Once you’ve passed the theoretical element of your train driver assessment, you’ll move onto the practical side of the assessment. At this stage, you get to actually drive trains. For 6 months, you will be conducting intensive practice sessions in the carriage, behind the wheel; preparing for your future job as a train driver. In this blog, we’ll outline the process of train driver practical training, and what it involves!

Train Driver Assessment: Practical Training

On your first day as a practical trainee, you will be paired up with a qualified Driver Instructor. After being given a run through of his jobs for the day, you’ll go out on a real passenger train – in the driver’s cabin alongside the instructor – just as a real driver would.

For the next 6 months, this will be your life. You’ll need 250 hours driving experience, and 50 of these hours will need to be spent in darkness/tunnels. Your instructor will teach you fundamental skills, such as:

• How to drive a train.
• How to respond to signals, indicators and control issues.
• Braking points.
• Route learning.
• How to apply the theory you’ve learned.

Route Learning

Route learning is one of the most important qualities that a train driver can have. Naturally, route learning will come as you drive more and experience different routes; but you will be examined on this during your final exams. Essential information such as where signals are, the location of junctions, speed restrictions in specific zones all count towards ‘knowing’ your route. You’ll take detailed notes, draw maps and observe the instructor driving the route; to help with your final exam.

Final Exams

Once your 250 hours of training have ended, it’s time to move on to the final assessment. This is an incredibly in-depth process of testing; which will last for an entire day. You will answer questions on what you have learnt. You’ll identify and fix problems on the train; and you’ll be observed whilst driving the train. You will need to demonstrate extensive route knowledge – of all your routes – by answering questions based on these routes. This is known as signing off.

Once you’ve successfully signed off, you will move up to a full salary; and will be qualified as a Train Driver. Congratulations!

Recently, we’ve been getting a lot of requests from readers to make a quickfire guide on how to guarantee yourself a job as a train driver. So, to satisfy popular demand; here are our 4 top tips on how you can secure your dream job!

Step up your Train Driver Job Search

Have you started looking up trainee train driver jobs on the Internet? If not, it’s time to start. Many people wrongly assume that the only way to really get a train job is to either start from the bottom in the industry; or to know someone on the inside. That’s just not true! Almost every single TOC now advertises jobs directly on their own website; so keep browsing!

Psychometric Preparation

One huge mistake that many people make is that they don’t start preparing for the psychometric side of the assessment until it’s far too late. Don’t wait until you’ve had your application form accepted to start practicing; don’t even wait until you’ve filled it in! If you want to become a train driver then you need to start practicing for the psychometric tests IMMEDIATELY, to improve your train driver job search chances.

Get Interview Friendly

Just like any other company, you’ll need to ace the interview if you want to get the job. This doesn’t just mean being friendly, amicable and professional either. In order to work as a train driver, you’ll have to pass The Driver Manger Interview; where you’ll be tested directly on the job competencies and your past experience. With this in mind, it’s essential that you prepare yourself thoroughly BEFORE the interview. Practice answering competency based questions and delivering structured responses to interviewers. Your overall technique will be far better in the long run!

Move Fast!

If you want a train driver job, you’ll have to move fast. It’s well known that TOCs get enormous numbers of applicants, and therefore there are many TOCs who operate on a first come, first seen basis. That is to say, they’ll only look at the applications of the first 200 or so candidates, before cutting off the process and rejecting all other applications. With that being said, you need to be extremely quick in your train driver job search. Some TOCs deliberately only open job vacancies during the middle of the week, in the middle of the day. This means that only the most vigilant candidates will spot the vacancies; in contrast to opening a vacancy at the weekend where hundreds will apply. On our website, we offer job alerts; which will give you immediate access to these positions! Sign up and you’ll be given an alert whenever something opens up. Stay ahead of the competition, and secure your dream job TODAY.

In order to work as a train driver, it’s essential that you are able to concentrate for extensive periods of time. Driving trains is a dangerous job. You are responsible for the lives of your passengers, and this means that concentration is one of your top priorities. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that concentration is given enormous focus during the train driver selection tests. Whether you are taking the Group Bourdon test, or the WAFV vigilance examination; it’s essential that you can demonstrate your ability to concentrate.

So how can you improve your concentration, in time for the train driver selection tests? Read on, and find out!

Exercise

Exercise is possibly the number 1 tip on this list. It is a scientific fact that exercise makes you fit and healthy, which has huge benefits for your mental competency. Exercise helps you to focus your mind on a task, and builds physical and mental stamina. It’s a good way to focus on a specific target or goal; which is something you’ll be doing a lot as a train driver. Ensuring that your mind doesn’t wander or lose focus is imperative.

You Are What You Eat

It might sound cliché, but it really is true that you are what you eat. And if you eat badly, you’re going to perform badly! A balanced diet is essential, and that doesn’t just extend to food either. It’s crucial that you are drinking plenty of fluids. Dehydration has severe negative effects on your mental capacity, and can hinder qualities such as memory and concentration; as well as hurting your focus.

Cut Out the Distractions

These days, we live in a world where multi-tasking is accepted. The problem is, this isn’t positive multi-tasking. Every time you check your phone or start procrastinating from work on an external website; you are distracting yourself. It’s true that train drivers need to multi-task but they are required to multi-task without distraction. That is to say, every task that they perform is important. As humans, we have trained ourselves to accept that distractions are okay, when they aren’t! Train drivers need to concentrate 100%. The best way to prepare for the examination is to ensure that you are able to concentrate on all of the tasks at hand, to your maximum ability. Spend time perfecting your focus and working without idle distractions, such as your phone or the Internet. Your career hopes will be far better in the long run.

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