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Group Bourdon Tool

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tracksider

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Joined
26 Jan 2019
Messages
40
I more or less left the sample sheets that were emailed to me (letters) and concentrated on the Group Bourdon tool shapes (on PC and printed). The GB tool SCAAT on PC only gives you 60 seconds but the actual test was about 2 minutes and much easier and also on paper. If you look through previous comments they all say print off tests from the tool and work on them.

To give you an example, I wss doing bout 6 - 7 lines with the tool but on the test itself it was double that with errors and the reason I know I had errors was that some shapes looked like 2 V's crossed over each other but I missed those as I thought it was double vision and was too late to correct the errors. I pased and now awaiting the one on one interview when things get back to some kind of normal.

Do the real SCAAT tests feature exactly the same symbols as the practice software on these forums? I don't recall anything that looks like 2 Vs crossed over each other....?
 

bawbster

Member
Joined
4 Mar 2019
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46
Do the real SCAAT tests feature exactly the same symbols as the practice software on these forums? I don't recall anything that looks like 2 Vs crossed over each other....?
Most were the same, may have a few that weren't on the practice sheets (not 100% sure). Use the tool but also print off test papers. My test was with Scotrail, other companies may be different though,maybe wise to browse through the thread to check.
 

tracksider

Member
Joined
26 Jan 2019
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40
Most were the same, may have a few that weren't on the practice sheets (not 100% sure). Use the tool but also print off test papers. My test was with Scotrail, other companies may be different though,maybe wise to browse through the thread to check.

Thanks. As you suggested I've been printing off test papers from the tool - it's a really different feel to doing it on the screen. Can't find any other people mentioning that the shapes are different from the software, but it's helpful to know that there's even the possibility. When practising, naming the symbols has helped a lot, so if I'd gone into the test and seen new ones without expecting it, it would've really thrown me. Fingers crossed they're the same!

-- Edited to remove company name
 
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Hensby92

Member
Joined
3 Apr 2019
Messages
17
Thanks. As you suggested I've been printing off test papers from the tool - it's a really different feel to doing it on the screen. I'll be doing one for East Mids. Can't find any other people mentioning that the shapes are different from the software, but it's helpful to know that there's even the possibility. When practising, naming the symbols has helped a lot, so if I'd gone into the test and seen new ones without expecting it, it would've really thrown me. Fingers crossed they're the same!

The test I'm really worried about is TRFS - worried about my eyes moving over the information without actually being able to remember any of it or how it relates to other information, especially info with numbers/days.

I sat my tests yesterday, 2nd shot, having failed GB last time I put alot of focus on them.

Practice sheets are great but id stick to 2-3 tests a day until you hitting 10-11 rows with 0 to very minimal errors.

Only thing that threw me is on the day I felt the actual dots were not as thick, and much more spaced out, a minor thing but enough to make me notice it.
 

tracksider

Member
Joined
26 Jan 2019
Messages
40
I sat my tests yesterday, 2nd shot, having failed GB last time I put alot of focus on them.

Practice sheets are great but id stick to 2-3 tests a day until you hitting 10-11 rows with 0 to very minimal errors.

Only thing that threw me is on the day I felt the actual dots were not as thick, and much more spaced out, a minor thing but enough to make me notice it.
Good luck! 10-11 without errors sounds good. From browsing seems like 5-10 error free is good enough for SCAAT
 

ChugaChooChoo

New Member
Joined
26 Mar 2019
Messages
3
Is there a problem with the tool on here now?
When I download it and open it, there is nothing at all there.
 

Tim O' Soara

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2020
Messages
6
Location
Devon
Do the real SCAAT tests feature exactly the same symbols as the practice software on these forums? I don't recall anything that looks like 2 Vs crossed over each other....?
I had this type with GWR, the crossed over V's. From experience, I took my stronger glasses on the day to make sure I could distinguish clearly, but as I concentrated hard I hunched lower over the tests and went slightly out of focus of my stronger glasses, which led to a bit of mixing up of V's and crossed V's, so I "double cross corrected" quite a few, but passed.

Yes it does help to attach names to symbols. Things to watch out for, don't go flying into the next sheet change looking for the wrong symbol...it can happen when similar ones are changed subtly between sheets. Also the biggest danger I found was missing ones positioned in about second place on the row, or right after crossing one out
 

tracksider

Member
Joined
26 Jan 2019
Messages
40
I had this type with GWR, the crossed over V's. From experience, I took my stronger glasses on the day to make sure I could distinguish clearly, but as I concentrated hard I hunched lower over the tests and went slightly out of focus of my stronger glasses, which led to a bit of mixing up of V's and crossed V's, so I "double cross corrected" quite a few, but passed.

Yes it does help to attach names to symbols. Things to watch out for, don't go flying into the next sheet change looking for the wrong symbol...it can happen when similar ones are changed subtly between sheets. Also the biggest danger I found was missing ones positioned in about second place on the row, or right after crossing one out

Thanks!

Is there a problem with the tool on here now?
When I download it and open it, there is nothing at all there.

Would be great if anyone could confirm re. the tool? Or if someone is able to host it on a new site? I'm sure it's been invaluable to many of us and would be a shame if it couldn't be kept up.
 

Trackman2

Member
Joined
13 Apr 2020
Messages
44
Location
London
Can you go in wearing shirt and trousers during assesment or do you need to wear a suit? Instructions say smart attire!
 

mstrwvr

Member
Joined
18 Jul 2020
Messages
65
Location
Chester
Hi all. I've been practising for an online mini-SCAAT, which, if successful, will lead to a paper SCAAT.

I've printed a load of SCAAT sheets off from this tool - thank you to whoever set it up - but I'm finding conflicting information about whether I should be allowing myself 1 minute or 2 minutes per sheet. Can anyone clarify?
 

Jason2m

Member
Joined
4 Jun 2020
Messages
10
Location
Watford
Sorry if this has been asked already but when doing the test should I be doing it width ways or in portrait? Thanks in advance
 

Jason2m

Member
Joined
4 Jun 2020
Messages
10
Location
Watford
I am not 100% sure, I did mine in January this year. Honestly though I wouldn't worry about it too much and concentrate on the test itself.
Thanks for your reply mate

I've been doing practice sheets and been hitting 9 -11 row with 3 mistakes across the 5 tests hoping to get better
 

mstrwvr

Member
Joined
18 Jul 2020
Messages
65
Location
Chester
On the day? It's like exam conditions, with a small group. Three pages looking for one symbol, two mins (I think, it's never specified) per page. Then three pages looking for two different symbols, then three pages looking for one constant symbol and a symbol that changes each line.
 

Lumpa6259

Member
Joined
15 Oct 2020
Messages
64
Location
Brighouse
Anyone know if these would be considered passes? Just started practicing but need to know honestly if these would be ok or rubbish. One of the red errors was an erratic finger and wouldn’t let me press again to delete so I’m not counting that one!!
 

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