Guildford Platform Layouts

[Trainguy34]

At Guildford, I was looking to see what trains use what platform and I noticed that on Real Time Trains, platform 7 was very rarely used and, after furthering my investigations on Traksy, saw that there is only 1 Track between 6&7 at Guildford. Do doors open on both sides or only 1 side and can you exit from either platform?

 

[Kite159]

Platform 7 isn't used due to having the 3rd rail that side. The doors are only ever released on the P6 side (and I suspect if a guard accidentally releases them on the P7 side they will have a meeting with no biscuits)

 

[swt_passenger]

At Guildford, I was looking to see what trains use what platform and I noticed that on Real Time Trains, platform 7 was very rarely used and, after furthering my investigations on Traksy, saw that there is only 1 Track between 6&7 at Guildford. Do doors open on both sides or only 1 side and can you exit from either platform?

Only the one side is normally used. I believe most modern stock won’t usually allow both sides open at once, safe dispatch procedures would be a bit time consuming.

 

[Trainguy34]

Ah, so do the drivers have to use one side specifically or can they decide on the day? Edit: Just saw Kite159's post, struck through accordingly.

 

[DelW]

At Guildford, I was looking to see what trains use what platform and I noticed that on Real Time Trains, platform 7 was very rarely used and, after furthering my investigations on Traksy, saw that there is only 1 Track between 6&7 at Guildford. Do doors open on both sides or only 1 side and can you exit from either platform?

Platform 7 is fully accessible to passengers as it shares an island with platform 8. However the signage on the platform 7 side says that trains will not be accessible from it.

In the days of slam door stock, passengers could use the doors on either side of the train. If a train was standing in the platform 6/7 track, walking through it provided a quicker route between 5/6 and 8 than using either footbridge or subway.

These days it is normally occupied by the shuttle service to Farnham, which lays over for an extended period every half hour.

 

[fandroid]

If the third rail is on the platform 7 side of that track, the risk still exists for anyone on platform 8.

 

[Gloster]

There was a short thread Guildford Platform 7 starting 9 December 2020. (Sorry, I can’t do a link.)

 

[Bald Rick]

If the third rail is on the platform 7 side of that track, the risk still exists for anyone on platform 8.

Much less of a risk of course, as by far the largest risk is someone falling down the gap whilst trying to board a train.

 

[Taunton]

Only the one side is normally used. I believe most modern stock won’t usually allow both sides open at once, safe dispatch procedures would be a bit time consuming.

Funny how this is perfectly allowed on the Underground and DLR. Both Stratford Central Line and Canary Wharf DLR, recent installations, manage among other such stations to dispatch without issue - and with passenger numbers way ahead of what Guildford would have.

 

[Bald Rick]

Funny how this is perfectly allowed on the Underground and DLR. Both Stratford Central Line and Canary Wharf DLR, recent installations, manage among other such stations to dispatch without issue - and with passenger numbers way ahead of what Guildford would have.

DOO, innit.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Surprising Guildford p7 hasn't had the recent-ish Ascot type mod........spent a number of race days at the latter with colleagues, stood on the very edge (above the juice rail) guarding often pixxed up race goers from stumbling down on to said item (and that was before the races started ). I actually hate that type of fencing from an appearance point of view, but from a 'managing crowds' aspect, it's a no brainer.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

If the third rail is on the platform 7 side of that track, the risk still exists for anyone on platform 8.

Much less of a risk of course, as by far the largest risk is someone falling down the gap whilst trying to board a train.

They could just fit a gate alongside it. If they can waste time and money doing that at Twyford and all the GWML suburban stations than they might as well do it here where they’ll be of some benefit.

 

[The exile]

DOO, innit.

DLR shouldn’t be a problem- isn’t it bottom contact?

 

[Meerkat]

in slam door days my Dad witnessed someone hear a platform announcement, panic that they were on the wrong train, and jump out to run over the footbridge to get on the right train. His look of (exhausted) satisfaction faded when he looked around at the same fellow (bemused and amused) passengers and realise he had just got in the other side of the same train.

 

[nmsq]

They could just fit a gate alongside it. If they can waste time and money doing that at Twyford and all the GWML suburban stations than they might as well do it here where they’ll be of some benefit.

Sadly,the reason for fencing nearly all stations from the main line is the far too regular suicides at these stations. If the fencing has saved one life it's paid for itself.

 

[Taunton]

DLR shouldn’t be a problem- isn’t it bottom contact?

Actually DLR is an issue, and considerable work is having to be done for the new trains. The conductor rails may be bottom contact, but that means the collector shoes on the trains point upwards. On the live rail side they are covered by the third rail shroud, but on the non-third rail side, being fully cross-connected, they are live just inches below the platform. Short additional shrouds were installed a while ago at each door position, but with the new trains having different door locations, it's been decided to install full length shrouds along each platform edge.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

They could just fit a gate alongside it. If they can waste time and money doing that at Twyford and all the GWML suburban stations than they might as well do it here where they’ll be of some benefit.

It’s far from a money waster, these gates/fences are proven where fitted to bring a reduction in suicides at that location.

Even if you exclude the unmeasurable value of a human life, the cost fatalities bring to the railway both in terms of on the day disruption but also to staff involved being then off work for a period of time, these schemes very quickly pay for themselves and actually become a money saver not waster as you perceive.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It’s far from a money waster, these gates/fences are proven where fitted to bring a reduction in suicides at that location.

Even if you exclude the unmeasurable value of a human life, the cost fatalities bring to the railway both in terms of on the day disruption but also to staff involved being then off work for a period of time, these schemes very quickly pay for themselves and actually become a money saver not waster as you perceive.

That's fine, but the main purpose of my comment was to recommend one for Platform 7 at Guildford.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

That's fine, but the main purpose of my comment was to recommend one for Platform 7 at Guildford.

I don’t doubt that, but my comment was about your reference it being a waste of time at GWML stations where it really hasn’t been.

As for Guildford I think there’s never really been an issue as platform 8 has the shorter trains usually calling so there is rarely a crowding issue on they platform. If it was the other side of say platform 4 there probably would be an issue and a fence may have appeared by now.