Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2014

[whole diary]

[johoare]

NickB - after lots of fruitless searching I think I did a search on @FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and then selected photos.. or something.. it's not easy to find otherwise.. That is why I find twitter such hard work.  If I can find it again, and if it's appropriate to post it on here (does anyone know if it is?) I'll do so..

[johoare]

I've just found it again.. It is now easier if you do a twitter search on @Nationalrailenq and then select pictures.. At the moment (if you have pictures shown in grid style) it is third row down on the left hand side

[JayMac]

Is this the image we are talking about:

https://twitter.com/ianpoulter99/status/529347939286921216/photo/1



By the way, this isn't the Ian Poulter that likes to spoil good walks (after Mark Twain). Although from his Twitter profile he is quite sporty. Maybe he should have tried a bit of crowd surfing.

Thames Valley commuters. You have my sympathy.

[IndustryInsider]

Very busy indeed - though I've seen similar scenes at various stations over the years at times of disruption or major events.  The narrow stairwell at Maidenhead platform 1 doesn't help.  I can't see how a member of platform staff on the platform would have made one jot of difference though (other than to possibly try and divert a few more people out of the station via the car park - which is quite a long diversion if you're not going that way).

[chrisr_75]

I can't see how a member of platform staff on the platform would have made one jot of difference though (other than to possibly try and divert a few more people out of the station via the car park - which is quite a long diversion if you're not going that way).

Perhaps to supervise the dispatch and make sure the train departs without anyone having slipped between it and the platform, or perhaps (clothing/bag) trapped in a door, unnoticed by the driver?! These things do happen and I believe is one of the reasons why you see platform dispatchers on the Underground during the peaks.

[JayMac]

Yes, on seeing that picture my concern was with the driver of the DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) Turbo.

Can't be nice to see that crowd on the monitor/mirror when preparing to depart. Fingers crossed and hope for the best?

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, on seeing that picture my concern was with the driver of the DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) Turbo.

Can't be nice to see that crowd on the monitor/mirror when preparing to depart. Fingers crossed and hope for the best?

As a driver who's responsible for the despatch you wait until you are 100% sure it's safe to depart, however long that takes.  I believe the train was stationary for three-and-a-half-minutes.  Maidenhead platform 1 has no mirrors or monitors, so you use the 'look back' method.  No fingers should ever be crossed.  Simple as that.

[chrisr_75]

Yes, on seeing that picture my concern was with the driver of the DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) Turbo.

Can't be nice to see that crowd on the monitor/mirror when preparing to depart. Fingers crossed and hope for the best?

As a driver who's responsible for the despatch you wait until you are 100% sure it's safe to depart, however long that takes.  I believe the train was stationary for three-and-a-half-minutes.  Maidenhead platform 1 has no mirrors or monitors, so you use the 'look back' method.  No fingers should ever be crossed.  Simple as that.

Surely an extra pair of eyes or two on the platform would make that job easier and more watertight from a safety perspective?

[BBM]

Yes, on seeing that picture my concern was with the driver of the DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) Turbo.

Can't be nice to see that crowd on the monitor/mirror when preparing to depart. Fingers crossed and hope for the best?

As a driver who's responsible for the despatch you wait until you are 100% sure it's safe to depart, however long that takes.  I believe the train was stationary for three-and-a-half-minutes.  Maidenhead platform 1 has no mirrors or monitors, so you use the 'look back' method.  No fingers should ever be crossed.  Simple as that.

Surely an extra pair of eyes or two on the platform would make that job easier and more watertight from a safety perspective?

I've used that exit from platform 1 on a few occasions when changing from a fast service not stopping at Twyford (TWY^▸ (Twyford station)) over to a stopper from platform 3. It really does strike me as being a cheap stop-gap solution and surely something better is now needed if that platform now gets much more regular use these days.

On the subject of overcrowding photos on Twitter, a user called Janine Giovanni posted the below picture last night on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s timeline. She didn't give the location but I believe it might have been at Ealing Broadway, there were a few angry tweets last night from people with extended waits for Down trains there at around 1845-1915, some were saying they were unable to board trains.



EDIT: Apologies, forgot to include the link: https://twitter.com/janinegiovanni/status/529716434814119936/photo/1

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying acronym

[Western Enterprise]

Surely an extra pair of eyes or two on the platform would make that job easier and more watertight from a safety perspective?

There have been occasions when a member of staff(s) has been on the platform and asked people to keep behind the yellow line, obviously to help dispatch. Don^t know what happened this time, perhaps too interested in checking tickets at turnstiles^. 
Being held up for 3 minutes on the down fast (plus deceleration and acceleration) is going to have lots of re-percussions further ^up^ the line.

[JayMac]

Apologies if my 'Fingers crossed' comment came across as flippant. Not my intention.

With it being the 'look back' method I'd be even more concerned about DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) when a platform is that crowded. What does the driver do? Keep looking back until the whole train is clear of the platform and not look forward? Or switch between craning his neck out and checking the line ahead? Or just, after doors closed and interlocked, watch the road ahead?

[NickB]

Apologies if my 'Fingers crossed' comment came across as flippant. Not my intention.

With it being the 'look back' method I'd be even more concerned about DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) when a platform is that crowded. What does the driver do? Keep looking back until the whole train is clear of the platform and not look forward? Or switch between craning his neck out and checking the line ahead? Or just, after doors closed and interlocked, watch the road ahead?

I can tell you what did happen, as I was walking towards the driver away from the crowds and towards the carpark.
Doors shut, driver window closed.  Away.  Definitely 200+ people still on platform, and definitely the wrong side of the yellow in large numbers.
I don't know what the driver could have done differently without holding up the line for >10mins.

[chrisr_75]

Apologies if my 'Fingers crossed' comment came across as flippant. Not my intention.

With it being the 'look back' method I'd be even more concerned about DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) when a platform is that crowded. What does the driver do? Keep looking back until the whole train is clear of the platform and not look forward? Or switch between craning his neck out and checking the line ahead? Or just, after doors closed and interlocked, watch the road ahead?

I can tell you what did happen, as I was walking towards the driver away from the crowds and towards the carpark.
Doors shut, driver window closed.  Away.  Definitely 200+ people still on platform, and definitely the wrong side of the yellow in large numbers.
I don't know what the driver could have done differently without holding up the line for >10mins.

In my opinion waiting until everyone on the platform was safely clear of the train, even if it causes a delay would've been the right thing to do, especially without any assistance from platform staff. A small delay of 10 mins or so has to be better than someone not going home. The driver should not, under any circumstances whatsoever, be questioned on such a decision surrounding safety of passengers, staff, equipment or infrastructure, even if it results in his/her train and any other behind being delayed. The recent incident of a woman being trapped in a train door at Newcastle is a prime example of what can go wrong with train doors & when staff fail or are otherwise unable to complete their pre-departure checks correctly.

[NickB]

Yep.
I saw a number of people unable to disembark due to the whole platform being full.  They were directly in the doorways, already braced for the doors to close on them and shouting at passengers on the platform to make way to let them off before the doors closed.

TTBOMK^▸ (to the best of my knowledge) they made it off eventually and didn't have to go to Twyford.

[TaplowGreen]

Absolutely correct, and at least one of the station staff should have been on the platform ensuring the safety of the dispatch, they must have known that this service was dangerously crush loaded and if the platform changed from 3 to 1 at short notice the driver should have waited until there was a member of staff on Platform 1 to make sure the situation was safe before opening the doors - knowing Maidenhead station as I do, staff can often be found congregating around the heater in the main entrance near the ticket gates.