Checked 23 October 2026. RSSB's December 2024 FAQ on RIS-3751-TOM issue four, ORR's guide of 9 April 2026, the providers' own pages and The Train Drivers Academy pages, read 23 Oct 2026. Check each provider's current offering and price on its own page before you pay, and the train company you apply to for its own process.
The most useful practice for the UK trainee train driver tests, in our view, is the approved practice material: RSSB says invited candidates are given it at least a week before the assessment. Before that, free general practice may help with the four paper tests (our advice). The three Vienna computer tests can only be administered with a licensed testing system, so do not assume a home simulator is the real test.
Updated for RIS-3751-TOM issue 4 (published 7 December 2024). The official points on this page were checked against RSSB, ORR, assessment-centre and train company documents on 23 October 2026; our own advice is labelled as ours.
ProSyllabus is an independent study site. It is not part of RSSB, the Office of Rail and Road, The OPC or any train company, and nothing here is official test material. We sell one practice product, an attention trainer, and it is listed in the comparison below with its limits.
Free · no sign-in
Try the attention habit now: level 1 of our concentration trainer
Three timed sheets of dot groups, 40 seconds each: mark every group of exactly four dots. At the end you see your accuracy, groups per minute, and missed and wrong marks counted apart.
Play level 1 freeIndependent practice by ProSyllabus. Not the official test, not a copy of it, and not produced or checked by RSSB, an assessment centre or a train company.
The short answer: what to use, in order
A free-first order of preparation
- 1. The approved practice materials. RSSB's FAQ: "If you are invited to an assessment, you will be given the approved practice materials at least a week before your assessment date." If yours have not arrived, RSSB says to contact the train company.
- 2. The examples on the day. The OPC, a registered assessment centre, says that before each test starts "you may have the chance to complete some examples", and that the assessor can help with them.
- 3. RSSB, assessment-centre and industry guidance pages. RSSB's FAQ, the guide of the assessment centre that runs your day, and The Train Drivers Academy, the site RSSB points candidates to for the role. They explain the process and the day.
- 4. General practice of related abilities, free or paid, while you wait for the pack. Our advice: it is most useful for the paper tests, and it is practice of an ability, never "the real test".
RSSB 3751-FAQ (December 2024), question 18; The OPC candidate guide (04/12/2024), page 5; RSSB 3751-FAQ, question 33.
The Train Drivers Academy, whose participants are train operators, similarly says in its FAQ: "Most train companies provide practice materials for the psychometric assessments", and they help you understand what the tests involve and how to approach them.
Every option compared
We describe kinds of practice rather than naming other sellers, and we do not cite commercial prep sellers. The rows for kinds of practice other than the official ones and ours are a checklist of what to look for, not a survey of what is on sale. Check each provider's current offering and price on its own page before you pay. The official rows are taken from the sources listed at the end.
| Option | What it covers | Format | Timed? | Feedback | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved practice materials | What to expect on the assessment day (RSSB's stated purpose) | Sent by the train company you applied to | Not described in the sources we read | Translink says its practice materials come with correct responses | Given to candidates invited to an assessment; the sources do not mention a charge |
| Possible examples before a test, on the day | The test about to start | At the assessment centre, with the assessor | Before the test time starts | The assessor can help if you are having difficulty (The OPC) | Part of the assessment |
| RSSB and industry guidance pages (RSSB FAQ, your assessment centre's candidate guide, The Train Drivers Academy) | The process, rules, attempts and the day | Web pages and PDFs | No | No | Available on the linked websites |
| Free tools or printable sheets you may find online | Content varies: check what the file actually contains and who made it | Downloads and printouts | Varies | Varies | Check |
| General brain-training apps | Check what the app says it trains | Varies; check the app | Check | Check | Check the app |
| Paid printable packs and books | Check the seller's list to confirm exactly which tests it covers | PDF or print | Check | Check: answer keys or none | Check the seller's page |
| Paid online test sites | Check the seller's list; do not assume a website simulator is the licensed test the assessment centre runs | Browser | Check | Check whether it separates kinds of error | Check whether it is one payment or a subscription |
| ProSyllabus concentration trainer (ours) | Attention only: a timed dot-group task we built; not the Group Bourdon and not a copy of it | On screen (tap or click), phone or computer | Yes, a clock on every sheet: 40 to 50 seconds | Accuracy, groups per minute, missed and wrong marks counted apart by sheet and by row, first half against second half | Level 1 free; levels 2 to 10 one payment, no subscription (price on the trainer page) |
Our advice: two things to check in any paid option before you pay. First, does it count missed items and wrong marks separately? They are different mistakes with different fixes, so one combined "score" tells you less. Second, is it one payment or a subscription? If it is a subscription, check how renewal and cancellation work.
Paper tests, computer tests, and what you can prepare at home
RSSB's table of the standard's tests, from Appendix A of RIS-3751-TOM issue four, lists nine assessments. Translink, whose train driver policy says its process complies with RIS-3751-TOM, says which are paper and which are computerised. That split shows each test's format; what the approved pack contains, test by test, is not described in the sources we read:
| Test | Ability (RSSB) | Format (Translink) | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Bourdon | Attention | Paper and pencil | Use whatever the approved pack includes; general attention practice (our advice) |
| TEA-Occ | Attention | Paper and pencil | Use whatever the approved pack includes; general attention practice (our advice) |
| TRP1 (part 1b) | Memory | Paper and pencil | Use whatever the approved pack includes |
| TRP2 | Reasoning | Paper and pencil | Use whatever the approved pack includes |
| WAFV vigilance test | Vigilance; reaction time | Computerised | Do not assume a home simulator is the licensed test your assessment centre uses: the real one runs on the Vienna Test System, with an additional device |
| ATAVT | Perception; reaction time | Computerised | Do not assume a home simulator is the licensed test your assessment centre uses: the real one runs on the Vienna Test System |
| 2HAND two-hand coordination | Hand coordination | Computerised | Do not assume a home simulator is the licensed test your assessment centre uses: the real one needs the Vienna Test System and an additional device |
| SJE situational judgement exercise | Behavioural aptitudes | Computerised | No practice items are described in the sources we read; RSSB is the test supplier |
| MMI multi-modal interview | Communication; behavioural aptitudes | Interview, after the assessment-centre tests | Yes: prepare real examples from your own life |
Test names are RSSB's. Translink's table names some of them differently, for example "Vigilance Test" and "Trainability for Rules & Procedures Test Part 1"; we matched the two lists by name and by the ability assessed. The "How to prepare" column is our advice.
For what each of the nine assessments involves, see our guide to every UK train driver psychometric test; the other paper attention test has its own guide, the TEA-Occ test explained.
Why the three Vienna tests need a licensed system: The OPC names the Vienna Test System among its core tests, and Avanti West Coast's careers page lists, in stage 4, "Vienna tests focus on vigilance and reaction" and a competency-based interview. Schuhfried, which The OPC lists among its test publishers and whose marketplace sells these tests, says on each product page that the test "can only be administered if you have a valid Vienna Test System administration software license". Its pages for WAFV and 2HAND add: "This product requires an additional device." Its own descriptions of the tasks:
What Schuhfried's product pages say each test asks you to do
- WAFV: "The respondent reacts as soon as he/she notices an intensity change in a presented visual or auditory stimulus."
- ATAVT: "Pictures of traffic situations appear briefly on the screen. After seeing each picture, the respondent is asked to state what was in it. The respondent can choose from five answers that are given."
- 2HAND: "The task is to make a red dot move along a given track using either two control knobs or two joysticks, depending on the test form."
Schuhfried product pages for WAFV, ATAVT and 2HAND, read 23 Oct 2026. They describe Schuhfried's tests in general; which test forms your assessment centre uses is not published in the sources we read.
So do not assume that a website "ATAVT simulator" or a keyboard "two-hand test" is the licensed test the assessment centre runs. What you can do for these three: know what each asks (above), arrive rested, and use any examples you are offered before each test. For the computerised SJE, no practice items are described in the sources we read.
ProSyllabus diagram. Test formats from Translink's train driver policy (HR023 v1.5), Appendix B; the online-sift point from The OPC's candidate guide. The test-format facts are in the table above; the online-sift point is explained below.
One warning about online sifts. Some companies test online before the assessment centre: Avanti West Coast lists a Visual Search Exercise and the Magnificent 7 Situational Judgement Test at stage 2, and Translink an online Mini Safe Concentration & Attention Test (MiniSCAAT). The OPC's guide says "online tests can be included as part of your 'attempts' if this is part of an organisation's recruitment process." Do not treat a company's online test as practice.
Practise the paper-test habit
Build the attention habit with timed sheets
Our trainer gives you timed sheets of dot groups to scan in order. It is attention practice for the paper part of the day, with fresh sheets on every run. Start with level 1, free.
Start level 1 freeIndependent practice by ProSyllabus. Not the official test, not a copy of it, and not produced or checked by RSSB, an assessment centre or a train company.
Red flags: PDFs and packs that claim to be "the real test"
Before you download or pay
None of the official sources we read says that the actual test papers are released to candidates. The official preparation they describe includes the approved practice materials the train company sends, any examples offered before a test, and the candidate guidance pages.
- "The real test", "actual papers", "leaked". The tests come from publishers to registered assessment centres: The OPC lists Schuhfried, Pearsons, OPC Assessment, Southeastern and RSSB, and RSSB's FAQ says the people who administer and interpret the psychometric assessment process must hold the British Psychological Society (BPS) Test User: Occupational, Ability qualification. None of these sources authenticates a pack that claims to be the test, so do not treat one as official material.
- A stated pass mark. RSSB: "RIS-3751-TOM issue four does not set pass marks." RSSB has recommended them, each train company decides which it uses, and some use a higher, enhanced standard. The OPC says candidates are not given any scores. A pack that names a single pass mark for the test is not quoting RIS-3751-TOM; if it quotes a company's figure, check it with that company.
- Exact sheet counts and timings stated as fact. None of the RSSB, ORR, assessment-centre or train company documents we read describes the Group Bourdon's layout or timing.
- "OPC tests". The OPC asks people not to call the process "OPC testing": it is the train company's recruitment, to RSSB's standard.
- Guarantees and pass rates. No source we read publishes a pass rate, so a promised pass rate cannot be checked against them; ask the seller how it was measured.
- Pressure to buy before your pack arrives. The approved practice materials come from the train company at least a week before the assessment, RSSB says, so you can see what they contain before you decide to buy anything else.
Sources: The OPC candidate guide (printed pages 2, 6 and 8) and The OPC train driver assessment advice page; RSSB 3751-FAQ, questions 9, 18 and 28.
A free-first plan, from application to assessment day
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| After you apply | Read the company's own process page and RSSB's FAQ. If the company tests online first, prepare for that test as the real thing. |
| While you wait for an invitation | Our advice: short daily sessions of general attention practice for the paper tests, with missed and wrong marks noted separately. Prepare interview examples from your own life. |
| When the approved practice materials arrive (RSSB: at least a week before the assessment) | Work through whatever the approved materials include, following any instructions they give. Contact the train company if the pack has not come. |
| The last few days | Keep sessions short; rest. Check what to bring: photo ID and proof of your National Insurance number, plus anything the company asks for. |
| On the day | Listen to every instruction, do any examples you are offered, ask every question before the test time starts. |
Sources for the timings and the day: RSSB 3751-FAQ, questions 16 and 18; The OPC candidate guide, pages 4 and 5. Our own week-by-week attention drills are in how to pass the Group Bourdon: 11 techniques, and what the official sources say about the test itself is in the Group Bourdon guide. Our guides on this assessment are collected on the UK train driver exam page.
Where our concentration trainer fits: the pros and the limits
What it does well
- Timed sheets: every sheet has its own clock, 40 to 50 seconds depending on the level.
- Missed and wrong marks are counted apart, by sheet and by row, with your accuracy, groups per minute, and first-half against second-half accuracy.
- Freshly generated sheets on every run, so there is no fixed set to memorise; unlimited retakes.
- Ten levels, from 48 to 126 groups a sheet and up to six sheets a run. Level 1 is free with no sign-in.
- One payment, no subscription, for levels 2 to 10.
What it does not do
- It is not the Group Bourdon and not a copy of it: the official layout is not described in the sources we read, so we built our own task for the same ability, attention.
- It is on a screen; the Group Bourdon is a paper test. Use the approved practice materials too.
- It covers attention only: not TEA-Occ, TRP, the computer tests, the SJE or the interview.
- It cannot tell you whether you would pass. "Cleared" is our own target for moving up a level (at least 95% accuracy and at least 60% of the groups reached, over a full run of the level), not an official standard.
Trainer facts from its level table and scoring code, 23 Oct 2026.
| Level | Sheets | Groups a sheet | Seconds a sheet | Dot counts used | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 48 | 40 | 3, 4, 5 | free |
| 2 | 3 | 56 | 40 | 3, 4, 5 | slight jitter |
| 3 | 4 | 64 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | groups of six appear |
| 4 | 4 | 72 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | - |
| 5 | 4 | 90 | 50 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | - |
| 6 | 5 | 90 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | less regular groups |
| 7 | 5 | 99 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | - |
| 8 | 5 | 108 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | - |
| 9 | 5 | 117 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | - |
| 10 | 6 | 126 | 45 | 3, 4, 5, 6 | about four and a half minutes a run |
The concentration trainer
Start free, pay once only if it helps
- Level 1 free with no sign-in; levels 2 to 10 unlock with one payment, no subscription.
- From 48 to 126 groups a sheet, three to six sheets a run, 40 to 50 seconds a sheet.
- Freshly generated sheets for every run, so you are not repeating a sheet you have learned.
- Accuracy, groups per minute, missed and wrong marks by sheet and by row, and your first half against your second half.
The price is on the trainer page.
Start with level 1 freeIndependent practice by ProSyllabus. Not the official test, not a copy of it, and not produced or checked by RSSB, an assessment centre or a train company.
Frequently asked questions
Are there free train driver practice tests?
Our concentration trainer's level 1 is free. In our view, general practice of attention and memory can help before your pack arrives, but it is not the official test. The official preparation: RSSB says candidates invited to an assessment are given the approved practice materials at least a week before the assessment date, Translink says its practice materials come with correct responses, and The OPC says you may be able to complete some examples before each test on the day.
Can I practise the ATAVT or the two-hand coordination test at home?
Do not expect to practise the real tests at home. They are computerised tests of the Vienna Test System, which Schuhfried's product pages say can only be administered with a valid Vienna Test System licence, and the two-hand test also needs an additional device, so a home simulator should not be assumed to be the licensed test. Prepare by knowing what each test asks and by doing any examples you are offered on the day.
Are Group Bourdon PDFs online the real test?
None of the official sources we read says the actual test papers are released to candidates. Do not treat a PDF that claims to be the real test as official unless its status is verified, and be wary of any that states a pass mark: RSSB says RIS-3751-TOM issue four does not set pass marks.
What should I do if my practice materials have not arrived?
Contact the train company you applied to. RSSB says the approved practice materials are given at least a week before the assessment date.
Do online tests count as an attempt?
They can. The OPC says online tests can be included as part of your attempts if this is part of an organisation's recruitment process, so check with the company you are applying to and treat them as real.
Is a paid practice site worth it?
Our advice: judge it by what it verifiably covers, and check that it says clearly it is practice of related abilities, not the licensed tests the assessment centre uses. Check that it counts missed and wrong marks separately, whether it is one payment or a subscription, and that it does not claim to be the real test or to know the pass mark.
Is the ProSyllabus trainer the official Group Bourdon?
No. It is independent attention practice: a timed dot-group task we built, on screen, with level 1 free. It is not produced or checked by RSSB, an assessment centre or a train company.
Sources
- official — RSSB and the Rail Assessment Centre Forum: 3751-FAQ, "Frequently asked questions", issue one, on RIS-3751-TOM issue four "Psychometric Assessment in Train Driver Selection" (read 23 Oct 2026): the tests by selection criterion, attempts, pass marks, validity, practice materials, minimum age
- official — Office of Rail and Road: "A guide to the occupational psychological fitness and medical requirements" (read 23 Oct 2026): the occupational psychological fitness examination, RIS-3751-TOM, the three-attempt rule
- official — The OPC (a registered assessment centre): "Train Driver Assessment: A guide for candidate's who undertake their assessment with The OPC" (read 23 Oct 2026): the tests, hints and tips, the day, results and feedback
- official — The OPC: train driver assessment advice page (read 23 Oct 2026)
- official — Translink: train driver psychometric testing policy, HR023 version 1.5 (read 23 Oct 2026): Translink's train driver assessment process, Appendix B
- official — Avanti West Coast: "Train Driver Recruitment" careers page (last updated 23 January 2025; read 23 Oct 2026): application stages 1 to 5, with the stage 1.5 online sift
- official — The Train Drivers Academy: "Ready to apply" page (read 23 Oct 2026): the process, psychometric assessments, how to prepare
- official — The Train Drivers Academy: FAQ (read 23 Oct 2026): "Most train companies provide practice materials for the psychometric assessments"
- official — The Train Drivers Academy: "About us" page (read 23 Oct 2026): its participants are train operators
- official — Schuhfried, the publisher of the Vienna Test System: WAFV product page (read 23 Oct 2026): what it measures, the task, the test forms and duration
- official — Schuhfried: ATAVT product page (read 23 Oct 2026): what it measures, the task, the test forms and duration
- official — Schuhfried: 2HAND product page (read 23 Oct 2026): what it measures, the task, the test forms and duration
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
