Falling Asleep

[rosscbrown]

I often find myself on trains when I would rather be in bed but so far I've managed not to fall asleep and miss my station. However, that's mostly due to my station being at the end of the line.

So, what is the policy when you fall asleep? What do you get charged, or is humiliation the only price you pay?

 

[merlodlliw]

I often find myself on trains when I would rather be in bed but so far I've managed not to fall asleep and miss my station. However, that's mostly due to my station being at the end of the line.

So, what is the policy when you fall asleep? What do you get charged, or is humiliation the only price you pay?

One would hope common sense would prevail, unless the conductor/guard is
a pure company person. Perhaps proof of your destination via your ticket.

 

[chrisblore]

I managed to do this the other night, missing my stop (Billericay) and carrying on to the end of the line (Southend Victoria). It was a stupid thing to do but I'd been really, really tired after a very busy day of work and simply couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I'd missed the last train home so the only thing it cost me was the £40 for the taxi fare home. Let's just say I'm going to be more careful in future!

 

[GB]

I would imagine you would be ejected at the next available station where you would then have to purchase a ticket to get back to your orignal destination. I can't see most guards/conductors giving you a penalty fare, be then again there is always at least one jobs worth so who knows!

 

[scrapy]

Its amazing how many people can get on, fall into a deep sleep within seconds, and be totally dead to the world when the guard comes round asking for tickets. Then amazingly they can wake up at exactly the right moment for their stop. I can't fall asleep that quick in bed let alone on a train.

Just an observation.

 

[delt1c]

This thread reminds of a slight mishap i had in the mid 1970's. Myself and a fellow group of enthusiasts went on a Mystery tour from Glasgow Central, destination turned out to be Rhyl (although we new that ), anyway we had a great day and a few jars of local Ale plus some lubrication for the journey north.
On arrival at Glasgow my (so called) mates assisted me onto a Largs train (so i thought) . Woke up at around 3am on a Sunday morning arriving at Crewe . Seems they put me on an overnighter, anyway fortunatley I managed to catch a northbound overnighter back to Glasgow, guard had a good laugh and no excess was charged. Not a bad weekends travelling.

 

[Bittern]

this thread reminds of a slight mishap i had in the mid 1970's. Myself and a fellow group of enthusiasts went on a mystery tour from glasgow central, destination turned out to be rhyl (although we new that ), anyway we had a great day and a few jars of local ale plus some lubrication for the journey north.
On arrival at glasgow my (so called) mates assisted me onto a largs train (so i thought) . Woke up at around 3am on a sunday morning arriving at crewe . Seems they put me on an overnighter, anyway fortunatley i managed to catch a northbound overnighter back to glasgow, guard had a good laugh and no excess was charged. Not a bad weekends travelling.

lol!

 

[HSTfan!!!]

We often get people crawling off the last trains from PAD who've fallen asleep trying to get to Reading, Didcot, Bristol. Nothing you can do except tell them the first train of the morning and send them on their way.

More worrying is there is a FGW driver who is rumoured to fall asleep when driving and seems to somehow wake in time for stations etc.

 

[Bayum]

I was coming back from Kings Cross, couldn't be bothered waiting for the next Leeds train at the time...

Fell asleep, somewhere around Stevenage I think... Woke up in Newcastle =|

Wasn't impressed

 

[Aictos]

With me I had gone on a shunter's course and spent the rest of one day having a look at the yard which we were going to get examined on, anyway we all got the same train back to Peterborough and before the train had even left the station I was fast asleep!

Beat that!

Still when I use to commute to Kings Cross from Peterborough with GNER at the time, I had a uncanny ability to wake up everytime when passing either Bounds Green or Hornsey!

 

[mumrar]

More worrying is there is a FGW driver who is rumoured to fall asleep when driving and seems to somehow wake in time for stations etc.

A great story, but it can only be a story. He can't be falling asleep for 59sec at a time, reset vigilance, fall back asleep again, or reset AWS, slow down for speed restrictions etc whilst in the land of nod!

 

[Bittern]

Fell asleep on the Glasgow Central - Whifflet train once before it even came to Carmyle! When I woke up, we were almost at Whifflet, and I thought we were arriving in Carmyle. But that's it.

 

[350401]

I've had a few experiences of dozing off on the train home, and missing my stop. There is nothing so gut wrenching as waking up with a start, only to see the station (usually Chelford) sliding out of view. Guard usually never notices, and I get off at next stop (usually Goostrey) and have a nice 4 mile walk home to face. The odd time I've ended up at Crewe, the guard has let me stay on as the way diagrams are, the train usually forms the return Crewe-Mcr service, thus stopping at CEL. However, twice I've fallen asleep when catching the 23.38 to CEL after a boozy evening out with uni mates and ended up in Crewe. Penalty was an expensive taxi. Worst case, and only ever done it once, was when I caught the first train of the day to Wilmslow on a Sunday after an all-nighter. It was the 08.05 XC to Penzance. I woke up near Stafford. Guard, whilst finding it hilarious and knowing I wasn't fare-hopping as I was carrying my season ticket, chinged me the fare from CEL to Stafford. He let me use my railcard at least though, rather than standard open. Never done it again. So I'd say its a question of degree - fall asleep on locals and price is only humilation. Fall asleep on intercitys and its an expensive sleep!

 

[merlodlliw]

A great story, but it can only be a story. He can't be falling asleep for 59sec at a time, reset vigilance, fall back asleep again, or reset AWS, slow down for speed restrictions etc whilst in the land of nod!

Some time in the late 60s early 70s, we had a driver known to us and himself as the Black Prince, he was a Brummie living in Rhyl and worked out of either
Junction or Chester, anyhow Prince liked the Ale, and on one occasion when
Driving a class 40 tugging the Emerald Isle Express, Sunday only extra stops at Flint and Rhyl (otherwise Chester then Junction Mon to Sat) Prince
forgot or had a power nap, went through Flint at 80 M.P.H, he was stopped at
Prestatyn 15 miles further, I understand a good bollocking was the order.
Now with the breath Test it should not occur.
Trouble was Prince always looked the same & spoke the same at any time of the day.

 

[asylumxl]

I was off to work and was on a Bedford - Moorgate train, intending to change over at Farringdon. I fell asleep and ended up in Moorgate. The ticket barrier worker was more than understanding and let me take the underground back to Farringdon.

 

[tivoli]

Travelling from London Victoria to East Croydon late one night, woke up in Brighton, had no problem getting straight back on return train, ticket guys seemed quite used to it. Main problem was staying awake and not ending back in Victoria again. (Actually main problem was phoning wife to explain I was in Brighton, but that's another story!)

 

[73110]

I was off to work and was on a Bedford - Moorgate train, intending to change over at Farringdon. I fell asleep and ended up in Moorgate. The ticket barrier worker was more than understanding and let me take the underground back to Farringdon.

Did you not just walk across to the platform next to where the train terminated. IIRC, the underground platform back to Farringdon was just next to the terminating platforms, you shouldn't have even had to go up the stairs to the ticket guy at the barrier at all, just walk to the end of platform 5 or 6 (where your train came in) then turn left, underground platform right in front of you :???:

A great story, but it can only be a story. He can't be falling asleep for 59sec at a time, reset vigilance, fall back asleep again, or reset AWS, slow down for speed restrictions etc whilst in the land of nod!

My mate fell asleep for 3 and a half minutes and missed a station because of it. Reason I know it was that amount of time was when they downloaded him he hadn't touched the controls for that amount of time, he just cancelled the dsd by lifting his foot. He tells me he shut off at 90mph to coast to the next station. He remembers hearing the 'ping' of the AWS for the signal just before his station, he looked up and realised where he was. Too late, he puts the brake in and fails to stop in time. He then carries on to the next station a few mins away and gets a load of verbal for not stopping. He blamed the track conditions for the fail to call to the passengers! He is not the only one, there are two or three incidents like this that have happened directly to do with the driver asleep.

Regarding falling asleep, you would be surprised how often it actually happens. Drivers nod off all the time but subconsciously they are still aware of where they are, only now and again there are incidents like the above where the driver falls asleep completely. Every driver I have spoken to will admit to doing the nodding dog almost every shift!

 

[Stonesourscotty]

My Friend fell asleep on TPE and woke up in Newcastle not impressed as he was only going to Manchester.

 

[Bittern]

I'd like to fall asleep on the Caledonian!

 

[45039]

hi all
i fell asleep in the 80,s on a freedom of scotland caught the overnight euston sleeper/seater at inverness and woke up at preston.
There was a mail/passenger train that left preston about 4ish,had a word with the guard and he told me to get my head down and be quiet,might have had something to do with him been a bit worse the wear from the previous nights drinking session.

 

[73110]

Once had to deal with a feller who had woken up at Portslade (South Coast just outside Brighton) on the old 0120 dep to Worthing who wanted Bow in East London! His next train was gone 7am on the Sunday morning!!

 

[anthony263]

Ifell asleep on a circle line train back in January just after we had left mansion house and woke up at Edgware road just in time to get off at paddington. My freinds who were with me still think its funny as one minute i was chatting to them next minute i was out cold.

This serves me right that staying up all night clas 57 bashing on the sleeper didnt do me any good, so this time on teh 23rd july i will be seeping well only between taunton & reading

 

[spoony]

Its happened to me. Its been my own stupid fault though, had a few drinks before the match then get the metro home, managed to change onto the South Shields line at Pelaw then fell asleep. When I woke up I had missed my stop at Chichester and was back at bloody Pelaw
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'd like to fall asleep on the Caledonian!

Very comfy it is as well

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Last year I went to Lpool S Pway into Lime Street to do some shopping.

Got back on the LM to Birmingham as it only takes 10 minutes. Woke up 90 minutes later in Wolverhampton and was charged £22ish!

Most expensive underwear I've ever bought

 

[Techniquest]

Fell asleep on 158854 in ex-CT condition with Arriva branding (shows how long this was...) on a Stockport to Cardiff move after getting bowled on a trip to Manchester a few years ago. Having found a seat after Crewe, I got some well-needed doss in. Woke up at Hereford and almost hurriedly got up to leave the train. Thankfully sense came to and I remembered I had to stay on to Newport for a HST to Swansea.

Can't remember any other times where I've missed/nearly missed my stop or anything like that, but I know I've had a few close calls!

Have fallen asleep many times on long-distance trips to the Highlands though, missed all the thrash from 37417 to Fort William sadly. Forced myself to stay awake for 37416 to Oban though! Fell asleep on The Airean Raider and The Sandblower (both 2006) missing some monsterous amount of thrash and scenery, which was annoying!

As for how some people can fall asleep just like that on trains, I know it is actually possible because I've done it before. Mainly after overnight bashes or something mind, however the one class I cannot sleep on is the 377s. Those seats are so rock hard I just can't go RA to Slumberland no matter what.

 

[boing_uk]

I've been locked in a train before, by being asleep. Travelled from Blackburn to Blackpool North, had nodded off pretty much as soon as I got sat down (it was a long day at work). Anyway, when I finally woke up the unit was shut down, there were no platform staff whos attention I could attract, and I was not comfortable walking in to the cab (the cab door was open), so I just broke the emergency door open plunger, listed to the horn go off and pushed the doors open.

Thats when the station staff appeared and I nonchalently walked off.

The unit was in the Blackpool sidings the next day with a "Do Not Move" marker on it. Kind of felt guilty, but then thought, "hang on, should the train crew not have ensured the train was empty first before locking it up?" Guilt immediately passed I have to say.

 

[ChrisEJ1993]

I was on a London Charing Cross to Hastings service, normally a long and boring journey, but I fell asleep around when we went through New Cross, and woke up again at St. Leonards Warrior Square. Perfect, made it seem a lot faster!

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I fell asleep on a SouthEastern service to Margate,i was suppose to get off at Orpington but went to Tunbridge Wells instead the inspector came threw and checked my zone 6 travel card i thought i was in for a good £50 fine but i said fell asleep on the journey,and i thought he still wouldnt care but he said in a moany voice "well just get the next train up and tell the inspector i told you to go back " I thought thats not going to wash with a proper inspector is it,but luck enough it was a crowded train and i got away with it!

 

[anthonycutt]

Here's a thought, assuming it wasn't the last train of the day:
If you fall asleep & miss your stop, can't you just get the next train back the other way? After all, you've not left the 'wrong' station & so it hasn't been a break of journey. Might be worth a try!

Just a little off topic, not sleep story, but one time I caught the first train from Sheffiled to Chesterfield & I must've been the only person on it.
Pulled into Chesterfield, no-one unlocked the central locking, the platform staff never heard me shout & I ended up in Derby!

 

[CosherB]

More worrying is there is a FGW driver who is rumoured to fall asleep when driving and seems to somehow wake in time for stations etc.

Years ago we were on a DMU going from Stockport on a trip on the Settle & Carlisle. It was an early start and we were in the first seats behind the driver's cab, so could clearly see him. He kept nodding off, falling forward over the control desk. As the speed increased, the swaying of the unit (especially through junctions!) woke him up! We were quite glad when we had a change of crew at Leeds.