'Trespass and Welfare Officers'

[bramling]

I can't!



You aren't going to be hassled, just asked if you are ok. In any event, as you say, being civil is hardly difficult.



Someone with a camera wont be a concern. There are certain factors to look out for.

All seems reasonable to me if that’s how it is. It does however seem a bit of an odd way of doing things when they could just have station staff - albeit presumably on slightly more expensive contracts!

 

[RLBH]

All seems reasonable to me if that’s how it is. It does however seem a bit of an odd way of doing things when they could just have station staff - albeit presumably on slightly more expensive contracts!

Presumably station staff are engaged in their own duties which don't leave time for an appreciable time dedicated to looking out for people at risk. I'm sure they'd intervene if they did encounter such a person, but unlikely to do so from behind a ticket window.

Now, at a larger station where you might have one dedicated 'trespass and welfare officer', a number of cleaners, and so forth - it would seem to me to make sense to spread the duties out, giving most of the staff a bit of variety and more job satisfaction. But in the modern age of outsourcing everything on tightly-specified contracts for a single job, that can't happen.

 

[Gostav]

Your insinuation is misguided. I just firmly believe that we should all take self-responsibility seriously and that the nanny-state should not be required to intervene to protect us from our own actions.

The railway has managed without such a role for almost 200 years - why does is it need it now?

I believe they're just similar like Eastern Europe - In the old days, if someone killed by train, the driver and crews just move the body under the train (Not a pleasant work) to the line side and covered before any police officer arrive to investigate because keep the line opening and train on time is the first task - railway loss caused by suicide was very small - today the rule is completely changed, anyone shouldn't move the corpse before police arrive, which means the line must closed for a long time, severe delays and fare loss.

 

[DarloRich]

All seems reasonable to me if that’s how it is. It does however seem a bit of an odd way of doing things when they could just have station staff - albeit presumably on slightly more expensive contracts!

cynical hat on - contract staff are cheaper, quicker and easier to hire and fire and have more "flexible" contractual terms.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Given no one seems to have mentioned being hassled for taking photos, can we assume they’re leaving enthusiasts alone?!

I can only speak for myself. A friendly nod and a smile and the officer is on his way.

 

[puffing billy]

I've noticed that "Trespass & Welfare Officers" have appeared on the smaller stations in the SWR suburban area, some of which are normally unstaffed. A good friend of mine committed suicide by jumping in front of a train from a station platform (not in the UK). So, as well as avoiding the trauma for the driver and disruption of the service when such incidents occur, if their presence deters just one person then it’s a good scheme.

 

[White Ant]

Being familiar with the hi-viz guys at Bletchley or Berkhamsted, I was wrong footed when I saw a girl in street clothes with shopping bag walking the length of the platform opposite me at Rugby. I’ve now seem different women doing the same thing at Tamworth and today at Northampton. I’m all in favour of the steps they are taking, and perhaps they think someone looking more like a normal passenger has a better chance of engaging with a desperate person.

 

[Deepgreen]

Being familiar with the hi-viz guys at Bletchley or Berkhamsted, I was wrong footed when I saw a girl in street clothes with shopping bag walking the length of the platform opposite me at Rugby. I’ve now seem different women doing the same thing at Tamworth and today at Northampton. I’m all in favour of the steps they are taking, and perhaps they think someone looking more like a normal passenger has a better chance of engaging with a desperate person.

Are you assuming these women were employed to patrol the stations in 'plain clothes'? Something that has arisen in recent years is people at stations and other places who are keen to reach a certain number of steps walked per day, according to the pedometers they wear, and who therefore walk apparently unnecessarily along platforms while waiting for trains.

 

[Jimini]

Are you assuming these women were employed to patrol the stations in 'plain clothes'? Something that has arisen in recent years is people at stations and other places who are keen to reach a certain number of steps walked per day, according to the pedometers they wear, and who therefore walk apparently unnecessarily along platforms while waiting for trains.

To be fair I do this quite a bit when I've got time to kill (gotta love a Fitbit challenge), but I don't stray all the way down to the ends of the platforms or anything like that.

 

[RLBH]

Are you assuming these women were employed to patrol the stations in 'plain clothes'? Something that has arisen in recent years is people at stations and other places who are keen to reach a certain number of steps walked per day, according to the pedometers they wear, and who therefore walk apparently unnecessarily along platforms while waiting for trains.

Whilst there are definitely people making a determined effort to get 'their 10,000' in, there's also the fact that some people don't particularly like standing still and will walk about whilst waiting for that reason!

 

[White Ant]

Are you assuming these women were employed to patrol the stations in 'plain clothes'? Something that has arisen in recent years is people at stations and other places who are keen to reach a certain number of steps walked per day, according to the pedometers they wear, and who therefore walk apparently unnecessarily along platforms while waiting for trains.

That did occur to me when I saw the first one at Rugby, but having seen the third one yesterday, all at stations on the West Coast Mainline, and all walking the complete length of the platform, I thought it must be something the train company was behind. Perhaps you are correct though.

 

[Mordac]

Whilst there are definitely people making a determined effort to get 'their 10,000' in, there's also the fact that some people don't particularly like standing still and will walk about whilst waiting for that reason!

This applies to me. I find that if I stand still for a while my lower back begins to hurt, especially if I'm carrying my laptop bag, but walking prevents this.

 

[Meerkat]

I just hate waiting around so wander to the ends of the platforms for a look around (and in the summer to get some sunshine!)

 

[Dr_Paul]

I often wander to the end of a platform, especially of a station that is new to me, just to see what's there both on the railway side and over the fence.

As for the Trespass and Welfare Officers, there was one at Surbiton the other day on the up island platform, 1 (on the slow line) and 2 (on the fast line). He repeatedly called to a dopey-looking young bloke to stay away from the edge of platform 2 as a fast was approaching. The bloke was standing right on the edge of the platform, and could have been in danger had he not eventually taken heed of the TWO's calls. I imagine that there are TWOs at Surbiton as there are a lot of services going through at a hefty lick on the up fast, the platforms can get crowded, and, because some trains on the up fast line do stop (most up stoppers are on platform 1), there are no fences along the platform as there are at Wimbledon and Earlsfield. There have also been several suicides at Surbiton as it's the nearest station to the local mental health facility that gives the opportunity for someone to jump under a fast train. I don't think I've seen TWOs at other stations on this line, except once at Earlsfield.

 

[Meerkat]

I often wander to the end of a platform, especially of a station that is new to me, just to see what's there both on the railway side and over the fence.

As for the Trespass and Welfare Officers, there was one at Surbiton the other day on the up island platform, 1 (on the slow line) and 2 (on the fast line). He repeatedly called to a dopey-looking young bloke to stay away from the edge of platform 2 as a fast was approaching. The bloke was standing right on the edge of the platform, and could have been in danger had he not eventually taken heed of the TWO's calls. I imagine that there are TWOs at Surbiton as there are a lot of services going through at a hefty lick on the up fast, the platforms can get crowded, and, because some trains on the up fast line do stop (most up stoppers are on platform 1), there are no fences along the platform as there are at Wimbledon and Earlsfield. There have also been several suicides at Surbiton as it's the nearest station to the local mental health facility that gives the opportunity for someone to jump under a fast train. I don't think I've seen TWOs at other stations on this line, except once at Earlsfield.

The suicides on the main line always seemed to be at Surbiton (plus a few at Wimbledon), probably because they have fast trains going past platforms as you say. I assume Surbiton has too many fast stoppers to fence off the platforms as at Wimbledon

 

[Deepgreen]

The suicides on the main line always seemed to be at Surbiton (plus a few at Wimbledon), probably because they have fast trains going past platforms as you say. I assume Surbiton has too many fast stoppers to fence off the platforms as at Wimbledon

Wimbledon now has the fasts fenced off, which isn't practical at Surbiton as the up fast has a number of stopping trains through the day. There is no down fast platform.

 

[Journo]

I was pendelo spotting at South Kenton- Harrow & Wealdstone in no good since they constructed the fence
A chap who I thought was platform staff came up and started chatting, When it came up why I was hanging about we both had a laugh it turns out he was on suicide watch...Well done to all.

About a year ago I was at Streatham station, my train was delayed and I always wait at the far end of the platform (near to the Samaritans signs which I noticed for the first time that day). I was happily listening to music and my headphones ran out of charge so I got a tad annoyed, and then this chap appeared and told me everything was going to be OK.

I was a little confused but we had a chat and it turned out he was some kind of railway chaplain who has been "fully trained in this sort of thing." Chatted for about ten minutes and he was a lovely bloke, his daughter had completed suicide by train and he said he always went up to chat to people who looked lost on platforms. I had a little chuckle with him and pointed out I was just hungover and late for work, and it would be hard to jump in front of a train at Streatham because it was so delayed.

I wasn't a suicide risk, but I think he was doing a great job.