If, as the rail industry has taught me, being on a train beyond the validity of my ticket is worthy of a day in court and a criminal record, then I'd consider my inability to alight as an emergency.
As it would be accidental, it would merely be a Byelaw offence, so
not recordable, but it's still a 'strict liability' criminal offence so I certainly note your point: the rail industry cannot have it 'both ways'. The good news is that the appalling Byelaws in question are very rarely actually implemented 'to the letter' by the vast majority of, far more sensible, staff 'on the ground' so to speak.
A very well respected member of rail staff stated very early on in this thread that it is " due cause" to pull the cord when "the train had missed a booked stop". That's not quite the same thing as someone preventing you exiting, but if someone has been physically prevented from exiting by selfish individuals then, I can understand that some people would do it.
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So wouldn't it be better for their bosses to allow them to have a few beers on the oil rigs of an evening, so they don't binge?
No. Apart from the reasons against it already stated, if they're incapable of avoiding binging the instant they get off the oil rig, then I would say the person responsible has 'issues' and they need to seek help for that. I just cannot understand the mentality of anyone who immediately starts drinking early in the morning and drinks throughout the day. If one of those louts has impended the passenger getting off then I do feel sorry for him.
I personally would have just carried on to the next stop and doubled-back; this has happened to me at least twice (Oldham Werneth to Mumps and Doncaster to Peterborough) but I can understand why people would see being over-carried to a city nearly 50 miles away as being an 'emergency' - it is
to them, albeit not to the railway. If they understood the possible implications I am sure many of them would not do it though!