Train driver requirements in the UK

There isn't one national checklist. Each operator writes the vacancy. Age, GCSEs, and whether you need a driving licence sit on that advert. Read it. A list copied from a 2019 thread will not match this intake.

You do not need to have driven a train. Most new drivers come from other work. You do need to get through selection: often an online form and a judgement test, then a psychometric day, then an interview and a medical.

What the advert is actually for

• Eligibility: age, right to work, sometimes GCSEs or a licence. If you don't meet it, the tests won't save you.
• The role: depot, traction, roster pattern. That's the job, not the assessment.
• How to apply: the form is often the first filter. Situational judgement shows up here more than people expect.

Liking trains is not a requirement they can use. They test whether you stay accurate on dull, timed work. Prepare for that, not a trivia quiz about signalling.

Medical and eyesight

There is a medical, covering eyesight, hearing, and general fitness. Those standards exist for safety. A blog is a poor paraphrase, and a forum is not occupational health. If you have a condition you're unsure about, ask them or your GP.

What to do before you apply

Check you meet that advert. Then learn the shape of the tests so the first sitting isn't spent finding out what the screens look like. Operators do not give unlimited resits. Sitting the day cold is expensive even if you would have been a good driver.

Training with the operator comes after you get through. That's when you learn the traction, the route, and the rule book. Selection is whether they trust you to start that.