GWR - Trainee Train Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[Frenchy7119]

Hi everyone. I missed the Swansea applications and have applied for Oxford (I live near Oxford but I am originally from Swansea and would love to move back). Has anyone ever asked to change locations while in the process? I'm still quite early doors, waiting to see if i have passed the video interview. Cheers.

Hi I did try as a TM, been in talent pool for Swansea for nearly 2 years with no movement Cardiff came up and I asked if I could move there as close, Recruitment said they would check locally but even after 3 reminders they never came back to me, so I’d say you can but ask but don’t expect a reply lol

 

[user1234567]

Quick question to those who’ve passed the medical:
Is BMI a big deal? Mine’s on the high side, but I’m fit and active.

I can answer this one first hand.
I went into the medical with a BMI of 34 having previously read that I’d get the wagging finger from the doctor and that would be it.

Not the case, I was failed.

Please make sure it is below 33 or they seemingly will fail you! Delay the medical if you need time

 

[lifeisarail]

I can answer this one first hand.
I went into the medical with a BMI of 34 having previously read that I’d get the wagging finger from the doctor and that would be it.

Not the case, I was failed.

Please make sure it is below 33 or they seemingly will fail you! Delay the medical if you need timei

I can answer this one first hand.
I went into the medical with a BMI of 34 having previously read that I’d get the wagging finger from the doctor and that would be it.

Not the case, I was failed.

Please make sure it is below 33 or they seemingly will fail you! Delay the medical if you need time

Im gutted for you, did at least give you a chance to drop to 33 since is only 1

 

[Embraerguy]

Hi,

Anyone from around the March/April passing still in the pool for BPW?

Hoping to get a call for the April course but not so optimistic

 

[user1234567]

Im gutted for you, did at least give you a chance to drop to 33 since is only 1

Nope

Then I’ve heard stories I think from members on this forum I believe of BMI seemingly being ignored or waived. I’ve asked and asked as to the consistency of the approach, to no avail.

My message is just- be under 33!

 

[Reactor Scram]

Did my DMI yesterday for Bristol Temple Meads. Good news received this morning so now waiting in the talent pool. Courses for central region scheduled for February, April and June for others who are waiting and I'm told they're still not fully allocated.

For those with DMI to come just match your experiences to the competencies needed for train driving, like you do for the MMI (working alone, rules, safety etc). Additionally, have some knowledge of company values and customer service.

 

[halfajob]

Heard from someone today that the school at St Phillips Marsh (central region) is short of trainers and a lot of internal courses were being moved around so don't be surprised if this is why things are delayed.

 

[jaymongo74]

Hi all
Just wanted to message as a word of warning for anyone due to sit a medical, I’m probably easily identifiable to GWR messaging this however the intention of my message is for someone else not to be caught in the same position I was in.

Please make sure your BMI is within the requirements of 3 3

My story is that from passing my DMI to getting a medical date I dropped 10kg (always been a chunky fella) however was about 5kg short by the time the medical came. I was failed on the basis of being over the BMI .

I had previously scoured these forums and the general consensus seemed to be if it was within “sensible” then you’d get the wagging finger but otherwise be okay. That wasn’t the case, I am totally devastated by it having gone through all the other stages to fail on something that I could have directly controlled the outcome of. So please don’t get caught out.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had this experience or indeed the opposite in that they were outside the guidelines but still got through.

Gutted. Don’t be like me!

Really sorry for you pal. That’s so harsh. Now I’m panicking I’ll be over. It feels to strict and outdated. I hope you get another chance mate. I’m still waiting to hear as in a talent pool since last May

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jan 2026 ==

Does anyone know if Plymouth have sent out medicals/contracts yet? I passed my DMI back in May 25 and have been in the talent pool since. The waiting drives you mad. I’m also dreading the medical after reading some comments. Good luck to everyone.

 

[LouMel]

Hi. I know a lot of people want to get onto courses as quickly as possible but one of my jobs is teaching in a school which requires me to give a whole terms notice. Does anyone know if you can request to be placed onto a course way into the future? If lucky enough to make the grade, I wouldn't be able to afford to hand my notice in on the off chance of getting offered a place on a course at some point. Thanks lots

 

[Chippychips]

Hi. I know a lot of people want to get onto courses as quickly as possible but one of my jobs is teaching in a school which requires me to give a whole terms notice. Does anyone know if you can request to be placed onto a course way into the future? If lucky enough to make the grade, I wouldn't be able to afford to hand my notice in on the off chance of getting offered a place on a course at some point. Thanks lots

When you say a "whole term", does that mean the full school year? Or 12 weeks, as half terms are usually every 6 weeks?

 

[Reactor Scram]

Hi. I know a lot of people want to get onto courses as quickly as possible but one of my jobs is teaching in a school which requires me to give a whole terms notice. Does anyone know if you can request to be placed onto a course way into the future? If lucky enough to make the grade, I wouldn't be able to afford to hand my notice in on the off chance of getting offered a place on a course at some point. Thanks lots

When you do your interview with the company, you'll tell them your notice period and what holidays you've got booked.

Not managed to get my foot in the door yet but following things on here it looks like on average people get told they've be allocated a place on a course around 2 to 3 months in advance.

 

[LouMel]

When you say a "whole term", does that mean the full school year? Or 12 weeks, as half terms are usually every 6 weeks?

Thanks. If I wanted to leave at the end of the school year (July) I'd have to tell them by the last school day before Easter break. To leave at Christmas or would be by last day before summer hols. To leave at Easter, it would be before Christmas hols. Very restrictive.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jan 2026 ==

When you do your interview with the company, you'll tell them your notice period and what holidays you've got booked.

Not managed to get my foot in the door yet but following things on here it looks like on average people get told they've be allocated a place on a course around 2 to 3 months in advance.

Thanks for that. Looks like you are making fantastic progress. Good luck

 

[Chippychips]

Thanks. If I wanted to leave at the end of the school year (July) I'd have to tell them by the last school day before Easter break. To leave at Christmas or would be by last day before summer hols. To leave at Easter, it would be before Christmas hols. Very restrictive.

Ah ok gotcha.
Well as @Reactor Scram said, you will tell them your notice period/availability at interview and they will work around that.
Also, just to reinforce that point, my mate was received a call from recruitment earlier this week (January) to put him on a course for May, so if you were to follow suit, that gives you a full term- if not more- to sort it all out.
Good luck

 

[LouMel]

Ah ok gotcha.
Well as @Reactor Scram said, you will tell them your notice period/availability at interview and they will work around that.
Also, just to reinforce that point, my mate was received a call from recruitment earlier this week (January) to put him on a course for May, so if you were to follow suit, that gives you a full term- if not more- to sort it all out.
Good luck

Thanks Chippychips! That's reassuring. Good luck to you too!

 

[tlionhart]

Nope

Then I’ve heard stories I think from members on this forum I believe of BMI seemingly being ignored or waived. I’ve asked and asked as to the consistency of the approach, to no avail.

My message is just- be under 33!

This is what I don’t like with the BMI. It is extremely inaccurate. You can still be 33+ but skinny. Most that leanest is muscle. Would they still fail you?

 

[Swordfish3]

I imagine that an OH medical practitioner would be able to take a sensible approach and report back to the ToC that someone scored a high BMI but this was because they were athletic or were into weightlifting etc?

 

[bas32]

Bit of an unrelated question but does anyone know when GWR are starting the EV scheme as per the last pay offer deal? Will trainees be eligible for this? Looking at getting one soon so might hold off if I can get it via employee salary sacrifice. Thanks

 

[MA8141]

There is no scheme currently available to anyone.

Bit of an unrelated question but does anyone know when GWR are starting the EV scheme as per the last pay offer deal? Will trainees be eligible for this? Looking at getting one soon so might hold off if I can get it via employee salary sacrifice. Thanks

 

[bas32]

There is no scheme currently available to anyone.

Any clue when the scheme will become available?

 

[Guz]

Really sorry for you pal. That’s so harsh. Now I’m panicking I’ll be over. It feels to strict and outdated. I hope you get another chance mate. I’m still waiting to hear as in a talent pool since last May

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jan 2026 ==

Does anyone know if Plymouth have sent out medicals/contracts yet? I passed my DMI back in May 25 and have been in the talent pool since. The waiting drives you mad. I’m also dreading the medical after reading some comments. Good luck to everyone.

Hi,
Not that this helps you at all, except to let you know your not alone, I passed DMI for Plymouth around the same time and haven't heard anything either. I emailed them back in November but except for them saying I'm still in the talent pool they couldn't tell me anything. Guess we'll just have to keep waiting.

 

[Rollingheavy]

It’s normally a week of earlies then a week of lates with a long weekend every 3 weeks. Earliest book on is 4:00 and latest book on is 20:00.
During the week there’s 3 Cardiff jobs, most job are up to Bristol.

There’s no links at the depot as it’s small but newly qualified drivers will only sign form Portsmouth to Bristol and learn Cardiff and diversion route later on.

Thank you for the reply. Will drivers normally work five days a week?

 

[Luna4]

Hi all,
I’ve recently been to an assessment day and found out I’ve passed. I’ve received an email stating “The next step of the process will be stage two assessment for which you will be contacted by email in due course to confirm the details.”
Does anyone know what the “stage two assessment” is?
The assessment day I’ve just passed consisted of both paper tests and computer tests and I was under the impression it was the MMI next (and then DMI?). Hoping this is what the mean by “stage two”.

 

[westcoaster]

Thank you for the reply. Will drivers normally work five days a week?

If as mentioned above a three week rolling roster, it would look like

S M T W T F S
Week 1 O O O E E E E
Week 2 E E E O O L L
Week 3 L L L L L O O


O = rest day
E = Early
L=late

No idea if Sundays are in the working week.

 

[tlionhart]

Any clue when the scheme will become available?

Expected to be May

 

[bas32]

Expected to be May

Thank you for the info!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jan 2026 ==

Hi all,
I’ve recently been to an assessment day and found out I’ve passed. I’ve received an email stating “The next step of the process will be stage two assessment for which you will be contacted by email in due course to confirm the details.”
Does anyone know what the “stage two assessment” is?
The assessment day I’ve just passed consisted of both paper tests and computer tests and I was under the impression it was the MMI next (and then DMI?). Hoping this is what the mean by “stage two”.

after the paper and computer tests (assessment day), you have the MMI (stage two) and then the DMI after that (managers interview)

 

[halfajob]

Expected to be May

It hasn't been confirmed yet as there was a post on engage recently that said so. Is yours fact or speculation?

 

[jaymongo74]

Hi,
Not that this helps you at all, except to let you know your not alone, I passed DMI for Plymouth around the same time and haven't heard anything either. I emailed them back in November but except for them saying I'm still in the talent pool they couldn't tell me anything. Guess we'll just have to keep waiting.

Hi Guz
Thanks for the reply mate. I did exactly the same around the same time and got the same response. I get it but it’s so frustrating. Especially when you’re not a patient person haha. Stay in touch pal.

 

[Rollingheavy]

If as mentioned above a three week rolling roster, it would look like

S M T W T F S
Week 1 O O O E E E E
Week 2 E E E O O L L
Week 3 L L L L L O O


O = rest day
E = Early
L=late

No idea if Sundays are in the working week.

Thank you for your help. It sounds like GWR no longer run the four on four off pattern?

 

[westcoaster]

Thank you for your help. It sounds like GWR no longer run the four on four off pattern?

I was only replying on how I know, the 3 week cycle goes. GWR might be different

 

[Class2ldn]

Thank you for your help. It sounds like GWR no longer run the four on four off pattern?

Nobody works 4 on 4 off, i believe gwr have sundays outside but are committed, if you work your sundays you'll do 7 in a row followed by 2 off then another 7 then 5 off and repeat.