Wohoo. Their's still hope.

[paddy155]

Hi everyone. I am new to the forum. I have just received a letter from first group and they want me to attend part one of the assessment process for becoming a trainee train driver. Glasgow based. I am surprised as I received an email last week saying they would keep my name on file and as numbers were so high with applications. I thought that was it and have now received this. Over the moon although it doesn't give me much time for revision as part 1 of the test is next friday.
I downloaded the practice test materials and had a quick attempt. They looked very straight forward and thought I would breeze it but made some major errors. So better get my head together and get revising as much as possible. Got one shot at this so need to give it my all.

Any advise is most appreciatted.

Patrick.

 

[387star]

yes that happened to me once where you think you will be waiting for ever and then boom your in... guessing because of the high failure rate

that won't help you though. Best to pay close attention to what is being asked as I have messed tests up in the past not reading the questions properly or understanding what is asked. I also believe the practice material is only a guide and the real tests are quite a bit harder.. best revise mechanics/physics and work at speed and accuracy plus use the bourdon download. I used the scatt download for the conductor assessment and got a very high mark and a pass as a result. Good luck
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I believe someone posted a link to practise the reactions and bop it! and simple simon may be useful. Apparently the computer will speed up to the extend you can't keep up which is deliberate and you musn't let it affect you but pull yourself together and continue. With the bourdon it is a case of working at a steady rate on all the sheets with a very low error count... errors could be mistakes or clusters missed..

Also revise sandite! Perhaps look at problem solving psychometric tests to help with the dials though people suggest this is the easier part

There is a good exercise in the how to become a train driver book where you have to work out a sequence of switches which I found hard at first but easier with practice... you have to use your imagination to work out which in a sequence won't be working or something like that

 

[TheVicLine]

I posted the link for the reactions test, they are in the 'becoming a train driver' thread.

Good luck.

 

[paddy155]

I posted the link for the reactions test, they are in the 'becoming a train driver' thread.

Good luck.

I have had a look at the links. I have downloaded all three but unfortuntely the bourdon zip and reactions zip are not working.

Is their another way to view these.
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Think the problem is because i dont have winzip.
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I've noticed a trend with people advising to read up on sandite before sitting exams. I think i'm getting confused as to what it means or what exactly i'm meant to be learning or taking in.

Does anyone have any links for reading up on sandite ?

When I search,sandite comes up as a substance used to combat leaves on the rail lines.

I'm all very confused with this whole thing now.

I have printed off the practice test materials which came in a link with my email stating date to attend test centre. It contains some information on aptitude tests (mechanical and rules and procedures,safety tests and some information on the structered interview. So far,I am currently trying to download the bourdons and reaction programe's along with playing games online such as simple simon and bop it but I feel I am struggling with information which I really need.

 

[jscho84233]

There is no need to revise sandite.

One of the trainability for rules test asks you to read a passage of information, whilst listening to someone reading the same passage aloud on CD. You then have a further 7 minutes to make notes on what you have heard and read. The written passage and your notes are then taken away and you then have to answer questions on the passage. The idea is to see if you can store information and then recall it accurately.

The passage is about the application of a substance called "Glop." The passage will give you information about what glop is, how it is applied to the railway track, and what the procedure for applying it is. Glop is entirely ficticious, but it is based loosely on Sandite, which is used on the railway to improve adhestion on the rails when they are slippery. The way sandite is applied and the procedure used to apply it is different from glop.

If you revise sandite, then you will become confused when you do the glop test because the things that you have to remember about glop are completely different to sandite.

 

[Beveridges]

It is best to read about Sandite trains, find out what they are and what their purpose is, but don't bother trying to memorise the rules pertaining to operating Sandite trains as it is different to those in the Glop test paragraphs. For example, if I remember right, the fictitious Glop train applies glop at 20mph while the real life Sandite train applies Sandite at at 40mph.

 

[paddy155]

Ok guys. Thanks for the help.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

It is best to read about Sandite trains, find out what they are and what their purpose is, but don't bother trying to memorise the rules pertaining to operating Sandite trains as it is different to those in the Glop test paragraphs. For example, if I remember right, the fictitious Glop train applies glop at 20mph while the real life Sandite train applies Sandite at at 40mph.

I disagree. I think if you revise that, you're just asking to trip yourself up and overcomplicate things.

The test consists of a ficticious train applying a ficticious substance to a track. You're told about the signs it obeys and the procedures the train crew follow. The actual function of the "Glop" is hardly touched on.

 

[the stripler]

I disagree. I think if you revise that, you're just asking to trip yourself up and overcomplicate things.

The test consists of a ficticious train applying a ficticious substance to a track. You're told about the signs it obeys and the procedures the train crew follow. The actual function of the "Glop" is hardly touched on.

I agree, go in with a clear mind and relax, ive just started with first a month ago and this was one of the tests.....
Not too difficult

 

[Beveridges]

I read up on Sandite trains before going in and it was really easy this test when you already understand what a Sandite train is and what its purpose is before doing this test. Without any background info this test would be much harder, trying to take in the concept of the glop train as well as trying to memorise the rules relating to it all at the same time would have been difficult in the short amount of time you get.
This test is not hard for example you can pick up four points just by remembering that the Glop train is pulled and propelled by a locomotive, and that the glop is released by a Guard who controls a tumbler switch at the rear of the train, and that glop is stored in tanks. I think you can even pick up a couple of points just by remembering that the glop train runs in Autumn and is used to improve railhead adhesion.
Remember other things when you read the passage like the countdown marker boards, the colour of the light at the rear of the train, speeds and stuff like that. Not too many people fail this, more fail on the Group Boredom and the Reactions tests and it is nearly always due to the fact that they didnt use the practice tools before going in.

 

[387star]

I read up on Sandite trains before going in and it was really easy this test when you already understand what a Sandite train is and what its purpose is before doing this test. Without any background info this test would be much harder, trying to take in the concept of the glop train as well as trying to memorise the rules relating to it all at the same time would have been difficult in the short amount of time you get.
This test is not hard for example you can pick up four points just by remembering that the Glop train is pulled and propelled by a locomotive, and that the glop is released by a Guard who controls a tumbler switch at the rear of the train, and that glop is stored in tanks. I think you can even pick up a couple of points just by remembering that the glop train runs in Autumn and is used to improve railhead adhesion.
Remember other things when you read the passage like the countdown marker boards, the colour of the light at the rear of the train, speeds and stuff like that. Not too many people fail this, more fail on the Group Boredom and the Reactions tests and it is nearly always due to the fact that they didnt use the practice tools before going in.

Yeah this and the dials sound the easiest though I hear some people find the latter harder than expected

 

[paddy155]

I think I will try and revsie a little on sandite trains. Won't do any harm. Thanks for the info.

 

[Beveridges]

Yeah this and the dials sound the easiest though I hear some people find the latter harder than expected

Actually if you've done all the practice then the Boredom test is easiest especially if you've practiced it over the top like most do

 

[TDK]

I disagree. I think if you revise that, you're just asking to trip yourself up and overcomplicate things.

The test consists of a ficticious train applying a ficticious substance to a track. You're told about the signs it obeys and the procedures the train crew follow. The actual function of the "Glop" is hardly touched on.

And that is why so many folks who gather information from others who really do not know what they are talking about fail the tests
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I think I will try and revsie a little on sandite trains. Won't do any harm. Thanks for the info.

You will best to forget sandite trains as you certainly will not need information on sandite trains to pass that stage of the test, you will be better off excercising your short term memory and picking out from given information even if it is nothing rail related as this is what the test is looking for! To simplify, when I did this test many moons ago I didn't even know what the test was going to be but if you listen to the information it is reasonably obvious what the questions will be so memorise the key points!

 

[Beveridges]

And that is why so many folks who gather information from others who really do not know what they are talking about fail the tests

And yet I am one of the ones who recommends reading up on the basics of Sandite before sitting this test, and seeing as I have passed the Glop test 3 times in a row, I think I am one of the ones who really does know what I am talking about.













If I was to sit this test knowing nothing about Sandite trains, I'd probably have to waste about the first 5 minutes trying to grasp the concept of what the text is on about, before even trying to memorise the rest of the information!! Yet in this test, you do not get much time.

Who can really say that it is easier to take in facts about an unfamiliar subject that they have never heard of before, than a subject that they are quite familiar with having read the basics of it before?

If you read up on the basics of sandite trains before sitting this test, then when you are sitting this test, all you have to do then is just concentrate on the rules that are in the text like what speed the glop train runs at, what the marker boards mean, what the tumbler switch does, what colour the light is on the back, what the horn blasts mean, when the 'ON' button is operated & the rest of the key points.


Excersing short term memory did nothing for me, I found I was simply not getting any better at it despite practice. Short term memory is something that is going to take a long time to improve, not something you can improve in a matter of weeks. Reading up on "Sandite" is what did it for me though, it was the best preperation I could have ever had and passed the test with ease.

 

[W230]

If I was to sit this test knowing nothing about Sandite trains, I'd probably have to waste about the first 5 minutes trying to grasp the concept of what the text is on about, before even trying to memorise the rest of the information!! Yet in this test, you do not get much time.

But it's basically a memory test, I assume to check that you will be able to retain information and remember the pertinent points when it comes to getting your head round the rules.

I appreciate everyone has different approaches to these sorts of things but if it was me and I thought my short-term memory wasn't great then i'd be reading short passages on stuff and trying to pick out the important points. That's what the exercise is testing.