The amount of people they require for upcoming vacancies will exceed the amount of people they have left in the pool so they will need to recruit to fill the pool up again.
Your score will go up against new applicants but you wouldn't be in the pool if they didn't want to employ you, I sat in Skipton conductor pool for 18 months and got a job in August this year, some people who were on my course got offered a job a few days after passing the conductor assessment while a few had been waiting for a while.
Just sit tight is all I can say.
For those in the drivers pool, I know how you all feel given that I sat in a talent pool for 18 months.
Again I'd say sit tight, if you want to go for the Conductor role then do it, however if you were successful you can't apply for another role within Northern for six months and your existing application will be cancelled.
Good luck to everyone anyway.