FGW train stranded at Pewsey

[455driver]

During 15:16 and 20:56 there are 5 HSTs planned to run past on the oppisite line.

The earlier ones would have been no good because it was anticipated that the failed train would be got moving relatively quickly, but would the later ones have the capacity for 500ish passengers off the stranded train and then what would you do with them bearing in mind they are now going in the wrong direction!

Have you any idea how long it actually takes to empty a train using a bridge*?

* assuming one is available and can reach across safely.

 

[CC 72100]

Does anyone know which power car was the culprit? I caught the 9.24 Plymouth to Penzance on Saturday with 43150 and 152, 150 did not sound healthy before leaving Plymouth, it's coolant fan appeared to be on full blast and it crawled virtually all the way to St Erth.

Same pair were together on Thursday. Didn't notice 152 being especially loud, but 150 had an absolutely screaming cooling fan when I had it, on the 14:28 Swansea - Pad on Thursday. Obviously that wasn't fixed if you're still reporting it on Saturday morning.

(Note: I don't know how much of an issue it is, I'm a mere passenger)

 

[A-driver]

That's a fair comment and makes more sense now. (I don't necessarily agree with you, as I take his statements at face value. But that's just my opinion.)

Being that I apologised to you for any misunderstanding, I hope you'll do the same for the things you said about me - so that we can all return to reasoned debate and respect for everyone's point of view.

I'm not on here to fall out with people or have personal arguments so of course I can only apologies for anything which came across as a personal attack as that is never my intention (it can be difficult to get the correct tone through typing alone). I just found your response to be slightly provocative. Again this may be due to the way it came across with reading the 'typed word' and the context surrounding it so if it wasn't intended that way then I can only apologies.

 

[richw]

They were outside

Irrelevant, it is illegal to smoke in a workplace whether inside or outside.
The question is are they standing in their workplace? I would say no as they stepped away from the train they were working. Then again anywhere on railway property could be deemed their workplace.

 

[455driver]

Same pair were together on Thursday. Didn't notice 152 being especially loud, but 150 had an absolutely screaming cooling fan when I had it, on the 14:28 Swansea - Pad on Thursday. Obviously that wasn't fixed if you're still reporting it on Saturday morning.

(Note: I don't know how much of an issue it is, I'm a mere passenger)

The screaming fan could just be a faulty bearing or it could be because the engine is running hot all the time, I cant really work out how this fault could be relevant to the failure at Pewsey though.

 

[KA4C]

Then again anywhere on railway property could be deemed their workplace.

Except that it isn't

 

[455driver]

I'm not on here to fall out with people

No, you leave that up to me!

 

[CC 72100]

The screaming fan could just be a faulty bearing or it could be because the engine is running hot all the time, I cant really work out how this fault could be relevant to the failure at Pewsey though.

Thanks for the explanation.

Yep, I can't see the link either, but found it interesting nonetheless that 150 was still in the same condition Saturday morning. Still, not that important in the grand scheme of things.

 

[bb21]

Irrelevant, it is illegal to smoke in a workplace whether inside or outside.
The question is are they standing in their workplace? I would say no as they stepped away from the train they were working. Then again anywhere on railway property could be deemed their workplace.

Losing the bigger picture people.

(Not aimed at you but rather the whole discussion surrounding smoking, etc)

 

[1e10]

The earlier ones would have been no good because it was anticipated that the failed train would be got moving relatively quickly, but would the later ones have the capacity for 500ish passengers off the stranded train and then what would you do with them bearing in mind they are now going in the wrong direction!

Have you any idea how long it actually takes to empty a train using a bridge*?

* assuming one is available and can reach across safely.

It could have stopped to drop off some supplies atleast and perhaps take the most vunerable of passangers to somewhere more suitable.

 

[richw]

Except that it isn't

Selective quoting really. Hence the sentence before the paragraph you've quoted. I dont believe it is their workplace.

 

[A-driver]

Irrelevant, it is illegal to smoke in a workplace whether inside or outside.
The question is are they standing in their workplace? I would say no as they stepped away from the train they were working. Then again anywhere on railway property could be deemed their workplace.

Rubbish. Out on the tracks is not the workplace. Same as a Gardaner can smoke in a garden. The workplace is the office, train, train cab, p-way van, portacabin etc.

Plus so what if they were smoking on railway property, they were working as hard as possible to get 500 stranded passengers moving. They aren't doing anyone any harm.

 

[island]

BBC R4 news this morning reported that someone missed their flight to Singapore because of the breakdown and massive delay.

Delay repay could be the least of their worries if a few Heathrow long-haul passengers missed their flights.

Why's that then? Perhaps you're under a misconception that FGW would be liable to pay for new plane tickets (it wouldn't). Passengers who missed flights due to delayed public transport would probably be able to claim against their travel insurance, if they have it.

Irrelevant, it is illegal to smoke in a workplace whether inside or outside.

Sorry you are wrong there. It is illegal to smoke in a fully or partially-enclosed workplace (with a few exceptions such as designated hotel rooms). It is illegal to smoke on railway property where notices indicate smoking is prohibited. It may be against FGW's staff code of conduct to smoke whilst on duty. But smoking whilst outside a train stopped away from a station is not against the law.

 

[KA4C]

Selective quoting really. Hence the sentence before the paragraph you've quoted. I dont believe it is their workplace.

you said "anywhere on the railway could be deemed their workplace", I said that it isn't

Simples

 

[455driver]

It could have stopped to drop off some supplies atleast and perhaps take the most vunerable of passengers to somewhere more suitable.

Who is "vulnerable" though and what would you do with them once you get them "somewhere"?

Again just another ill thought out post which lacks details, you do not start evacuating anyone until you know exactly what you are going to do with them to get them to their destination!

 

[1e10]

Who is "vulnerable" though and what would you do with them once you get them "somewhere"?

Again just another ill thought out post which lacks details, you do not start evacuating anyone until you know exactly what you are going to do with them to get them to their destination!

If supplies weren't available on board then they could have been taken to a station where supplies were more likely to be available.

 

[KA4C]

you do not start evacuating anyone until you know exactly what you are going to do with them to get them to their destination!

how many times do we have to say that?

 

[dogs1234]

HI everyone.

Do emergency door release work manually?
I am going on a 4 hour train journey and have clasutrophobia. I would have many panic attcks if left on train for 5 hours without being able to.open the door?

Anyone help?

 

[455driver]

how many times do we have to say that?

I am hoping another 2 or 3 hundred times and "they" will finally get it!

 

[KA4C]

I am hoping another 2 or 3 hundred times and "they" will finally get it!

Think that I might take up poking my eyes out with a pointed stick

 

[1e10]

HI everyone.

Do emergency door release work manually?
I am going on a 4 hour train journey and have clasutrophobia. I would have many panic attcks if left on train for 5 hours without being able to.open the door?

Anyone help?

I've never tried or been in a situation where they've been used. I've watched a video on YouTube where a FGW staff member explains that the doors should unlock automatically.

 

[455driver]

If supplies weren't available on board then they could have been taken to a station where supplies were more likely to be available.

When did the supplies run out?
How long were the passengers without food or drink in their well lit, air conditioned carriages?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

HI everyone.

Do emergency door release work manually?
I am going on a 4 hour train journey and have clasutrophobia. I would have many panic attcks if left on train for 5 hours without being able to.open the door?

Anyone help?

As these incidents only happen about once every few months I wouldnt take the train if you think its going to be an issue.

 

[richw]

Rubbish. Out on the tracks is not the workplace. Same as a Gardaner can smoke in a garden. The workplace is the office, train, train cab, p-way van, portacabin etc.

Plus so what if they were smoking on railway property, they were working as hard as possible to get 500 stranded passengers moving. They aren't doing anyone any harm.

the key part of my comment I have placed in bold in below quote. I am not judging and couldnt give a monkeys if they were smoking (they were probably entitled to a break (probably a legal requirement if they'd been on shift more than a certain length of time). I was simply answering my interpretation of the law in response to a previous comment, which others have different interpretations.

question is are they standing in their workplace? I would say no as they stepped away from the train they were working. Then again anywhere on railway property could be deemed their workplace.

 

[transmanche]

You can't have a bank of plans and just dig the relevant one out when something goes wrong because you will find that you can't plan for the endless amount of possible situations. If you make 6000 plans for the great western lines alone then what happens when the next incident on the region isn't covered by any of those plans as there are slight differences?

You're right - and I don't think (or hope) that people expect fully-formed plans for all eventualities. But it is reasonable to expect that the TOC has some form of over-arching protocol for dealing with stranded trains. Even if the plan (building on the ATOC guidance) is just that "after x minutes someone is tasked with making some calls to the bus/coach companies the TOC has arrangements with just to find out what vehicles may be available" or "after y minutes, to see if additional stocks of food/water and additional staff can be dropped off by a train passing in the opposite direction".

In the Kentish Town incident, the RAIB highlighted that FCC relied on just one course of action, when if they had also been making preparations for other course of action (such as despatching staff with emergency door barriers) would have made the incident less severe for the passengers.

So rather than "let's try x and if that doesn't work we'll try y and if that doesn;t work we'll try z", preparations for doing y and z can be made whilst x is still being tried.

 

[dogs1234]

Thanks for replies.

i have to use the train for the journey I need to take.

Does anyone else know if they can be opened manually?

 

[1e10]

When did the supplies run out?
How long were the passengers without food or drink in their well lit, air conditioned carriages?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


As these incidents only happen about once every few months I wouldnt take the train if you think its going to be an issue.

Enough for customers to complain in such a manner that they described as 'being treated like cattle'.

There also would have been toilets at a station. Elderly may not be able to hold themselves for as long as a perfectly healthy person would be able to.

Just noticed this from the article.

Toni Heath, 53, a property developer from Clerkenwell, London, told the Evening Standard: 'Staff managed to leave the train and go for a pee and cigarettes in an adjacent field while we were trapped inside.

Urinating in a public space is a criminal offence. I'd say a field is a public space. I understand that this us just an accusation though.

 

[KA4C]

Well, I guess that we have reached the point when we will have to wait and see what comes out of FGW's investigation and what their plans following that?

 

[A-driver]

If supplies weren't available on board then they could have been taken to a station where supplies were more likely to be available.

Supplies were available on board though.

And people don't get Ill or die from not having any water for an hour or 2. If they are that Ill then they wouldn't be on a train in the first place.

Sorry to disappoint but no ones life was put in danger here. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Be realistic for a bit and try to understand that we (as in staff) arnt being argumentative but are explaining the reasoning behind how these things work. We do actually know what we are talking about and have been in similar situations first hand.

HI everyone.

Do emergency door release work manually?
I am going on a 4 hour train journey and have clasutrophobia. I would have many panic attcks if left on train for 5 hours without being able to.open the door?

Anyone help?

Well you'd be pretty unlucky to be stranded on a train for 5 hours. How many trains ran yesterday and didn't get stuck for 6 hours? And 1 did, now look at the day before, I fact take the last year and see how many trains got stuck for 6 hours and how many ran without any such incident. That should put your mind at rest.

And if you are mega unlucky, don't open the door. It's stupid and dangerous and could get you into a lot of trouble.

 

[transmanche]

I'm not on here to fall out with people or have personal arguments so of course I can only apologies for anything which came across as a personal attack as that is never my intention (it can be difficult to get the correct tone through typing alone). I just found your response to be slightly provocative. Again this may be due to the way it came across with reading the 'typed word' and the context surrounding it so if it wasn't intended that way then I can only apologies.

Apology accepted - and thank you.

I'll be interested in whether the RAIB decides to investigate this incident (possibly not, as no passengers wandered on to the track) - I guess that's the only way we'll find out exactly what went on behind the scenes.

 

[KA4C]

HI everyone.

Do emergency door release work manually?
I am going on a 4 hour train journey and have clasutrophobia. I would have many panic attcks if left on train for 5 hours without being able to.open the door?

Anyone help?

Yeah, the train manager will assist if you advise them of your problem