"Doors will open on the left hand side" - whose left?

[Starmill]

It’s always in direction of travel.

Have you read the thread? The thread discusses extensively how this isn't the case, it's in the direction you're facing when you are looking at the screen. This may be the same as the direction of travel or it may be the reverse when you're facing the rear of the train.

 

[TurbineEnginee]

The Amsterdam metro deals with this non-issue quite nicely. The entire door frames are illuminated on the platform side when the unit pulls into a station.
I also like how it remembers you've pressed the door button indicating your desire to get off at the next stop, and the button stays illuminated until the doors are released......they open without having to press the button again.

I’ve quite forgotten why we even need to press a button for the doors to open.

Can anybody remind, why don’t they just open?

 

[nilvaj395]

I’ve quite forgotten why we even need to press a button for the doors to open.

Can anybody remind, why don’t they just open?

In modern times its due to not wasting energy with air conditioning.

 

[DelW]

I’ve quite forgotten why we even need to press a button for the doors to open.

Can anybody remind, why don’t they just open?

In modern times its due to not wasting energy with air conditioning.

And in winter, keeping the warmth in, rather than allowing wind and rain in unnecessarily.

I wish the doors on our local trains would re-close more quickly, rather than staying open until it's ready to depart. There are passenger close buttons, but hardly anyone ever uses them.

 

[Dr Hoo]

In modern times its due to not wasting energy with air conditioning.

…and reducing wear and tear on the mechanisms.

 

[edwin_m]

I’ve quite forgotten why we even need to press a button for the doors to open.

Can anybody remind, why don’t they just open?

They do at some busy stations such as the Thameslink core, and on the Underground.

 

[nilvaj395]

And in winter, keeping the warmth in, rather than allowing wind and rain in unnecessarily.

I wish the doors on our local trains would re-close more quickly, rather than staying open until it's ready to depart. There are passenger close buttons, but hardly anyone ever uses them.

…and reducing wear and tear on the mechanisms.

Those too, thanks!

 

[blimmo]

Imo there should be 4 states indicated on a door:

1. Broken: use a different door
2. Not going to open here (other side, SDO)
3. About to open (button pressed or busy station where doors always open)
4. Waiting for a button press

There should also be a differentiation between doors about to close to keep the hot/cold air in and those about to close because the train is departing. Perhaps sharing indications 4. and 2. respectively.

 

[TUC]

In modern times its due to not wasting energy with air conditioning.

But so many doors are likely to have passengers wanting to leave that having the individual door opening mechanisms potentially uses more energy.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Jan 2026 ==

Have you read the thread? The thread discusses extensively how this isn't the case, it's in the direction you're facing when you are looking at the screen. This may be the same as the direction of travel or it may be the reverse when you're facing the rear of the train.

Yes, but as said multiple times, most of us have the common sense to know that the only consistent logical meaning is the direction of the train.

 

[Falcon1200]

But so many doors are likely to have passengers wanting to leave that having the individual door opening mechanisms potentially uses more energy.

Maybe I have misunderstood, but surely all trains have individual mechanisms for each door or pair of doors?

The last trains in Scotland to have all doors opening regardless of need were the Class 314s, and when these stood at Neilston for 20 minutes they got very cold!

 

[edwin_m]

There should also be a differentiation between doors about to close to keep the hot/cold air in and those about to close because the train is departing. Perhaps sharing indications 4. and 2. respectively.

In every case I can think of, the "open" button is illuminated when the door closes but can be re-opened.

 

[andy33gmail]

Imo there should be 4 states indicated on a door:

1. Broken: use a different door
2. Not going to open here (other side, SDO)
3. About to open (button pressed or busy station where doors always open)
4. Waiting for a button press

There should also be a differentiation between doors about to close to keep the hot/cold air in and those about to close because the train is departing. Perhaps sharing indications 4. and 2. respectively.

5. About to time-out and close (press it again)
6. About to close and lock (panic)

 

[Starmill]

Yes, but as said multiple times, most of us have the common sense to know that the only consistent logical meaning is the direction of the train.

It's your personal view that it's common sense. It's not a factual point.

 

[Pnerick81]

I hate to think what would have happen if we had slam doors nowadays. Folk just don’t have the same level of common sense .

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jan 2026 ==

It's your personal view that it's common sense. It's not a factual point.

I also think it’s common sense too . It’s the only left side that makes sense .

 

[TUC]

I hate to think what would have happen if we had slam doors nowadays. Folk just don’t have the same level of common sense .

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jan 2026 ==

We would probably have threads on 'how hard should I slam the door?' and 'whose responsibility is it if I don't manage to close the door properly?'

 

[Falcon1200]

There are plenty of train types where no indication on which side the doors will open is given, at all, yet passengers seem to manage!

 

[Pnerick81]

We would probably have threads on 'how hard should I slam the door?' and 'whose responsibility is it if I don't manage to close the door properly?

Christ we would have full
Topics on doors . Sub topics . Handleless doors from the inside!!! Can I get the same train back to my station? Quick response needed !!!!!

 

[Starmill]

I also think it’s common sense too . It’s the only left side that makes sense .

That's as may be. But I am not sure your opinion has anything more to do with the answer to the post I was quoting than TUC's does.

 

[Belperpete]

On 197s it's triggered by door release at multi-platform stations. Also when running "bang road" (during engineering work for example) the signs will show the normal side and update when the guard releases the "wrong side" (but right in this circumstance) doors.

Are you sure? I have just had a trip on a 197 where the displays consistently showed the wrong side for every station! Fortunately the doors themselves opened on the correct side.

 

[Krokodil]

Are you sure? I have just had a trip on a 197 where the displays consistently showed the wrong side for every station! Fortunately the doors themselves opened on the correct side.

Occasionally you get a confused unit.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Okay, explain this photograph.
The photograph shows two in-carrriage display screens, both facing the same way, but showing arrows in opposite directions. Someone designed (wrote) that, someone signed it off, someone installed it and checked it during unit introduction, someone hasn't changed it (or turned it off) since. For the avoidance of doubt, Cil-y-Coed / Caldicot has platforms on the left, only.

Sorry for the upside down photo, it's correct when I open it on my computer.

 

[JamesT]

Okay, explain this photograph.
The photograph shows two in-carrriage display screens, both facing the same way, but showing arrows in opposite directions. Someone designed (wrote) that, someone signed it off, someone installed it and checked it during unit introduction, someone hasn't changed it (or turned it off) since. For the avoidance of doubt, Cil-y-Coed / Caldicot has platforms on the left, only.

Sorry for the upside down photo, it's correct when I open it on my computer.

Are there any screens in those units that face the other way? I would expect that there's a config option somewhere as to which way a screen is pointing in order that the arrow points correctly. Clearly on one screen that's been done right and one wrong.

Similar to this screen I saw in Oxford a couple of weeks ago. There were a couple of engineers poking at the wiring, so presumably thinking it's in Plymouth is some sort of default.

 

[Western Sunset]

Surely we have to credit passengers with some common sense. Or maybe not...

 

[FrontSideBus]

I really think we have too much information being fed to us these days. How did we cope before?

 

[styles]

I really think we have too much information being fed to us these days. How did we cope before?

I think there's an argument to say accessibility wasn't a primary concern previously, whereas it should be.

But obviously announcing the wrong doors opening is worse than not announcing them at all.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Are there any screens in those units that face the other way? I

Yes, the layout is effectively mirrored if you turn around.

 

[D1511]

6 pages on a complete non-issue.......watch out RMWeb!

 

[occone]

Let's make it 7 pages on a complete non-issue...

How about a generic "doors will open on the platform side" announcement, they way it's always right and needs next to no cost or information around whose left is whose

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Let's make it 7 pages on a complete non-issue...

How about a generic "doors will open on the platform side" announcement, they way it's always right and needs next to no cost or information around whose left is whose

But only if you press the button, not automatically.

 

[Western Sunset]

Let's make it 7 pages on a complete non-issue...

How about a generic "doors will open on the platform side" announcement, they way it's always right and needs next to no cost or information around whose left is whose

Surely that'd be a pointless announcement, stating the b------- obvious.