Lumo - Assessment Travel

[Braveheart]

Hi there,

I’ve been invited along to an assessment in Preston for a role with Lumo, that will be based in Scotland. I will be travelling from Scotland though, & fully expected that if I was successful then transport on one of their trains would be provided since we will be asked to go so far away.

I have been successful in my application, but there has been no mention of them asking if we want to travel on their trains, so it looks like it’ll be a case of travelling down the day before, & booking a hotel.

Is this normal? Anyone else experienced this. Obviously don’t want to kick up a fuss but we’re not talking about travelling locally.

 

[driver9000]

Lumo haven't started running on the WCML so wouldn't be able to provide you travel on their trains to Preston anyway. At one time an operator might have issued a rail warrant for travel, have you asked HR for their advice?

 

[Braveheart]

Lumo haven't started running on the WCML so wouldn't be able to provide you travel on their trains to Preston anyway. At one time an operator might have issued a rail warrant for travel, have you asked HR for their advice?

Ah that would make sense then.

 

[dodecahedron67]

FWIW I had to go to Birmingham for a medical for my now current role - my TOC goes nowhere near and they issued me with an Off-Peak Return for the day to get to Brum. I'd email HR as above

 

[185]

Unfortunately Firstgroup Lumo would be unable to ask a totally different company Firstgroup Avanti for trav... errm... doesn't matter lol

It is rather shoddy, amateurish and poor show by Lumo to expect candidates to pay for travel to another country with no guarantee of a job - also effectively excluding those on low or no income.

In the 90s, I got a rail warrant, to York.

 

[CyrusWuff]

It is rather shoddy, amateurish and poor show by Lumo to expect candidates to pay for travel to another country with no guarantee of a job - also effectively excluding those on low or no income.

It's perfectly normal for TOCs (and other companies) not to pay travel expenses when inviting candidates to attend assessment centres and interviews. Though you might get an Authority to Travel if it's being held somewhere on their network.

The only time I've had travel paid for in such circumstances was to attend a medical after I'd received a conditional offer of employment.

 

[IanTO]

I am also going to be at the assessment but traveling from London. Wasn't expecting them to provide travelling. However, I have no idea what to expect in this assessment, any advice? It's for the Customer Experience Ambassador role. Thank you

 

[chris89]

I am also going to be at the assessment but traveling from London. Wasn't expecting them to provide travelling. However, I have no idea what to expect in this assessment, any advice? It's for the Customer Experience Ambassador role. Thank you

I am attending it and did send a email asking as if have to do assessment tests advising what have completed/ inform them for another thing. Also to what was included on the day.

What was told was: like a speed interview process (so maybe initial interview type thing), games, team building and a bit more. But that was from HR overal from Lumo not dedicated West. Will just wait and see what will be coming.

 

[Braveheart]

FWIW I had to go to Birmingham for a medical for my now current role - my TOC goes nowhere near and they issued me with an Off-Peak Return for the day to get to Brum. I'd email HR as above

Just decided to drive down & book a hotel.

 

[Horizon22]

For an assessment, I can't see that the company has any requirement to provide travel, considering this is effectively one aspect of the overall job application process, and you wouldn't normally get that covered for any other role.

If you already had a conditional offer and had to attend say, a medical, that's a different matter.

 

[TWTrains]

Looking forward to seeing those of you who are coming along - I'll be coming down from Stirling myself, so definitely a bit of a trek.

Expect there might be more than one vacancy at each depot, as this assessment day seems to be all related to the new Lumo West Coast services?

 

[chris89]

Looking forward to seeing those of you who are coming along - I'll be coming down from Stirling myself, so definitely a bit of a trek.

Expect there might be more than one vacancy at each depot, as this assessment day seems to be all related to the new Lumo West Coast services?

If is today shall see me. the West Coast roles seem to be the only ones advertised by first for Lumo recently.

 

[Braveheart]

Looking forward to seeing those of you who are coming along - I'll be coming down from Stirling myself, so definitely a bit of a trek.

Expect there might be more than one vacancy at each depot, as this assessment day seems to be all related to the new Lumo West Coast services?

Yeah, there is 3 venues they are interviewing and assessing for on the West Coast route. Stirling, Preston & London.

They’re looking at about 45-50 people I think they said, between the 3 locations. Going from how many they said they had been having in for the sessions in both the morning & afternoon sessions, it sounds like 15-20 people per session…although some folk have pulled out. Probably looking at about 80-100 people being assessed for the positions.

 

[chris89]

Yeah, there is 3 venues they are interviewing and assessing for on the West Coast route. Stirling, Preston & London.

They’re looking at about 45-50 people I think they said, between the 3 locations. Going from how many they said they had been having in for the sessions in both the morning & afternoon sessions, it sounds like 15-20 people per session…although some folk have pulled out. Probably looking at about 80-100 people being assessed for the positions.

Had about 12/13 in my session with 5 so not turning up. As my ‘group’ was missing one, another missing 4 and another missing 3. So were sort of merged together for some bits.

Got to wait and see what is happening and for how it goes to. For the Q/A apart from one asking about holidays etc. was the only one who asked questions. Was asking some of the other workers questions during sessions.

 

[Braveheart]

Had about 12/13 in my session with 5 so not turning up. As my ‘group’ was missing one, another missing 4 and another missing 3. So were sort of merged together for some bits.

Got to wait and see what is happening and for how it goes to. For the Q/A apart from one asking about holidays etc. was the only one who asked questions. Was asking some of the other workers questions during sessions.

Yeah my group were very quiet when asking questions. I was the same as yourself and the only one who asked a couple of questions, as well as asking in the interview rooms.

Unfortunately I didn’t get any direct answers as they seem to be trying to finalise how things will be themselves.

What was your group like? We had a small group and they were mainly in for the London & Preston positions. Tbh, no disrespect to them, but I wasn’t impressed by them. Not sure how they done in their interviews right enough, but in group activities, they did have me baffled by their answers and how they wanted to do things

 

[chris89]

Got some answers. One main one was about time tables, scheduling etc which was being finalised.

Asked about the stock if planning to go to the 80xs and seems like will be potentially as how running diesels the whole route doesn’t go to the plan they have.

For me only was 3 in total as far as could find out was for Stirling, all the rest as said was for Preston and Euston.

 

[Braveheart]

The training could be for 5 weeks they said, & you’d likely be required to stay in a hotel which they’d pay for obviously.

Dunno if it’d be Monday-Friday & you’d be able to go home at the weekends. I’m guessing that’d be the case. Would like to think that they’d also help with some travel passes for the trains as they usually link up with other TOC’s

 

[Some guy]

Had the email for a 2nd stage interview on teams on Wednesday

 

[mmh]

It's perfectly normal for TOCs (and other companies) not to pay travel expenses when inviting candidates to attend assessment centres and interviews.

That sounds like a bizarre approach. When I applied for a job with First Great Western as was, based at Paddington, they sent me a pass to travel between Paddington and an assessment at Newport station. Why wouldn't they? I didn't apply for a job at Newport. I had to travel to Paddington by my own means for a manager interview. Why would they pay for that? It's where the job is.

 

[chris89]

Had the email for a 2nd stage interview on teams on Wednesday

Congrats for that. For which depot? Nothing so far for me. But no news normally is good news.

 

[Braveheart]

Had the email for a 2nd stage interview on teams on Wednesday

When was your initial assessment & where are you applying for?

Oh & well done btw

 

[Some guy]

When was your initial assessment & where are you applying for?

Oh & well done btw

Thank you, it was for Preston depot I done it last monday

 

[chris89]

Thank you, it was for Preston depot I done it last monday

Chance was in the same session as me then. Be interesting to see how the do the interviews for that stage depending on depots etc.

 

[Braveheart]

Thank you, it was for Preston depot I done it last monday

Thanks.

I’ll keep my eyes open. Did they give you a choice as to when your interview could be?

 

[Some guy]

Definitely keep your eyes open. You was able to book a time slot between 8:30 and 18:00pm

 

[Braveheart]

Definitely keep your eyes open. You was able to book a time slot between 8:30 and 18:00pm

Nice one. Well good luck with it bud. Hopefully you get it.

 

[Some guy]

Nice one. Well good luck with it bud. Hopefully you get it.

Thank you, same to you

 

[Braveheart]

Did anyone manage to catch the email for Danielle I think it was, in case you had any questions?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Jan 2026 ==

Speaking with someone else on here, & like myself, they didn’t have a good experience in going for this job.

We both experienced a real lack of professionalism from Lumo. Keen to hear if anyone else had similar experiences from them through this recruitment process?

 

[chris89]

As been mentioned above, i would like to know what others experience was for Lumo, especially the 'Automated' Email side of things.

 

[Some guy]

Just got the confirmation that I got the job