How to flag a train down at a request stop?

[Gathursty]

How would drivers like us to do it?
How do you do prefer to do it as a train approaches?
Any funny/bizarre examples of you seeing someone trying to flag a train down...



You may include bus and taxi anecdotes if you wish.

My preference is to stand at the nearest end of the platform to the train and wave with both arms before walking towards the middle of the platform.

 

[SaveECRewards]

Requests stops seemed at oddity to me, only time I encountered them was once in my student years. I knew if you were on the train telling the guard would stop the train but I did wonder how those in the station done it. By the sounds of it you do it the same as a bus. I thought there may have been more too it like using the help point to request a stop or a call button on the platform that'd set a signal.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

How would drivers like us to do it?
How do you do prefer to do it as a train approaches?
Any funny/bizarre examples of you seeing someone trying to flag a train down...



You may include bus and taxi anecdotes if you wish.

My preference is to stand at the nearest end of the platform to the train and wave with both arms before walking towards the middle of the platform.

request stops are usually so small if there is someone on the platform you would stop. Signalled or not. Not likely to have someone on the platform otherwise.

 

[387star]

What are the requests stops in England?

Dilton Marsh
Sandplace
Causeland
St keyne
Coombe Junction (?)
Chetnole
Thornford
Yetminster

 

[plymothian]

Stand somewhere conspicuous.
Put your arm out like stopping a bus.
At night, stand under a light so you can be seen.
If the approach is on a curve, stand so you can see the approaching train, and show a STEADY WHITE light (such as the screen from your phone).
DO NOT wave the light or show a red light, DO NOT raise both arms (these are emergency stop hand signals).

The train will be travelling slowly on approach, and generally the driver will stop the train if s/he sees anyone on the platform anyway.
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What are the requests stops in England?

Dilton Marsh
Sandplace
Causeland
St keyne
Coombe Junction (?)
Chetnole
Thornford
Yetminster

Exton
Lympstone Commando
all stops on the Barnstaple line except Crediton, Eggesford and Barnstaple.

 

[Blindtraveler]

And a good few on the Heart Of Wales

 

[Llanigraham]

And a good few on the Heart Of Wales

And on the Cambrian Coast.

Just like a bus; stick one arm out horizontally.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I used the St Andrews Road request stop once - I just stuck my arm out and made eye contact.

Those interested in request stops may enjoy the book Tiny Stations by Dixie Willis, wherein the author travels around something like 30 of the UK's request stops. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiny-Statio...&qid=1429346206&sr=8-1&keywords=tiny+stations

 

[TheEdge]

What are the requests stops in England?

Dilton Marsh
Sandplace
Causeland
St keyne
Coombe Junction (?)
Chetnole
Thornford
Yetminster

Buckenham
Berney Arms
Brampton (Suffolk)
Spooner Row
Lakenheath
Shippea Hill

 

[matt_world2004]

I thought request stops had a button on them that you pressed and it told the driver to stop the next train

 

[najaB]

I thought request stops had a button on them that you pressed and it told the driver to stop the next train

There may be a few that do, but the majority do not. As I understand it, while approaching a request stop drivers are required to slow the train as if they were going to stop. If the platform is clear, and if the guard gives two on the buzzer they can accelerate away.

 

[Antman]

There may be a few that do, but the majority do not. As I understand it, while approaching a request stop drivers are required to slow the train as if they were going to stop. If the platform is clear, and if the guard gives two on the buzzer they can accelerate away.

If the train has to almost come to a stop anyway it does beg the question as to what the point of request stops is as presumably any time savings will have to be wasted at the next station to avoid early running?

 

[najaB]

What are the requests stops in England?

Pleasington

If the train has to almost come to a stop anyway it does beg the question as to what the point of request stops is as presumably any time savings will have to be wasted at the next station to avoid early running?

I think they are timetabled to have very little (or no) dwell time. So there is very little time to make up/lose by the time they reach the next station.

 

[TDK]

From a drivers point of view stand clearly so the driver can see you and put out an arm as you would for a bus at a request stop, at night if you have a phone put on the flash light on so the driver can see you so they can alert the guard there is someone there before stopping so they can be at the doors ready to release. You can also use a bike torch or head lamp, don't use a red light though.

The strange ones I have seen are:

A guy with a pieces of paper with stop on it in biro (not great to be fair)

A kid standing in the 4 foot of the track, he was about 14 years old, I did tell him that not all trains stop here and he said he knows the timetable.

A woman swinging a ball on a rope

A guy jumping up and sown like a nutter.

Some request stops in England:-

Yorton, Prees, Wrenbury. There are many in wales especially on Anglesey, heart of wales line and also Hawarden Bridge & Deganwy

 

[backontrack]

What are the requests stops in England?

Dilton Marsh
Sandplace
Causeland
St keyne
Coombe Junction (?)
Chetnole
Thornford
Yetminster

Bootle

Lelant​

Reddish South

Perranwell​

Denton

Berney Arms​

Burnley Barracks

Buckenham​

Entwistle

St Andrew's Road​

The Lakes

Shippea Hill​

New Clee

Lympstone Commando​

...are all English ones.

Those interested in request stops may enjoy the book Tiny Stations by Dixe Wills, wherein the author travels around something like 30 of the UK's request stops. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiny-Statio...&qid=1429346206&sr=8-1&keywords=tiny+stations

And they're also all the English ones from this book (Kirkby-in-Furness excluded - it doesn't have its own chapter). I have this myself, as well as his book Tiny Islands - both to be recommended.

 

[TDK]

If the train has to almost come to a stop anyway it does beg the question as to what the point of request stops is as presumably any time savings will have to be wasted at the next station to avoid early running?

Request stops do not have dwell times so therefore as an example from Holyhead to Llandudno Junction you have 8 request stops, the dwell time including stopping and dispatch is about a minute all told so therefore the TOC saves 8 minutes track access fees. You do have dwell times at stations to compensate.

 

[backontrack]

Scotland has many on the Far North Line and the Kyle line, the West Highland line has quite a few, the Cumbrian Coast line has more than it has normal stops (Carlisle-Barrow anyway), there are some on Birmingham-Henley-Stratford, Cambrian Coast line and HOWL have tons (as does the Conwy Valley Line and all stops Holyhead to Llandudno Junction, Bangor excepted) there's a good few in West Wales and the Pembroke line, the West Country has many on its rural branch lines, the Trowbridge-Weymouth line has a few and the good old Denton Flyer has two.

 

[High Dyke]

Was travelling on the Ffestiniog a while ago and after walking through the woods from Tan-y-Bwlch found myself waiting for the train at Plas Halt, another request stop. The approach from Blaenau is on a curve so drivers don't get a very good view until late on... The driver seemed unimpressed to see a passenger requesting the train to stop.

 

[David Goddard]

Trains which call on request are marked in the timetable with an x against the time.

The official wording for this code from the National Rail Timetable is:

Stops on request. Customers wishing to alight must inform the on-train staff, prior to departure from the previous station, and those wishing to join must give a clear hand signal to the driver.

 

[matt_world2004]

I cannot see how request stops comply with the relevent disability legislation to be honest, not everyone can raise their arm, or be able to otherwise vocalise that they want to stop at a certain stop.

 

[Domh245]

As pointed out earlier, most drivers, if they see someone on the platform at a request stop, will stop anyway, as it is highly unlikely that a person on the platform is doing anything other than waiting for a train.

 

[najaB]

I cannot see how request stops comply with the relevent disability legislation to be honest, not everyone can raise their arm, or be able to otherwise vocalise that they want to stop at a certain stop.

Given that request stops typically serve remote, isolated areas it is highly likely that someone who is so mobility impaired will have a travelling companion. If they don't, then its up to the driver to see them on the platform when boarding, and the guard to check their ticket to see where they are alighting.

Fully DDA compliant? No. But does it meet the standard of 'reasonable' accommodation? Probably so.

 

[Stompehh]

I imagine if they booked travel assistance in advance then the guard would be notified beforehand about the stop.

 

[extendedpaul]

The request stop that always baffles me is Conwy. Whenever I've alighted or boarded there it has seemed a busy station and I'm surprised it only warrants request status.

 

[infobleep]

Request stops do not have dwell times so therefore as an example from Holyhead to Llandudno Junction you have 8 request stops, the dwell time including stopping and dispatch is about a minute all told so therefore the TOC saves 8 minutes track access fees. You do have dwell times at stations to compensate.

What happens on the rare occasion when someone wishes to join or alight at all the of 8 stops. Does the TOC pay for the extra time they would have spent on the track?

Snowdon YHA is request stop on the preserved Welsh Highland railway. There must be other request stops on preserved railways.

I take it all services with request stops are not DOO.

 

[matchmaker]

It used to be done properly...




Glencarron Platform, on the Kyle Line.

 

[najaB]

I take it all services with request stops are not DOO.

I can't see how you could manage DOO - how would the driver know who wants off at what station?

 

[infobleep]

I can't see how you could manage DOO - how would the driver know who wants off at what station?

I agree unless their was some sort of communication device.

I imagine if a TOC wanted a service to be DOO, they would just make all stops compulsory.

 

[Crossover]

Would the driver generally signal that they had seen someone requesting the train to stop? Say, by means of a short blast on the horn?

The only request stop I can recall using was Entwistle and I can't actually remember what happened (aside from almost being unable to board the train due to how busy it was!)

Snowdon YHA is request stop on the preserved Welsh Highland railway. There must be other request stops on preserved railways.

I'm sure there are some request stops on heritage lines - I am fairly sure there is one such on the Severn Valley Railway

 

[Domh245]

St Mary's bay on the RHDR is a request stop throughout the year for all trains. Official information from them is to make a clear signal to the driver if you want to board, and to tell station staff/guard if you want to alight there. I wasn't aware that the RHDR had guards on their trains!