Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice
Timed practice for the train driver Fault Finding Test (DFFT): 100 diagram questions on our own practice train, each with a system diagram, a display panel and a fault finder guide, in 5 sets of 20. Plus 2 sets of 20 mechanical comprehension questions on gears, levers, pulleys and forces. Every fault finding explanation walks the fault back from the display, step by step; every mechanical one gives the rule, the sum and a check.
The tests
The free sample has 3 questions: two fault finding diagrams and one mechanical question, in the same test player as the full sets. Each fault finding set has 20 diagrams, the number The OPC gives for its DFFT, against a 30-minute clock. The OPC's DFFT page lists an assessor time of about 45 minutes and states no time limit for candidates, so our clocks are our own practice pace. Each mechanical set has 20 questions against a 20-minute clock, also ours. Our questions are multiple choice; the real test's answer format may differ.
Double-checked questions Real exam pattern Free sample · 3 questions
Try before you buy see exactly what you get
Full tests 7 tests
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Fault finding set 1
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Fault finding set 2
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Fault finding set 3
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Fault finding set 4
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Fault finding set 5
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Mechanical comprehension set 1
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Train Driver Fault Finding Test Practice · Mechanical comprehension set 2
Instant score, answer review and weak-topic diagnosis
Every fault finding answer walks back from the display
Each fault finding explanation follows the same steps, so the method becomes a habit:
- Read the panel. Which lamps are off, and which gauges read below their normal range?
- Clear what still works. Every part that a working lamp or gauge needs must be sound, so cross it off.
- Test each part left. For every part not crossed off, ask which lamps or gauges a fault there would put out. Only one part matches the panel exactly (one in each system when two systems have faults).
- Use the guide. Look up the code for that kind of part with the train standing or moving, apply the priority order when two systems have faults, and add any extra action the guide asks for.
Mechanical explanations work the same way: the rule (moments, rope segments, teeth passed, how springs share a load), the sum, then a quick check that the answer makes sense.
Your results by item type
After every set, the result page shows your score and your time per question for each item type: find the faulty part, fault code, which fault first, code and actions in the fault finding sets; gears and belts, levers, pulleys, forces and springs in the mechanical sets. The weakest type is named, so you know what to practise next. Here, your average over the sets you have taken:
A score here is your score on our questions. It is not a DFFT result and does not predict one.
What is inside
| Set | What the questions practise | Questions | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fault finding sets 1 to 5 | A system diagram and a display panel in every question, on our own practice train: find the faulty part (6 a set), report its fault code (5), decide which of two faults to solve first (5), and give the code with any extra actions (4). | 100 | 30 each |
| Mechanical comprehension sets 1 and 2 | Our own figures: gears and belts (which way, how fast), levers (the effort to balance a load), pulleys (the pull, the rope you draw in) and forces (balancing a see-saw, springs side by side or in a line), 5 of each a set. | 40 | 20 each |
| Total | All sets and the free sample of 3 | 143 |
Why a mechanical set too
The standard train driver tests set by RSSB's RIS-3751-TOM do not include the DFFT or a mechanical test. The OPC's candidate guide notes that some companies also use extra tests and exercises, so read your invitation: if it mentions fault finding or mechanical comprehension, these sets cover both.
Sources: The OPC, Driver Fault Finding Test (DFFT) and DFFT Practice pages; The OPC, Train Driver Assessment candidate guide (04/12/2024); RSSB, 3751-FAQ (December 2024). Read on 27 October 2026. Our free guide: Train Driver Fault Finding Test (DFFT).
Questions
Are these the real DFFT questions?
No. Every question is our own, on a practice train we invented. The OPC's DFFT page shows none of the test's questions (The OPC sells its own separate practice PDF), and nothing here reproduces its diagrams, guide or codes.
Is this The OPC's own practice test?
No. The OPC sells its own DFFT Practice as a PDF and recommends practising with materials it has authorised. This is independent practice by ProSyllabus and is not affiliated with The OPC.
What is the pass mark and the time limit?
The OPC's DFFT page states neither; it lists an assessor time of about 45 minutes. Its candidate guide says the scores needed to pass are not provided to candidates. Our clocks of 30 minutes for 20 diagrams and 20 minutes for 20 mechanical questions are our own practice pace.
Will this make me pass?
We do not claim that it will. It gives you timed practice on our own diagrams and mechanical questions, your score by item type after each set, and a step-by-step walk back from the display for every fault finding answer, so you can see what to work on.
What do I get?
5 fault finding sets of 20 and 2 mechanical comprehension sets of 20: 143 questions including the free sample of 3, in the full test player with a question palette and mark for review. After each set: your score, your score and time by item type, and the explanation of every answer. Retake any set as often as you like.
How do I pay and get access?
One payment by card (or PayPal where offered), handled by our payment provider. In the United Kingdom, the euro area and the United States the price is charged in your own currency. Before you pay, the checkout shows the exact amount and the currency you will be charged in. If your currency is not supported, the charge is in Indian rupees (INR), and any local figure shown before checkout is an estimate, not the amount charged. Access opens on this device straight after payment. Sign in afterwards to keep it on your account. Purchase policy.
Independent practice material by ProSyllabus. Not affiliated with, made, endorsed or reviewed by The OPC, RSSB or any train operator. These are our own questions on our own practice train; they do not reproduce the DFFT. Test facts come from The OPC's DFFT page and candidate guide and RSSB's 3751-FAQ, read on 27 October 2026.