Passengers running down the stairs?

[anonymous0101]

I wondered what happens when a conductor has closed the doors of a train and is about to give the ready to start signal. If he/she sees someone running down the stairs, can he/she release the doors of the train on a unit where the driver normally does it)?

Can the driver release the doors a second time or does he have to wait for the permission from the guard to release the doors?

Just wondered - i am not a train driver.

 

[O L Leigh]

Doors closed. Cheerio!!

O L Leigh

 

[David]

Extremely unlikely, as the conductor will probably get a "please explain" when he gets back to the depot ....

 

[Ivo]

You will only ever get this on a "minor stub" (such as the Stourbridge Branch Line), most of which have no stairs Otherwise, the passenger can wait.

 

[Vulcan]

I'm sure I've seen the conductor re-release the doors. I definately saw it once at Bare Lane, when he accidently shut the driver out, who'd gone to the signal box for the token.

 

[anonymous0101]

I'm sure I've seen the conductor re-release the doors. I definately saw it once at Bare Lane, when he accidently shut the driver out, who'd gone to the signal box for the token.

I think on some trains the conductor has full control of the doors releasing and closing but the tend has been for the driver to release the doors and the conductor to close them.

 

[90019]

I saw this happen at Brussels airport station a few years back, just a slightly different reaction from the guard to what you'd get here.

The train was at the next platform along, on the far side, ready to leave with the guard standing at the local door with it open, then this guy comes sprinting down the escalator and onto the platform, the guard sees him and keeps the door open as the train starts to move. This guy then runs alongside the train which is already moving off, throws his bag into it and dives in past the guard who then shuts the door.

It was pretty spectacular to watch!

 

[Bittern]

Come to think of it, I've seen it happen with EMUs often, where the driver closes the doors, is about to take off and then sees someone running for the train and opens the doors again. Once, the person running ran up to a door, and then decided to go run down the front of the train before boarding. But I don't recall ever seeing this happen on a DMU at all. Not once.

 

[Simon Poole]

I was at Leicester yesterday (07/07/10) becuase i visited the Great Central Railway for the first time, the route i picked from Rugeley was Rugeley, Tamworth, Derby, Loughborough, Leicester, Nuneaton and back to Rugeley, the train to Nuneaton was running late should arrived at 1549 but arrived at 1603, there was an East Midland Trains Cllass 222 arriving which was running late, it was about to leave and they got the first whistle, there were two Iandian girls who weren't speaking english show up, the first one ran down the stairs at Platform 3, the first Indian woman ran to the train conductor and started asking her if they could hold the train up to allow her friend to catch the train that she was catching, the conductor yelled, no were going! so they closed the doors, her friend run down the stairs but the first indian girl who was asking the train conductor to keep the train halted to allow them on kept on pressing the button but the doors werent opening, the train left without them and they waited until the 1557 to London St Pancras which was an HST and managed to get on that!

You can view an video of the story started filming from when thee doors are closing (It's the girl in the red coat on the right hand side)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFWR5zEjbFU

I should start posting my own thread with all my stories about the railways! becuase i got an lot to tell

 

[pablo]

Running, chucking your bag on and then jumping in was all part of it in steam days! Elecy ones accelerated faster and spoilt the game somewhat.

 

[Aictos]

No for safety reasons once the doors have closed they should not be reopened to anyone as the driver or the guard has the responsibility to ensure they have a right time departure to keep the train on time otherwise they will get a please explain at some point down the line ie if a train left me 2 minutes late heading into London, it could lose it's path from Alexandra Palace and end up being late arriving which would rightly **** off the passengers as they should have a reliable and punctual service.

These power operated doors are very powerful and can easily cause injury which is why I detest idiots who run though the doors when they are closing or hold them for others, the ones who hold the doors think they're doing a good deed but they wouldn't do it if they had to pay out a few hundred or thousand ever time that train got delayed because of their actions.

There are posters at stations advising when the doors will close and they advise this to be able to run a decent service for all.

Not so long ago, some passenger running for a FCC train fell down some stairs and injured themselves with a ambulance being required to deal with them, luckily it was just a few cuts and bruises but what if they broke their leg or similar injury?

No, as far as I work passengers do have the responsibility to ensure they get to the station with plenty of time to ensure they have time to buy a ticket, get a coffee etc...and get onto the platform without having to run and potentially injured themselves or others, I for one don't reopen the doors once they have closed as I have a requirement to ensure the passengers have a reliable service not only at my station but at the next calling point too, what I don't need is some passenger being abusive or throwing a tantrum just because they couldn't be bothered to get to the station with some time to spare.

 

[Simon Poole]

No, as far as I work passengers do have the responsibility to ensure they get to the station with plenty of time to ensure they have time to buy a ticket, get a coffee etc...and get onto the platform without having to run and potentially injured themselves or others, I for one don't reopen the doors once they have closed as I have a requirement to ensure the passengers have a reliable service not only at my station but at the next calling point too, what I don't need is some passenger being abusive or throwing a tantrum just because they couldn't be bothered to get to the station with some time to spare.

I agree with what you said, becuase if it happened to eery single train, ad to leave late becuase of people turning up at the wrong times, then the whole rail network would be running late

Wolverhampon are strict with passengers running towards the train, i was taking some photos once and i seen passengers lare arriving to try and catch the train which is about to leave ad they yell at the top of their voice your too late! or train's leaving, on that day there was an Class 323 ready to leave for Walsall and i wanted an picture of it before it becuase i didn't had the number left so i ran across teh footbridge and ran towads the train, i heard one of teh Virgin train staff yelling YOUR TOO LATE! thinking i was catching the train, i stopped and zoomed my camera in ad managed to get the number 323219, turned round ad walked back, the person who yelled you too late walked up to me and i told her that i wasn't after to catch the train i was only getting the number

 

[Geezertronic]

The 390s are not too bad for this because once the TM closes the doors, the TM still has the option of allowing late passengers on through the door that he/she is using (which is the only door that stays open until the TM gets the final whistle and closes it prior to departure)

The worst trains for people entering when the doors are closing are indeed the London Underground trains, especially those on the massively busy Northern Line. Sometimes the despatchers and the drivers get quite cross when the driver has to re-release the doors because some idiot has their bag trapped in them (and you can understand their fustration too)

 

[Solent&Wessex]

No for safety reasons once the doors have closed they should not be reopened to anyone as the driver or the guard has the responsibility to ensure they have a right time departure to keep the train on time otherwise they will get a please explain at some point down the line ie if a train left me 2 minutes late heading into London, it could lose it's path from Alexandra Palace and end up being late arriving which would rightly **** off the passengers as they should have a reliable and punctual service.

These power operated doors are very powerful and can easily cause injury which is why I detest idiots who run though the doors when they are closing or hold them for others, the ones who hold the doors think they're doing a good deed but they wouldn't do it if they had to pay out a few hundred or thousand ever time that train got delayed because of their actions.

There are posters at stations advising when the doors will close and they advise this to be able to run a decent service for all.

Not so long ago, some passenger running for a FCC train fell down some stairs and injured themselves with a ambulance being required to deal with them, luckily it was just a few cuts and bruises but what if they broke their leg or similar injury?

No, as far as I work passengers do have the responsibility to ensure they get to the station with plenty of time to ensure they have time to buy a ticket, get a coffee etc...and get onto the platform without having to run and potentially injured themselves or others, I for one don't reopen the doors once they have closed as I have a requirement to ensure the passengers have a reliable service not only at my station but at the next calling point too, what I don't need is some passenger being abusive or throwing a tantrum just because they couldn't be bothered to get to the station with some time to spare.

9 times out of 10, once the doors are shut, the doors are shut, end of story. Occasionally I will release them if time is not quite so critical, or there is a long wait till the next train. At some stations, eg Huddersfield where the service is frequent people don't look at the timetable, thex just turn up. In the morning peak especially, you just have to go. If you waited for everybody who was running for the train you would never leave and would still be sat there now.

 

[merlodlliw]

9 times out of 10, once the doors are shut, the doors are shut, end of story. Occasionally I will release them if time is not quite so critical, or there is a long wait till the next train. At some stations, eg Huddersfield where the service is frequent people don't look at the timetable, thex just turn up. In the morning peak especially, you just have to go. If you waited for everybody who was running for the train you would never leave and would still be sat there now.

I saw W/S reopen the doors on the 1127? up train, this was from platform 3,W/S staff on the office side platform 2 indicated two late passengers climbing the stairs, ATW will do this at times, depends who the guard is of course.

M

 

[scotsman]

In reply to the first part of your question - No!

Once the ready to start signal has been given, the train can only be stopped in an emergency situation (in theory) or a signal coming on. The guard would have to stop the train by holding down the buzzer, and the driver would then stop ASAP.

You're only likely to see this sort of thing happen on really remote lines/stations. For example, neither the driver or guard on a ScotRail service calling at Corrour are likely to have any qualms about waiting for pax who are running up the platform.

 

[222007]

the train to Nuneaton was running late should arrived at 1549 but arrived at 1603

You were waiting for the train i got into work then and i probably walked right by you at leicester

 

[westcoaster]

to me its all about karma, what goes around comes around, ill re-open the doors only if they are by the doors pressing the button, not if they are running from a distance.

 

[142094]

I've see this happen many a time at the large stations (Newcastle, York, Leeds) but 99% of the time it is with Northern trains, hardly ever see a TPE or XC open the doors again, unless there is a problem with the line ahead and the signal is still at danger.

 

[Scotrail84]

Sorry but our timings are very tight and even a minutes delay on a service can cause a massive knock on effect. I will not re energize the doors for late runners as i dont want to be pulled up for a delay that could easily be avoided also its not fair on passengers who have turned up on time. So when the doors are shut its buzz buzz and away we go. I know this seems harsh but we get fined for late running.

 

[Vulcan]

Am I the only person that finds it funny to see people run for the train your sat on and just miss it at the last second?

Am I a bad person?

 

[142094]

Sorry but our timings are very tight and even a minutes delay on a service can cause a massive knock on effect. I will not re energize the doors for late runners as i dont want to be pulled up for a delay that could easily be avoided also its not fair on passengers who have turned up on time. So when the doors are shut its buzz buzz and away we go. I know this seems harsh but we get fined for late running.

Even if the timings are tight, I have still seen it but normally only with Northern DMUs, where the doors can be opened quicker. It mostly happens when the local door is still open and away from the stairs, so to let people on the other doors have to be unlocked, opened and shut again, but occasionally you do see the conductor shut his door and reopen it.

 

[mrcheek]

Am I the only person that finds it funny to see people run for the train your sat on and just miss it at the last second?

Am I a bad person?

No, this is perfectly acceptable behaviour.

Serves them right for not getting there on time!

Ive laughed many times. And even made insulting hand gestures to the person left behind sometimes...

 

[Geezertronic]

And even made insulting hand gestures to the person left behind sometimes...

And that just makes you sound like a childish idiot to be honest.... there's absolutely no need for it - you're as bad as the guy who sends people the wrong way when they ask for directions

 

[Scotrail84]

Even if the timings are tight, I have still seen it but normally only with Northern DMUs, where the doors can be opened quicker. It mostly happens when the local door is still open and away from the stairs, so to let people on the other doors have to be unlocked, opened and shut again, but occasionally you do see the conductor shut his door and reopen it.

If my local door is open and someone runs up then sure i will let them on but this does not apply when working the slam doors fife circles as the public are not allowed to get on the train via the Guards van door. They are also not allowed in the Guards van area or walk trough it.

 

[paulravuslante]

I'm sure a couple of times that I've been on a FGW turbo between West Drayton and Paddington, the driver has re-released the doors for stragglers (DOO operation). Most of the time the services have to wait for platform allocation outside Paddington, so there seems to be some slack in the timetables.

I've not been on a Heathrow Connect at peak times that often, but I know that if anything is stuck in the doors (on a class 360) when they're closing, then they will reopen fully. I've often wondered if this causes timekeeping problems in the peaks. You can sometimes get a big mob getting on at Ealing Broadway towards the airport in the evenings. The timetable is much more restrictive on these services.

This is the opposite to the HEx (class 332), where a closing door halts for no-one. People occasionally get stuck in the doors (despite our announcements to stay away from the train) or groups traveling get split up when the alpha male type charges on the train leaving women and children on the platform. Dispatchers get a lot of grief about these situations sometimes as passengers assume we're in control of the doors. We're not! The driver has full control - we merely indicate when it is safe for them to close the doors, but the situation can change in an instant!

And don't get me started on passengers running down escalators with luggage.....

 

[Bittern]

Ive laughed many times. And even made insulting hand gestures to the person left behind sometimes...

So you decide just to be an arse to people who happen to be a bit late? Oh you're such a big boy! :roll:

 

[Greenback]

Whether the dorrs will be released will depend on a number of factors. These will include

Tiem until the next departure
Whether the service is running late, and if so, how much
How much recovery time there is in the schedule before the next major stop
Whether there are any junctions where the path of the train is critical

I would much rather the train left punctually in most circumstances, rather than risk missing a connection of my oiwn further down the line.

 

[Scotrail84]

Ive laughed many times. And even made insulting hand gestures to the person left behind sometimes...[/QUOTE]

So you decide just to be an arse to people who happen to be a bit late? Oh you're such a big boy! :roll:

I think there may be a bit of fishing going on here

 

[Aictos]

This is what I had to explain to a passenger once that the train could either be late and let the passengers down the line have a late service or let it go on time and they can have a punctual service.

Passengers must learn you cannot demand cake then refuse to eat it ie have a reliable service but help staff ensure it stays that way by making sure you arrive with plenty of time to board the service.