Locked in at Blackburn Station

[joke2711]

Last night (this morning) we had a very unpleasant experience and it is somewhat difficult to comprehend the incompetency of the Railway.

We arrived at Blackburn Station at 00:23 (2 mins late) from Leeds on the last service (Micklefield to Blackburn).
Our train terminated at Blackburn and 4 passengers in total left the train.

The gate to the Car Park entrance/exit of the station was locked so we made our way to the other side of the station where we found the doors locked also, and it quickly became very obvious that we had been locked in and their were no staff at the station. The guard who was on this train then appeared (thankfully) as they had a planned taxi back to their depot.

I will add at this time that the Guard was professional and courteous and did everything in their knowledge to resolve the situation.

What transpired though was that it took until 02:27 before we were released from the station and our unplanned hostage.

At this time I wont go into the detail of the sequence of events that the Guard took as all Passengers are supposedly going to be contacted via phone by Northern, and I will afford them the opportunity to explain and offer reasons and rationale as to why this happened.

Really not a pleasant experience and I will advise when Northern have made contact with their reasoning.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As a bare minimum a full refund (2hrs Delay Repay) should be paid.

 

[Western Sunset]

Just wondering how the guard got out of the station to catch their taxi? And what happened to the train driver?

 

[joke2711]

Just wondering how the guard got out of the station to catch their taxi? And what happened to the train driver?

The Guard was released at the same time as the 4 passengers. The train driver went empty to Depot where they had a taxi waiting so would have been unaware.

 

[Western Sunset]

Ta.

 

[3rd rail land]

It amazes me that the station was locked up for the night before the last service had called at the station.

Unless this was a last minute additional stop, which it doesn't sound like it was, then station staff should have been fully aware of when the last train was.

Hopefully Northern will fully investigate the incident and offer a decent goodwill gesture for the delay and distress this caused. It can't have been pleasant being stuck in a station without a way out or even knowing when/if you you would be able to exit the station.

Was it the guard's actions that resulted in someone coming to unlock the station for you? Would you likely have been stuck until the station was opened for the first service of the morning if the guard had stayed on the train?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Surely there should be an emergency exit in case of fire or other catastrophe?

 

[matt_world2004]

Is there an help point or something else in the station . If the guard wasn't available could they have pushed the help point.

This does on the face of it seem like a serious health and safety failing

 

[joke2711]

It amazes me that the station was locked up for the night before the last service had called at the station.

Unless this was a last minute additional stop, which it doesn't sound like it was, then station staff should have been fully aware of when the last train was.

Hopefully Northern will fully investigate the incident and offer a decent goodwill gesture for the delay and distress this caused. It can't have been pleasant being stuck in a station without a way out or even knowing when/if you you would be able to exit the station.

Was it the guard's actions that resulted in someone coming to unlock the station for you? Would you likely have been stuck until the station was opened for the first service of the morning if the guard had stayed on the train?

It was a scheduled stop ..
The Guard was responsible for the process of the station being unlocked, I guess it would have been a 999 call otherwise.

Is there an help point or something else in the station . If the guard wasn't available could they have pushed the help point.

This does on the face of it seem like a serious health and safety failing

We had a member of Railway staff with us so the help point wasn't needed.

Surely there should be an emergency exit in case of fire or other catastrophe?

we talked about this during the wait as the fire assembly point was the car park to which the gate was locked!

 

[221129]

Surely there should be an emergency exit in case of fire or other catastrophe?

But if it is locked up with no one on site then is that actually required? (I am in no way saying that this wasn't one hell of a screw up.)

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Staff should obviously check that the station is empty, but a determined or unlucky person could be missed. I was locked in a library once over lunchtime.

I do not know Blackburn station. Would it have been possible to climb down on to the tracks and get out that way?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Staff should obviously check that the station is empty, but a determined or unlucky person could be missed. I was locked in a library once over lunchtime.

I do not know Blackburn station. Would it have been possible to climb down on to the tracks and get out that way?

Apart from that not being legal, it's up on an embankment, isn't it? And also island platforms so not just a case of jumping a fence.

 

[skyhigh]

I do not know Blackburn station. Would it have been possible to climb down on to the tracks and get out that way?

If you found yourself in the position described in the OP, going for a walk down the track is possibly the worst course of action you could take.

 

[Haywain]

The Guard was released at the same time as the 4 passengers. The train driver went empty to Depot where they had a taxi waiting so would have been unaware.

I do hope he’ll be claiming some overtime for that.

 

[joke2711]

Apart from that not being legal, it's up on an embankment, isn't it? And also island platforms so not just a case of jumping a fence.

The Guard was adamant that this wasn't an option and they thought that it would be at least a half mile walk to the nearest release point.

I do hope he’ll be claiming some overtime for that.

I do hope "THEY" will be claiming overtime for that

 

[Starmill]

Apart from that not being legal, it's up on an embankment, isn't it? And also island platforms so not just a case of jumping a fence.

Indeed. The anti-trespass measures nearby would probably make it even more difficult to exit from the track (after having potentially trespassed on it) than the station itself. None of the fences would be at all easy to climb over.

 

[Tallguy]

This is a massive H&S issue and a major error By station staff. Did the train leave for the depot leaving the 4 pax and guard at the station? Could the driver have got permission to take the pax to the depot? How were the 5 of you eventually released?

 

[75A]

I think I'd of dialled three nines.

 

[joke2711]

This is a massive H&S issue and a major error By station staff. Did the train leave for the depot leaving the 4 pax and guard at the station? Could the driver have got permission to take the pax to the depot? How were the 5 of you eventually released?

The train would had departed for depot before we had all realised that we were locked in.

All 4 passengers were wondering on what to do when the Guard appeared down the ramp from the platform. The station exits are not visible from the platforms as they are underneath.

Release eventually came through an "on-call manager" from Blackpool Depot who went and got a set of keys.

 

[py_megapixel]

Apart from that not being legal, it's up on an embankment, isn't it? And also island platforms so not just a case of jumping a fence.

If you found yourself in the position described in the OP, going for a walk down the track is possibly the worst course of action you could take.

Possibly, but considering the importance the railway places in times of disruption on discouraging passengers from self-evacuating onto the track, surely trapping passengers in a station such that they may feel the need to get down onto the track on a winter evening in the dark should be treated similarly?

 

[joke2711]

I think I'd of dialled three nines.

If the Guard wasn't there then Yes, but the Guard was adamant that dialing 999 would only result in the Emergency Services following the same process that they had already initiated.

 

[Starmill]

If the Guard wasn't there then Yes, but the Guard was adamant that dialing 999 would only result in the Emergency Services following the same process that they had already initiated.

The only genuine alternative would have been for the fire service to literally break the doors open. Not impossible, but tends to be viewed as a last resort.

Presumably there was no access to the toilets at the station either, and no water available?

 

[Haywain]

The only genuine alternative would have been for the fire service to literally break the doors open. Not impossible, but tends to be viewed as a last resort.

And only likely to happen if anyone was actually in danger.

 

[30907]

If the Guard wasn't there then Yes, but the Guard was adamant that dialing 999 would only result in the Emergency Services following the same process that they had already initiated.

Quite - unless there was someone vulnerable, getting the fire brigade to break down the gates/doors would have been low priority.
Shame they couldn't bring the unit back from King Street, and evacuate people through the depot, but the driver had probably booked off by then.
Given that there are 4 passenger terminators plus an ECS dropping its guard between midnight and 0025, someone c**ked up.

 

[75A]

Given that there are 4 passenger terminators plus an ECS dropping its guard between midnight and 0025, someone c**ked up.

Hopefully they will be disciplined accordingly.

 

[joke2711]

The only genuine alternative would have been for the fire service to literally break the doors open. Not impossible, but tends to be viewed as a last resort.

Presumably there was no access to the toilets at the station either, and no water available?

After around 50 minutes the Guard managed to get the access code to the staff rest area so we did have basic facilities available. Also, some heating and seating ...

 

[Haywain]

Hopefully they will be disciplined accordingly.

Hopefully the matter will be properly investigated first.

 

[skyhigh]

Shame they couldn't bring the unit back from King Street, and evacuate people through the depot, but the driver had probably booked off by then.

To be honest I'm not sure that would have been the best option - depots are dangerous places for the unwary, and if the option is either leaving people at a station with a member of staff, basic facilities and warmth until a keyholder can be found or taking them through a depot at gone midnight I can see why the option to keep passengers at the station was taken.

None of that excuses the fact that this event never should have happened though.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I will add at this time that the Guard was professional and courteous and did everything in their knowledge to resolve the situation.

What transpired though was that it took until 02:27 before we were released from the station and our unplanned hostage.

At this time I wont go into the detail of the sequence of events that the Guard took (...)

After around 50 minutes the Guard managed to get the access code to the staff rest area so we did have basic facilities available. Also, some heating and seating ...

You definitely have a gripe against the railway. But the guard seems to have acted impeccably and in a situation which wasn't great for them either. Kudos to the guard.

 

[75A]

You definitely have a gripe against the railway. But the guard seems to have acted impeccably and in a situation which wasn't great for them either. Kudos to the guard.

I agree the Guard deserves a pat on the back.