First North Western (Rochdale), Transpennine Express, (Stalybridge) and now Northern have form for locking stations up leaving passengers crossing the tracks to exit or enter the station. The former two guilty parties, First North Western & Firstgroup TPE had both cut back on GPR (ie roving standby) staff thus when sickness occurred there was noone to unlock the stations.
Both firms initially denied this, but after grown-ups (HMRI/ORR I think) intervened promises were made to not do it again.
I'm guessing this was a failure by Northern control to tell staff to stay late due to the late running, unless a procedure is in place requiring staff on site to check.
People waiting for the first train from the Tameside station jumped down onto the railway and ran across tracks just minutes before the service arrived.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk