First Rail London - Trainee Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[knmhv]

Has anyone completed the SHL test? How did they find it?

 

[MO12110]

how did you guys prepare for Spatial reasoning test?

 

[Mystiq7]

I only anwsered 10 questions for the spatial test in the 15 minutes will that mean a fail

What is the spatial test?

 

[Kyle2409]

I just completed both the tests. Spatial ability was more difficult than what i had looked up. Assessment one is fairly straight forward.

Hopefully they let you know the outcome rather swiftly

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2025 ==

I got an email saying they not progressing my application today before i had even completed the assessments they asked me to complete

 

[Mertel94]

I just completed both the tests. Spatial ability was more difficult than what i had looked up. Assessment one is fairly straight forward.

Hopefully they let you know the outcome rather swiftly

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2025 ==

I got an email saying they not progressing my application today before i had even completed the assessments they asked me to complete

Sorry to hear that. Did you sit the VSE test recently? If so did you get the results?

 

[Kyle2409]

Sorry to hear that. Did you sit the VSE test recently? If so did you get the results?

Yeah not sure i should i have received this email as only got the email yesterday saying i had progressed. No havent sat the VSE

 

[stbtraindriver]

What’s the other test about lol it just says “assessment” and also are you timed for the spatial ability if so how long?

Yh same. It’s 25 for spatial and 20 for assessment

 

[Mertel94]

Is the SHL a replacement for the VSE? as it didn't mention this on the ARL career website.Would appreciate if someone could enlighten us

 

[NSEWonderer]

Is the SHL a replacement for the VSE? as it didn't mention this on the ARL career website.Would appreciate if someone could enlighten us

Probably a replacement for the home online based VSE which was still the actual OPC graded VSE that caught out people as it actually counted as a life to other TOCs if failed, like SE for one as it goes on the database. Arriva basically before now had a online VSE and then an assessment center VSE. I expect successful candidates will still do the VSE at the assessment center.

 

[Mertel94]

Probably a replacement for the home online based VSE which was still the actual OPC graded VSE that caught out people as it actually counted as a life to other TOCs if failed, like SE for one as it goes on the database. Arriva basically before now had a online VSE and then an assessment center VSE. I expect successful candidates will still do the VSE at the assessment center.

Thanks

 

[fabr]

Hi,

i'm going to do SHL for the overground soon,but i see that the assestment is 20min and the verbal test on pratice is 19min so something is not right,
i mean how do you do 3different thinks like (verbal,numerical,and calculation)in a short time?

i'm bit confusing and i would like to don't waste my time to pratice with something that i don't need.

Anyone did before?what i'll do?what pratice you will raccomand?

Thanks

Fab

 

[ExRes]

Hi,

i'm going to do SHL for the overground soon,but i see that the assestment is 20min and the verbal test on pratice is 19min so something is not right,
i mean how do you do 3different thinks like (verbal,numerical,and calculation)in a short time?

i'm bit confusing and i would like to don't waste my time to pratice with something that i don't need.

Anyone did before?what i'll do?what pratice you will raccomand?

Thanks

Fab

I have no idea at all what an SHL assessment is, but if I may offer a suggestion you need to practice anything and everything that may come up during the assessment, sods law has it that whatever you don't practice will come up and that 'waste of time' could well bite you on the behind, you may well end up practising something you're not required to do but how much do you want the job?

 

[Alex_09]

I done the test today and at the end it said based on results we will be in touch soon so fingers crossed I’m on to the next stage ..

 

[ab96]

I done the test today and at the end it said based on results we will be in touch soon so fingers crossed I’m on to the next stage ..

Hi mate, how many questions on the spatial test did you manage to answer?

 

[MO12110]

Just finished the assessment. Might not have passed.

 

[justbehappy29]

Does anyone know what’s the “assessment” about? It just say assessment lol but specify what type of assessment.

 

[ab96]

Does anyone know what’s the “assessment” about? It just say assessment lol but specify what type of assessment.

It’s a series of questions, where for each question you pick a first and second choice which is mostly like you as a person.

 

[Alex_09]

Hi mate, how many questions on the spatial test did you manage to answer?

I didn’t even take notice just keep going trying to answer as many as possible

 

[justbehappy29]

It’s a series of questions, where for each question you pick a first and second choice which is mostly like you as a person.

Thanks mate

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I didn’t even take notice just keep going trying to answer as many as possible

Thanks mate

 

[M_B14]

Finished spatial ability assessment. Was somewhat easy if you dont overthink/overcomplicated it. I suggest everyone to complete the full 22 questions as if you miss one or more, you get marked down. if you are unsure, just guess.

 

[DuserH9]

I’m not sure on guessing just to complete it, I know you’ll get marked down but surely 15 answers answered correctly is better than 22 answered questions with only 15 correct ?

 

[MO12110]

I’m not sure on guessing just to complete it, I know you’ll get marked down but surely 15 answers answered correctly is better than 22 answered questions with only 15 correct ?

It stated on test to complete all the questions as you will be marked for incomplete. It also stated to guess if you dont know the answer.

 

[Adam_9345]

Finished spatial ability assessment. Was somewhat easy if you dont overthink/overcomplicated it. I suggest everyone to complete the full 22 questions as if you miss one or more, you get marked down. if you are unsure, just guess.

thanks for your advice, just wanna know. Are there loads of sequence questions? Or would you say most of them were cube net type of questions? Also were there any of those 3d Lego type shapes which were shown at different angles. All the tests I’m looking up look different, thanks again!

 

[DuserH9]

I wonder how they mark it, as in, how much more value is an incorrect answer than an incomplete answer, if there is

 

[ab96]

If anyone hasn’t done the Spatial Ability test yet, can you kindly send a pic of the rules where it states you get marked down for not completing questions please before you attempt it. Not sure why but I don’t remember seeing it state anything like that

 

[Adam_9345]

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to send a photo of any part of the assessment but I’ll double check for you and let you know whether it says so or not, also can you take a look at my question and let me know please if you remember the question layout atleast. Thank you!

 

[Blueryel]

If anyone hasn’t done the Spatial Ability test yet, can you kindly send a pic of the rules where it states you get marked down for not completing questions please before you attempt it. Not sure why but I don’t remember seeing it state anything like that

I belive you’re marked down for incomplete answers and incorrect answers, but they warn you beforehand. It'll tell you everything before you start the assessment anyways.

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thanks for your advice, just wanna know. Are there loads of sequence questions? Or would you say most of them were cube net type of questions? Also were there any of those 3d Lego type shapes which were shown at different angles. All the tests I’m looking up look different, thanks again!

It Includes nets, block counting, rotations, shape matching and anything else you would find in a standard spatial ability test so i would recommend practicing everything.

 

[stbtraindriver]

I belive you’re marked down for incomplete answers and incorrect answers, but they warn you beforehand. It'll tell you everything before you start the assessment anyways.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Oct 2025 ==


It Includes nets, block counting, rotations, shape matching and anything else you would find in a standard spatial ability test so i would recommend practicing everything.

This was so helpful thank you. Good luck to all of us xx

 

[Adam_9345]

I belive you’re marked down for incomplete answers and incorrect answers, but they warn you beforehand. It'll tell you everything before you start the assessment anyways.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Oct 2025 ==


It Includes nets, block counting, rotations, shape matching and anything else you would find in a standard spatial ability test so i would recommend practicing everything.

Legend, thank you very much my friend I wish you all the best with your results!

 

[ab96]

I’m not sure if I’m allowed to send a photo of any part of the assessment but I’ll double check for you and let you know whether it says so or not, also can you take a look at my question and let me know please if you remember the question layout atleast. Thank you!

Hi mate, as Blueryel stated, it would include all those questions. Unfortunately I managed to get only 10 questions completed so didn’t see any of the other questions. Only saw the block counting ones and shape nets with patterns. Hope that helps!