Has anyone been to the opc in watford

[Alan777]

Hi , im due to take my stage 2 assessment next week at the opc in watford and just looking at ways of getting there . By car is looking the best option as going by train will add about an hour to my journey . Does anyone know if you can park easily?

Thanks Al

 

[SPADTrap]

When I went years ago the only parking was in a multi-storey car park just around the corner, Church road or something if I remember correctly! Not far though, few minutes walk! The OPC building itself is a little awkward to find too, down a side road! Good luck! I hated the place!

If you live local it may be worth taking a trip down before to save any on the day confusions, what I did and I'm glad I did! What time is your assessment and where you coming from?

 

[Alan777]

Thanks mate , ive messaged you

 

[387star]

I stayed in travelodge basically opposite but the food was crap

Very tucked away entrance it's above an ask restaurant

 

[Alan777]

Thanks Ml , glad i asked i had visons of it being a massive place

 

[SeanR69]

I parked and got right stung - cost me about £19.00. It is a tiny entrance and only a small room - expect lots of waiting around if you make the interview as generally it is two at a time.

 

[Alan777]

I see it was around that for 7hrs plus but if i pass it will all be worth it ,. They said we will be there all day , i take it you was there the day too ?


QUOTE=SeanR69;1966885]I parked and got right stung - cost me about £19.00. It is a tiny entrance and only a small room - expect lots of waiting around if you make the interview as generally it is two at a time.[/QUOTE]

 

[Daz9284]

If you don't pass the morning tests, you won't be there in the afternoon.

When I was there, there was three of us. We started about 9am, and the tests were done before 10.30pm. we all passed, and the interviews were help from 11am one at a time.

good luck.

 

[Midge]

It's a town centre so you shouldn't have trouble parking and whether it's a fiver or 20 quid will probably be the last thing on your mind. More important as already mentioned is to know where you are going. The entrance is a side door to an office which doesn't look like you expect. Leave plenty of time, find and go for some breakfast. Good luck.

 

[387star]

Delete

 

[Alan777]

Yea midge if it cost £50 it wouldnt matter , been practicing like mad today . I will definitely be having breakfast i need my brain at 100% lol

 

[387star]

Don't worry if your first answer isn't liked my interviewer inturrpted me got quite affrontive at times but I remained cool calm confident and was able to give a stronger answer

 

[SPADTrap]

Don't worry if you fluff an answer my interviewer inturrpted me got quite afrontive at times but I remained cool calm confident and was able to give a stronger answer

Yeah I don't understand that place for that. My CBI back then they acted like that. But when I did the MMI for GA there wasn't anything of the sort. I think OPC are just generally miserable!

 

[CyrusWuff]

Cheapest place to park in the Town Centre is The Gade Car Park. Access is from Rosslyn Road, just off the A412. As long as you go through the second entry barrier on Level 3 (it'll make sense when you get there) it'll cost you a flat £6.00 for the day.

When you exit the car park on foot, you need to walk to the end of the path and then turn right, so as to walk under Exchange Road, then just keep walking and turn right by the NatWest and again by the Ask restaurant. Allow yourself a good 15 minutes to do the walk so you don't have to rush.

 

[theageofthetra]

As several others have said this office is very tucked away and not at all obvious- give yourself plenty of time. Depending on how far your journey is the best solution is to book a hotel either side of the test. You are investing in something which will change your life -its worth spending a few £ (if you are out of work you can get assistance towards the costs of attending via the DWP/work programme ) The tests are also highly intense, and trust me, at the end of the day your brain will be totally fried- do you really want to drive on a dark & possibly wet night in the awful traffic of this area straight after? The other tip is to ALWAYS be 100% sure you have understood EXACTLY what the task entails. If not sure ask and ask again. There are numerous RAIB reports out there where incidents have occured due to a driver/signaller/shunter not being 100% clear on a set of instructions- sometimes with fatal results. There is no such thing as a stupid question on this day or on the railway. Good luck.

 

[Alan777]

Hi thanks everyone for the advice . This site is a great place to come to for help . Ive planned my route and google streetviewed where im going . I zoomed right on the door and found number 1 wellstones haha . I live around an hour away but my planned is to get there around 2hrs before . Just back to practicing now . Thanks again everyone Al

 

[JCLeeds]

One good thing about Watford (the only thing?!) is the plentiful supply of cheap multi storey car parks. They seem to be everywhere and as its a small town centre you can walk from any of them to anywhere else very easily. There seem to be so many car parks you often have an entire floor for just your car! And cheap. As someone said £6 for a full day at the Gade car park very cheap. The one near OPC & the Travelodge (Church, or Church St car park, or something) also seemed cheap and empty compared to anything I am used to in Leeds.
Good luck with the tests!