GWR two passengers left behind at Paddington

[Peter0124]

Has anyone else seen that viral social media video of two women running down the platform with suitcases getting to the door only to be told they can't board? Despite others boarding at that exact moment. The train was likely late to depart.

A LOT of people on social media are saying it was a power trip, which it may have been, however its possible the large suitcases may have been a factor into why he didn't let them on.

What is your thoughts?

O (@isthisosman) on X

Lol what?

x.com

I am unsure how to structure this post so mods please feel free to edit.

 

[ivorytoast28]

I saw the video but it's one of those cases of social media being able to portray something in a certain way but without the context we don't know what happened

It seems odd he was letting others on but not them which makes me think either:

-he simply didn't see them as trying to board and was just gesturing when sensing someone in his proximity to go around

- they asked him about a train going to somewhere and he said "no not this one"

Possibly it was the cases too but he didn't even look round so think that's less likely

 

[Mattplans]

It's a funny video. i've seen some comments on Twitter calling it racism etc, but I don't think that is what has happened here. I agree that boarding the luggage would've caused the train to depart late.

The fact that the service isn't showing on here anymore suggests to me that it's been removed from the public display screens? This happens 1-2 mins before departure at major terminals like Paddington. The train is likely to have been approaching it's due time.


(The screenshot is a screengrab from the video that highlights an empty CIS board for the platform, displaying "Welcome to London Paddington" when it should be displaying the details of the train.)

Looking on tiktok, i can see that account posted the video 2 days ago. Assuming the incident took place on the same day (which might not necessarily be the case!), I believe this is the service concerned is 1W27 1350 London Paddington to Great Malvern which departed without delay and was on-time at Reading.

I know if I was there (without luggage) I would've been very tempted to board the service anyway as they clearly could've still made it on. I seem to remember on Paddington 24/7, there was an incident similar to this.

The passenger in question managed to board, but the guard was unhappy (ego hurt?) and the passenger had to be ejected with the assistance of police in that case. Keeping the railway moving and remaining punctual (which will probably be the corporate justification for this) clearly did not mean a lot to the guard in that case.

 

[MogtheDog]

This is a video from a week or two ago that has bounced back

 

[styles]

On the assumption (and it is an assumption) that the train was about t depart, I don't see the issue.

Trains are to depart on time. If they don't, it can have massive knock-on consequences.

When I'm travelling in the UK I cut it fine with trains. When I'm abroad I absolutely do not.

So again, on the assumption that the passengers were rocking up too late, no sympathy from me, sorry.

 

[CR165022]

So again, on the assumption that the passengers were rocking up too late, no sympathy from me, sorry.

Well that's pretty heartless. If they were in fact running for that train, there could have been many factors for why they were late, ones in which may have been out of their control, but we don't know that, but it might not be as simple as just "rocking up too late"

 

[styles]

Well that's pretty heartless. If they were in fact running for that train, there could have been many factors for why they were late, ones in which may have been out of their control, but we don't know that, but it's not as simple as just "rocking up too late"

I don't think it is.

People ought to leave buffers when taking important journeys.

For situations where missing a train is unavoidale, this is why travel insurance exists.

If a train is held up even for a couple of minutes it can cause delays across the whole network.

We don't hold up planes or buses for people being late so I'm not sure why trains should be any different.

 

[liamf656]

My opinion, but the old age saying "we wait for the train, the train doesn't wait for us" applies here. Personally, the people in front *just* scraped it on time, but the fact that the couple behind had suitcases may have influenced the TM's decision to deny them as it takes longer to board with them, delaying the train

 

[800001]

Quite simply the despatch process had already started, the other people were lucky to get on, as you can see as soon as he refused them people the guard acknowledges the platform staffs signal to go, he then closes door for the train to depart.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Its worth remembering that Paddington can be a nightmare for getting to your train on time.

Platforms sometimes not announced until ten minutes or less beforehand (and during disruption it can be less - ive had 5 mins before).
That means you may not have long to get from the main concourse to the train, even more so when you have luggage.

And that has to include getting through a scrum of people at the gateline - assuming the staff actually set the gates correctly in time - often they dont so you end up stood by the gateline after the platform has been announced waiting for the staff to actually sort the gates.

And of course if you have suitcases you'll be using the wide gates so will have even longer to wait as there are less of them.

I am not saying the staff member was wrong in this scenario, we dont know. Just saying especially at Paddington it can be a bit more complex than "they were late so should have planned better".

 

[norbitonflyer]

My opinion, but the old age saying "we wait for the train, the train doesn't wait for us" applies here. Personally, the people in front *just* scraped it on time, but the fact that the couple behind had suitcases may have influenced the TM's decision to deny them as it takes longer to board with them, delaying the train

The fact so many people were running fior the train suggests a late announcement, or perhaps an alteration or, as i saw at Paddington on Tuesday, an anouncvement to take a different train to connect with one starting that day at Reading.

That said, the women did not seem very upset, or make any effort to join the train, so it may be they asked the guard if the train was for their destination and got an answer in the negative.

 

[liamf656]

That said, the women did not seem very upset, or make any effort to join the train, so it may be they asked the guard if the train was for their destination and got an answer in the negative.

I was thinking this also

 

[CeeJ]

Could it be that, in the guard's view, the people he let on had 'made' the train on time by virtue of them passing the first door before the doors closed? Had they just boarded (rather than head down the train) then there would not be a problem, whereas the two girls had distinctly missed doors close.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

I’m as grumpy as it gets and don’t like passengers very much but am very surprised at the comments above. I hope that it’s a case of wrong train as it doesn’t look good at all.

 

[bunnahabhain]

They weren't there on time, and the guard hadn't seen them until he had ushered on the last few infront of him, only when he turns around immediately before boarding and closing his local door does he see them.

 

[800001]

They weren't there on time, and the guard hadn't seen them until he had ushered on the last few infront of him, only when he turns around immediately before boarding and closing his local door does he see them.

As posted earlier dispatch process had started between platform staff and the guard, they were to late.

 

[styles]

Could it be that, in the guard's view, the people he let on had 'made' the train on time by virtue of them passing the first door before the doors closed? Had they just boarded (rather than head down the train) then there would not be a problem, whereas the two girls had distinctly missed doors close.

I'm not a guard but honestly you have to just call it at some point. If you wait for every late passenger you'll never leave.

 

[81A]

I will say, as someone who gets to Paddington at least 20 min early (when I need a certain train and can't just get the next one if I miss it), It would be rather annoying to be delayed by someone turning up late...

After all, the warning "train doors may be locked shut up to 30 seconds before departure" is hardly kept secret. Not to mention the 15 minute minimum connection time and the fact Paddington announce "would passengers intending to travel on this service please join the train now as it is ready to leave" 3 min or so before departure...

 

[Tetchytyke]

He let the two blokes on and then stopped the two young Chinese girls by blocking them with his body. Nobody will convince me it wasn’t a power trip and I’d bet one shiny Manx Pound that he’d not have done it if they were two big rugby-playing blokes.

Sure they were late and all that, but it was completely unnecessary. If he’d shut the local door in their face I’d not be saying the same thing, but it’s the way they are stood next to him and he moves to stop them that gets me.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Monday at 08:46 ==

only when he turns around immediately before boarding and closing his local door does he see them.

And then sticks his arm out to block them, before moving his body across the first young woman. That’s the bit that bothered me about it.

 

[bunnahabhain]

He let the two blokes on and then stopped the two young Chinese girls by blocking them with his body. Nobody will convince me it wasn’t a power trip and I’d bet one shiny Manx Pound that he’d not have done it if they were two big rugby-playing blokes.

Sure they were late and all that, but it was completely unnecessary. If he’d shut the local door in their face I’d not be saying the same thing, but it’s the way they are stood next to him and he moves to stop them that gets me.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Monday at 08:46 ==


And then sticks his arm out to block them, before moving his body across the first young woman. That’s the bit that bothered me about it.

Why be bothered? It happens all the time.

 

[The exile]

Strange that there just happens to be someone videoing the proceedings at exactly the door at which this then happens….

 

[spyinthesky]

How far down the platform did they run before deciding to get on?
I have not seen the clip

 

[InTheEastMids]

More than one thing can be true at the same time. It can be the correct/acceptable thing to do, but it can also look bad. It's not really what he did that's the issue, but how what he did is perceived by others, and in particularly customers who are not railway people.

1. Obviously true some point you have to have a cut-off. Sometimes this may look a bit arbitrary about where the cut-off happens.
Train manager is a human and is juggling late customers with despatch procedures and probably being told a million times how being 30s late from Paddington can turn into 15 minutes Delay Repay somewhere down the line. Getting the two customers and their bags on and away from the doors so despatch can complete could (in their estimation) be another 15-30s.

2. However (and speaking as general public)

sticks his arm out to block them, before moving his body across the first young woman. That’s the bit that bothered me about it

With his back to them, no real attempt to engage with them as humans. It bothers me a bit too. It can be the right thing, but it doesn't look great and can certainly see how it looks bad to some people.

Strange that there just happens to be someone videoing the proceedings at exactly the door at which this then happens….

We live in a world where people randomly film nearly everything any/all of the time. Particularly if there is half the chance of getting any event that gets you likes and follows.

 

[Djgr]

Why be bothered? It happens all the time.

So presumably doing bad things all the time makes it okay? Where's the logic in this statement?

 

[Acathater]

It could be because they were trying to board a first class coach and they didn't look like first class passengers.......they would have had to wheel those cases through the train to get to somewhere they were allowed to sit

 

[Darandio]

It could be because they were trying to board a first class coach and they didn't look like first class passengers.......

Well that would just make it look a whole lot worse......

 

[Peter0124]

It could be because they were trying to board a first class coach and they didn't look like first class passengers.......they would have had to wheel those cases through the train to get to somewhere they were allowed to sit

I don't see anything wrong with boarding first class if it's the first coach from the buffer, as long as you move down the train into standard afterwards.

 

[Acathater]

Strange that there just happens to be someone videoing the proceedings at exactly the door at which this then happens….

It does look a bit like a film setup with the other passengers running to order - especially the American-looking old bloke in the shorts and pink shirt. Looks contrived

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Monday at 10:23 ==

I don't see anything wrong with boarding first class if it's the first coach from the buffer, as long as you move down the train into standard afterwards.

But if the train was packed so preventing movement...?

 

[stuu]

It could be because they were trying to board a first class coach and they didn't look like first class passengers.......they would have had to wheel those cases through the train to get to somewhere they were allowed to sit

What does a first class passenger look like?

 

[spyinthesky]

It could be because they were trying to board a first class coach and they didn't look like first class passengers.

Wow. This is just a very speculative assumption.
Perhaps his dad fought in the far east during WW2 or he thought they were Millwall hooligans.