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

[webbfan]

Always said when have "Handleless doors from the inside" should never let a lady open the door - takes far to long.

 

[londonbridge]

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?

Julie Berry often reminds us that “the doors will open automatically at the next station”…..

 

[etr221]

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

Unless there are platforms on both sides...

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I always assumed within transportation that it means on the left ‘in the direction of travel’.

Ditto, and common sense to most (back in the day!). Perhaps the industry needs to communicate this in a more visible way?

 

[dk1]

Ditto, and common sense to most (back in the day!). Perhaps the industry needs to communicate this in a more visible way?

Yeah but it’s so worrying that it’s not just common sense.

 

[Recessio]

Ditto, and common sense to most (back in the day!). Perhaps the industry needs to communicate this in a more visible way?

Yeah but it’s so worrying that it’s not just common sense.

Even if it isn't common sense though, it only takes one station stop for people to realise that it was left/right "in the direction of travel" anyway though - this really feels like a non issue

 

[DelW]

Even if it isn't common sense though, it only takes one station stop for people to realise that it was left/right "in the direction of travel" anyway though - this really feels like a non issue

The whole reason for this thread existing is the case outlined in post #1, where left or right were relative to a screen's orientation,  not the direction of travel.

 

[Recessio]

The whole reason for this thread existing is the case outlined in post #1, where left or right were relative to a screen's orientation,  not the direction of travel.

Yes but it's a simple solution - either make the screens and arrows point the correct way (which requires the screen to know what way the direction of travel is) - or even easier, just do what TfL does and just have the screens say that it's in the direction of travel and let the passenger work it out

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Julie Berry often reminds us that “the doors will open automatically at the next station”…..

Which itself seems to me confusing. Yes, at an intellectual level when I think about it, I realise that they mean, you don't need to press a button, every platform-side door will open anyway at that station. But I grew up in an age when you invariably had to push a handle and then open every door manually - by using your muscles to provide the force to open the door, and deriving from that I still have sense that automatic can also refer to any door where you just push a button and then it opens itself - which is practically every door on modern trains. In that context, it's somewhat meaningless to say that the doors will open automatically. I'm sure I can't be the only one who has to do a double take when I hear 'the doors will open automatically'.

 

[stadler]

Julie Berry often reminds us that “the doors will open automatically at the next station”…..

That only plays on approach to the Thameslink Core stations which are the only ones where you do not need to press a button. I have wondered why it is neccessary as the Elizabeth Line Core and London Underground also open doors automatically but do not play an announcement. It is probably some health and safety thing because they worry about people (especially those who mostly use the outer ends of Thameslink rather than the core) leaning on the doors and not realising that they will automatically open.

 

[edwin_m]

It would probably make more sense (but be more annoying) to announce "Push button to open doors at this station" at the stations this applies to. This avoids the problem of people expecting the door to open by itself, and possibly delay departure or be over-carried.

 

[stadler]

It would probably make more sense (but be more annoying) to announce "Push button to open doors at this station" at the stations this applies to. This avoids the problem of people expecting the door to open by itself, and possibly delay departure or be over-carried.

The old SWT Class 458/0 trains used to do something similar and announce "the doors buttons are now activated" at every station.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

That only plays on approach to the Thameslink Core stations which are the only ones where you do not need to press a button. I have wondered why it is neccessary as the Elizabeth Line Core and London Underground also open doors automatically but do not play an announcement. It is probably some health and safety thing because they worry about people (especially those who mostly use the outer ends of Thameslink rather than the core) leaning on the doors and not realising that they will automatically open.

As an aside, I do wonder why Thameslink trains do that. It means that at quiet periods doors may be opening unnecessarily, consuming extra power, and there would seem to be almost no benefit to opening all doors automatically. If the intention is to save time then - well, it saves practically no time because people would otherwise press the button basically as soon as the doors are released. And it would avoid the need for extra announcements - and avoid confusing some passengers - if the doors behaved the same way at all stations.

Elizabeth line is a different matter - I would imagine you would have to open all doors automatically in the core stations because they need to work with the platform doors.

 

[styles]

It would probably make more sense (but be more annoying) to announce "Push button to open doors at this station" at the stations this applies to. This avoids the problem of people expecting the door to open by itself, and possibly delay departure or be over-carried.

This would make sense.

For clarity - I actually think announcing door opening sides is a good idea. I just think it needs to be clear.

 

[andy33gmail]

This would make sense.

For clarity - I actually think announcing door opening sides is a good idea. I just think it needs to be clear.

It’s a bit of a trap though.

If you make that become the standard, then existing services, which work fine will be seen as “confusing”

 

[jon0844]

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

Then the train pulls into Finsbury Park and there are platforms both sides..

Being told which side is useful information. Not essential in many cases as at many locations it's obvious, but depending on station design, how busy the train is (your ability to see out from inside) and if it's dark outside etc, it's useful. But for some trains it won't be possible when a train could be routed into different platforms, meaning the train doesn't know (and can't guess or just go by a booked diagram) until the point where people would ask what's the point in saying now the train has arrived. At that point, the door sounders by the buttons 'take over'.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Apr 2026 ==

As an aside, I do wonder why Thameslink trains do that. It means that at quiet periods doors may be opening unnecessarily, consuming extra power, and there would seem to be almost no benefit to opening all doors automatically. If the intention is to save time then - well, it saves practically no time because people would otherwise press the button basically as soon as the doors are released. And it would avoid the need for extra announcements - and avoid confusing some passengers - if the doors behaved the same way at all stations.

Like the lack of tables and power points, the DfT wanted to design a train that would have minimal delays in the core because there was a vision of running at a very high capacity. Doors opening automatically, no need for people in the aisle to fold up their laptop to let the person in the window seat out (and the same for tangled up cables) and so on. First class was deemed worthy of having the tables and power though!

I think it could work on the Elizabeth Line too, but the interior layout is so different that I think the ability to board and alight is already quicker.

 

[3141]

Then the train pulls into Finsbury Park and there are platforms both sides..

Being told which side is useful information.

Amazing that this thread is still running! Of course it means "...in the direction of travel". Any passengers who cannot work that out are likely to have difficulty with the more complex guidelines which have been suggested to "help" them get out of the train.

The majority of Underground and Overground trains in London have all-longitudinal seating. All seated passengers, who don't already know the line, have to work out what left or right means, and most do it successfully. Standing passengers may be facing in any one of the 360 available degrees. On a train in a tunnel it's useful to be told on which side the doors will open at the next stop, because if you're standing when the train reaches the next station you may not easily be able to see which is the platform side. Similarly, at stations where there's a platform on both sides.

It's possible to over-complicate life with information only needed by those who may be insufficiently alert to understand it, just because there are systems which are capable of being programmed to provide it.

 

[Dr Hoo]

To revive this thread, because it seems like the obvious place to go rather than starting a new one, I was on a Docklands Light Railway train into Tower Gateway station the other day. (For those unfamiliar with the station, it is a single track reversing line at a dead-end terminus. The are platforms on both sides of the train with one side intended for arriving and alighting passengers and the other side intended for passengers waiting for a departing service. The design is to maximise efficiency of movement and minimise conflicts.)
As the train pulled in the Train Captain gave a very clear announcement informing of ‘all change’, explicitly stating that passengers should alight on the right hand side in the direction of travel.
Yes, you’ve guessed, the majority of passengers alighted on the left, barging through the assembled crowd!

 

[Pegpilot]

I still have a snap I took of a sign on a Calmac ferry that read "This door not working. Please use the port side door. On the right hand side". Still tickles me today.

 

[Goldfish62]

Amazing that this thread is still running! Of course it means "...in the direction of travel". Any passengers who cannot work that out are likely to have difficulty with the more complex guidelines which have been suggested to "help" them get out of the train.

Quite.

 

[mmh]

To revive this thread, because it seems like the obvious place to go rather than starting a new one, I was on a Docklands Light Railway train into Tower Gateway station the other day. (For those unfamiliar with the station, it is a single track reversing line at a dead-end terminus. The are platforms on both sides of the train with one side intended for arriving and alighting passengers and the other side intended for passengers waiting for a departing service. The design is to maximise efficiency of movement and minimise conflicts.)
As the train pulled in the Train Captain gave a very clear announcement informing of ‘all change’, explicitly stating that passengers should alight on the right hand side in the direction of travel.
Yes, you’ve guessed, the majority of passengers alighted on the left, barging through the assembled crowd!

That's more silly layout / use of the station rather than silly people. Getting on / off on the left is the default, so if the doors on the left open that's the way people will instinctively go.

 

[styles]

To revive this thread, because it seems like the obvious place to go rather than starting a new one, I was on a Docklands Light Railway train into Tower Gateway station the other day. (For those unfamiliar with the station, it is a single track reversing line at a dead-end terminus. The are platforms on both sides of the train with one side intended for arriving and alighting passengers and the other side intended for passengers waiting for a departing service. The design is to maximise efficiency of movement and minimise conflicts.)
As the train pulled in the Train Captain gave a very clear announcement informing of ‘all change’, explicitly stating that passengers should alight on the right hand side in the direction of travel.
Yes, you’ve guessed, the majority of passengers alighted on the left, barging through the assembled crowd!

Wouldn't the solution here be to open one set of doors for a few seconds on one side with the others remaining closed, then once most passengers had disembarked, open the other set of the doors? Seems like the effect on dwelling time would be minimal or even an improvement.

 

[The exile]

Unless there are platforms on both sides...

Or unless what you need to know is whether the two apparently ownerless bicycles and pram that are blocking the doors on the right hand side (in the direction of travel of course!) are going to make it impossible to get out or irrelevant because the doors are going to open on the left.

 

[blimmo]

Wouldn't the solution here be to open one set of doors for a few seconds on one side with the others remaining closed, then once most passengers had disembarked, open the other set of the doors? Seems like the effect on dwelling time would be minimal or even an improvement.

I believe this is regularly done in most places that employ this design. It does seem to be unusual here though so I guess no one's worked it out yet.

 

[Recessio]

Wouldn't the solution here be to open one set of doors for a few seconds on one side with the others remaining closed, then once most passengers had disembarked, open the other set of the doors? Seems like the effect on dwelling time would be minimal or even an improvement.

This is what Morden does with terminating Northern line trains

 

[Tester]

Wouldn't the solution here be to open one set of doors for a few seconds on one side with the others remaining closed, then once most passengers had disembarked, open the other set of the doors? Seems like the effect on dwelling time would be minimal or even an improvement.

Absolutely normal in Japan, particularly at terminal stations on the urban private railways.

A fun variation at non-terminal stations is three train cross-platform interchanges, with the outer trains accessible via the open doors of the middle train.

 

[Ian Hardy]

In the lifts at Underground stations and also the HEX stations at Heathrow, the doors on the exit side of the lift open first and only after a while do the entry doors open, to avoid the Tower Gateway situation:

Wouldn't the solution here be to open one set of doors for a few seconds on one side with the others remaining closed, then once most passengers had disembarked, open the other set of the doors? Seems like the effect on dwelling time would be minimal or even an improvement.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

That's more silly layout / use of the station rather than silly people. Getting on / off on the left is the default, so if the doors on the left open that's the way people will instinctively go

I'd expect most people on the DLR are regular users who would know the best ways to get out of the stations that they use, so it must be more than instinctive behaviour. I'm not familiar with Tower Gateway. Does the station layout mean that exiting on the left gets you out of the station quicker (even despite having to fight through crowds that you wouldn't have to fight through if you exited on the right?)

 

[321362]

I'd expect most people on the DLR are regular users who would know the best ways to get out of the stations that they use, so it must be more than instinctive behaviour. I'm not familiar with Tower Gateway. Does the station layout mean that exiting on the left gets you out of the station quicker (even despite having to fight through crowds that you wouldn't have to fight through if you exited on the right?)

With crowds, not any faster. With no crowds, faster by a few seconds.

Exit is on the left hand side (left if you're facing the buffers that is) but leaving on the right is only a few seconds longer around the buffers

 

[Dr Hoo]

With crowds, not any faster. With no crowds, faster by a few seconds.

Exit is on the left hand side (left if you're facing the buffers that is) but leaving on the right is only a few seconds longer around the buffers

Precisely. The actual exit (escalator, steps and lift) is basically ‘ahead’ of the platform. The ‘left hand platform’ can only be minimally closer.