Guildford platform 7

[adc82140]

Platform 7 at Guildford has just a single track between it and platform 6. These days it's not used as doors are only released on the platform 6 side.

However in the days of the slammers I presume it was possible to exit from both sides of the train. How was dispatch safely done from both sides? How was the safety issue of the live rail being next to the platform edge addressed? (with regards to dropping things down the gap when boarding). What platform was the departure announced as?

 

[Gloster]

In 1978, and I expect for many years before and after, trains were always announced as Platform 6. Whoever was on Platform 8 might or might not come out and look, but I don’t remember it being a designated duty; the guard might have taken a quick peek out of the van window before the train left. As far as the third rail is concerned: well, you shouldn’t drop things, should you. On one occasion when there was a lot of mail bags they were loaded into a Tadpole from both sides. I was on Platform 7 and over-enthusiastically threw one so that it sailed over the pile and hit the Chargeman who was on 6.

 

[big all]

the third rail next to a platform was never ever an extra consideration in normal use
off side [wrong side]boarding is only a problem with a train arriving that side from aldershot for example with people making knee jerk decisions without reading departure information
in a reading direction the driver will glance out from his seat before moving out as a natural reaction
in the redhill direction may look out if becoming aware a train arrived on 8
man and boy 71-94 at redhill it was never a problem or actual danger or emergency with this set up i was aware off ???

 

[33011]

I used to work on the platform at Guildford. When a slammer was in said platform there was a dispatcher on platforms 6 and 7. When the train was ready to depart the dispatcher on platform 6 would call the dispatcher on platform 7 on the radio and ask if it was all clear platform 7 side. Once they got the all clear the train was despatched. I don't know how it was done before radios. As regards to dropped item I was lucky it never happened to me. If items were dropped on the juice rail side if it was dropped anywhere near the juice rail they would have to have juice switched off I guess before items could be retrieved.

 

[Bald Rick]

I always recall my train being announced from P6, and dispatch from that side (occasionally by Mr Shoveller, one presumes). Always wondered about the ‘other side’, which others have explained.

 

[DelW]

When I lived in Guildford in the '70s, the west exit (Guildford Park Road) was more convenient for me, so I'd automatically get off a train that arrived in 6/7 on the platform 7 side.
In those days passengers were, rightly or wrongly, much more expected to look after their own safety. They were also expected to understand the etiquette of closing doors behind them - with a 12 coach VEP* having around a hundred slam doors on the platform side, there's no way platform staff could close them all. In the last days of the GWR HSTs I was bemused by the number of passengers who wandered away leaving doors open behind them.
(* not in platform 6/7 of course, but not uncommon then on the main line platforms at Guildford)

 

[Gloster]

I used to work on the platform at Guildford. When a slammer was in said platform there was a dispatcher on platforms 6 and 7. When the train was ready to depart the dispatcher on platform 6 would call the dispatcher on platform 7 on the radio and ask if it was all clear platform 7 side. Once they got the all clear the train was despatched. I don't know how it was done before radios.

No radios in my time, but there was often somebody on 7/8 as most staff used the mess room there; the other one was on Platform 2 and you had to go past the Supervisor’s office to get to it, so he could see who was going in or out. Whoever had the duty on Platform 8 (I think it was just seen as 8, not 7/8) was often occupied in sweeping through and tanking up the Aldershots.

In those days passengers were, rightly or wrongly, much more expected to look after their own safety. They were also expected to understand the etiquette of closing doors behind them - with a 12 coach VEP having around a hundred slam doors on the platform side, there's no way platform staff could close them all.

You would also have passengers who had got off the train shutting doors that somebody else might have left, possibly just on the catch, even sometimes going back a few yards.

 

[davetheguard]

the guard might have taken a quick peek

You're right: I can assure you the Guard did indeed check both sides of the train before giving the Driver the right away.