We're in the process of evacuating now for what it's worth.
Thank you. My train was eventually cancelled and I’ve found an alternative route.
Not a good day all round - delays of up to two hours on the WCML because of some unspecified problem near Watford. I had earmarked today to do the Clitheroe-Hellifield line, which would have been scuppered shortly after leaving Euston had I not had another commitment come up that kept me at home.
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Video shows people evacuating the Thameslink Class 700 train onto the lineside with the help of the British Transport Police in attendance.
Nightmare scenario for sure for the drivers and staff but there are no emergency windows on these trains and the air con is pretty mediocre on these trains at best of times especially when temps are above 30 deg C so without aircon they rapidly heat up internally in direct sun. Power off with abutting sections could have been given very quickly and given that video shows most people self evacuating anyway without ladders they could have undertaken it a lot quicker. Railway needs to think holistically in that its putting people at risk inside trains with no air conditioning in these conditions vs risks of initiating evacuation once they have got trains stopped and power isolated.
In terms of human behaviour, someone ordered water to the train on Just Eat, with a video on Instagram of a delivery driver throwing water bottles at the open door of the train on a viaduct. Some passengers have left the train by this point and all doors are open.
Bagsie that as a format for a gameshow.
Behold the depressingly hysterical toxicity and thirst for blame of social media.
No idea on the technicalites but at the very least it could have given hotel power for longer.
Was the whole train evacuated via Loughborough Junction station? Did that take a while? The station only has one stairway and a rather cramped entrance hall.
There was one policeman in the video in #10 above every other door was being self evacuated and there were no ladders to be seen nor any other staff although three trains were trapped. Clearly the most important thing is to get the lines protected and the current isolated. Yes i get in this case having to use abutting sections made it very disruptive as it would have taken off the Catfords as well but they have a work around via the Atlantics but once you have cleared the trains off those lines they could have given the isolation and then told people which way to walk. Passengers aren't stupid and most people wont take risks getting out the train as can be clearly seen on the video. The limited number of staff can then assist those less infirm.
From a technical point, yes it'd be possible. There'd be a cost associated with it of course. I mentioned a few posts above about the potential for providing sufficient battery capacity for traction power, so that the train isn't expected to support hotel power for too long but rather just enough to limp back on to the juice. However, in this situation with damage to the shoes it may not have been possible to move the failed train even if it did have a traction battery - although such fitment would have helped any trapped trains.
It's pretty standard for hot climates and I tend to agree it should be considered for future UK train procurements, but I suggest retrofitting would be tricky unless it's easily possible to add extra battery. Otherwise putting more load on what batteries there are would most likely reduce the endurance of other safety-related functions such as PA, emergency lighting, radio etc that it would supply today. The easiest retrofit is probably hopper vents, but if these are openable by passengers then people open them and defeat the aircon. With a lockable version, it's probably not viable to have the driver come back through a 12-car train to unlock them when they also need to be in touch by cab radio with those rendering assistance.
