Mallaig - Glasgow Central - change at Dalmuir

[misterredmist]

Can somebody from 'Scotrail' explain why, those of us heading to Glasgow Central - the train itself being destined for GLA Queen St - were required at Dalmuir, to exit the train from the 'rear of the fourth coach' ? This meant that many people, some elderly, had to drag their luggage through 3 crowded carriages, and when we eventually exited the train, the whole train was 'platformed'.....

seemed very bizarre and most inconvenient..... we boarded the service at Fort William, 1140 hrs Thurs 16/6/16

 

[theironroad]

Can somebody from 'Scotrail' explain why, those of us heading to Glasgow Central - the train itself being destined for GLA Queen St - were required at Dalmuir, to exit the train from the 'rear of the fourth coach' ? This meant that many people, some elderly, had to drag their luggage through 3 crowded carriages, and when we eventually exited the train, the whole train was 'platformed'.....

seemed very bizarre and most inconvenient..... we boarded the service at Fort William, 1140 hrs Thurs 16/6/16

What did the guard say when you asked him or her?

 

[bb21]

The alternative is for them to drag their luggage through crowded city streets.

Dalmuir offers a same-station interchange with trains to Central, and has lifts to help people with luggage. Sounds like an excellent suggestion by the guard.

 

[farci]

The alternative is for them to drag their luggage through crowded city streets.

Dalmuir offers a same-station interchange with trains to Central, and has lifts to help people with luggage....

You are correct of course, but the OP raised the issue why passengers were forced to exit from the rear carriage when all of it was accommodated on the platform

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I'm not from ScotRail (have you asked them?)
Just a guess (and I do hope I'm wrong):
So the guard could prevent anyone from boarding at Dalmuir because (and this is wild speculation) he/she did not wish to have to sell any more tickets?

 

[DeeGee]

I had that on the Windermere line once. There had been a contretemps between a passenger and the guard, BTP were meeting the train at Kendal, so we had local door only at Burneside so the errant passenger could be kept on board.

However, that's not such a major alighting point as Dalmuir, and this would only be speculation.

 

[Carntyne]

Did you ask anyone at the time? Probably best to do that.

 

[scotraildriver]

Because it is a 6 car set and doesn't fully fit on the platform. 156 units are longer than the electrics and the rear door is off the platform so the guard has to open individual doors. Some drivers will take the train very close to the signal and it will just fit, but they shouldn't really do this and the guard was following correct procedure.

 

[misterredmist]

Thanks for all your replies, we were unable to speak to the guard as he was at the other end of the train by then - I have asked Scotrail and await there reply.....

 

[Bodiddly]

As Scotrail driver says, it's because of the train length and the proximity of the lifts at Dalmuir, not because the guard fancied just annoying people for the sake of it. Believe it or not, the vast majority of things that go on in the railways are done for good reason, not to have a laugh at the passengers expense.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I hereby withdraw my previous careless speculative remark and apologise for the slur on the professionalism of the staff involved. There's too much of that around here.

(Now will you let me on the train?)