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Train driver assessment day

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GARYCLARK

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Well im now booked in for 4th May at DB Schenker @ Donny for my 2010/2011 Train Driver Assessment Day (Phyco testing!) Not looking forwrd to the group bordon test! (bloody dots). Anyone else heading there on the 4th? Stopping in Donny on the 3rd so if anyone fancys a glass of coke (i dont drink) on the night give me a shout. Well back to the paperwork!
 
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Will you let mne know how it goes because I am thinking of heading there to take the driver tests as well. I would be very interested to hear about the centre, staff, how at ease you felt, were there any surprises etc etc... if you don't mind of course!

Do these days happen once a year?

That's a bit soon for me I might see about next year!
 

GARYCLARK

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Hi Ml They happen all the time if you just ring DB in Donny and ask to speak to Mandy she is a lovley lass who will be happy to help out with any questions you have. Just got all the test papers through. I should be ok but no spending all my spare time doing practice tests.
 

strange6

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Well im now booked in for 4th May at DB Schenker @ Donny for my 2010/2011 Train Driver Assessment Day (Phyco testing!) Not looking forwrd to the group bordon test! (bloody dots). Anyone else heading there on the 4th? Stopping in Donny on the 3rd so if anyone fancys a glass of coke (i dont drink) on the night give me a shout. Well back to the paperwork!

http://www.digital-reality.org.uk/download.html

That's the actual test you mention so get practicing! Personally, I think it's dead easy if you concentrate on the job at hand. The hardest part for me would be the structured interview. The tests themselves I find quite easy
 

GARYCLARK

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'I should be ok but no spending all my spare time doing practice tests.' Should have read 'I should be ok, but now spending all my spare time doing practice tests.' Been on the practice courses from How2become which i found very helpful and also been speaking to drivers and getting some very good feedback from them.
 

hedpe

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Hi

Fingers crossed you pass the assessments. I did mine quite a while ago with LOROL and failed the reactions test. Other people seem to find the dots test harder.

I think i will take mine at Doncaster some day.

Post back your results and findings.

Thanks.
 

strange6

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'I should be ok but no spending all my spare time doing practice tests.' Should have read 'I should be ok, but now spending all my spare time doing practice tests.' Been on the practice courses from How2become which i found very helpful and also been speaking to drivers and getting some very good feedback from them.

That's the way to do things. You just can't beat doing pre-test / interview research and being prepared. When I have conducted interviews in the past, the candidates I have always picked have done their research both into the company and the vacant job in hand; and you can't half tell when speaking with them! Do that and look smart, with plenty of smiles :) and your chances should be good! :)
 

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http://www.digital-reality.org.uk/download.html

That's the actual test you mention so get practicing! Personally, I think it's dead easy if you concentrate on the job at hand. The hardest part for me would be the structured interview. The tests themselves I find quite easy

Hi is it 'w' to highlight and 'd' keys to move forward? I couldn't find a list of instructions plus on the Bourdon test how do you know which pattern you are looking for? Thanks

The 'How2Become' guide mentione Bourdon and Concentration tests so I presume by the latter it refers to SCATT
 
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turbo mick

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Hi everyone

When i did my aptitude test for driving in the early 90s still a driver by the way i was always told with the dots test if you dont finnish in time dosent matter just make sure you get the ones you did correct.Take your time with the reaction test also dont panic, relax and focus thats what train driving is all about focus and concentration on the job ahead

best of luck


mick
 

GB

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Also, remember depending on the company, the dots test can either be done on a computer or on paper, so don't get too used to the electronic version.
 

GARYCLARK

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At DB the group bordon test is dots and letters (Thats what i was told of the training staff there on the phone) The only things i am worried about now is dots and the interview so i swatting up on that now. Has anyone gone through the test at donny and can give some idea on the questions asked other than the ones people think are going to be asked? Also @ donny the dots are paper based not computer.
 
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spurs4life

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I did my test at donny a few weeks ago and found the tests not two bad i did loads of revision. The dot test is on paper you will only get half way through each segment. Then a few questions on glop (sandite train) just need good memory. Then mechanical test. Then reaction test, best bit of advice is to go at your own pace and not too rush. The interview was easy if you make it this far just make sure that you give good in depth answers. As far as i could tell that just want to make sure thta you can spend loads of time by yourself and not go mad.When i did mine i was the only one there and i found this better than when i failed with nx ea had to make the dreaded lonley walk out that time.
 
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I did my test at donny a few weeks ago and found the tests not two bad i did loads of revision. The dot test is on paper you will only get half way through each segment. Then a few questions on glop (sandite train) just need good memory. Then mechanical test. Then reaction test, best bit of advice is to go at your own pace and not too rush. The interview was easy if you make it this far just make sure that you give good in depth answers. As far as i could tell that just want to make sure thta you can spend loads of time by yourself and not go mad.When i did mine i was the only one there and i found this better than when i failed with nx ea had to make the dreaded lonley walf out that time.

Why did you have questions on the sandite train was this just randomly selected and are there a pool of topics they can pick from plus how do you revise for this part of the test? For mechanics I think Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Tests is a very useful guide
 

GARYCLARK

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Thanks for that info for Donny. What questions were you asked at the interview?
Wish i was going to get the sandite questions i know that passage off by heart lol!
 

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Thanks so I was told. I will invest in one- physics isn't my greatest subject! I can see its importance though.

So what about the sandite test what part of the assessment was this and how do you know which topics will be covered?
 

HST Power

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Thanks so I was told. I will invest in one- physics isn't my greatest subject! I can see its importance though.

I think the Physics part is mostly cogs and levers. If you keep practicing you should be OK.
 

spurs4life

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The questions on the sandite or glop have now have come up both times ive done the test at two different locations. There is no revision you can do just have a good memory and you will be fine.
 

spurs4life

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yeah they just give you a passage and you then hear it and read it and make notes then take it away for five mins then ask questions like what colour was the head lamp.You dont have to pass the mechanical part of the test as not all toc's require this so if you fail that part its not all bad.
 

GARYCLARK

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Well todays the day. One bit of advice dont stop at the camanile hotel in Donny, Nice and cheap at £39 per night but only worth £3.99. eTap hotels are better!

Anyway been getting a bit nervous now but i can only do my best think i will take me 2 attempts to do this but you never know. I will let you know how its goes this afternoon. - Gary
 

mac

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good luck,take your time working though things,it's what you get right or wrong not how many you do.I did it about 10 years ago for EWS only to be told there was no jobs due to change of plans.
 

GARYCLARK

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Well right royaly ****ed that up, i passed everything except the bloody dots! And to make it worse it was the first test! I let my nerv's get the best of me and went to fast and missed some. But every other test i scored good or higher so there is some good news on it. There were two other chaps in there with me and i dont know if they passed they are members on here so they might come on and tell us.

The mem test was.......................................suprise suprise GLOB! Or the smile went from ear to ear! the cabes and dails test was there too andfast reaction which i did panic and mess up but i stopped then continued and passed!

Bloody DOTS!!!! The staff were great and even telling me i failed they told me what i got right and how well i did and you could tell they dont like telling anyone they failed.

So back to donny in Nov 5th approx. Time to keep calm and carry on.
 

GB

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Unlucky mate, its a real let down when you score well on all the tests except one. Being as the dots were first at least you had the opportunity to carry on with the rest of the tests and that you should only have to sit the dots again.

Most assessment centers will say bye bye before lunch time if you haven't made it passed the first battery of tests.
 

HST Power

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Bloody DOTS!!!!

Unlucky, sorry to hear you didn't make it. You weren't the first person to fall victim to the dots test, and you almost certainly will not be the last. I've tried it in practice conditions a few times, and it looks easy, but it's very tricky.

I was just wondering if any current train drivers, or people with better knowledge than me, can tell me what the pass mark is on the dots test? Do you have to get every last box, or is there a minimum mark, like in HGV training when you sit the theory exam?
 

GB

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Only the examiners will know the pass mark but I can say that you certainly do not need every box as its pretty much designed so you don't finish each sheet/page.
 

spurs4life

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Sorry to hear that you failed but i bet you do better next time.I had the same thing happen to me with the nerves. With regards to the dots test you are better off doing slightly less and getting them right.
 
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