Ledbury Tunnel

[Essexman]

Another question on the Cotswold Line.
There's always a delay before the doors are released on HSTs from London at Ledbury, because the guard has to go to the back of the train as it passes through Ledbury tunnel.
I assume this is a safety thing but can anyone enlighten me why?

 

[newtownmgr]

2 reasons : 1, Tunnel is very narrow & guards need to be at back to assist in evacuation from rear power car sliding doors if necessary. On LM services formed of 2 non walk thro units (2 x 170) guard as to be in back unit for same reason. 2, due to short platforms guard as to ensure anybody alighting as walked thro to platformed coaches as per announcements & then open doors from rear most fully platformed coach

 

[Essexman]

That's interesting. So is the tunnel too narrow to open the usual HST doors?

 

[newtownmgr]

Yes, as is Colwall tunnel. Both tunnels were constructed as a narrow single bore, due to I believe the type of stone/rock making the Malvern hills. The original Colwall tunnel was replaced by a wider tunnel in the 1920's with the original tunnel used to store Royal Navy ammo during ww2. The newer tunnel at Colwall still doesn't allow for slam doors to opened. Back in the days of DMU's non corridor stock was officially banned between Malvern & Hereford unless attached to another corridor fitted unit where passengers could be transferred to. In emergency the units could go thro solo but with all passengers travelling in guards van.