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Trivia: National Rail platforms where doors can open on both sides

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vic-rijrode

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Banbury (General) used to have a north-facing bay with platforms on both sides, but it's been gone a long while.
 
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Grecian 1998

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In theory Templecombe, although what used to be the sole platform on the up side was closed in 2012 when the down platform extended out to replace it.

There was an incident a few weeks later where the guard on a Waterloo bound service opened the doors on the up side (presumably out of habit), assumed that no-one wanted to alight or board, and closed the doors. The passengers who had tried to alight from the down side were less than delighted at being carried on to Gillingham.
 

High Dyke

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Grantham?
The shorter side, facing the 'Western' platform is the one designated the platform number. However, on numerous occasions the side facing platform 2 is used for 4-car formations, but drivers are advised when they're being signalled into the bay under those circumstances.

Nottingham Bay (P2) is similar, but the doors are only opened on one side.
 

King Lazy

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Carlisle has been mentioned, specifically platform 2.

Door release is usually given on the side closest to platform 3 and this is where passengers wait to board but it was fairly common for conductors to release the doors on the side closest to platform 1 at busy times when it was desirable to prevent large numbers attempting to board immediately.

An example in the past was the old 1717ish arrival/1727 departure. On arrival there would already be a large number waiting and a large number wishing to get off. The train arrived as 2x153 and was booked to split and leave a 153 behind in the bay. Releasing the doors often resulted in passengers immediately boarding and then being unhappy after locating a seat at being told that unit was being detached.

Many conductors would release on the P1 side, allow everyone to alight, close the doors for the units to uncouple and then the doors would be released on the P3 side to allow the new passengers to board.
 

357

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Haven't read the whole thread but on most (all?) trains, the door close button will close all the doors on both sides. They aren't differentiated at all.
 

randyrippley

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Yeovil Pen Mill between platforms 1 and 2. However the doors are never opened for the platform 2 side and AFAIA that platform face has no advertised service.
It was built for cross-platform transfers to the Taunton line.

Ulverston is similar, for transfers to the Lakeside line
 

skyhigh

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Haven't read the whole thread but on most (all?) trains, the door close button will close all the doors on both sides. They aren't differentiated at all.
It doesn't work like that on any stock I sign
 

357

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It doesn't work like that on any stock I sign
Not all then. What is it you sign out of interest?

I'm thinking of Electrostars, Aventras and a couple of other older units where any door close button will close both sides
 

John Luxton

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Carlisle has been mentioned, specifically platform 2.

Door release is usually given on the side closest to platform 3 and this is where passengers wait to board but it was fairly common for conductors to release the doors on the side closest to platform 1 at busy times when it was desirable to prevent large numbers attempting to board immediately.

An example in the past was the old 1717ish arrival/1727 departure. On arrival there would already be a large number waiting and a large number wishing to get off. The train arrived as 2x153 and was booked to split and leave a 153 behind in the bay. Releasing the doors often resulted in passengers immediately boarding and then being unhappy after locating a seat at being told that unit was being detached.

Many conductors would release on the P1 side, allow everyone to alight, close the doors for the units to uncouple and then the doors would be released on the P3 side to allow the new passengers to board.
Yesterday I took 12:10 Carlisle to Barrow first time using this service. When train arrived in P2 some passengers were waiting each side.

I waited with about half the passengers on 3 side. The 1 side doors opened and everyone ran around only to be told to go back to the other side.

The train I was on did not split. Whilst I can see it is desirable to control flow of passengers would not a notice be useful indicating boarding will be on 3 side? Some passengers with luggage were grumbling a bit.
 
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