RAF Cranwell experience – part 2

If you haven’t read the first part yet and are interested in why I decided to apply for the RAF, you can read my first blog post here.

Part 2 – Long day travelling!

Before I explain the travel and the Aptitude/CBAT test, I first had an issue! And it’s lucky I decided to print off the email because I might not have noticed it.

The ACIO luckily booked my train tickets (I wish I had a car!), but when I checked… they’d booked the train for the wrong day!

I was due to have my Aptitude test on the 6th of August, but I had to get there the day before (the 5th), spend the night at Cranwell and get up really early for breakfast to start my test at 07:00.

Luckily it was sorted easy enough, and I was able to print off the email, I was due to travel at lunch time on the 5th.

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(Grantham Train Station. Picture copyrighted to Ashley Dace located: www.geograph.org.uk/photo/993204)

First I popped to my university library to print off the email with the train ticket confirmation, and I walked back to the bus stop to get straight into Swindon to get my train. I set off at approx. 10:30.

I got into Swindon early, mainly because I wanted to get a coffee in town first, but also to give myself enough time to get to the train station to get my tickets, not leaving it to the last minute. I got to Swindon Train Station at half 11 and collected my tickets.

My first train was delayed by a few minutes, which was typical. But luckily it wasn’t that late. I also luckily had seats pre-booked, thanks to ACIO Oxford for that! So I found my seat and settled in for a long trip to London Paddington.

The trip was pretty boring, but I was surprisingly relaxed about the trip. Although I wasn’t looking forward to the next part, which I had done a bit of research to make sure I did it right and wasn’t late for my connecting train!

But when I got to London Paddington, I had to get a Tube from Paddington to Kings Cross.

I got off at Paddington, without much drama, found the underground easily, and thanks to my prior research,  I knew what line to get. Got on the tube, all paid for by the RAF, and unfortunately had to stand. This didn’t dampen my spirits though, even though I had a large backpack on my back.

But, after getting off the tube, at what I thought was Kings Cross, I got a little confused with where to get my connecting train to Grantham.

It took me a few minutes to realise I had got off the tube a little early and actually needed the next stop. Luckily I realised my mistake as I saw Kings Cross from the train station exit! So I just quickly crossed the road over to Kings Cross to find my next train. I already knew what platform I wanted, Platform 2, so I just stood and waited (while playing Pokemon Go, don’t judge!)

While standing there, I had one foreign man come up to me with broken English to ask me for help to locate his train (I just saw he needed platform 2 and said yes, this was the right platform). But then a few minutes later there was a small group looking completely lost, two ladies and two young girls that looked about 10. I overheard them talking about the train to Grantham and decided to speak up and say that was the train I was waiting for myself.

They looked pretty thankful, and appreciative of me, that they found their train, however a few minutes later a Kings Cross employee had explained that the train had been cancelled.

Great.

Myself and my new friends walked over to the information point to ask about another train to Grantham, all the while I was thinking “if there is no way of me getting to Grantham, I’m just going home!” But alas! There was another train service to Grantham at Platform 0.

So my new friends and I (trying to avoid weird conversations with one of the girls who was very chatty!) walked to Platform 0.

Unfortunately there was no seat reservation for me on this train, as it was supposed to be on the train that was cancelled, but there were plenty of spaces so it wasn’t a problem. But now I am tried and wishing I was just home. But I was still a little excited about my little adventure to Cranwell and the start of my RAF career. I’d remember this day in a few years time when I have finished my RAF training and off somewhere exciting for work!

The train took another hour or so to get to Grantham, and I felt thankful to be nearly there. I got off the train and went straight to the information desk to ask about the bus to Cranwell (I was told there is a free shuttle service to Cranwell). At first I didn’t understand where the bus was supposed to come from, so looked like an idiot walking up and down the front of the train station, but I decided to just go back inside and ask again.

Ah, wait just outside, the bus will come and stop just to the right of the front by the taxi rank. So, I waited.

And waited.

I was waiting for what felt like an hour. At this point I was done. I wanted to just get back on the train and go home.

But eventually a large white coach turned up and a load of people in suits started to walk to it. It was right by where I was told the Cranwell bus would stop, so I decided to just walk towards it myself and ask someone coming off it if it’s the Cranwell bus.

Two guys were walking past, and I asked if it was the Cranwell bus. It was. They too were in suits… I was suddenly feeling very underdressed! I was wearing a comfortable pair of summer trousers and a thin strapped top.

The bus driver wasn’t the most friendliest either. Demanded we wait at the back of the bus to put our bags in the back – I hadn’t really prepared myself for this so didn’t take anything out except my phone. We weren’t allowed to get on the bus before he got into the drivers seat and repeated a few times about putting on seat-belts. I felt like I was being told off by a drill sergeant!

When we got on, the bus driver was asking what course we were on, everyone was saying something that I didn’t understand. So I just assumed they were all already RAF juniors and were there to do a course or something. But it wasnt until I got to Cranwell and was standing in line in the guard room getting my pass that I realised they were all there for an Aptitude test, but they called it CBAT. Not only do I feel really underdressed, but I now feel stupid for not knowing it was a CBAT!

So, I made it to Cranwell eventually, got my room key to a small bedroom, made a few new friends and after changing slightly for dinner, followed my new friends to the Mess for dinner.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day! Setting an alarm for 05:30 and start testing at 07:00!

Watch this space for the next part! The aptitude test itself! (CBAT apparently!)

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Also, if you liked this, please do check out some of my other blog posts.

I walked the Salisbury Plain for charity (The HALO Trust – reducing landmines) – 34km!

Winning Earnesty Writer’s Award!

Dealing with low days

New Full Book Trailer! For Rose Garden Sanatorium

Rose Garden Sanatorium