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How many people were injured using slam door trains compared to non slam door?
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I would imagine it would run into the thousands. You have doors open when the train is moving approaching stations, people falling from a moving train, people shutting body parts in the doors, injury actually opening the doors & folks getting injured from the drop down windows.
I guess there weren't the same accident report forms, no social media, digital cameras to take pictures or video of incidents, and more incentive to take it on the chin (perhaps literally) than seek compensation from some injury lawyer.
So, I'd guess accidents were probably very high but we might never know just how high.
So, I'd guess accidents were probably very high but we might never know just how high.
On the slam door stock on the Uckfield line a decsion was taken to limit the drop of the windows as someone sticking their head out of the wiindow in one of the tunnels would have it knocked off.
Alledgedly there had been no cases of people having their heads knocked off, but relatively soon after the the windows were restricted a man was killed due to the restriction. Why? Because the trains had no toilets, so this gentleman had got used to lowering the window and peeing out through it. With the restricted windows he no longer had this option. So he opened the door instead, stood relieving himself the train went round a corner and out he went to his death.
Well thats the story who knows if it is true, other than I was reminded of it by an ex railway member of staff recently.
Alledgedly there had been no cases of people having their heads knocked off, but relatively soon after the the windows were restricted a man was killed due to the restriction. Why? Because the trains had no toilets, so this gentleman had got used to lowering the window and peeing out through it. With the restricted windows he no longer had this option. So he opened the door instead, stood relieving himself the train went round a corner and out he went to his death.
Well thats the story who knows if it is true, other than I was reminded of it by an ex railway member of staff recently.
Tim R-T-C
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Darwin award please...
On the topic - commuters back in the day were a hardy lot. After the Harrow crash apparently most survivors were more concerned with getting themselves to work than being checked for shock or injury. So even if there were injuries, people probably took it as their stupidity and moved on with their lives.
If you believe the stereotypes, most these days would be posting updates on Facebook and tweeting injury lawyers... :roll:
route:oxford
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I do recall a relation of a colleague being killed at Oxford Station attempting to board an HST.
It was shortly after the introduction of central locking, and he hadn't realised you could no longer run up, open the door and jump in.
It was shortly after the introduction of central locking, and he hadn't realised you could no longer run up, open the door and jump in.
ATW Alex 101
Established Member
There certainly has been at least one injury with the current slam door fleet-somehow my younger brother managed to get a nosebleed after I told him not to stick his head out of the window and also the fact that some windows spring back. Needless to say he did and learnt the consequences.
Talking of slam door stock, why does the current EC stock not have a handle on the inside. Seeing as the doors are locked anyway ( preventing incorrect use) wouldn't a handle do away with the archaic "open window" method of opening currently used.
313 cab windows still do that. Stop train, throw window down to look back, head straight out and it springs back up on drivers face!
WillPS
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Simply because that's where people are/were used to finding them.
So ironically, it was the CDL that did for him rather than the slam door.
northwichcat
Veteran Member
On some continental metro and underground systems powered doors are released when the train has slowed down to something like 5mph and passengers start alighting before the train has come to a halt.
As has been said earlier, such incidents were rarely reported unless resulting in a serious injury. Not through any cover up, it was jugs that the mechanism for reporting minor injuries just wasn't there.
But also, in since the advent of CDL, I have never seen a door injury. Whereas I have seen two pre CDL with slam doors, one including myself falling out of an HST at Reading as it pulled in and I opened the door too early. Picked self up, dusted self down, and exited stage left - thought I'd get in trouble!
But also, in since the advent of CDL, I have never seen a door injury. Whereas I have seen two pre CDL with slam doors, one including myself falling out of an HST at Reading as it pulled in and I opened the door too early. Picked self up, dusted self down, and exited stage left - thought I'd get in trouble!
matchmaker
Established Member
Well, 64 died at Harrow & Wealdstone in a suburban slam door train...
Ttue, but just because those casualties occurred on a slam door train, doesnt mean that they were caused by slam doors on trains.
EM2
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Clapham Junction, Purley, Cannon Street, Cowden...
OuterDistant
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I've got a copy of Report to the Minister of Transport on the Accidents that occurred on the Railways of Great Britain during the year 1962, and the figures for entering or alighting from trains are pretty shocking:
The 1979 edition shows:
For falling out of carriages during the running of trains, the figures are:
- 1960: 7 killed, 1,190 injured
- 1961: 6 killed, 1,144 injured
- 1962: 4 killed, 904 injured
The 1979 edition shows:
- 1978: 1 killed, 31 seriously injured, 685 slightly injured
- 1979: 2 killed, 40 seriously injured, 678 slightly injured
For falling out of carriages during the running of trains, the figures are:
- 1960: 13 killed, 25 injured
- 1961: 16 killed, 24 injured
- 1962: 16 killed, 23 injured
- 1978: 3 killed, 22 seriously injured, 31 slightly injured
- 1979: 4 killed, 19 seriously injured, 617 slightly injured
GatwickDepress
Established Member
The end of slam-doors has meant the end of incidents such as these (I've posted it before, but I think it's relevant to this topic).
EDIT: Following rationalisation on the Marshlink, my uncle - after a heavy night of drinking at the Lord Nelson - boarded a Thumper at Hastings for Three Oaks. He didn't realise that the track was singled and so he alighted the train on the side there was no longer a platform. He quickly clambered off the ballast, back into the carriage, and left through the correct side.
Hastings Observer said:
EDIT: Following rationalisation on the Marshlink, my uncle - after a heavy night of drinking at the Lord Nelson - boarded a Thumper at Hastings for Three Oaks. He didn't realise that the track was singled and so he alighted the train on the side there was no longer a platform. He quickly clambered off the ballast, back into the carriage, and left through the correct side.
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noddingdonkey
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I certainly remember seeing an elderly gentleman trap his finger in the door on a 308 not long after they were introduced on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines. I think he may have been struggling to climb aboard, hold the door open and hold his walking stick at the same time.
Matt Taylor
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Clapham, Cowden, Cannon Street and Purley were caused by different things, slam doors merely a common yet incidental theme.
Well, these figures might seem shocking, but do we have any figures for comparable modes of transport, such as by car, or by coach.
These figures are presumably national figures, and compared to the dangers of road transportation are tragic but probably not shocking.
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