Contacting train staff in non-emergency situations

[itwasntme]

I'm on a West Coast train and a young kid has just thrown up right next to me. There's a huge pool of sick on the floor. Luckily it avoided me.

These things happen, can't blame the kid.

I went to the vestibule and discovered there is literally no way to contact any of the train staff or driver, unless it's an emergency.

So are you expected to walk the entire length of the train looking for a member of the train staff? Even then I am doubtful anything would be done, after all it's the UK in 2026, it's not my problem. I've got kids so I can't go looking for a train staff. Nobody else has either.

Most people have just moved away to somewhere else on the train, but some people are literally just sitting next to a pool of sick. A microcosm of modern Britain.

 

[PP57601]

I'm on a West Coast train and a young kid has just thrown up right next to me. There's a huge pool of sick on the floor. Luckily it avoided me.

These things happen, can't blame the kid.

I went to the vestibule and discovered there is literally no way to contact any of the train staff or driver, unless it's an emergency.

So are you expected to walk the entire length of the train looking for a member of the train staff? Even then I am doubtful anything would be done, after all it's the UK in 2026, it's not my problem. I've got kids so I can't go looking for a train staff. Nobody else has either.

Most people have just moved away to somewhere else on the train, but some people are literally just sitting next to a pool of sick. A microcosm of modern Britain.

Use the call for aid in the toilet.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If it's Avanti ask at the shop. If it's WMT the guard will probably be in the cab in the middle of an 8 or 10car, the rear of a 4 or 5 and in coach 8 or 9 from the front if it's a 12.

 

[800001]

I'm on a West Coast train and a young kid has just thrown up right next to me. There's a huge pool of sick on the floor. Luckily it avoided me.

These things happen, can't blame the kid.

I went to the vestibule and discovered there is literally no way to contact any of the train staff or driver, unless it's an emergency.

So are you expected to walk the entire length of the train looking for a member of the train staff? Even then I am doubtful anything would be done, after all it's the UK in 2026, it's not my problem. I've got kids so I can't go looking for a train staff. Nobody else has either.

Most people have just moved away to somewhere else on the train, but some people are literally just sitting next to a pool of sick. A microcosm of modern Britain.

If you use 'X' some times a direct message to Avanti could initiate a response as they can contact train crew.

 

[iamraymond]

Its the kids parents responsibility to sort it out, just ignore it

 

[lowe1409]

If it's Avanti ask at the shop. If it's WMT the guard will probably be in the cab in the middle of an 8 or 10car, the rear of a 4 or 5 and in coach 8 or 9 from the front if it's a 12.

Tpe, the guard will likely be in the rear cab. If not find a host in first class. Regardless of TOC, you'll also be able to identify the guard on the platform at stations.

 

[greatkingrat]

Its the kids parents responsibility to sort it out, just ignore it

The parents are unlikely to have the necessary equipment to clean it up, even if they wanted to.

 

[lowe1409]

Its the kids parents responsibility to sort it out, just ignore it

The same time, if the seat is covered in vomit, short of thorough cleaning at a station/depot ain't gonna fix it. Conductor will be able to cover/block off any areas necessary as well as inform cleaners in advance. Normally of a train is late, cleaners won't bother and let it go out on time. However with vomit, guard will be happy to delay the train in order to clean it

 

[itwasntme]

I messaged them on X and believe parents spoke to someone but I doubt anything will be done until the train arrives at Euston. Thanks for the tips, I never thought about the button in the toilets. The on-board staff aren't equipped to deal with these issues, it's left to the end of line cleaners.

 

[Carntyne]

I'm on a West Coast train and a young kid has just thrown up right next to me. There's a huge pool of sick on the floor. Luckily it avoided me.

These things happen, can't blame the kid.

I went to the vestibule and discovered there is literally no way to contact any of the train staff or driver, unless it's an emergency.

So are you expected to walk the entire length of the train looking for a member of the train staff? Even then I am doubtful anything would be done, after all it's the UK in 2026, it's not my problem. I've got kids so I can't go looking for a train staff. Nobody else has either.

Most people have just moved away to somewhere else on the train, but some people are literally just sitting next to a pool of sick. A microcosm of modern Britain.

You could get up and go and talk to the crew.

 

[Darandio]

You could get up and go and talk to the crew.

Did you read the line under the one you highlighted in bold?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Did you read the line under the one you highlighted in bold?

On a train with a guard they will always be there if you go and look for them. SWR are good at this, they always announce their location.

Yes, if it's important go for a wander.

It is another reason I like the UIC standard of having a green passcom and a red emergency brake, though.

 

[Carntyne]

Did you read the line under the one you highlighted in bold?

I did.

It's barmy to expect on train crew to be present in every carriage all at the same time, or expect them to just 'sense' that they're needed at a specific seat.

Get up and have a wander about.

 

[ess]

Since this is a biological hazard, can it be reported to 61016 see it, say it, sorted for action?

 

[iamraymond]

Since this is a biological hazard, can it be reported to 61016 see it, say it, sorted for action?

I hope this is sarcastic? It's a bit of gip, not anthrax

 

[Straus]

I hope this is sarcastic? It's a bit of gip, not anthrax

Without knowing what had made the child sick, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near it and it is considered a biohazard. Could contain flu, e-coli, norovirus etc etc and the act of being sick will make some of these virus particles airborne which are then helpfully recircularted by the air con.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Tuesday at 10:27 ==

I'd imagine there's a reluctance to make it easy to 'call' the train staff in the same way as an air steward/ess is that some might try to treat it as a table service button.

 

[AlterEgo]

Since this is a biological hazard, can it be reported to 61016 see it, say it, sorted for action?

Surely a sarcastic post, reporting a child being sick to the police!
 

 

[gobbybobby]

TOC specific but for the one I work for I am supposed to announce "I am the guard currently in coach X" every 30 minuets. I also make myself highly visible anyway.

But for sick I dont have anything on the train or carry anything in my equipment to clean it, we actually were sent an email recently telling us to not try to clear up sick as some guards were making it worse attempting to cover it/ clean it themselves

I would inform control and cleaners would meet the train, but likely not till it gets to Waterloo.

When its an adult that's been sick and its alot/ stinks I evacuate the coach and lock it out of use till its cleaned

 

[sh24]

The idea of using 61016. It's vomit, not a biological weapon.

 

[185143]

The idea of using 61016. It's vomit, not a biological weapon.

A pile of sick on the floor 100% qualifies as something that doesn't look right though! and definitely needs to be said and sorted to someone.

 

[Ralph Ayres]

The idea of using 61016. It's vomit, not a biological weapon.

We're told in those endless announcements to use it if we "see anything that doesn't look right" rather than specifically to call the police. Its use in this situation wouldn't then seem unreasonable.

 

[AlterEgo]

We're told in those endless announcements to use it if we "see anything that doesn't look right" rather than specifically to call the police. Its use in this situation wouldn't then seem unreasonable.

Probably best to report this thread then.

 

[6Gman]

Whenever we hear "if you see anything that doesn't look right" my wife - for some reason I've never understood - always looks at me.

No idea why ...

 

[choochoochoo]

It's a biohazard. If I was driving, I'd want to know so the area affected can be cleaned/isolated to prevent risk to any other passengers.

 

[styles]

The idea of using 61016. It's vomit, not a biological weapon.

If you see vomit which doesn't smell right, contact the British Transport Police on 61016. Regurgitate, communicate, eliminate.

 

[cats_five]

If you see vomit which doesn't smell right, contact the British Transport Police on 61016. Regurgitate, communicate, eliminate.

That sort of implies some vomit does smell OK!

 

[S101]

So the parents made no effort to try and clean at least some of it up? Like get a load of tissues from the toilet, to at least make the situation a bit better, then flush them down the toilet? Typical modern day, lazy parenting, using the child as an excuse to do nothing. Welcome to 2026.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The parents are unlikely to have the necessary equipment to clean it up, even if they wanted to.

Shame they weren’t able to rush them to a loo though. 390s have plenty.

 

[S101]

Shame they weren’t able to rush them to a loo though. 390s have plenty.

And bog roll to try mopping some of it up.

 

[12C]

So the parents made no effort to try and clean at least some of it up? Like get a load of tissues from the toilet, to at least make the situation a bit better, then flush them down the toilet? Typical modern day, lazy parenting, using the child as an excuse to do nothing. Welcome to 2026.

To be honest, trying to clean up a copious amount of sick, on carpet, with small individual sheets of toilet paper won’t end well. It’ll just spread it around, the toilet paper will break up into the carpet making it more hard work for the cleaners to sort properly, and the process of trying to carry a mound of toilet paper covered in sick with bare hands will likely transmit germs to other touch points such as the vestibule and toilet door buttons, and if a large amount has been used could end up blocking the toilet.

The only thing I might do is see if there are any newspapers lying around to cover it, but nowadays they are a rare find on a train.

There’s not really much else that can be done other than try to alert staff, and I have much more sympathy for parents dealing with an ill child than drunks spewing up everywhere.