West Midlands Trains (inc. LNWR) - Trainee Driver - Recruitment Discussion

[IndegoMouse]

Passed everything and starting in October

Amazing well done! How did you find the DMI?

 

[HH24]

Amazing well done! How did you find the DMI?

Thanks! Was okay tbh. The two managers were nice too. I've come out of every stage thinking I've messed up somewhere!

 

[Purplerain77]

I have a question for already qualified and/or trainee on the end of their training .... I've heard that even if you pass all assessments and get an offer, there is still high percentage of trainee who would not get signed off, I knew there is a final exam which you must successfully pass to become qualified train driver, but didn't know there are also assessments through training where people are still dropped after not passing 80% required pass? Can someone confirm or explain how it really is?

This has just been discussed in the career as a driver forum on here. Have a look on that one for more details

 

[Nella]

This has just been discussed in the career as a driver forum on here. Have a look on that one for more details

I tried the search but I guess didnt use specific words to show me that topic, thank you for replying, going to dig deeper then

 

[Jonmanunited]

Why have you?

I havent but what was it like mate?

I may have to do it not sure yet we shall see

Yes mate!

You had to do several tests, some you really had to
Think about it

 

[Henry01]

Has anyone just done the OPC enhance test for WMT? How did you find it?

I did it Friday.
There's 4 sections. The first one is about you where they give you a question like "I prefer to work alone" and you had to select your preferences from strongly agree down to strongly disagree for each question.
The other 3 sections were questions on scenarios where you had to select orders of answers i.e 1,2,3,4 or top 3 of most importance and bottom 3 of least importance.
It was tricky as they gave a list of about 10 different answers and mostly all were of importance to the question/scenario so you do have to think carefully before selecting you answers.

 

[Nella]

I did it Friday.
There's 4 sections. The first one is about you where they give you a question like "I prefer to work alone" and you had to select your preferences from strongly agree down to strongly disagree for each question.
The other 3 sections were questions on scenarios where you had to select orders of answers i.e 1,2,3,4 or top 3 of most importance and bottom 3 of least importance.
It was tricky as they gave a list of about 10 different answers and mostly all were of importance to the question/scenario so you do have to think carefully before selecting you answers.

I think he is asking about psychometrics OPC stage 1 and OPC stage 2, which is next stage after Online sift (the one you are talking about - 4 tests 1. about you, 2. preference test, 3. driving tasks and 4. situational judgement test)

 

[Purplerain77]

I tried the search but I guess didnt use specific words to show me that topic, thank you for replying, going to dig deeper then

It should be one of the latest things on that one, not exactly specific to WMT but it’s all roughly the same idea. If you’ve been given the offer and start training most people pass. Theres a lot of exams and they are expected to be passed to a high rate but it’s also quite hard to not pass out at the end of it as long as you listen and put the effort in, the trainers are there to make sure you do fine

 

[Nella]

It should be one of the latest things on that one, not exactly specific to WMT but it’s all roughly the same idea. If you’ve been given the offer and start training most people pass. Theres a lot of exams and they are expected to be passed to a high rate but it’s also quite hard to not pass out at the end of it as long as you listen and put the effort in, the trainers are there to make sure you do fine

Yes I found it, thank you so much and also for this message, makes me feel better

 

[SoT390]

Hi, I had my Stage 2 pass a few weeks ago, anyone have an idea how long it’ll be before I get a DMI invite? Thanks

 

[Nella]

Have anyone got any emails about results for online sift? I understand most of us from May 2026 applications got deadline for last weekend 11th? I know it says up to 2 weeks, but damn this waiting period is so much harder than anything so far

 

[Jonmanunited]

Have anyone got any emails about results for online sift? I understand most of us from May 2026 applications got deadline for last weekend 11th? I know it says up to 2 weeks, but damn this waiting period is so much harder than anything so far

Not yet! How did you find the tests?

 

[Nella]

Not yet! How did you find the tests?

I think they were exactly as I expected, had couple of moments where I doubted what are the 3 most important and least important and which situation should be on second and third place (first and last were very obvious I think) but I hope if I put safety and critical and rules as a first options, i will pass, but who knows , how about you?

 

[chris2288]

Hi, I had my Stage 2 pass a few weeks ago, anyone have an idea how long it’ll be before I get a DMI invite? Thanks

No set time. I passed mine back in May and still waiting. Bletchley depot i applied for. Some people I've read were invited to theirs a week or two after. Hopefully you will hear soon

 

[MLR95]

Had an email today for OPC 1 in Birmingham!

Any advice? I know they’ll send out revision material but ideally want to start looking now so I can go in as prepared as possible

 

[t_564]

Had an email today for OPC 1 in Birmingham!

Any advice? I know they’ll send out revision material but ideally want to start looking now so I can go in as prepared as

Had an email today for OPC 1 in Birmingham!

Any advice? I know they’ll send out revision material but ideally want to start looking now so I can go in as prepared as possible

Congratulations. When did you apply and when did you have the deadline for the online sift mate?

Have a look at traineetraindriverinfo. You can purchase material for the group bourdon, tea occ, trp 1b and 2 as well as opc stage 2 as well

 

[MLR95]

Congratulations. When did you apply and when did you have the deadline for the online sift mate?

Have a look at traineetraindriverinfo. You can purchase material for the group bourdon, tea occ, trp 1b and 2 as well as opc stage 2 as well

Thank you!
I applied on the 27th November 25.
Had an email in March 26 to book my online assessments and found out I’d passed those on the 7th April!

Been waiting since April for OPC 1 so it’s a relief to finally have had the email…all booked in for August now

 

[magicflash]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to say a big thank you to all the contributors on here. It’s been a great help.

Had my stage 1 today and, thanks to this thread, I felt very confident in sitting the assessment.

Wasn’t as bad as I expected to be honest. As long as you prepare, stay cool and listen to the instructions there’s no reason why you can’t get through to the next stage.

P.S - REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER AND ID!

have you had any results back yet?

 

[Jonmanunited]

I did it Friday.
There's 4 sections. The first one is about you where they give you a question like "I prefer to work alone" and you had to select your preferences from strongly agree down to strongly disagree for each question.
The other 3 sections were questions on scenarios where you had to select orders of answers i.e 1,2,3,4 or top 3 of most importance and bottom 3 of least importance.
It was tricky as they gave a list of about 10 different answers and mostly all were of importance to the question/scenario so you do have to think carefully before selecting you answers.

I think they were exactly as I expected, had couple of moments where I doubted what are the 3 most important and least important and which situation should be on second and third place (first and last were very obvious I think) but I hope if I put safety and critical and rules as a first options, i will pass, but who knows , how about you?

Same really, found the psychological test a bit of a head spinner. For the other tests, i put drive trains safely as number 1 followed by rules and procedures.

 

[Spider1806]

Yes mate!

You had to do several tests, some you really had to
Think about it

Im confused what tests you are talking about?

Dials?

Sifting tests?

 

[HH24]

Anyone else got a start date in October for Coventry or another depot? Two of us on here that I know about so far

 

[monkeynut]

I don’t but I am due to start in September and cannot wait

 

[Domo]

Hi guys, i passed my Stage 2 tests and got invited to a DMI on monday the 21st, on the prep questions it asks about the leadership team, who would they want me to know? just the MD's name or more than that

 

[Spider1806]

I am just confused all of us who have done sifting tests even psychometrics still waiting to hear next stages is there a mass recruitment drive going on?

 

[monkeynut]

I am just confused all of us who have done sifting tests even psychometrics still waiting to hear next stages is there a mass recruitment drive going on?

Yes there is on going recruitment. I applied in November last year and think they have been doing this in waves

 

[HH24]

Depends when you applied. There were adverts in October last year and then another lot a couple of months ago I think, but the ones this year are primary for starting next year

 

[ccfc22]

Depends when you applied. There were adverts in October last year and then another lot a couple of months ago I think, but the ones this year are primary for starting next year

Hi, when did you complete stage 2? Congratulations

 

[HH24]

Hi, when did you complete stage 2? Congratulations

In April

 

[ccfc22]

In April

Great cheers, mine was June, so I'm a little behind, waiting for DMI date.

 

[HH24]

Is this for Coventry too?