Incident at crewe tonight - atw

[Greenback]

wouldn't it be easier to just change the timetables and close the doors at the correct time!

That would make sense if all transport operators did the same thing. My flight e-tickets say the plane leaves at 1430, but I can't turn up athe airport at 1425 and expect to get on, even if the flight is late leaving.

The Swansea to Cork ferry timetable shows it leaving at 2100, but I can't pitch up at the terminal at 2050 and get on.

In both these cases, it is because the doors will have been closed and the pre departure check will be taking place ready for a prompt departure.

Of course, there are no check ins necessary on the railway, and this is a great benefit, but I honestly don't see how changing timetables would help. It wouldn't stop trains leaving early. Neither would it prevent people being late for their train for whatever reason!

 

[IanPooleTrains]

our doors close 30 seconds before departure and we are bnot allowed to reopen the doors, passengers know this but does not stop them being abusive to me or my colleagues, I do not condone what the guard is accused of doing but we get plenty of grief too, there are posters everywhere stating the 30 second rule

It's longer with VT isn't it?

 

[tony_mac]

I honestly don't see how changing timetables would help. It wouldn't stop trains leaving early.

Instead of saying it leaves at 09:21 but leaving 30 seconds earlier you say it leaves at 09:20. Then if the passenger arrives at 09:20:31 then they know it is their own fault.
While nothing has actually changed, it causes less annoyance, frustration and complaints.

It just seems a less stressful solution than having to rely on random posters saying 'trains may leave early'.

 

[AlterEgo]

It's longer with VT isn't it?

Only at Euston.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Well this is just terrible behaviour but, unfortunately, not an uncommon sight in my area

Some services leave early by anything between 30 seconds to 2 minutes but there is no call for it.

What I wanna know is what goes through someone's head to leave early from a station because what does it actually achieve? Sure, it might get you there quicker but at the end of the day, let's say, for example, that someone had a connection to make on an advanced ticket. Where does that leave he/she if someone decides that they wanna get out of there as quickly as possible?

I think you are overreacting a little here, I am not aware of any professional railwayman/woman who would deliberately leave before the booked time unless authorised to do so by control. However, mistakes happen and sometimes trains leave early through no malice. I do around 1000 station stops every month and at around 97% of stops I have no time to hang around as our timings are very tight, of the other 3% I will wait until the correct time (T-30) before leaving. But sometimes mistakes happen. Sometimes when working at night or if a schedule card gets wet it could be possible for somebody to misread the departure time, please don't get the idea that guards are leaving early in order to get an early finish or to annoy passengers, it is frustrating but it happens sometimes-just like drivers sometimes fail to call at stations.

On another note, my schedule cards have recovery time measured in half minutes at some locations so I guess that half minutes are still in the WTT.

 

[blacknight]

Instead of saying it leaves at 09:21 but leaving 30 seconds earlier you say it leaves at 09:20. Then if the passenger arrives at 09:20:31 then they know it is their own fault.
While nothing has actually changed, it causes less annoyance, frustration and complaints.

It just seems a less stressful solution than having to rely on random posters saying 'trains may leave early'.

Very rare that train actually leaves early but departure time is when wheels start turning, & as doors have to be closed prior to that event hence you have posters stating doors may be closed up to a minute prior to booked departure time.
As for instance in your example of 09.21 departure that is time service is booked to leave the station not the the latest you can board the service.

 

[Crossover]

What I wanna know is what goes through someone's head to leave early from a station because what does it actually achieve? Sure, it might get you there quicker but at the end of the day, let's say, for example, that someone had a connection to make on an advanced ticket. Where does that leave he/she if someone decides that they wanna get out of there as quickly as possible?

I recall mentioning this a while back as a train I got off at Stoke left about 2 early. The reasonable explanation I was given was that dispatch couldn't see the station clock and wherever they got the time from was incorrect, which is plausible. Likewise it could be they have forgotten what time it should be leaving and as the signal is clear, assume it is then rather than a couple of minutes.

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Also, thinking about it, the reason they probably don;t advertise a 10:01 departure as 10:00 is that it then gets to 10:01 and everyone then says it is late (or at least that could be the perception to the general public)