Great Western Coffee Shop

Hi guys

No sooner do i start posting here just to say hi, the today out of the blue I get a letter asking me to come for a trainee driver assessment and structured interview at Newport on the 2nd June. Plenty of notice anyway :)

I applied months ago but was out of luck then so not sure if something changed in the meantime but it's all good to me really.

I have started doing the practice tests that they sent me and also looking for more to do.

Basically I was wondering if there's anyone here who works for FGW and could give me any kind of insight into the assessment days and interview. I am really not trying to cheat or anything, just get a heads up on how to prepare as best I can.

To be honest I haven't had to do an interview for anyone for at least 10 years so a bit rusty in some ways. Have already done a lot of research on FGW generally and also First Group as a whole but really would love to be ready for whatever is thrown at me on the day.

Worked in travel for the past 21 years but not for the rail industry. Hope I will come across ok on the day anyway.

Oh and base would be Exeter West so maybe there's a reason they're looking for people there.

Right now I must practice with the bop-it for the co-ordination test :)

Many thanks in advance for any info that can be shared.

Patrick

An insight (probably rather out of date now) into the assessment procedure can be found at
http://www.rodge.force9.co.uk/faq/driver.html (http://www.rodge.force9.co.uk/faq/driver.html) - ignore the bits about wearing glasses being banned. This has not been the case for some years (I suspect it dated from steam days) and in fact the Railway Group Standards now permit the wearing of non-tinted contact lenses as well, provided that they can be shown to be comfortable for a full shift.

The most famous bit that I know about is the Group Bourdon Test. Lots of little groups of dots on a page, you have to mark the groups containing a certain number in a limited time (there are more groups of dots on the page than you could reasonably expect to complete in the time available!)

Good luck!

many thanks Inspector

plenty to read anyway and I am going to download as much as I can to practice on.

cheers

Patrick

try this link.

http://www.railwayregister.care4free.net/becoming_a_train_driver.htm#PSYCHOMETRIC%20TESTING,%20INTERVIEW%20&%20ASSESSMENT

pateire, can I ask where you saw the vacancy for the position?  The reason I ask is that the only Train Driver vacancy for FGW advertised externally is for drivers who are already qualified.  Trainee drivers has only been advertised internally, so i'm curious as to how you have got this far.  (Note, I have no interest in becoming a driver at this time!)  And of course good luck with the assessment!

Hi there SDA

sure you can ask and its a bit strange to be honest.

About 3 months ago i was looking everywhere on net for driving jobs info - as you say there was nothing on the FGW website. anyway i did a search in google and at about page 7 there was a link to a UK rail magazine website - can't remember the magazine name but in the jobs section there was a link to a company called Barkers - might be a recruitment firm, i really am not sure.

Anyway they had a small website advertising positions for both qualified drivers and trainees at about 5 locations. So I went to the trainee page and had to go into another site and then fill in about 20 pages of info. Luckily i filled it in in just a few days as next time I looked the trainee page had gone and it just said all positions now filled.

A week later I got a letter from FGW saying thanks but we're now full and we will keep you on file till the next intake. Then yesterday I got the A4 envelope with a letter about next assessment at Newport on 2nd June, and practice books and a map of Newport station.

I was very surprised to get this within about 6 weeks of the no thanks letter.

Just found the site with the application pages on:

http://www.abrandnewview.co.uk/default.asp?active_page_id=1623 (http://www.abrandnewview.co.uk/default.asp?active_page_id=1623)

And as you say, at the time no link whatsoever from the FGW main site. Maybe it was a test to see if you really wanted the job :)

Pat

Glad to see that persistence paid off for you!  If you're lucky enough to get through, I am pleased to announce you will have the pleasure  of my company as I am becoming a guard shortly  ;D  Thinking about it perhaps I better change my Name  8)

Not at the "donkey sanctuary" I hope  :D

DM, indeed I shall be on the pride of the fleet  ;D

Persistence has always been my middle name - never seen the point of doing anything half hearted if it's something you really want to do, which I have for many years.

Congrats on your new job - we may well meet at some stage. Were you already working for FGW or did you come from outside the industry?

Pat

It is an internal promotion, there is very little being advertised externally at the moment for obvious reasons, hence the reason I asked how you'd got as assessment.

Not at the "donkey sanctuary" I hope  :D
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and what's wrong with the sanctuary? Poor donkeys need a home ...