Strangest thing you've heard/seen on the rail network...

[Kite159]

This train is the service to Shrewsbury, if you want the service to Cleethorpes then it is the train in front. Repeated twice on a ATW service at Manchester today.

Still people boarded the wrong train, one on an advance ticket as well, oops.

Currently on the 18:55 virgin out of Manchester, I am the only person currently in coach U! (Several Chester football fans got on at Stockport, after Crewe, there was 5 passengers in the unreserved coach).

 

[hassaanhc]

A few days ago. Train was the 2V68 1955 London Bridge to Hayes (Kent), formed of 10 car 376. Woman with one of those wheelie shopping trollies comes running down the footbridge and enters the 3rd coach as doors were closing. She got whacked by the door and lost her balance, falling backwards out of the train onto the platform. Nearby passengers helped her back onto the train, followed by the dispatcher running down the platform to check if the woman was ok. Departed 2 minutes late instead of right time as a result of that.

 

[EM2]

I didn't hear this, but from a colleague's Twitter feed last night:

Oops. Just announced a Nottingham service with a Derby stopping pattern...

I can imagine there were a few confused faces!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I haven't seen him for a while, but there used to be a chap who regularly travelled from Newport to Cardiff with several large bags.

Nothing unusual about that, you might think .... except that the bags contained large bottles of water. I always wondered what he was doing with the water, but I didn't know as we went our separate ways when arriving at Central Station.

It wasn't until much later that a friend told me that he'd spotted him emptying the bottles into the River Taff! Apparently, he semed to think that Cardiff water was dirtier than Newport water, and had to be cleansed - or something like that!

 

[ThePannier]

A couple of weeks ago I was train-spotting at Chester-Le-Street, and a bird was pecking away at something one of the sleepers, and then along came an East Coast Class 91...feathers went absolutely everywhere! - you would think it had exploded!

 

[Gemz91]

Saw a lady with one of these last week at Sleaford (hope the image works not very good with computers so apologies if not).

 

[Kite159]

At kings cross this evening. "The train now standing on platform 7 is the 20:26 great northern service to Peterborough. If you are intending to travel please board now as it is ready to leave"...

It hadn't even arrived due to delays on the ECML.

(Grumbles about a 28 minute delay being 2 minutes under the repay scheme)

 

[Techniquest]

I had another mis-hear one yesterday as I walked into Euston yesterday. Caught the end of a Crewe service being announced, and it sounded like it said "Berkhamsted and Crewe"

 

[CKiltie]

I remember stopping just after Ford and just before where the line crosses over the River Arun and I was on an at the time Regional Railways Class 158 going to Brighton in the morning. After we stopped the driver announced there was a swan on the track ahead. After about ten minutes we were on our way again.. I do remember seeing him climb down onto the track, but not sure if he managed to get the swan to move away or it just did so on its own anyway.

 

[Abpj17]

Well, have a strong contender from Thursday

At Leagrave station there was a man on the platform standing barefoot, in white robes, his arms outstretched and rolling what looked like stressballs in a form of meditation. (I didn't see him on the train - but he wasn't still on the platform as the train left!)

 

[TukayAway]

Well, have a strong contender from Thursday

At Leagrave station there was a man on the platform standing barefoot, in white robes, his arms outstretched and rolling what looked like stressballs in a form of meditation. (I didn't see him on the train - but he wasn't still on the platform as the train left!)

He's often seen around Luton, especially in the warmer months sitting outside the Mall meditating with the balls. He's harmless, does get a bit of abuse from kids and drunks though. Nice guy if you ever talk to him.

 

[ThePannier]

Found a gap during my day out on the buses today, so I took advantage of the 20-odd minute wait in the Metrocentre and went across to the rail station. A Sprinter was departing for Carlisle as I arrived, and I could hear the distinctive rumbling of a Pacer coming in the other direction, presumably terminating at Newcastle. There was a man standing on the platform, and he didn't seem to care what he was doing. He was standing just over the yellow line, and was faffing around on his phone with headphones on when the Pacer went past, and he just happened to unexpectingly turn around and see it. He staggered back in shock, never cross the yellow line, kids....

 

[Kite159]

Found a gap during my day out on the buses today, so I took advantage of the 20-odd minute wait in the Metrocentre and went across to the rail station. A Sprinter was departing for Carlisle as I arrived, and I could hear the distinctive rumbling of a Pacer coming in the other direction, presumably terminating at Newcastle. There was a man standing on the platform, and he didn't seem to care what he was doing. He was standing just over the yellow line, and was faffing around on his phone with headphones on when the Pacer went past, and he just happened to unexpectingly turn around and see it. He staggered back in shock, never cross the yellow line, kids....

Especially when there are no announcements of non-stopping trains passing

 

[Crossover]

Stuck on (well, on the platform by this time) a failed train at Drumgelloch earlier and a unit coming on top to assist (the demic had to be pushed, unbraked, it had failed so badly), one driver said to the other something on the lines of "When I need to brake, I'll give one tone on the horn then?". There was also some confusion over what safety systems to isolate on what units. The whole thing wasn't particularly confidence inspiring!

 

[Cundy66]

This is light rail going back to my days on the trams in Sheffield, group of girls got on team to city centre and asked for child fares, one showed my her ****s and said that was her child pass I said it wasn't accepted for the fare another showed under her underwear didn't know where to look but I did reply that the date wasn't clear so couldn't be sure if she was eligible they paid up eventually.

 

[Wyvern]

Cant remember whether it was Sheffield or Leeds after all this time but there was a long slope and the trams had only screw brakes. If the tram in front stopped our driver would be feverishly screwing them down. If he wasnt quick enough we'd roll back and hit the tram behind with a hell of a crash. Trams didnt have those sturdy buffer beams for nothing!

 

[initiation]

A couple of weeks ago I was on the Sunday evening 1955 from Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads. Sat at the station waiting to leave and 2 northern girls got of the down XC train which had just arrived from up country and got straight on my train aaccompanied by a rather bemused guard. They sat right behind so quickly learnt that they had got on the wrong train at temple meads earlier in the day. They had got on the plymouth bound train by accident, even worse they were meant to be on the XC train to Leeds!

Disaster. How they didn't notice I have no idea, their tickets had even been checked previously. Staff were good and gave them tea and biscuits and were planning on getting them as far as New Street on the trains that evening. Not sure what happened after that. Had to have a laugh though.

 

[Strathclyder]

This happened yesterday.

A man with a small dog got on the 1534 departure from Kennishead headed for Glasgow Central. He got off at Pollokshaws West and headed for the north-east end of the platform, walking straight past the 'Do Not Trespass' sign. The conductor pointed out that this would be trespassing on railway property, not that the guy paid any attention to this. The last I saw of the guy, he was attempting to scale a fence, which led to a wooded area situated behind the station.

 

[fishquinn]

My guess is aspergers.

I'm not like that though!

 

[Kite159]

This morning a passenger from Woking decided to board without buying a ticket before hand (early morning the gates on the town-centre side of the station are open) saying he didn't have time to buy a ticket from the machine.

Cue the issue of an Anytime day return from Woking to Twickenham via London, ouch.

 

[hassaanhc]

This morning a passenger from Woking decided to board without buying a ticket before hand (early morning the gates on the town-centre side of the station are open) saying he didn't have time to buy a ticket from the machine.

Cue the issue of an Anytime day return from Woking to Twickenham via London, ouch.

Could have got Super Off Peak as well, just £9.90 for NOT VIA LONDON or £15 for LONDON NOT UND.
Instead paid £25.20 for Anytime LONDON NOT UND, some 68% more for LONDON NOT UND or 155% more for NOT VIA LONDON!
(Anytime NOT VIA LONDON was £15.60).

 

[Kite159]

And I think he had a 16-25 railcard as well, so paid £25.20 instead of £6.60

The guard on that service was rather excellent, explaining the reason for the delay (due to a late running diverted XC service) and coming through after every station to check for any new passengers.

 

[trainophile]

Strange (presumably automated) platform announcement today at Manchester Piccadilly, as the 1337 EMT to Liverpool Lime Street pulled in on platform 14...

"This train will be calling at the following stations.... ***, ***, ***, .... Please note that this train will not be calling at Liverpool South Parkway today. There will be an additional call at Liverpool South Parkway."

Didn't catch whether LPY was included in the original list, but we did call there!

 

[Kite159]

Strange (presumably automated) platform announcement today at Manchester Piccadilly, as the 1337 EMT to Liverpool Lime Street pulled in on platform 14...

"This train will be calling at the following stations.... ***, ***, ***, .... Please note that this train will not be calling at Liverpool South Parkway today. There will be an additional call at Liverpool South Parkway."

Didn't catch whether LPY was included in the original list, but we did call there!

I noticed that a few weeks ago when waiting at Pic, it will not be calling there but will be calling there. Rather confusing.

 

[Crossover]

The TPE systems don't seem to cope very well with cancellations

At Huddersfield a few weeks ago I heard about the service from Blackpool North being cancelled - part of the announcement went on the lines of "This train was due to terminate here. This train was due to set down only here" (all the usual "no let up" quick delivery!)

Dewsbury did similar too last Friday - the Liverpool - Scarborough was running 35L so they had it miss out Dewsbury. I arrived at Dewsbury to see the boards saying the next train "Terminates Here" (clearly rubbish as nothing terminates at Dewsbury). This was later followed by "We are sorry to announce that the 14:46 service from Liverpool Lime Street has been cancelled. This train was due to terminate here. This service was due to set-down only here" - at which point said train goes flying through the non-platform line xD

 

[Kite159]

Coming back to Romsey this evening on the SWT RR service, a pair of students wanted to get off at Redbridge, however they forgot to do one important thing and press the button which opened the door. By the time they realised the guard had already pressed his 'door close' button and had rung the driver so they missed their stop. At least they only had a 10 minute wait at Romsey for the next anti-clockwise service

Did they think they were on the Underground or in Merseyrail land (or Glasgow suburban 314 land)?

 

[tsr]

The other evening at a quiet Southern Metro station, the CIS announcements crackled into life:

"London King's Cross Thameslink London City Airport Helmsdale London City Airport London King's Cross Thameslink is being delayed. Please listen..."

And with that, silence for about ten minutes, then the usual mundane stuff resumed.

 

[Jegerpizza]

Mine is probably being on a train driving at full line speed with open doors in passenger service. I took a picture of it. Mabye it isn't the best picture but, it is taken from a Danish IC2 while crossing the King Frederik the 9th bridge in Nykøbing Falster. And as you can see the doors are open.https://scontent-b-ams.xx.fbcdn.net...=c456fe089d624d87ea73880a3ba836c2&oe=55358A82

 

[pne]

NOTE FOR ADMIN: I hate having to say this as I feel it is littering on posts but feel free to move or delete this thread if you feel it's in the wrong place/ already been discussed. I've looked around and couldn't find anything similar...

Speaking of littering on posts, this bit:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

seems like litter to me. Pops up every now and then on the forums yet contributes no useful information. Just useless noise.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I also stumbled across this the other day, which I guess would have been the strangest thing I'd ever seen on a train if I'd been in Germany in 1968.
File it under "surreal things they would never let you do on a train now"

[youtube]DXUtmwpLDHQ[/youtube]

That reminds me of how Google Street View captured the Bernina line in Switzerland (UNESCO World Heritage), by sticking an open flat car in front of a locomotive, with a Street View tricycle fastened to it.

See this Google blog entry for some information, and/or this video which is embedded there:

[youtube]oX4dp1F171w[/youtube]

 

[Kite159]

Ticket dodger who boarded at Keysham and when the guard eventually made it to the front of the train around Freshford "I got on at Bath Spa"
Guard - How did you get pass the gates?

Needless to say, when the train pulled in at Freshford he did a runner. At least if your going to try and fake a station you boarded at to get a cheaper fare, make sure it's one you can actually access without tickets.