Trainee drivers Freighliner HH

[plymothian]

Did it actually take the 2 hours stated or longer?

 

[Marky82]

Ours was 3 hours.

Got in about 8:40 and was out around 11:40.

 

[JAMBO]

Did they confirm where most of the vacancies are?

 

[Marky82]

No, nothing at all.

It was an assessment company conducting the tests on behalf of FL so we still don't know how many they are looking for or where the vacancies are for.

No FL representatives were present

 

[NI 271]

Cram in revision on mechanical and you'll all do fine.

GOOD LUCK!

Thank you.

FL don't have anything there, it'll be held at the Watford OPC offices.

Yes, that's what I'd assumed. Good luck to everyone who gets there!

 

[choochoochoo]

Heads up to those still coming.

Watch out for the road block on rope lane ! Might want to add a few mins to your journey time.

 

[JAMBO]

Wasn't OPC doing the tests was it?? Well good luck with the interview, getting interviewed by a psychologist fresh out of school asking the most bizarre questions!! failed quite a lot of the internals, so if they got sent packing then god knows how externals will get on

 

[plymothian]

Well looks like me out then.
I had just about bargained on finishing work at 00.30 tomorrow morning, driving straight to Crewe and getting back again to start work at 16.00 (wangling an hour later than my shift starts), but that was based on 2 hours in Crewe and now at 3 hours I cannot take the risk.

 

[Marky82]

Wasn't OPC doing the tests was it?? Well good luck with the interview, getting interviewed by a psychologist fresh out of school asking the most bizarre questions!! failed quite a lot of the internals, so if they got sent packing then god knows how externals will get on

It certainly was OPC (occupational psychology centre)

 

[Phatdan]

Just wanted to wish everyone good luck for the remaining assessments.

I'm on my way up from Essex tonight after work for tomorrow morning .

 

[sirles]

For all of you who aspire to become train drivers with freightliner hh , the company have offered the drivers the following pay deal
£47,787 for a 35 hour week
£51,889 for a 38 hour week.

Something to wet all your appetite s as you attempt to make the grade. I hope this spurs you all on. Good luck !!!

 

[JAMBO]

Is that rumour or from union? Well that's an absolute joke! And they wonder why men are leaving for higher pay doing the same job, that won't get voted in.

 

[Scaramanga]

A joke?! I havent had a pay rise in the police for four years and in realistic terms am £4k a year worse off than I was in 2008. Seems ok to me!

 

[JAMBO]

So you just look at the pay then?! Have you cared to take a look at the T&C's to see what it entails you doing to earn the 51k or is it just the money your looking at.

 

[Beveridges]

Cram in revision on mechanical and you'll all do fine.

GOOD LUCK!

The Barrons book is the best of a bad bunch here.

Applicants can perform a search for other mechanical reasoning books but they are all almost useless.

The Barrons book may help with 4 or 5 out of the 36 questions in MT4.1, which can make the difference between passing or failing. But the rest you'll have to work out yourself.

Leave no question unanswered. Make wild guesses if you have to.
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A joke?! I havent had a pay rise in the police for four years and in realistic terms am £4k a year worse off than I was in 2008. Seems ok to me!

Maybe, but it is probably a joke compared to other jobs on the railway when comparing what you have to put up with to what you get paid.

 

[Scaramanga]

So you just look at the pay then?! Have you cared to take a look at the T&C's to see what it entails you doing to earn the 51k or is it just the money your looking at.

Trust me mate, if it were about money I would have left the police years ago. T&C dont mean a thing when you're on the floor scrapping with a few drugged up guys. Im just saying appreciate what you've got

 

[DunfordBridge]

The Barrons book is the best of a bad bunch here.

Applicants can perform a search for other mechanical reasoning books but they are all almost useless.

The Barrons book may help with 4 or 5 out of the 36 questions in MT4.1, which can make the difference between passing or failing. But the rest you'll have to work out yourself.

Makes me wonder if an A-Level Physics text book might be more appropriate.
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Leave no question unanswered. Make wild guesses if you have to.

Sounds ominous. I was trying to keep an eye on the clock but still left 5 of the mechanical questions unanswered not to mention those ones on the TRP part 2. The TRP part 1 was a doddle, time was not an issue there.

Thankfully, I was spared the Group Bourdon due to a previous pass along with a few who had passed from First Great Western. Would have been nice to have been spared the Mechanical Comprehension test. I seemed to remember that it was easier in 2003.

Better do some interview preparation just in case.
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Ours was 3 hours.

Got in about 8:40 and was out around 11:40.

With our session this morning, it kicked off at 08:50 and I was out of the building for 11:35. Good in a way because it gives time for my nerves to dissipate.

 

[Beveridges]

Makes me wonder if an A-Level Physics text book might be more appropriate

I really don't know. I did try a GCSE book and it was somewhat off-topic for MT4.1.

Sounds ominous. I was trying to keep an eye on the clock but still left 5 of the mechanical questions unanswered

You could have guessed at those 5 and picked up a few 'free points'.

I really don't think there are many books out there for mechanical comprehension. I am rubbish with mechanics myself it takes me days to fix the most simple thing on a bicycle for example. But I have sat MT4.1 three times and MT4.2 once and passed every time. All I would advise is read the Barrons book and most importantly leave no question unanswered.

 

[sirles]

The money is what has been offered by the hh management . it has not been accepted yet. I have not put in all the **** that goes with it, but I would be highly surprised if it gets the yes vote. The T&Cs of most freight companies are quite **** these days, so I suppose it is all about the money, and fliner hh are starting to fall way behind the others

 

[DunfordBridge]

I really don't know. I did try a GCSE book and it was somewhat off-topic for MT4.1.



You could have guessed at those 5 and picked up a few 'free points'.

I really don't think there are many books out there for mechanical comprehension. I am rubbish with mechanics myself it takes me days to fix the most simple thing on a bicycle for example. But I have sat MT4.1 three times and MT4.2 once and passed every time. All I would advise is read the Barrons book and most importantly leave no question unanswered.

You are quite right. When I saw time was critical, I just managed to reduce seven omitted questions to just five. Best to let go sometimes and forget about rising to the challenge.

I have read the Barrons book and I have both an O-Level and an A-Level in Physics (above average grades). Obviously a bit rusty. I am not keen on mending punctures either let alone trueing a bike wheel.

 

[TDF]

Got a letter this morning through the post, saying congratulations on passing stage 1. This was due to a previous assessment I sat with a TOC, since they called up regarding this I have subsequently passed all assessments that were required by this TOC. I've emailed to ask if these can be carried forward and accepted by FLHH. Hopefully I don't have to attend the stage 2 assessments in Watford next week. Is anyone else in this situation?

 

[choochoochoo]

i think unless you are a technician or mechanic those questions MT4 questions are going to be tough. I can't imagine many people get more than 50% right.


Do the engineers/people who repair the trains have to take tests ? If they did imagine how tricky their test would be ?

Has anybody asked the OPC people how many people applied before it was whittled down to those taking the assessment ?

 

[Marky82]

How many people attended today's assessments?

There were around 40 of us on Wednesday

 

[NinjaJihad]

Seems they are getting through a LOT of candidates! Would this raise the pass mark so they get the best of the best or is that already set in stone?

Another thing, does anyone know how many Trainee positions FLHH have nationwide?

 

[choochoochoo]

so 40 per assessment x 2 assessments per day x 3 days of assessments

about 240 assessed - i'm curious to know how many applications they got.

 

[Beveridges]

i think unless you are a technician or mechanic those questions MT4 questions are going to be tough. I can't imagine many people get more than 50% right.

Your probably right. I feel the pass mark on MT4 is low. The first time I sat MT4.1 I felt like I only got about 12-14 questions correct out of the 36! I still passed.

Do the engineers/people who repair the trains have to take tests ? If they did imagine how tricky their test would be ?

I can't speak for other companies, but most of the Fitters at my depot (NH) start off as Semi-Skilled Fitters. No test required, just an Interview pass. They learn all the mechanical skills in training and courses, eventually working their way up to becoming a Skilled Fitter. Plenty of tests are done but only based on stuff that the TOC has trained them on.

Unlike MT4.1 which assumes prior mechanical knowledge before you even apply for a trainee position!

 

[DunfordBridge]

so 40 per assessment x 2 assessments per day x 3 days of assessments

about 240 assessed - i'm curious to know how many applications they got.

The man from the OPC talked about thousands.

 

[Marky82]

so 40 per assessment x 2 assessments per day x 3 days of assessments

about 240 assessed - i'm curious to know how many applications they got.

2 assessments per day??

Wow, that is a lot!! Didn't realise it was 2 per day.
I was guessing around 40 candidates per day over the 3 days but looks like its a lot more than 120.

It does make you wonder how many positions FL have to fill....?

 

[choochoochoo]

i have a feeling they'll be quite brutal with the pass marks

I doubt there is that many positions to fill unless someone at FL knows about some sort of mass exodus

 

[Marky82]

They're either going for brutality pass marks at this assessment or the next as stage 2 is the reactions test and depending on your outcome then you'll sit the structured interview.

Was told if you fail the reactions test then they will tell you then and there that you're out.