Unscheduled stops at passenger request

[trebor79]

Currently on my way to Liverpool Street. After the Manningtree stop, on my way back from the buffet, I was accosted by a panicked young man. He'd boarded to go the Colchester for his A Levels and had realised this train was non stop to London.
Confirmed that this was the case with me, he was getting really upset. I suggested he speak to the guard as there might be a remote chance they could stop make an unscheduled stop at Colchester.
The answer as I suspected was no, but worth a try for the young chap. I don't think the guard rang control perhaps knowing there was no point.

It got me wondering, would a train ever be stopped for someone in these circumstances? Are some TOCs more likely than others to do this or is it pretty unusual for it to happen.

Appreciate they can't be doing extra stops willy nilly or it would descend into chaos, and it's passengers responsibility to make sure they get on the right train. But are there ever extenuating circumstances other than life threatening illness or other dangerous circumstance that would count?

Feel sorry for him, it's the one service per day that calls at Manningtree but not Colchester. I think he was in a rush and assumed they all called at Colchester.

 

[yorkie]

It can happen, but it's rather unlikely at somewhere like Colchester in the morning peak due to the disruption any delay would cause.

 

[pompeyfan]

Not exactly the same but when there’s disruption and you get a run fast order, it’s not uncommon for the guard to get an additional stop put in somewhere. And example is a train that’s been told to run fast via Basingstoke from Hilsea to Woking, but the guard stops the train additionally at Cosham to allow people to change to head back to Havant. Also had it where a run fast was ordered but the train had 30 foreign students on and didn’t understand what was happening, so the train was stopped to allow them off.

 

[choochoochoo]

I've had it on DOO operation when told of a distressed vulnerable passenger by other passengers.

That passenger had taken an express train rather than the stopper.

Spoke to the signaller and we stopped at the next station so they could take the next stopper back in the opposite direction.

Obviously these things depend on train length requirements. But my thinking is what's the harm ? Especially if said passenger is going to pull a passcom out of desperation and you're going to have to stop and investigate/reset. Which then takes even longer.

 

[Essexman]

A German ICE train stopped specially to let me off once, when a WW2 bomb found in Cologne meant bit was being diverted. It had been announced at Frankfurt Airport station but I'd got to the platform at the last minute and just jumped on. The guard arranged for it to stop somewhere where I could board another train for Cologne.

 

[dk1]

It happens frequently on the 06:48 ex-Norwich from Manningtree & even the 07:40 from Ipswich with passengers not checking the stopping pattern. I have never known the trains to make an additional stop for such types. They are advised to take the first available service back from Liverpool Street.

 

[Antman]

Currently on my way to Liverpool Street. After the Manningtree stop, on my way back from the buffet, I was accosted by a panicked young man. He'd boarded to go the Colchester for his A Levels and had realised this train was non stop to London.
Confirmed that this was the case with me, he was getting really upset. I suggested he speak to the guard as there might be a remote chance they could stop make an unscheduled stop at Colchester.
The answer as I suspected was no, but worth a try for the young chap. I don't think the guard rang control perhaps knowing there was no point.

It got me wondering, would a train ever be stopped for someone in these circumstances? Are some TOCs more likely than others to do this or is it pretty unusual for it to happen.

Appreciate they can't be doing extra stops willy nilly or it would descend into chaos, and it's passengers responsibility to make sure they get on the right train. But are there ever extenuating circumstances other than life threatening illness or other dangerous circumstance that would count?

Feel sorry for him, it's the one service per day that calls at Manningtree but not Colchester. I think he was in a rush and assumed they all called at Colchester.

It's an easy mistake to make to be fair and it might have helped if there was an announcement emphasising the fact that the train does not call at Colchester. I just hope no attempt was made to charge him for the trip to London that he obviously intend to make? In fairness most staff tend to be understanding in such circumstances.

 

[Glenn1969]

I also hope he managed to get to Colchester in time to sit his exam!

 

[trebor79]

There was certainly a couple of announcements on the train, but he may not have listened or heard them in the hubbub of boarding.
Stuff happens I guess.

 

[trebor79]

I also hope he managed to get to Colchester in time to sit his exam!

Impossible. Arrived Liverpool Street at 10 to 9 and he needed to be at school for quarter past.
I guess he'll have to either plead with the university, or defer his application to next year and sit the exam in the interim.

 

[Killingworth]

A few years ago TPE were asked if they could stop a late evening Manchester Airport - Cleethorpes service at Dore. I don't know how it happened but understand it was boarded at Stockport to make a connection with a late running WCML service that would have been missed at Piccadilly. The stop was announced on the train and 3 or 4 got off at Dore. Or so the legend goes.

Whatever, there must have been enough room to do it and that stop subsequently got put into the regular timetable. But I've probably got it all wrong!

 

[Glenn1969]

Maybe the No was because there was another train 6 minutes behind that did stop at Colchester and the guard didn't want to run the risk of knock on delay? I suppose if he let the school know his predicament he could sit the exam late?

 

[strangemonk]

You wouldn't believe the amount of people who just jump on trains at LST with luggage so my automatic assumption is either Stansted Airport or manningteee for Harwich international and don't check what it is or where it's going , when it starts moving they start trying to pull the handles of the door down to get out . I think over the years passengers are getting more and more stupid , honestly you have to baby spoon Information would you just run to terminal 4 and try to board a plane that looked similar to Menorca? No you would check your ticket then the departure screen to see what you had to get to but with trains all common sense is out the window then it's the train companies fault they missed there flight because they didn't bother to read the departure board on the main concourse the platform or there phones which they likely use 24/7 for irrelevant use.

 

[OliverS]

I've had two trains over the years put in an extra stop for me. First one was where the previous train missed Culham, so the dozen of us wanting to go there got off at Didcot and persuaded the next northbound train to put in an extra stop. The other was when the electricity was off around Ipswich and I was trying to get to Manningtree. A DMU bound for Harwich Int pulled in and the guard agreed to stop at Mistley where two of us got off. In neither case was the problem due to my fault, and that might have made a difference. Asking politely helped I'm sure.

 

[rich r]

There are procedures in place for resitting A-levels if you're unable to attend due to transport issues, illness or other extenuating circumstances. Sometimes they'll arrange for you to sit it a few days later whilst a different exam is taking place, or send you to another school/college that'd doing that paper on another day. As long as he let his school/college know he couldn't get there, they'll contact the exam board and arrange things. Of course he'll be stressed enough going to an exam so might not perform as well as expected - but these things do happen.

 

[3141]

I once got a rail replacement bus to make an extra stop. About fifteen years ago, when it was WAGN who ran the services to Hertford North. The last train from London only stopped at Bayford on Friday and Saturday nights, but I was travelling on Thursday and had misread the timetable. Luckily for me there was overnight work somewhere and replacement buses from Gordon Hill. After calling at Cuffley the bus travelled via Bayford village so I was able to ask the driver to stop there and let me off.

 

[maxbarnish]

I have seen this in certain cases - many on the same journey. A while ago, so some details a bit vague but point illustrated I hope. During major WCML disruption due to overhead wire issues at Carstairs, no Edinburgh to Euston services were running and everyone had to go first to Glasgow Central, where there were long queues. Just before our train - trains were running all late - an additional train left for Preston. But due to the queues, someone for Penrith hadn't been able to board that one so ours took an additional stop. Later in same journey, an additional call at Rugby was made since there was no connecting train to that station left at any of our calling points due to the delay. At the same time, a young girl - maybe just over 18 maybe under - had fallen asleep and missed her stop at I think it was Preston. At one of our scheduled stops, station staff were arranged to meet her and our guard via control got a train going the other direction to make an unscheduled to pick her up and take her back to her station, to avoid having to lay on a taxi or hotel, and the issues of a vulnerable young person who was crying about having missed stop. It's not something that's done often - probably mainly in major disruption, late at night, or in cases of vulnerable persons - I do think the child going to Colchester seems to fall into that category so surprised that the Colchester additional was apparently denied.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There are procedures in place for resitting A-levels if you're unable to attend due to transport issues, illness or other extenuating circumstances. Sometimes they'll arrange for you to sit it a few days later whilst a different exam is taking place, or send you to another school/college that'd doing that paper on another day. As long as he let his school/college know he couldn't get there, they'll contact the exam board and arrange things. Of course he'll be stressed enough going to an exam so might not perform as well as expected - but these things do happen.

That's interesting, as I thought a given paper was sat at the same time throughout the country to avoid the questions being leaked. Is there a backup paper with different questions for that purpose?

 

[Bertie the bus]

About 15 years ago I was travelling from Lancashire – New Milton on a Sunday. There was major disruption on the XC network and I was in danger of missing the last service from Bournemouth back to New Milton. I spoke to the guard and the train made an unscheduled stop at New Milton for me and one other passenger. The guard said if he released the doors control would get to know about it and he would have questions to answer, so we were ushered through the driver's cab of the Voyager to alight.

 

[johntea]

Sadly I doubt the exam board will take any mercy whatsoever with 'caught the wrong train'!

Another interesting story is a few years ago when we had the bad snow I was working as IT support in education, I literally battled my way in to work before noticing they had told everyone to basically stay at home, so when I got in I assumed I would be able to go home, nope the exams officer turned up at the door and they had an exam running still despite the weather!

 

[BJames]

After major disruption from Liverpool one night a while ago, we were on the last train back to Euston, and a lady sitting opposite us who couldn't get back to Watford Junction asked for an additional stop to be put on. Unfortunately, the guard couldn't organise this and she told us that she was forced to stay at her friend's house in London instead, as there was nothing else leaving Euston to go up north. I think there really could have been an opportunity to stop at Watford, especially as the disruption this day had meant there were large gaps in the service, and an additional stop had already been put on for Milton Keynes.

That's interesting, as I thought a given paper was sat at the same time throughout the country to avoid the questions being leaked. Is there a backup paper with different questions for that purpose?

No. You're right, there is no option to sit the paper at a later date, and schools/colleges/centres cannot choose to change the time that they sit their exams. The only time that an exam can be sat at a time other than when it should be is when a student has a clash (two exams at the same time) and they will be kept in isolation, under the supervision of the invigilators, in the room until the exam they couldn't do is done in the afternoon setting. This may have been an option for the student at a push, but to be honest, if he was over an hour late to the exam hall then I'm really not sure that he would have been allowed to sit the paper.

 

[cuccir]

Fans (like myself) of the Merseytart rail blogger (who has visited all stations on the Northern map and is now working his way through the West Midlands Railway map) might remember the story of when he visited Teesside Airport: the train which was meant to call there skipped the stop unannounced to make up time. After he complained on Twitter, Northern added a stop into a later service so that he could get off there.

 

[Fudgefrog]

About 20 years or so ago me and a parent were trying to travel back from Charing Cross towards Croydon at about 10pm at night, and the platform staff hurried us onto a Connex South Eastern that it turned out was fast to Tumbridge Wells. After watching it head straight through London Bridge and checking with other passengers, we went and found the guard ho contacted the driver, and because of a combination of me being quite young, that we would end up stranded in Tunbridge Wells late at night, and that it was platform staff that had caused the problem, they agreed to stop the train at a station where we could get another back towards either London or Croydon. It was one of the old slam door stock, so the guard hurried us out as soon as the train came to a stop. They gave the distinct impression they didn’t have permission to stop the train - I don’t know if that kind of thing was just less detectable by management back then? Either way we greatly appreciated it

 

[philthetube]

I have seen an additional stop arranged in advance to pick up a large group of bird spotters at Berney arms.


When their was a service from Colne, sometime around 9, which did not stop at Burnley Barracks I have seen the driver stop, presumably in error, and the guard then, looking surprised, open the doors to allow a passenger to board.

 

[LowLevel]

It depends on the circumstances and the route. I've done it plenty of times. I have a good working relationship with control and the train running controllers know I won't ask without considering the impact and alternatives, I think I've only been turned down once.

Two examples that were easily sorted and avoided several issues without causing disruption -

First I was working an evening peak service from Liverpool that called at Chinley and was Express to Dore crossing the stopper in Totley Tunnel. We were late and arrived at the same time the up stopper should have when Chinley had no customer info system. I checked the only person who boarded's ticket and he wanted Bamford. It would have been a near 3 hour delay via Sheffield with the old timetable so I radioed control and got authority to drop him off via the local door quickly and instructed the driver to stop as such. It's a steep downhill gradient away from Bamford so we arrived at Dore having lost less than 2 minutes and the gent was exceedingly grateful.

Secondly one Sunday evening I was working a late Norwich to Nottingham diverted Express via Melton Mowbray because of engineering work. I picked a chap up at Ely who had misread the engineering timetables coming from Ipswich and missed the last Cross Country service to Stamford. I asked the question and control agreed we could stop quickly to put him off there as the schedule was slack with no traffic about.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

It depends on the circumstances and the route. I've done it plenty of times. I have a good working relationship with control and the train running controllers know I won't ask without considering the impact and alternatives, I think I've only been turned down once.

Two examples that were easily sorted and avoided several issues without causing disruption -

First I was working an evening peak service from Liverpool that called at Chinley and was Express to Dore crossing the stopper in Totley Tunnel. We were late and arrived at the same time the up stopper should have when Chinley had no customer info system. I checked the only person who boarded's ticket and he wanted Bamford. It would have been a near 3 hour delay via Sheffield with the old timetable so I radioed control and got authority to drop him off via the local door quickly and instructed the driver to stop as such. It's a steep downhill gradient away from Bamford so we arrived at Dore having lost less than 2 minutes and the gent was exceedingly grateful.

Secondly one Sunday evening I was working a late Norwich to Nottingham diverted Express via Melton Mowbray because of engineering work. I picked a chap up at Ely who had misread the engineering timetables coming from Ipswich and missed the last Cross Country service to Stamford. I asked the question and control agreed we could stop quickly to put him off there as the schedule was slack with no traffic about.

Have you ever stopped specially to drop off 'undesirable' passengers ?

 

[rich r]

Is there a backup paper with different questions for that purpose?

Yes - most exam boards offer more than one paper for situations like these, or so I'm led to believe by friends of mine who teach A levels.

 

[Elecman]

Yes - most exam boards offer more than one paper for situations like these, or so I'm led to believe by friends of mine who teach A levels.

How would the board moderate the grade of a very small number of people who took the alternative paper, it is impossible to make 2 different paper in the same subject to mark identically? Hence why i believe this isnt the case

 

[LowLevel]

Have you ever stopped specially to drop off 'undesirable' passengers ?

I once stopped a full and standing train at Dore due to a mass punch up breaking out but you can't get away with stopping in the middle of nowhere to kick fare evaders out anymore (sadly). Marchington old station between Uttoxeter and Derby was always a favourite for that. Abandoning 'not paying, what are you going to do about it?' merchants in the middle of nowhere was a railway sport at one time.

 

[Mag_seven]

He'd boarded to go the Colchester for his A Levels and had realised this train was non stop to London.

I hope his exam was not in railway timetable reading.