Poppies removed from Hale Station - because they could confuse train drivers

[snookertam]

What is the point of putting them all on the pillars like that?

In case you forget it’s Remembrance Day. Not enough reminders of that around this time of year.

 

[Starmill]

Surely they could simply have been placed differently, on a bench, above the entrances, etc, or indeed just about anywhere else on the station, and this wouldn't have become an issue...

 

[Busaholic]

There is so much poppycock talked about poppies, almost as much as about flags. I have no particular views on them, but hate their display or lack of becoming a political issue e,g the Far Right suggesting you have no patriotism if you don't flaunt one. Some years I buy one, other times not, and I even wear one briefly before it inevitably falls off. If the safety of rail passengers might be at stake, then remove them to somewhere else.

 

[68000]

In case you forget it’s Remembrance Day. Not enough reminders of that around this time of year.

Remembrance Sunday used to be about personal reflection and remembrance. Now it is associated with putting poppies everywhere in the weeks running up to Nov 11 and Remembrance Sunday. There is no point to fixing those large poppies to the station pillars

 

[northwichcat]

I notice a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Altrincham and Sale West has made this a political issue by writing a letter to Northern and posting an image of it on his Twitter/X feed

OLIVER CARROLL
FOR ALTRINCHAM AND SALE WEST
Mr Craig Harrop
Regional Director
Northern Rail
George Stephenson House,
Toft Green,
York YOI 6JT
BY EMAIL
Dear Mr Harrop,
Friday IO November 2023
I have learned with dismay that your staff at both Altrincham and Hale railway stations have
removed remembrance poppies placed at the station, where they have been displayed for a
number of years without incident.
This has apparently been done in the name of an apparent concern for safety — however no
evidence has been presented that train drivers actually do mistake these poppies for stop
signals, nor have there been any concerns raised over the course of the last decade when
these poppies have been proudly presented at Altrincham and Hale stations. Indeed, the
decision to remove poppies has been done without consultation with the civic societies and
remembrance volunteers who have given their time and energies to display them.
Our railway stations are centres of civic activity — not least during this important period of
remembrance. You will not need to be reminded of the role which railway staff, past and
present, have played in wartime and of the responsibility that Northern, as the present
custodians of these stations, carries in upholding their memory.
I would urge you to urgently reconsider this misguided policy adopted by your staff at the
earliest possible opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Carroll
Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Altrincham and Sale West
Oliver Carroll — Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Altrincham and Sale West
The Thatcher Suite, Denzell House, Dunham Road, WA14 4QE
oc@altsale.org

https://twitter.com/OliverJCarroll/status/1722940621642428918

An observation I made yesterday is there are still some poppies on railings at Altrincham and Navigation Road, facing the platform. There's no poppies on any pillars or lamposts at Hale, Altrincham or Navigation Road.

 

[Ediswan]

I notice a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Altrincham and Sale West has made this a political issue by writing a letter to Northern and posting an image of it on his Twitter/X feed

https://twitter.com/OliverJCarroll/status/1722940621642428918

I observation I made yesterday is there are still some poppies on railings at Altrincham and Navigation Road, facing the platform. There's no poppies on any pillars or lamposts at Hale, Altrincham or Navigation Road.

The PPC claims that poppies have been displayed in previous years without incident. But have giant poppies been displayed in this manner before ?

 

[Killingworth]

The PPC claims that poppies have been displayed in previous years without incident. But have giant poppies been displayed in this manner before ?

Sometimes failure to abide by rules isn't noticed, but those big poppies clearly were erected at height and should have been signed off in advance by Northern. Seems they weren't.

Station Adoption Groups are expected to work within the terms of a safety briefing seen here; https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/s...ion_adoption_safety_briefing_updated_2019.pdf

The relevant sections say;

Safety and sustainability summary Working at height should be avoided at all times. If the local manager is in agreement concerning a specific task this must be risk assessed and signed as adequate by that manager

Working from ladders must be avoided on every occasion.

 

[SargeNpton]

Absolutely, it's all hairdressers, actuaries, artisan bakers, and particle physicists these days isn't it?

All out of the "B" Ark no doubt. (Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy for those who don't understand the relevance).

 

[Deepgreen]

Red clothing to be banned on passengers as a potential for catastrophe... Perhaps the red pillar details in the photo should be removed too?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Nov 2023 ==

All out of the "B" Ark no doubt. (Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy for those who don't understand the relevance).

On the planet Flintorwoodorwicks.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Nov 2023 ==

I've seen cyclists reminded to not turn their lights on until they've left the station, which makes a lot of sense. Putting reminder stickers in bike areas on the trains themselves would perhaps be sensible I think.

Yes, but they are lights, not fabric! There's a vast difference.

 

[AdamWW]

On the planet Flintorwoodorwicks.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Nov 2023 ==

Possibly going slightly off topic, but to be pedantic actually the poppies (and all of us) are on Fintlewoodlewix.

 

[ian1944]

If non-signalling red is undesirable on platforms, then why have all the pillars got a band of it at ground signal height?

 

[northwichcat]

If non-signalling red is undesirable on platforms, then why have all the pillars got a band of it at ground signal height?

The green, white and red colour scheme is not consistent with other stations on the line. I presume it's retained some sort of hertiage colours, while nearby stations have gone in to Northern blue and white or a mix of Northern and TfGM colours.

 

[Spartacus]

If non-signalling red is undesirable on platforms, then why have all the pillars got a band of it at ground signal height?

The green, white and red colour scheme is not consistent with other stations on the line. I presume it's retained some sort of hertiage colours, while nearby stations have gone in to Northern blue and white or a mix of Northern and TfGM colours.

As well as being at a height in a public area where something red, maybe a pair of shoes, bag, dog etc, would not exactly be unexpected

 

[Greybeard33]

Deleted

 

[Killingworth]

IIRC the pillars used to be dark green. The red bands are relatively new, although I do not know when they were added.

The red bands have been there since before 2010, see; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1738395

Possibly as far back as 1988, although the picture isn't too clear; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/824883

 

[Greybeard33]

The red bands have been there since before 2010, see; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1738395

Possibly as far back as 1988, although the picture isn't too clear; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/824883

I used to use the station regularly in the 2010s, so that shows how (un)reliable my memory is!

 

[Cantab26]

The green, white and red colour scheme is not consistent with other stations on the line. I presume it's retained some sort of hertiage colours, while nearby stations have gone in to Northern blue and white or a mix of Northern and TfGM colours.

The ‘heritage’ CLC colours were brown and cream.

 

[Killingworth]

The ‘heritage’ CLC colours were brown and cream.

Looking again at the 1988 picture the pillars are brown.