FGW last service.

[DJC_158]

Hello all,

myself and three other friends were running to get the 23.30 service off padd going to bath spa after having a day out in london.
we got delayed a little bit on the tube and ran like hell to get to the platform. as we got there the train was just being prepared for dispatch we waved our arms to catch the guards attention to which he saw and let us on . However 2 of my friends who were directly behind us got left behind- as they got to the door which the guard had closed we tried to get the guard to reopen it as to my knowledge he hadnt actually given the right away beeps to the driver- my mates on the platform also asked to which the guard said no repeatedly 6 times and then 30 seconds later the train went off-

to make matters worse it was the last train back that way and we also had seats booked on that one- so they were trapped in paddington with no where to stay
just would like to know your opinions on this- i thought there was ample time to let them on especially as they were at the door as well.

thanks ,
Dan

 

[yorkie]

Where was your journey from, how long did you allow, what tickets did you have, etc?

The guard can get into trouble if he allows a late despatch so you can't really blame them for not delaying the train.

Was this a HST and was the guard at the first class door by the power car, or was that door already locked and the guard was further down? He wouldn't have been able to unlock it selectively, and once locked they are extremely unlikely to unlock the doors again unless there is good reason to.

 

[DJC_158]

well basically we were running late due to a delay on the tube-
it was dead on the time we were pretty much due to depart so it is pushing from us.
we had advance purchase tickets from london paddington to bath spa.
yes this was in the guards section by the rear power car. the other doors were locked, however there were 2 other people behind us that he let on and literally a second later my other mates appeared just as he shut the door.
i spose it is pushing it from us though

 

[W14Fishbourne]

well basically we were running late due to a delay on the tube-
it was dead on the time we were pretty much due to depart so it is pushing from us.
we had advance purchase tickets from london paddington to bath spa.
yes this was in the guards section by the rear power car. the other doors were locked, however there were 2 other people behind us that he let on and literally a second later my other mates appeared just as he shut the door.
i spose it is pushing it from us though

Yes, it's your responsibility to make sure you arrive in time for your train, allowing for possible delays on the way to the station. It's not fair on everyone else who got there in time to have the train delayed for someone who hasn't.

 

[DJC_158]

no i agree but the fact is it wouldnt have caused that big a delay a minute if that
but the fact that 2 other people got on behind us got let on and they got there just as he pretty much shut the door-

incidently we left an hour from the place were at to get back it just happened that our circle line train was delayed due to congestion.

 

[W14Fishbourne]

no i agree but the fact is it wouldnt have caused that big a delay a minute if that
but the fact that 2 other people got on behind us got let on and they got there just as he pretty much shut the door-

incidently we left an hour from the place were at to get back it just happened that our circle line train was delayed due to congestion.

You obviously have little experience of the Circle Line!

All delays start with that first minute of lost time! The only way to keep trains on time is not to allow delays to start in the first place.

Incidentally, if two people were able to get on the train after you but before the rest of your group, they must have been some way behind you. How long should the guard hang on just in case there were a few more late passengers?

 

[Coxster]

Most companies also warn you that they will close and lock doors 30-60 seconds prior to departure.

 

[devon_metro]

FGW were perfectly right to shut the doors on time. They waste enough money paying for being late as it is.

 

[westcoaster]

from a personal view the guard/conductor was just doing as he is told, not knowing the dispatch procedure at paddington i would imagion that the platform staff are in charge of dispatch, so they would give the guard/conductor the close doors tip/led, once the doors are shut and interlock is on, the guard/conductor gives the tip then the despatch staff give the driver the ra/led, if the guard/conductor was to open the doors again it would take maybe an extra minute to go through the whole process again, and say someone opened a door further down the train, staff would have to walk down and close it again, a 30 second delay at the start of a journey can mount up to a longer one later in the journey.

 

[kestrel]

The guard did the right thing, he opened his door and let you on dispite having already locked the remaining doors, i think your 2 mates were prob some way behind you.

We get this all the time, say he waited for your 2 mates to come and then another 2 people turned up, a line has to be drawn and i'm afraid it was drawn before your mates turned up.

Its quite specific its your responsibility to turn up on time etc.

why delay all the people who have turned up on time for a few that didn't!?

Its a bummer but thats life we've all been there

 

[Bonnie Prince Charlie]

Own fault.. should give yourself plenty of time to get to train especially with it being the last one!!!

 

[AlexS]

It's all a bit of a much of a muchness really - once the doors are locked the guard shouldn't reopen them - but that said I've been let in through cab doors before after the main doors have been locked and also in a most bizarre circumstance, invited to leap onto a 150/1 through the slam cab door as the train was pulling away.

 

[metrocammel]

Yepp, in that situation you are stuffed! However....
If your ticket had been from somewhere with a "+ LDN" connection, and you were delayed as a direct result of being delayed either on the inbound connection, or the tube itself, you would be in a reasonable situation for fGW to get you a hotel or transport home. As in your case the ticket was from London, you wouldn't have a cat in hell's chance of getting a hotel /taxi!! (Unless the DM is in a very, very good mood ). I've had problems with fGW getting arsey about having to get you home, even when it's been absolutely the railways resposibility (once at Reading, it claimed that as I was Virgin who delayed me, it was solely Virgin's resposibility to sort me out- AT 1AM!!!). But thats another story....

 

[heart-of-wessex]

hmm, well I cant see what an extra secong to let an extra 2 people on would delay massivley especially when the guards door was open and not even beeped the train off after he shut the door. Besides if an hour from the city of london isnt enough, then what is? 3 hours?? luckily i've left an hour for a train and at least no circle line delays, got there well in time.

However, when me and DJC_158 were at Liverpool St, it was a different story! the 90 set to Norwich (peak hour departure) was ready to go, and loads of people were going through the barriers, it never stopped and the guard was letting them all on, in the end it was 15 minutes or so late. We walked down the station and saw another Norwich 90 set due off that was supposed to be 30 mins behind the other, now would be 15 mins!! They could of waited that extra 30mins, better than an hour or none at all!


Cheers,
James.

 

[RJ]

Your friends should have run faster then...

 

[thefab444]

in a most bizarre circumstance, invited to leap onto a 150/1 through the slam cab door as the train was pulling away.

Heh, similar thing has happened to me with a 165 at Basingstoke.