Great Western Coffee Shop

Was at the station yesterday evening and saw that we have been Nailsea'd.

At either end of Platforms 2,3 and 4 were these emaculate spiked fences with gate across the ramp with the rubber steps and handholds down the ramp edge.

As one of our members said, "What is the problem these fences are meant to solve?" 

Bearing in mind the last two serious incidents at Taplow occurred from the platform and the one before that from the footbridge.

It will also spoil picture of trains on the Relief lines from Platform 1.

Do train crews carry keys? Because on both the Up Main and Up Relief it is now impossible for the driver to get to signal post phone at the end of the platform below the ramp.

CSR in this case I would imagine.  As used when there is restricted clearance at an SPT.


Sorry, Cab Secure Radio and Signal Post Telephone

For those who don't work in the industry, you will often see internal railway telephone numbers affixed to signal posts etc.  These are provided in specific locations so that crew can contact the signaller without descending onto the track and into potential danger.

They have put these at Twyford as well - what a joke! Anybody that wants to get trackside will either walk round them on the rubber pointy bits (not as good as wooden diagonal ones) or jumps off the platform.

I bet they cost at least a grand or two each to install!

Couldn't agree more. They're ineffective, expensive, cumbersome for staff, and an eyesore. But, if it gets another tick in the box of a safety auditors crib sheet then NR will no doubt consider them worthwhile.

Thanks - I got "Chassen Road" and "Stockport" out of those and thought you had gone North West  ;D

My thoughts are, HMIR has made a recommendation, possibly due to an incident where Joe Public has wandered off of the end of a platform, a sign is insufficient as a barrier.  Train drivers are used to seeing people wandering around on platforms, they do get a bit jumpy when they seen people wandering around on the track if they have not got HiVis clothing on.   As from the 1 January 2009 all NR maintenance staff and the 1 April 2009 for all other NR staff and contractors will be required to wear full body HiVis clothing.

It is likely that Train Crews will have keys as it looks like a standard GWML track access lock.

In 1923 Mallory the mountaineer is reported to have said, when asked why climb Everest? Answered  "Because it's there"

2009 BTC policeman to young person why climb past the fence. Answer "Because it's there"

By putting the fence up you are tending say "keep out" which makes beyond the fence desirable and almost a provocation to a game of "dare".

After all there is no skill in walking down the ramp but getting past the rubber obstacles is a challenge. 
 

I've made this observation before, but it is still valid, I think:

These new security gates, galvanised spiked metal railings and rubber mat 'trip hazards' are a recent addition to selected stations, certainly - but how it is being decided which stations should have them is still not clear.

However, on a rather sombre note, there has been at least one fatality at Bedminster, involving someone being on the tracks - but none at Nailsea & Backwell, so far as I'm aware?  See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/3703594.stm 

It does seem rather odd, then, that Nailsea had these 'barriers' installed long ago - but there is still no evidence of them even being planned for Bedminster?

Taplow has had a number of suicides in the recent past

I do acknowledge that, Electric train.  :(

But as eightf48544 wrote, in the original post here:


... how does installing these 'barriers' at the far ends of station platforms actually deal with that sad situation?

I am not sure but there are now also being installed today at Maidenhead

More like ^4000 pounds EACH

I noticed this morning that Slough now has these too.

The really interesting thing at Taplow is that the Platform 1 the Down Main has not yet been done.

It is quite narrow at the ends so there probably isn't room for a gate and fence and rubber mat.

So what's the point of the others?

I did wonder this as well then a thought struck me that may be they will fence and gate at the bottom of the steps allowing access to the car park and exit the gate being fitted with a panic release on the platform side, one like this was fitted on platform 1 exit at Maidenhead when that was refurbished

That's an interesting development, Electric train.

In the past, I've questioned the apparent futility of adding heavy duty padlocks to these gates on the ends of platforms at (just for example) Nailsea & Backwell - and, sure enough, they've subsequently been removed (the padlocks, not the gates  ::) )

So what was the point of installing them, actually?  Not only can one step over the pointy bits on the rubber mats, but one can now simply slide back the bolt on the gate and walk through?

What exactly is the purpose of spending ^4,000 per gate (smokey's figure) of fare-paying passengers' money on installing such apparently unnecessary ironmongery??

 ::)  ???

Good thought but at Taplow the South Car is at platform level and you leave by the gate (always open)  at the bottom of the footbridge.


Exactly Chris, you've summed it up perfectly a complete waste of money. Maybe we should tell our MPs.