Olton Station locked on Saturday 6/6/2026

[Pemberton]

I came across this report of "passengers arriving at Olton just before midnight on Saturday 6th June, only to find the exit shutters down". It appeared there were around 22 affected customers who then waited the best part of an hour to exit the station.

Moment passengers are locked inside train station at midnight

Passengers were locked inside Olton train station in Solihull after arriving on the last West Midlands Railway service from Birmingham

www.coventrytelegraph.net

West Midlands Railway has issued an apology after train passengers found themselves trapped inside a station for over an hour.

Approximately 22 travellers alighted from the last train from Birmingham, only to discover the shutters had been pulled down at Olton Station at 11.52pm last Saturday (June 6).

Having failed to reach any railway staff, the bewildered passengers dialled 999 for assistance.

 

[Russel]

Oxenholme, Hartlepool, Olton...

This keeps happening.

 

[KNN]

Non rail staff private security?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

And unlike some previous cases where the trains were significantly late, this train was only 2 minutes late.

 

[Russel]

Non rail staff private security?

Even if that is the case, it's still the responsibility of the TOC to make sure the subcontractors they use are fit for purpose.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oxenholme, Hartlepool, Olton...

This keeps happening.

I'm really not understanding why having some means of effecting an exit from inside, e.g. a push bar or a break glass to get a key, is not only practiced but mandatory. This isn't just a risk of bored people having to wait or maybe climbing a fence (though this is a potential safety hazard, particularly if they seek to exit via the track or get too close to the OHLE), it's a potential fire hazard.

Aside from actual prisons, if people can be inside something legitimately, even by mistake, it should always be possible for them to exit it without assistance. We can't lock people in trains, locking them in stations even by accident is something that should not be possible by design even if the station is locked so you can't get in from outside.

 

[KNN]

Even if that is the case, it's still the responsibility of the TOC to make sure the subcontractors they use are fit for purpose.

Of course, I'm just posing the question as it seems to be happening more often.

 

[sharpener]

I'm really not understanding why having some means of effecting an exit from inside, e.g. a push bar or a break glass to get a key, is not only practiced but mandatory. This isn't just a risk of bored people having to wait or maybe climbing a fence (though this is a potential safety hazard, particularly if they seek to exit via the track or get too close to the OHLE), it's a potential fire hazard.

I can't understand why this isn't prosecuted as an offence against the H&S@WA. I used to work in theatres where availability/accessibility of any and all means of exit was taken very seriously by staff (and also by the fire authorities).

 

[MalaiseForever]

Are there really no fire exits at these stations? Seems crazy to me.

 

[The exile]

I can't understand why this isn't prosecuted as an offence against the H&S@WA. I used to work in theatres where availability/accessibility of any and all means of exit was taken very seriously by staff (and also by the fire authorities).

The difference here is that people do have the means of escape (from fire, for example) - just not a legitimate one or one that takes them where the.want to go. Agreed though that a “crush-bar” exit should be provided as a matter of urgency everywhere it can be - which would probably just leave stations in deep cuttings where the exit is through a building as more than just a financial challenge.

 

[Russel]

Are there really no fire exits at these stations? Seems crazy to me.

In reality, in the event of passengers being locked inside a burning station, passengers would evacuate via the platform and track.

Not saying this is an ideal situation, just what would likely happen in reality.

 

[riceuten]

"They then said they would send the British Transport Police which was a bit frustrating to be honest because it shouldn't really matter where you are and what's happening, they should just send the nearest police car."

Then...nothing. I assume there wasn't an available BTP Car/Officer in the locality, so an additional 999 call was required. Do BTP actually serve any purpose at all ?

 

[Sealink]

Wonder if that qualifies for delay replay

 

[Djgr]

I can't understand why this isn't prosecuted as an offence against the H&S@WA. I used to work in theatres where availability/accessibility of any and all means of exit was taken very seriously by staff (and also by the fire authorities).

This sounds like a Health and Safety issue that does actually matter, rather than the usual obsession with trivia.

 

[TUC]

Whilst I agree it needs to be clearly expressed in the processes for those locking up stations to follow, yet again one does have to wonder at the lack of common sense by anyone-staff or agency-who locks up without checking whether the last train has arrived.

 

[dosxuk]

It's not going to be a H&SAW issue because doors are secured when the building is locked up overnight and expected to be empty.

It potentially could be though because of the lack of robust processes ensuring that locking up doesn't happen until after the last arrival. That's where the gaps are in these cases.

Someone compared this to theatres above, I can say I've been in several similar spaces where the first job each day is to go and unchain all the fire exits, and this is approved by all the relevant authorities. There is no H&S expectation that empty buildings have accessible fire escapes. If there was an incident in a secured building, the authorities would be concentrating on why people were still inside, rather than why were the doors secured.

 

[birchesgreen]

How annoying, could also mean you missed the last bus if you had further to go on.

My uncle used to live next to Olton, i can just imagine the row he would have made if he'd been trapped. It'd probably be audible at NR HQ without any telephone or radio help.

 

[sharpener]

It's not going to be a H&SAW issue because doors are secured when the building is locked up overnight and expected to be empty.

It potentially could be though because of the lack of robust processes ensuring that locking up doesn't happen until after the last arrival. That's where the gaps are in these cases.

Someone compared this to theatres above, I can say I've been in several similar spaces where the first job each day is to go and unchain all the fire exits, and this is approved by all the relevant authorities. There is no H&S expectation that empty buildings have accessible fire escapes. If there was an incident in a secured building, the authorities would be concentrating on why people were still inside, rather than why were the doors secured.

Disagree, my comparison with theatres was not exact because once the building has been locked up there is not usually a mechanism for 10s or 100s more ppl to arrive in the theatre by a "magic" process not involving said exits.

In reality, in the event of passengers being locked inside a burning station, passengers would evacuate via the platform and track.

Not saying this is an ideal situation, just what would likely happen in reality.

Also I would not necessarily want to evacuate via the platforms and track in the dark unless I was very familiar with the track layout, even if sidings etc are OOU they can still present a trip hazard. And then what? I used to scale 7 ft gates when I was an undergraduate but that was decades in the past and anyway much urban track has climb-proof fencing for long distances now.

 

[GordonT]

Also I would not necessarily want to evacuate via the platforms and track in the dark unless I was very familiar with the track layout, even if sidings etc are OOU they can still present a trip hazard. And then wha 7 ft gates when I was an undergraduate but that was decades in the past and anyway much urban track has climb-proof fencing for long distances now.

Also TOCs have to consider the needs of passengers with mobility issues, visual impairment etc. Perhaps if some body such as ORR were to flex its muscles and declare that in light of this scenario having repeated itself several times any future repetition will result in the TOC concerned (Or NR if the station is an NR managed station) being fined £10K or whatever sum or alternative sanction was felt likely to concentrate minds.

 

[Gonzoiku]

Wonder if that qualifies for delay replay

Of course not, their train was not sufficiently (if at all) delayed.

GZ

 

[Swedenorer]

Looking at the layout of the station the only exit to the street has shutters and nothing that could be fitted with a panic bolt and indeed is the only practicable exit and proabaly did need the fire and rescue attendance. Looking at the timetable and the station layout I'd be very interested indeed in the results of an investigation as to what time that station was actually locked up. As with one or two posters above anyone with any experience of licensing would take this incredibly seriously. I hope WMR are.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Do/ should train crew have a responsibility to ensure the station where passengers are alighting has a means of egress?

Maybe as part of the locking up procedure, the person doing it should put up "station closed" signs at a place clearly visible to train crew. This does happen on the Underground (albeit for maintenance closures, and in the past on stations that were clsoed on Sundays) rather than regular overnight ones). Of course, the lockup man could just check the PIS display to see if a train is expected.

 

[Russel]

Also I would not necessarily want to evacuate via the platforms and track in the dark unless I was very familiar with the track layout, even if sidings etc are OOU they can still present a trip hazard. And then what? I used to scale 7 ft gates when I was an undergraduate but that was decades in the past and anyway much urban track has climb-proof fencing for long distances now.

No one would "want" to evacuate that way, but when all else fails...

I'm not convinced the average passenger would be considering trip hazards in such satiations either.

As I said, I'm not suggesting it's the right way, just what would happen in reality, self evacuations from stranded trains for example, shouldn't happen, but they do...

 

[sharpener]

Looking at the layout of the station the only exit to the street has shutters and nothing that could be fitted with a panic bolt and indeed is the only practicable exit and proabaly did need the fire and rescue attendance. Looking at the timetable and the station layout I'd be very interested indeed in the results of an investigation as to what time that station was actually locked up. As with one or two posters above anyone with any experience of licensing would take this incredibly seriously. I hope WMR are.

Given the police were accompanied by the fire brigade it is a bit worrying that according to the newspaper report it took them 10 mins to open the shutter.

 

[Sealink]

Of course not, their train was not sufficiently (if at all) delayed.

GZ

Their journey was though. The original post was in jest btw.

 

[Gonzoiku]

In jest, you say? So was my response ICYMI!

 

[KNN]

In jest, you say? So was my response ICYMI!

There should be some sort of tag on this site to show when it's a joke.

 

[Gonzoiku]

There should be some sort of tag on this site to show when it's a joke.

You have in mind posts about XC seating availability?

GZ

 

[KNN]

You have in mind posts about XC seating availability?

GZ

Just XC would do it...

 

[TransportHub]

Do/ should train crew have a responsibility to ensure the station where passengers are alighting has a means of egress?

Maybe as part of the locking up procedure, the person doing it should put up "station closed" signs at a place clearly visible to train crew. This does happen on the Underground (albeit for maintenance closures, and in the past on stations that were clsoed on Sundays) rather than regular overnight ones). Of course, the lockup man could just check the PIS display to see if a train is expected.

This happens at City Thameslink, the station shuts overnight and on Sundays even when there are pax trains running through. It certainly would be a low cost solution to the issue, and could be used if there's unplanned reason why passengers shouldn't get off