Driving Real Trains!

[dominicwilliams1]

Iam looking for some help from my fellow train enthusiasts, i recentley sat the entrance exam for EW&S freight, im sorry to say i failed miserabley!

What im wondering is, are there any current train drivers on here that might be prepared to give me some tips on succeeding, please, please help i only have 1 more chance before my dream job vanishes in front of me.

if you would like to help please email at: dominic.williams@blueyonder.co.uk

thanks to all who may reply

[martinhodgson]

Just out of intrest, what sort of questions do you get? I never thought they'd have an exam!

[LucaZone]

well ur asking for a job where ur incontrol of 1500+ tonnes of metal that costs probably close to a million (including cargo), that has immense demolition capabilities if anything were to go wrong. They need some form of screening to make sure the drivers know what their doing

[martinhodgson]

I assumed that thats what they teach you in training!

[Goingnorth]

well ur asking for a job where ur incontrol of 1500+ tonnes of metal that costs probably close to a million (including cargo), that has immense demolition capabilities if anything were to go wrong. They need some form of screening to make sure the drivers know what their doing

And the rest! The locos are over a million, the wagons vary but are at least 50k..more like 150k..Then the cargo...And you can get an awful lot of high value goods in Freight containers...

The entrance exam for ops staff from what I can remember requires GCSE (A-D) standard Maths, English and other subjects. So read up on those.

The psychometric test is something you will either pass or fail! It's just one of those things...it's a personality check...for the practical side of that if you have been playing computer games then that will help lots, as it tests reactions, thinking...

[salopiangrowler]

Well i been told if i have a good sence of humour and a good cause for long hours i would be entitled to a job with freightliner provided i pass a medical, I mean come on how often do you see some one with a huge grin on there face an look around 12 years old in control of a freightliner. I saw one this evening on 47303 leaving shrewsbury with the throttle open fully, huge grin on his face not giving a damn about the speed on the cargo going over the viaduct out of the station. Pushing 50mph from the station(15-30mph max speed here). If they cannot employ people who want to do this job properly and safetly like dominic wants. Most companies tend to hire boyracers these days judging by the speed of the trians entering and leaving the station where i am. GOOD LUCK to anyone who passes, really cause you need luck with these companies. Oh and forget DRS they need drivers with 6 years freight handling experience.

[megatron]

ive been attempting some sketchy research and ill think you'll find its very hard to judge train speeds unless your sat in the cab with a speedo in front of you.
They seem to be going faster than they really are i think.
But some drivers do just need hanging though.
especially some FNW ones, who spark up before getting in the cab, wear tattly clothes (orange overalls sometimes) and then instead of backing off the brakes nicely when coming to a stop, leave it on 2 and send everyone standing up flying :/
I live virgins approach though, all their drivers have to dress smartly and wear name badges. Nice though, makes them look way more pro and friendly

[dominicwilliams1]

I have to admit the speed and co-ordination test really messed me up! i think i was nervous because its something i really want to do, the maths i found a struggle aswell 10 mins to answer 40 questions (yeh right) the concentration test is a stitch up too

[megatron]

you have to be positive or you'll never pass!
You've lost the moment you think you have!

[salopiangrowler]

Yes i agree virgin come clean but thats because they are trying to impress there people. When FNW lost its locohauled service 2 or 3 driver went to virgin and got jobs straight away. I'll leave you to guess how they drove the virgin trains especially as they were 37 followers and hated 47's, not a bad move eh?. Thrashed the trains to hell stopping and starting like boyracers on holiday.

[southcoasttrains]

I took the assesment test for South Central Trains and passed with ease but didn't make it past the first interview.

This was for the conductor exam.

[megatron]

what kinda stuff is the Conductor exam on? Is that similar to the drivers one?

[basildd]

I think it is very poor when people on here make unqualified statements about things that they have no means of backing up with evidence. There is a national standard which provides the criteria for competence and IF the drivers have gone through the due process and passed, then they are judged to be competent and capable. If their driving skills then appear poor, they are not going to last very long. Drivers undergo constant monitoring and assessment and generally will not take their responsibilities lightly.

Many forms of modern traction and powered rolling stock have computerised monitoring systems and these are routinely downloaded so that there are records of all journies undertaken. The 'black box' will flag up if the train has exceeded the route or stock type speed limit and the driver would be removed from driving duties and possibly dismissed. There are also Driver Standards Managers and Traction Inspectors who also monitor how drivers are performing both formally and covertly. there are going to be certain individuals who display a 'cavalier' attitude to the job, but they tend not to survive very long.

Standards to enter the drivers grade are not like the 'old days' and the exam, interview and psychometric testing are very exacting as are the stringent medical checks. The same system is used for Eurostar staff and I can vouch for the fact that it is not a 'walk in the park' to pass what is required and more to the point, you cannot 'bluff' your way through. I the Psychometric test I passed, I had to answer 240 questions in one hour. You do not get time to think about the answer, so you have to put the truth - if you try and put what you think they want to hear, you will come unstuck because there are only about 12 questions within it, they are just asked in a different way each time, so you will be found out.

Please remember that if you are going to criticise a group of people / staff without fact or evidence, then you are likely to annoy / upset a number of users of this site as they could well be drivers themselves... and the same goes for any rail oriented job.

Then, when you want help, you may find it is not forthcoming.

[southcoasttrains]

what kinda stuff is the Conductor exam on? Is that similar to the drivers one?

The Assesment test for conductors was.

English - reading from a paragraph and marking what you understood also checking which sentance was spelt more correctly.

Maths - something like 20 different questions both adding, subtraction, multiplying and division. (Can be hard if you can't divide)

and a Ticket Selling test - Working out different train fares for different amounts of people with or with out different rail passes.

Concerntration test - marking a series of dots, mine was a group of four dots, i remember missing out 2 dot formations that should of been crossed out, but you can't go back.

Verbal test - we have to write down three different things on what we handled in the past, persuading people not to do things and following rules and regulations were two of them. Then we were interviewed about them to see if we were telling the truth, in which I made up one and they caught me out.

I rang the training centre the next day to see if I passed and they told me I passed the normal assesment bit - English, Maths, Ticket selling and concerntraition test, but not pass the first interview, but I could apply for platform staff as I already passed that test.

[Fodda]

LOL! Great... but who is he ^?