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Fatality at Tyseley (09/04)

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stourboy

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Very sad this morning when the 0714 from Worcester Foregate Street which I had been on since Stourbridge, hit a person at Tyseley station causing a fatality. It appears someone jumped down from the bridge at Tyseley station into the path of the train.

You never think something like this will happen to you, but unfortunately it did today. Didn't realise it was a fatality until it was announced by the guard - there was a bump followed by heavy braking, causing bits of ballast to flick up onto the windows, making me think someone had lobbed a load of stones at the train from Tyseley platform. Smoke emitting from underneath the train caused passengers in my carriage to move to the next one in a panic.

Full credit to the LM crew - they were superb throughout, and no passenger complained. When we started moving again, the guard gave the details for how we could make a complaint, but I think it would take a pretty heartless person to do so given how well he dealt with the situation and how well we were kept informed.

After an hour at a stand we moved onto Acocks Green where the service terminated, and I got a bus onto Solihull.

Thoughts with the driver and the person's family.
 
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trainophile

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I think it must be something we all dread these days, and even when handled in a sensitive manner by the train crew it must shake all the passengers up, and stay with them for some time :( .

Sorry you had this experience, and very sorry that someone felt there was no other way through their troubles :( .

My heart goes out to the driver and guard, and of course the bereaved family.
 

Simon11

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If you felt that LM Staff were superb, please do send your comments to Customer Services. I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated by the members of staff involved and could see them receive a reward for their handling of the incident.
 

Old Hill Bank

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We had a report on our Facebook site about this from someone who was on the train and the conductor did a top job, well done mate.
 

Greenback

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I've been on a service that has struck a person. It's not pleasant, but I can't say it affected me any more than the usual feelings of sadness at someone's passing. I didn't feel shaken up, I have to say.

In my incident the conductor was also brilliant.
 

sutty

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I was on this train this morning. I knew something was amiss when the engines throttled back and the brakes came on hard. I was scared we were going to crash because the train was wobbling and I could hear a lot of bumping under the floor. To hear the guard announcement that there had been a fatality.

Really very impressed with how the staff and driver conducted themselves. I feel upset for the driver, though. he was just stunned into silence.

Hope the family of the deceased are getting the help they need too.
 

96tommy

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Always a sad event. I've both witnessed one and been on a train where one has happened (both within a week as well..) and it is something you can't imagine getting used to.
Good to see the staff did their job well, it is a situation they wish they probably never have to go through. Thoughts with all involved
 

mr_moo

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I've been on an FGW train that hit someone before - about 4 or 5 months ago now. I was also really impressed with how the crew dealt with it, and wrote to FGW to say well done to their staff for handling it so well. I got a nice reply back saying it was rare for people to give positive feedback and it was really appreciated, and they would pass my comments on to all staff involved.
 

Antman

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I've been on an FGW train that hit someone before - about 4 or 5 months ago now. I was also really impressed with how the crew dealt with it, and wrote to FGW to say well done to their staff for handling it so well. I got a nice reply back saying it was rare for people to give positive feedback and it was really appreciated, and they would pass my comments on to all staff involved.

I would certainly always give a TOC positive feedback when appropriate and I have done so on many occasions.

Very sad to hear about these incidents today and as always my thoughts go to all those who were affected.
 

stourboy

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If you felt that LM Staff were superb, please do send your comments to Customer Services. I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated by the members of staff involved and could see them receive a reward for their handling of the incident.

l already have done via social media, and LM are going to pass the message on. Several others on the train did as well.

I should add - I believe the person concerned jumped from the platform rather than the bridge, so my OP was factually incorrect.

Thoughts with all those who actually witnessed the incident (passengers on the platform included) or had to deal with the aftermath. Was quite surreal to be in a deathly quiet train hearing the sirens at the station and police/ambulance/NR staff on the lineside.
 

RichmondCommu

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These poor souls choose to throw themselves in front of a train because they cannot bear the thought of their families (and all too often parents) finding them after they've gone. The image of your child hanging in front of you would stay with you for the rest of your days.

These poor souls are not cowards, they have simply had enough. The sad fact is no matter how they choose to end their lives the impact on others will be devastating and that of course includes train drivers. A very sad day and tonight that poor soul's family will be in bits. Not to mention the driver.

Life can be very cruel at times I'm afraid.
 

sutty

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These poor souls choose to throw themselves in front of a train because they cannot bear the thought of their families (and all too often parents) finding them after they've gone. The image of your child hanging in front of you would stay with you for the rest of your days.

These poor souls are not cowards, they have simply had enough. The sad fact is no matter how they choose to end their lives the impact on others will be devastating and that of course includes train drivers. A very sad day and tonight that poor soul's family will be in bits. Not to mention the driver.

Life can be very cruel at times I'm afraid.

Have to state my profound disagreement here. Lord forbid I ever have to witness a member of my family taking their own life. Though, I certainly feel that I'd rather help them with their dignity had they chosen another method, rather than having to identify a member of my family from coroners photos. Drivers and any others who have gone through what happened yesterday will attest to the fact that the physical effects on a human being hit are not anything you'd want to feel again. Without too much detail, I felt a number of things hit me through the floor. I can't get that out of my head. I wont ever say they're cowards, but it is a selfish way to go.
 

Antman

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Have to state my profound disagreement here. Lord forbid I ever have to witness a member of my family taking their own life. Though, I certainly feel that I'd rather help them with their dignity had they chosen another method, rather than having to identify a member of my family from coroners photos. Drivers and any others who have gone through what happened yesterday will attest to the fact that the physical effects on a human being hit are not anything you'd want to feel again. Without too much detail, I felt a number of things hit me through the floor. I can't get that out of my head. I wont ever say they're cowards, but it is a selfish way to go.

In the cold light of day perhaps it is a selfish act but often these poor souls just need to escape from the hell that is their life and won't be thinking as rationally as you or I.
 

SPADTrap

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These poor souls choose to throw themselves in front of a train because they cannot bear the thought of their families (and all too often parents) finding them after they've gone

Even at high speed a person won't just disappear..
 

MCR247

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But it won't be the families finding/cleaning up their bodies after they've done it, that was his point.
 

RichmondCommu

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But it won't be the families finding/cleaning up their bodies after they've done it, that was his point.

Well exactly! Thanks for posting this.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Even at high speed a person won't just disappear..

No of course not but they are sparing their children / wife / husband / partner / siblings and perhaps saddest of all their parents from finding them.
 

RPM

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I do find all the usual comments about railway suicides being “selfish” rather dull and predictable. Of course it is selfish, but that is a matter of complete irrelevance. As a comment it is as redundant and ridiculous as saying “jumping in front of a train is dangerous”. Clearly it is both dangerous and selfish, but if your life has reached the point where you want to do such a thing you are way beyond appreciating the niceties of how in might affect others. Railway suicides are a tragedy for everyone involved. That’s where we should leave it.
 

61653 HTAFC

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As someone who has come close to "ending it all" in the past, my thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased, and of course to the poor driver.

But what these incidents highlight for me is the lack of funding for mental health services. When someone jumps in front of a hundred tonnes of speeding metal, it's because they've reached rock bottom. All the anti-suicide fencing and blue lighting in the world might not stop them at that point, so surely it's better to try and help them before they get to that point.

Again, my deepest sympathy to all those affected.
 

the sniper

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Well exactly! Thanks for posting this.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

No of course not but they are sparing their children / wife / husband / partner / siblings and perhaps saddest of all their parents from finding them.

I'm not sure I buy into this. At least two of the ones I attended were the complete opposite of wanting to spare their families. So many choose the railway purely because they believe it's a certain, quick way out. Now this isn't always the case, but these people aren't aware of the slow, painful way out (or not) that it can be as the media don't really report the details of those incidences.

I'm also of the belief that people shouldn't shy away from calling these suicides a selfish act. Simply that's what they are if you consider the impact they have on others. That doesn't mean these people can really be blamed for that though. Considering what their mind has allowed them to do to themselves, they can't really be held culpable for the impact that act has on others.
 

SouthStand

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I was on this train this morning. I knew something was amiss when the engines throttled back and the brakes came on hard. I was scared we were going to crash because the train was wobbling and I could hear a lot of bumping under the floor. To hear the guard announcement that there had been a fatality.

Really very impressed with how the staff and driver conducted themselves. I feel upset for the driver, though. he was just stunned into silence.

Hope the family of the deceased are getting the help they need too.

Off-topic, but it always amazes me that whenever there's an "incident" of some description, a forum member was on/saw that train. Considering the number of services each day and the number of forum members, this really shouldn't happen.
 

Merseysider

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Off-topic, but it always amazes me that whenever there's an "incident" of some description, a forum member was on/saw that train. Considering the number of services each day and the number of forum members, this really shouldn't happen.
Well as there are nearly 24,000 members on this forum, a sizeable proportion of whom are train staff or regular travellers, I'd say it's highly probably that a high proportion of incidents will be witnessed by someone. Now back on topic...
 
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