Disruption north of St Albans City Station evening of 10/04

[John Webb]

While at St Albans South signal box last night, we became very aware of numerous emergency vehicles attending the City station and no train movements for around half an hour. We gathered something had happened at or beyond the north end of the station on the fast lines. Has anyone any information on what had happened, please?

 

[GW43125]

While at St Albans South signal box last night, we became very aware of numerous emergency vehicles attending the City station and no train movements for around half an hour. We gathered something had happened at or beyond the north end of the station on the fast lines. Has anyone any information on what had happened, please?

I seem to recall being told about a fatality in the Luton area, so could be that.

 

[DarloRich]

I think this one turned out not to be a death but was still a trespasser on the line.

 

[tsr]

A driver had a very near miss with a trespasser, and believed they'd hit them until it was found that the trespasser was still alive. As the culprit was still on the railway and by all accounts very distressed, the service was slow to resume (and for a time trains could only run on a couple of lines and with extreme caution) whilst emergency services dealt with the issue.

 

[Saint66]

A number of resources were dispatched, including the police helicopter. Thankfully the trespasser wasn't struck as initially believed.

 

[Bald Rick]

Not only was the miscreant not struck by a train, he (or she) wasn't found either.

I was tempted to go out and get him (or her) myself as it was not far from my back yard.

 

[WaveyDavey]

A suicidal person tried to jump in front of a train coming in to the station at St Albans. They were stopped by station staff and other passengers. They eventually struggled free and were last seen leaving the station via a taxi. The BTP were trying to trace where the taxi took the person so that it could be confirmed they weren't going to try the same thing again elsewhere. Hence the slow recovery of normal working.

 

[Bald Rick]

A suicidal person tried to jump in front of a train coming in to the station at St Albans. They were stopped by station staff and other passengers. They eventually struggled free and were last seen leaving the station via a taxi. The BTP were trying to trace where the taxi took the person so that it could be confirmed they weren't going to try the same thing again elsewhere. Hence the slow recovery of normal working.

The incident described above happened at Hemel Hempstead, about an hour or so later.

What happened at St Albans was different, and did not involve someone trying to jump in front of a train.

 

[John Webb]

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated.

 

[38Cto15E]

Way back when there used to be cases of persons in front of trains who resided at nearby Napsbury (Mental Hospital?)

 

[Abpj17]

Something odd happened Monday morning as well. We were told that someone had jumped under a train at Bedford (but the delays weren't at all consistent with a fatality, trespasser or injury).

 

[Bald Rick]

Something odd happened Monday morning as well. We were told that someone had jumped under a train at Bedford (but the delays weren't at all consistent with a fatality, trespasser or injury).

Apparently that was someone who fell off the platform, not jumped.

 

[John Webb]

Way back when there used to be cases of persons in front of trains who resided at nearby Napsbury (Mental Hospital?)

Correct - but the hospital closed in the 1980s and is now housing.

 

[tsr]

Apparently that was someone who fell off the platform, not jumped.

Somebody fell between a platform and a train in the morning peak, causing quite a significant number of delay minutes.