A few thoughts on this:
- The previous arrival was only 10-15 minutes earlier. Without knowing details - I assume it would also have had a guard, if not passengers, who would have also been locked in had the station already been locked - that implies that the station had been locked up quickly, between the two trains.
- And as both trains seem to be daily except Sunday, to my mind, that makes a 'just forgot which day it was' excuse somewhat implausible. But hopefully Northern's investigation will come up with an answer on that.
- I don't thinks anyone has commented on the time taken (a couple of hours) for someone to turn up with a key, as to whether it was acceptable or not - my view is that it wasn't, and certainly should have been sooner. Certainly something for the investigation to look at.
- Northern/the railway were lucky that the guard was locked in with the passengers, and able to reassure them. Otherwise it could have been much worse. The investigation should be looking at what might have happened - as well as what did.
I'm basically in agreement with etr221 in respect of the above points.
There had actually been two trains which had arrived at Blackburn in the previous fourteen minutes - one was ECS, but you would imagine that there would still have been a conductor needing to alight. This ECS train arrived at 0016, so it seems likely that the station was locked between then and the arrival of the ex-Micklefield train at 0023. The ECS train by definition wouldn't have had passengers, otherwise the locker-up (a late-shift ticket collector?) would probably have been still checking the station when the Micklefield train arrived.
There is very little difference between the Monday-Friday and Saturday timetables, I don't know from where the idea came that the relevant train only runs Friday/Saturday. One difference between the two timetables, however, is that on Mondays to Fridays the ex-York (which is where it normally starts, six days per week) is not the last train scheduled to arrive at Blackburn, but on Saturdays it is. I think that fact may well be relevant here.
Yes, I think it should be questioned why someone needs to come thirty miles or so from Blackpool to release passengers trapped at Blackburn. Presumably if Blackburn station were to burn down overnight, the local Area Manager would hear about it on the TV News the next morning.
Point four, yes, I agree.
Scheduled arrivals at Blackburn, after midnight, midweek, are as follows.
2B99 2339 Clitheroe - Blackburn due 0001
2B63 2243 Rochdale - Blackburn (via Darwen) due 0002
2N98 2304 Manchester Victoria - Blackburn (via Todmorden) due 0012
1B49 2219 York - Blackburn due 0017
5N78 0011 ECS Colne - Blackburn King Street due Blackburn 0036
Saturdays 2B99, 2B63, and 2N98 as Mondays to Fridays. Then:
5N78 2357 ECS Burnley Central - Blackburn King Street due Blackburn 0016
1B49 2219 York - Blackburn due 0021
On Saturday 6/11/21 5N78 was on time, and 1B49, as has been stated, was two minutes late. I think it will transpire that the locker-up simply lost track of which trains had been in, and which hadn't.