I experienced this once when arriving a Reading from Oxford, just a couple of minutes late, but still with about 6 minutes to make my connection. However there was an announcement to say the doors would remain locked while the train was coupled/uncoupled (can't remember which). This seemed to take quite a while as I looked forlornly across the platforms and could see my connection disappearing into the distance, while the doors were still locked. Only another hour to wait for the next onward train.
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Coupling and uncoupling with passengers on board
- Thread starter Bletchleyite
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I experienced this once when arriving a Reading from Oxford, just a couple of minutes late, but still with about 6 minutes to make my connection. However there was an announcement to say the doors would remain locked while the train was coupled/uncoupled (can't remember which). This seemed to take quite a while as I looked forlornly across the platforms and could see my connection disappearing into the distance, while the doors were still locked. Only another hour to wait for the next onward train.
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dk1
Veteran Member
Sounds like the two units didn't want to couple. Wouldn't normally take more than around 1-2mins. You where just unlucky.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's still very poor practice. More usual is to release doors, then close again, then couple, then reopen.
dk1
Veteran Member
When attatching at Ipswich with the two 170s a few years back the portion from Yarmouth came in second & attatched straight away without releasing the doors as it was found not doing this caused delay whilst people dawdled on/off then started holding doors for others whilst we tried closing them again. It was a very slick process.
Llanigraham
On Moderation
I'm intrigued to know why?
That certainly wouldn't work at Shrewsbury.
And in response to the opening query, at Shrewsbury all the coupling seems to be done in the forward direction, as that way the driver can see exactly what he is doing.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s I used to regularly use the overnight Liverpool/Manchester to Euston service as far as Stafford.
The first train would occupy the north end of platform 1 and have its locomotive detached.
The second train would go through Stafford on the through line, before reversing back into platform 1 and coupling with the other train, sometimes with quite a hefty jolt. They would then go forward to London as one train. All done with passengers on board.
I remember regularly seeing the puzzled looks of first time users, travelling to Stafford, as the second train went through Stafford station.
The first train would occupy the north end of platform 1 and have its locomotive detached.
The second train would go through Stafford on the through line, before reversing back into platform 1 and coupling with the other train, sometimes with quite a hefty jolt. They would then go forward to London as one train. All done with passengers on board.
I remember regularly seeing the puzzled looks of first time users, travelling to Stafford, as the second train went through Stafford station.
Qwerty133
Established Member
At least up until a few years ago, XC would semi-regularly perform couplings with passengers on board but no guard on board at Leicester in the evening peak.
With the TfW 158’s it’s much better to couple/uncouple right away before letting passengers on/off. This allows time for the driver to get off, get to the other end and set the cab up which can take 2/3 minutes due to the increadably slow boot up time for the ERTMS.
On terminating services.
Passengers should be let off first,then
when the train is empty, the driver can then proceed with coupling or uncoupling.
This operation should not be part of the passengers timetable and should be done inbetween services.
The trouble today is,everything is on a fast turn around and miles are squeezed out of every train,just like bus time tables.
Very little room for recovery when things go wrong.
We apologies for the late departure of B,this is due to the late arrival of A.!
Passengers should be let off first,then
when the train is empty, the driver can then proceed with coupling or uncoupling.
This operation should not be part of the passengers timetable and should be done inbetween services.
The trouble today is,everything is on a fast turn around and miles are squeezed out of every train,just like bus time tables.
Very little room for recovery when things go wrong.
We apologies for the late departure of B,this is due to the late arrival of A.!
Dr_Paul
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I've not for some time been on a 455 that coupled or uncoupled at Waterloo so I don't know what happens these days. I recall that when this happened in the past the train's doors were closed to prevent boarding/alighting and passengers already on board were told over the train's tannoy what was happening and warned that there might be some sudden jerks, which there usually were. I was on one 455 which took several attempts before it managed to couple to couple successfully to another one.
is this a train class issue? in that on some trains a gentle union is all that is needed. on others, maybe it needs a good old shunt to engage the couplers.
maybe some depots don't maintain couplers properly so they need more of a shove to work.
Any truth in this?
maybe some depots don't maintain couplers properly so they need more of a shove to work.
Any truth in this?
Northern used to do this with their Barrow/Blackpool to Manchester services at Preston but for some time have coupled immediately the rear train arrives.
Policy on SWR is that all coupling/uncoupling of 455 units should not be done with passengers on board. You will see train crew and platform staff emptying out trains at Waterloo prior to coupling and uncoupling. It doesn't happen too often anyway.
urpert
Member
I was kicked off a 170 at Marylebone because ‘they weren’t allowed to couple two trains with passengers on board’. I held my tongue rather than suggesting the Chiltern staff would be shocked by what goes on at Faversham or Hayward’s Heath. Though perhaps the fact Marylebone is a terminus is relevant.
scotraildriver
Established Member
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All services in Scotland at all locations including the caledonian sleeper couple and split with passengers on board. I don't think anyone's ever been injured.
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For about 150 years locos were changed, vehicles added by a pilot loco, emus joined up, etc, without any issue. No PA (because there wasn't one) to sit down, no locking of doors (because you couldn't), and what is more, in the train you never seemed to even feel it. This included emus which were driven directly on arrival into contact with the unit ahead, no prior stop, with passengers ready to alight. Never a problem.
If someone can tell me that reversing a steam loco from a cab with no rear lookout onto a train, often at night, with just a gentle kiss, is somehow easier than driving an emu with all mod cons, I will be interested to hear it.
If someone can tell me that reversing a steam loco from a cab with no rear lookout onto a train, often at night, with just a gentle kiss, is somehow easier than driving an emu with all mod cons, I will be interested to hear it.
Then you don't couple at terminuses by driving onto the train at the buffers, you drive the train at the buffers onto the newly arrived train.
I don't think I've ever seen it done the other way.
bramling
Veteran Member
Sounds like a typical part of the Chiltern “not quite all it’s cracked up to be” passenger experience. The same experience that holds everyone on the concourse until the very last moment, and provides a dirty 2-car DMU on a Birmingham service.
scotraildriver
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We MUST NEVER couple from the train at the buffers. Part of the coupling procedure is a pull away test, if you do it from the unit at the buffers and it splits you will collide with the buffers. All coupling in Scotland done from the far away unit.
I stand corrected, my apologies. I was completely misremembering, I've seen this hundreds of times at London Bridge.
I think I might have been getting confused because of people mentioning reversing to couple (I don't understand how that could ever make sense) and the driver will (at London Bridge anyway) go into the cab of the train at the buffers (on 171s anyway) to do something before coupling from the far away train.
The pull away test makes perfect sense, you wouldn't want to do that by reversing towards buffers. I suppose in theory you could couple from the train at the buffers then try to pull away by reversing from the rear cab of the other train, but I'm guessing that would be more involved, needing to drive in both cabs and go through whatever's needed to activate the cab of the train then disable it again?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, and sorry for the incorrect post all!
urpert
Member
I certainly wasn’t massively amused as I had two children and luggage in tow.
dk1
Veteran Member
It's quite a new thing really. Nobody ever really bothered until a few years ago. Before that they where more concerned about uncoupling towards & SPaDing the red
It has happened at Faversham ever since I can remember. Currently, units are coupled/ uncoupled including in the peaks with standing passengers. Not aware of any mishaps.
Ah for the old days of BR when the Newcastle and Leeds portions of a certain cross country service were joined at Sheffield.
One portion was drawn out of it's platform and then shunted forward and coupled onto the rear of the other portion.
Possibly the only instance in Britain where there was daily booked haulage by 08 shunter!
One portion was drawn out of it's platform and then shunted forward and coupled onto the rear of the other portion.
Possibly the only instance in Britain where there was daily booked haulage by 08 shunter!
Eccles1983
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Driving onto another train without stopping and physically checking alignment on my TOC would see you in bother.
I always check the unit I am coupling onto as well, firstly to make sure it's running and has enough air in it (a magnitude of problems can occur if it is flat)
I don't make people get on or off. If I can keep the doors closed first then it is better and quicker than fanny arsing about closing and opening them again.
I always check the unit I am coupling onto as well, firstly to make sure it's running and has enough air in it (a magnitude of problems can occur if it is flat)
I don't make people get on or off. If I can keep the doors closed first then it is better and quicker than fanny arsing about closing and opening them again.
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