just waiting to here from fcc regarding the qualified jobs.

 

[Nuttytoffee]

Good luck with that mate.

 

[Polar]

Hello
Your lucky you had so much notice I got an email on mon asking me to go for the first part of the assessment on the 16th of Jan in Stevenage.

Been a year since I applied so was a bit out of the blue.

So now trying to cram as many test in as poss before wed.

Cheers

 

[sw1ller]

Does anybdy know what's classed as good & poor on that awful GBT? Ive just downloaded it and had a go, my head hurts a little but i seem consistant. Should i be compleating a sheet in the 2 mins???

 

[Polar]

I found this link helpfull.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56558

 

[TDK]

Does anybdy know what's classed as good & poor on that awful GBT? Ive just downloaded it and had a go, my head hurts a little but i seem consistant. Should i be compleating a sheet in the 2 mins???

No! The task is to be accurate and consistant so for example if you do lets say 75% of the first page and only 40% of the last you will fail withiut doubt. All I can suggest and I have put this on these forums many times is to go steady and ensure you are acurate and consistant throught the pages, so if you you do 15 lines on the first page you will need to do 15 or there abouts on the last. I did this as I listened to the assessor and I actually did more on the last page than the first with no mistakes throughout and passed with a good grade I completed just over half a page on all if I remember correctly. If go hell for leather on the first you almost certainly fail.

 

[NHG66]

The GB sheets I downloaded and printed had 25 groups per line. I was managing around 11-12 lines completed per page per 2 mins with only 1-2 ommissions/errors across all 5 sheets in 10 minutes. This equates to circa 1300 ish checked with pretty good accuracy. I scored a good pass on the day of the test and I would say the tests on the day were easier than the downloaded ones as there were not as many different combinations of dot groupings so I found it easier to pick out the groups of 4.

As has been said by others, practice, practice, practice and if you really really want this job, practice some more. You only get 2 chances so its down to you to be prepared.

 

[sw1ller]

I found this link helpfull.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56558

The GB sheets I downloaded and printed had 25 groups per line. I was managing around 11-12 lines completed per page per 2 mins with only 1-2 ommissions/errors across all 5 sheets in 10 minutes. This equates to circa 1300 ish checked with pretty good accuracy. I scored a good pass on the day of the test and I would say the tests on the day were easier than the downloaded ones as there were not as many different combinations of dot groupings so I found it easier to pick out the groups of 4.

As has been said by others, practice, practice, practice and if you really really want this job, practice some more. You only get 2 chances so its down to you to be prepared.

No! The task is to be accurate and consistant so for example if you do lets say 75% of the first page and only 40% of the last you will fail withiut doubt. All I can suggest and I have put this on these forums many times is to go steady and ensure you are acurate and consistant throught the pages, so if you you do 15 lines on the first page you will need to do 15 or there abouts on the last. I did this as I listened to the assessor and I actually did more on the last page than the first with no mistakes throughout and passed with a good grade I completed just over half a page on all if I remember correctly. If go hell for leather on the first you almost certainly fail.

Thanks a lot, i think i'm well on my way then, only a few over looked over 1100 cells and no mistakes, i'll just keep at it everyday until i get an interview. cant harm cheers

 

[Polar]

Had my assessment today went as follows

Started with the group bordon test, I managed about 3/4 way thru on each section of which there was five and at the end of the test I noticed id missed out an entire line on the first section so thought id failed!

Second was the glop test ( read passage and answer muliple choice question)

Third was the dials test

After these we stopped for lunch then out of the 40so ppl there about half failed. I passed

Then we did the scatt test this really thru me as I had assumed we would do one or the other not both this and the bourdon.

Then finaly we did the faultfinding test.

And everyone who had passed the first part passed so about 20 of us which suprised me!

Got the reactions and structured interview next week, Thought id get abit more time but at lease I passed!

 

[JB25]

Mate my Structured Interview was the same day as my assessment (we didn't get a lunch break either), and then my Driver Manager interview was 3 days later, so you get quite a break in comparison.

 

[Darksoul27]

Had my assessment today went as follows

Started with the group bordon test, I managed about 3/4 way thru on each section of which there was five and at the end of the test I noticed id missed out an entire line on the first section so thought id failed!

Second was the glop test ( read passage and answer muliple choice question)

Third was the dials test

After these we stopped for lunch then out of the 40so ppl there about half failed. I passed

Then we did the scatt test this really thru me as I had assumed we would do one or the other not both this and the bourdon.

Then finaly we did the faultfinding test.

And everyone who had passed the first part passed so about 20 of us which suprised me!

Got the reactions and structured interview next week, Thought id get abit more time but at lease I passed!

Did you do the dot test on computer or paper?

 

[Polar]

Did you do the dot test on computer or paper?

All the test on the day were done on paper, which I actualy found alot easier. I still did most my practice on the gb tool. On the day several ppl I had spoke to had only managed about half of each section and still passed so Id agree with the other ppl who say go mainly for accuracy.

Im prob most worried about the interview as ive never really had one before.

 

[Nash]

What age do TOC take trainee drivers up to ?

 

[westcoaster]

What age do TOC take trainee drivers up to ?

We've had many drivers come through the system, who are mid to late fifties.

 

[Nash]

We've had many drivers come through the system, who are mid to late fifties.

As a trainee ? I might apply then !