Northern train departed without allowing some passengers to board

[Twingo37175]

Mods, apologies if in wrong place, feel free to move as relevant.
My eldest son (16) was getting a train from Doncaster to Adwick yesterday to meet me. I won't identify which, all I will say is that it was a Sheffield to Adwick service and hence using a through platform (4) as against the Leeds terminators.
The platform was busy as there was also a cross country service following. He was letting people leave the train first, but as soon as that happened the doors were closed and the train left, with him and others still rail side of the yellow line. No attempt was made for a clear despatch as far as i am aware.

My question to the staff and experts on here is how best to raise a complaint to northern? The delay isn't the factor here, it Is the apparent failure on despatch procedure.

Thanks!

 

[Sheffcaster202]

I've attached a screenshot, from the Northern contact page on the website, with the various ways to get in touch with Northern

 

[renegademaster]

In GTR land dispatchers will clear trains if they can see clearly that nobody is trying to board even if a few people have strayed over the yellow line. Nothing would ever move in the southeast if they applied the standards shouty Avanti staff do.

In the guidelines that they are given is the yellow line a "no dispatch until the area is empty" thing or an aid to the public to indicate an area that they should avoid.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Are Northern trains ‘self despatch’ at Doncaster, by the guard, or are they despatched by LNER station staff?

I suppose that a despatcher (of whatever type) might have seen the despatch corridor apparently clear and initiated departure. Obviously, with nobody in front of the yellow line it was superficially ‘safe’.

 

[800001]

Are Northern trains ‘self despatch’ at Doncaster, by the guard, or are they despatched by LNER station staff?

I suppose that a despatcher (of whatever type) might have seen the despatch corridor apparently clear and initiated departure. Obviously, with nobody in front of the yellow line it was superficially ‘safe’.

Northern are self despatch I believe.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jun 2025 ==

Mods, apologies if in wrong place, feel free to move as relevant.
My eldest son (16) was getting a train from Doncaster to Adwick yesterday to meet me. I won't identify which, all I will say is that it was a Sheffield to Adwick service and hence using a through platform (4) as against the Leeds terminators.
The platform was busy as there was also a cross country service following. He was letting people leave the train first, but as soon as that happened the doors were closed and the train left, with him and others still rail side of the yellow line. No attempt was made for a clear despatch as far as i am aware.

My question to the staff and experts on here is how best to raise a complaint to northern? The delay isn't the factor here, it Is the apparent failure on despatch procedure.

Thanks!

So the guard only allowed people to alight? And no one was allowed to board the train?

 

[yorkie]

So the guard only allowed people to alight? And no one was allowed to board the train?

No-one has said what happened at the other doors!

 

[800001]

No-one has said what happened at the other doors!

My bad! I interpreted ‘He was letting people leave the train first, but as soon as that happened the doors were closed and the train left’ as no one boarded!

 

[Twingo37175]

My bad! I interpreted ‘He was letting people leave the train first, but as soon as that happened the doors were closed and the train left’ as no one boarded!

Correct, but my point is more that my lad was lineside of the yellow line at that point, and no communication or checking to either clear for despatch or allow passengers to board

 

[sportzbar]

I hate to be that person, but from your initial post I'm guessing you weren't actually there to clarify and are just stating what your son told you. It does seem very strange that the guard would close the doors on a train as soon as the last person had alighted, without anyone else even attempting to board.

In my experience, especially at a busy station like Doncaster there will always be people trying to get on the train. Unless the guard started the door close procedure before the last passengers even left the train, then there is no way that the doors would have closed before anyone tried to board.

I'm just playing devil's advocate and I apologise in advance if I'm wrong, but from what you describe, its pretty much impossible for that to happen.

I hope Northern do investigate but I don't think you will like what the investigation will find......