Bizarre News Report on Gloucestershire Live

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

I'm not quite sure what to make of this report on the GloucestershireLive website

'I'm sorry but we haven't got anyone to open the doors' - Bizarre scenes at Cheltenham Spa station as train left stranded

Dozens of confused would-be passengers were left waiting

Cheltenham Spa station staff told commuters they didn't have anyone to open the doors of a train stuck at the platform this morning.

The 6.30am train from Cheltenham to London Paddington - via Gloucester and other stops - was stationary at Platform One for 13 minutes, as dozens of confused would-be passengers waited.

They were told be a station worker: "I'm so sorry. At the moment it appears we haven't got anyone to open the doors."

One commuter said: "I thought I'd heard it all but this is crazy. "It's pretty shoddy and it's not fair on the commuters here who rely on a smooth service."

Staff finally managed to open the doors at 5.43am, and it left shortly afterwards.

The 5.54am train from Cheltenham to Paddington was also delayed.

It eventually departed an hour late, on a route that only stopped at Swindon and Paddington.

A Great Western Railway spokesman said: “We are sorry, the 6.30am service from Cheltenham to Paddington was delayed by 12 minutes this morning because the crew member scheduled to take the train forward was delayed en route to the station.”

There appear to be several timing anomalies in that report.

[Adelante_CCT]

Managed to open the doors at 05:43 I think is the only inaccuracy (should be 06:43), the 05:54 train was also delayed but for a different reason.

[PhilWakely]

Managed to open the doors at 05:43 I think is the only inaccuracy (should be 06:43), the 05:54 train was also delayed but for a different reason.

Fair enough - but the way it has been written almost implies the 05:54 was delayed because of this.

[ChrisB]

Yep - the train is ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) I think into CNM^» (Cheltenham Spa - next trains).....train manager joins as it pulls into the station from the siding.