Anybody had a train wait for them a minute or more as you ran along the platform/footbridge?

[tornado]

Had a lovely experience the other day from a Southern Conductor and Driver on a sunny summer's day.

Redhill to Tonbridge from Platform 1A. Had forgotten that A is the far end of the platform. Also with my mum who cannot run.

All doors except the conductor's were closed. I got there 5 seconds before departure and pointed out my mum slowly approaching up the platform. Then went back to help her. By the time we got in the train it was about 1 min 30 ish after departure (+2 officially). Driver even leaned out the window to tell my mum not to hurry.

A rare pleasure in this day and age that they bent the rules slightly to help us. And the train was even on time at the next station (Godstone), presumably due to some slack in the timetable.

I guess it helped that both the driver and conductor had a clear view of us approaching towards them on an empty platform.

Anyone got an interesting tale of a train waiting for them a minute or more?

 

[styles]

It happens quite often in parts of Wales and Scotland as it's generally the same operator and they're aware people are needing to get onward train/bus/ferry connections from their trains.

I can't remember the last time I've had this happen outwith those circumstances mind, e.g. for just not arriving in time or getting a bit lost in the station. It depends on the route really I suppose because a 1 minute delay on the Crewe-Chester TfW service isn't a huge issue because it's not normally delaying anything else. Try doing it for a service on the East Coast Mainline though and you may find the staff a bit less forgiving!

 

[izvor]

I must admit this is unusual. I use Redhill a lot and, while the platform staff are usually very good, it's such a time-critical junction that dispatch staff are instructed not to hold trains for connections. The Tonbridge line is particularly critical as the trains have to cross all main lines, not helped by the time taken to get all the way in and out of P1A as you mention. They must use up 6 or more minutes of critical main line pathing every hour - oh for a down side bay platform!

Saying that I've occasionally asked on-board staff on a late-running train to request a connection be held, and often they will try. The most recent was a 25' connection turning into a -2, and the next train in 95 minutes. The train (not at Redhill) was held, but it was only for me and the crew did not seem too pleased!

This was late at night, which helps - was yours @tornado ?

 

[Mattplans]

Surprisingly, had this on a handful of Southeastern metro services. Also seen a train reopen doors for someone that sprinted right up to it last second, but this certainly is not common. I have also seen a train reopen its' doors after moving up the platform a bit, but I'm not sure if that was for a passenger's benefit or due to a safety incident. I've also had a Southeastern service attempt to close doors on an elderly woman while they struggled to alight from a train.

I've also seen this (trains waiting for running passengers, not necessarily on footbridges) happen on the DLR.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

I've had this happen to me on a TfW train at Lydney.
I arrived on a Dean Forest Railway train with plenty of time until my connection, but had to wait for a late running service to depart the opposite platform face and the crossing gates to be unlocked before I could exit the island platform.

Once it finally left, I ran down the road to the main line station and arrived on the platform just in time to see the conductor closing his door, but he kindly reopened it for me and saved me an hour's wait for the next one.
The total delay was probably only 30 seconds, and was easily made up by Gloucester.

 

[74A]

Many years ago when travelling on the Pwlheli line. Passed a request stop and 2 teenagers came out of the waiting hut as we passed by.

Driver stopped the train slipped it into reverse and went back to pick them up !

 

[WestAnglian]

I left my hotel to discover that the walk to the station was further and more uphill than I'd thought. I arrived at Truro station at the booked departure time for the Falmouth Dock service I wanted to travel on but had already written it off. I walked on to the platform and turned towards the bay that Falmouth trains use. The train had not left and the guard, who was ready to leave, saw me and shouted out, asking if I wanted that train. So I nodded a yes then felt I had to run for it. I was totally exhausted by the time I was slumped in my seat.

I should have felt gratitude to the helpful guard. In fact I really wished he'd left without me.

 

[signed]

I ran to get a BRB train in Fussen, Germany and I arrived at the doors just after they locked and it started very slowly pulling out the platform.

I was incredibly surprised when the train stopped a few meters later, unlocked the doors and allowed me in. Never seen that happen anywhere since, a very rare occurence.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I ran to get a BRB train in Fussen, Germany and I arrived at the doors just after they locked and it started very slowly pulling out the platform.

I was incredibly surprised when the train stopped a few meters later, unlocked the doors and allowed me in. Never seen that happen anywhere since, a very rare occurence.

This used to routinely happen on Merseyrail at Ormskirk. Sometimes the guard would even give one bell when the train was half way out of the platform and let you on through their door.

 

[A S Leib]

As another example in Germany, I've had that happen in Gutach Freilichtmuseum (for the Black Country open-air museum); I had been too focused on working out which platform was for northbound trains that I forgot that I had to backtrack to Gutach, so I almost missed the train due to being on the wrong platform.

 

[styles]

As another example in Germany, I've had that happen in Gutach Freilichtmuseum (for the Black Country open-air museum); I had been too focused on working out which platform was for northbound trains that I forgot that I had to backtrack to Gutach, so I almost missed the train due to being on the wrong platform.

Maybe this explains their currently infamous unreliability!

 

[MrJeeves]

There's been a couple of times where I run up to a Thameslink train at Burgess Hill as its doors have been locked, and the driver has released them again to allow me to board. Always made my day when that happens!

There has been once or twice, back when they were real guards throughout on the Eastbourne/Littlehampton services, where a guard has left their local door open for me and others running up the platform to board at Haywards Heath too.

 

[1955LR]

Earlier this year the guard opened the doors again for me at Newtown (NWT) after he had started the depatch sequence . I had just finished purchasing my ticket at the machine which is hidden under the canopy and rushed out to the train as the doors finished closing.

 

[Busman652004]

Great example from Scotrail. Last year coming back from Glasgow late one evening there were no trains from Queen Street to Larbert. I needed to catch the Falkirk Grahamston train to Camelon then the Edinburgh - Dunblane to Larbert.
The two trains arrived at Camelon at the same time. As I started climbing the steps up the footbridge as fast as I could the conductor ran past me shouting don't worry I'll hold it for you which he did. Above and beyond for which I was very grateful.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Yeah, though as others have said a lot more often in rural areas with a sparse service, and a lot more before privatisation.

 

[Trackman]

In the late 70s my friend and me were running a down a ramp to catch a train, it set off as we were halfway down.
The guard saw us and gave one the buzzer and we boarded via the guards van (it was a first gen DMU). We thanked him for stopping.
We heard the buzzer and before he stopped pressing it the driver had already applied the brakes, it was almost like a training exercise, split seconds.

---------------------------

I remember one at Runcorn east.
A lady was walking down the steps, like halfway down like as above and the train set off.
She gestured with her hands and started laughing to no-one in particular and resigned to the fact that she had missed the train and turned back to walk up the stairs.
The driver must have seen this and stopped the train, a quick comm to the guard and she was on the train!
I think this was a 175.

 

[InkyScrolls]

As a driver if I see someone running I'll make sure the guard is aware - a minute or two here or there is easily explained away!

 

[70014IronDuke]

Not one that I experienced, but I remember reading, perhaps in the 1990s on the usenet group, about the former Silloth branch, which had the first morning train scheduled arrival at something like 06.02 at Carlisle Citadel.

If I've remembered correctly, this was 2' after the first train for Euston was booked to depart. But if anyone asked for a ticket to London at Silloth (imagine, a manned booking office open at about 05.15, I'd guess, in the wilds of north Cumbria!), they'd give Carlisle a ring and the Euston Class 1 would be held for the branch line arrival.

Just imagine Avanti West Coast even pondering such service today

 

[Killingworth]

Wakefield Kirkgate, Friday 8th March 2013, a miserable cold and drizzly day we'd elected to walk from Leeds and we'd spent too long in a pub for lunch. Realising we were going to miss our chosen train back from there to Sheffield we started running. Almost 2 miles to go and we were still going to miss our train. Faster, faster as we entered the station our train was in the platform, but already a minute late and ready to depart. We discovered we still had to get through the underpass and were accepting we'd missed it. I spotted an old chap standing near the front of the train and desparately shouted across something like "hang on we're coming as fast as we can".

The driver must have spotted our efforts and waited. We got on the train and neither of us could speak for serveral minutes. Phew!! Curiously the only window in the carriage that was steamed up was the one beside us!!

 

[Cricketer8for9]

15+ years ago at Amberley, after a 24 mile walk from Hassocks the guard, seeing us trying to buy a ticket, held the doors, told us not to bother with the ticket machine, invited us on board, gave us time to calm down and then sold us the tickets. Saved us an hour. Much appreciated after a long warm walk.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wakefield Kirkgate, Friday 8th March 2013, a miserable cold and drizzly day we'd elected to walk from Leeds and we'd spent too long in a pub for lunch. Realising we were going to miss our chosen train back from there to Sheffield we started running. Almost 2 miles to go and we were still going to miss our train. Faster, faster as we entered the station our train was in the platform, but already a minute late and ready to depart. We discovered we still had to get through the underpass and were accepting we'd missed it. I spotted an old chap standing near the front of the train and desparately shouted across something like "hang on we're coming as fast as we can".

The driver must have spotted our efforts and waited. We got on the train and neither of us could speak for serveral minutes. Phew!! Curiously the only window in the carriage that was steamed up was the one beside us!!

A bit like that I've had to run for the last train at Euston after a work drinking session, guessed the platform correctly (it had already gone off the displays and this was before the days of Realtime Trains) and legged it. Got to platform 8 to see non illuminated bodyside lights.... **** ... then looked down the platform further and it turned out it was the front train. Legged it down to there only to see the guard standing at the back tapping his watch, turns out he was a personal acquaintance and saw me and waited, though to be fair he later said they usually wait for runners on that one as it doesn't connect with anything and it avoids the BTP having to deal with anyone, so it wasn't just me. Good that he did, I hate to think what Travelodge would have wanted for the night.

 

[mrcheek]

Its far less common for trains to wait for connections these days.
But one that is fairly common: late night local services (especially heading south) at Temple Meads are often held if a Cross Country service from the north is delayed.
I often thought this was just because the XC service had to depart first anyway, but its even done on XC services terminating at Bristol

 

[Bletchleyite]

Its far less common for trains to wait for connections these days.
But one that is fairly common: late night local services (especially heading south) at Temple Meads are often held if a Cross Country service from the north is delayed.
I often thought this was just because the XC service had to depart first anyway, but its even done on XC services terminating at Bristol

The Windermere branch train is often held for connections, similar to the Cornish branches. These have little other purpose so it is probably worth incurring a bit of delay.

 

[mrcheek]

The Windermere branch train is often held for connections, similar to the Cornish branches. These have little other purpose so it is probably worth incurring a bit of delay.

I cant recall specific posts, but when this has come up before, the Cornish branches are usually the ones most mentioned.
But posters seem equally divided between "Well done GWR for holding the connecting train" and "Damn GWR for not holding the connecting train"!

 

[Thebaz]

Happened to me at Dyce a few years ago when I'd just got off a flight with a big bag. The train was already in the platform but they waited for me to drag my case up and down the footbridge steps which was lovely!

 

[tornado]

Thanks for all the interesting and varied stories!

The Tonbridge line is particularly critical as the trains have to cross all main lines, not helped by the time taken to get all the way in and out of P1A as you mention

Yes this occurred to me too. It was middle of the day. I guess for that particular train the conductor/driver may have known +2 extra wasn't critical. I've just checked and the next departing southbound train is well past the time our train would have cleared the main lines. Also non-stoppers tend to use a bypass line (the Quarry line).

 

[Krokodil]

I've had this happen to me on a TfW train at Lydney.
I arrived on a Dean Forest Railway train with plenty of time until my connection, but had to wait for a late running service to depart the opposite platform face and the crossing gates to be unlocked before I could exit the island platform.

Once it finally left, I ran down the road to the main line station and arrived on the platform just in time to see the conductor closing his door, but he kindly reopened it for me and saved me an hour's wait for the next one.
The total delay was probably only 30 seconds, and was easily made up by Gloucester.

I had even better than that at Lydney - Network Rail's crossing keeper held the barriers up for me to get to the southbound platform!

I was sprinting towards the crossing for the last train of the night with a connection towards Bristol and the amber light illuminated, followed by the wig-wags. I broke step and resigned myself to trying to find the long-since disused underpass (fenced off these days, I think). The window rumbled open (proper traditional signal box sliding window) and the keeper asked if I needed to cross. I was very grateful! Wouldn't work these days, the crossing is now CCTV.

 

[aar0]

GWR are pretty good at this. My train at Paddington was held for 4 minutes on Tuesday night with the first/rear most door open and the guard standing by it shepherding running people in.

My experience with southern is that they enjoy watching you miss a connection

 

[Grumpy Git]

I've had a Northern guard hold the Liverpool Lime St (ex-Blackpool) hold the back door open whilst I sprinted across the footbridge to P2 at Preston.

She gave me a much deserved (but good humoured) ticking-off as I jumped on.