Major Disruption At East Croydon (4th Dec 2017)

[RichardKing]

A person has been struck by 1B47 at East Croydon, platform 2, closing platforms 1-4. All services are being diverted onto the down slow after Balham, so it's easy to imagine how congested it is between Victoria and Croydon at present.

This isn't being helped by a points failure at Croydon, which has closed platform 3. It seems this has been a reoccurring fault over the past week.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Combination of a person struck by a train and a signalling fault:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/177968.aspx

A person has been hit by a train and there is also a signalling problem at East Croydon, causing disruption to trains running through this station. Trains may be delayed by up to 40 minutes, cancelled or revised.

Customer Advice:

There is a fault with the signalling system at East Croydon affecting platform 3 and a person has been hit by a train.

Currently only platforms 5 and 6 are operational due to these two incidents. The Emergency Services and the British Transport Police are are on site dealing with the situation

Alternative Travel Options:

Customers from London Victoria travelling to Portsmouth Harbour or Southampton Central should use South Western Railway from Clapham Junction.

To assist you on your journey your tickets will be valid on any reasonable routes with :

• London Overground
• London Underground
• London Buses
• South Western Railway
• London Trams
• Mutual ticket acceptance between South and Thameslink

 

[physics34]

yeh platf 3 was already closed due to big signalling problems

 

[Chrisgr31]

Luckily my train left London Bridge shortly after the one involved in the incident at East Croydon. The guard informed us that all trains had received an order to stop, ahd we should be prepared for a wait. Shortly afterwards we moved on to Norwood Junction and then in to Platform 6 at East Croydon as we would normally. COuld see the back of the train involved hanging out of Platform 2.

Ultimately we were only held up by 15 minutes, but it was plainly obvious that with only 2 platforms open at East Croydon chaos was going to ensue.

However I think Network Rail and GTR have to be commended for getting 5 and 6 open so quickly, and even the other platforms were only shut for just over an hour I believe but it will have caused chaos.

Great sympathy for the driver and other staff involved and the next of kin

 

[RichardKing]

yeh platf 3 was already closed due to big signalling problems

IIRC, that platform was closed overnight last week for the same reason. Strangely, northbound trains were able to use platform 3 during this period, freeing up platform 2 for southbound services.

Obviously, thoughts go out to all involved in tonight's incident. GTR seem to have recovered their services quite well, remarkably.

 

[RichardKing]

However I think Network Rail and GTR have to be commended for getting 5 and 6 open so quickly, and even the other platforms were only shut for just over an hour I believe but it will have caused chaos.

I was really quite surprised at how soon those two platforms reopened. I believe it only took 40 minutes.

 

[tsr]

Regarding the Platforms 5 & 6 reopening, it was done in much less than 40mins - only about 15.

The speed of the reopening actually got queried by several train crew to make sure nothing disturbing could be seen by passing passengers. Luckily nobody seemed to be able to see the specifics of the incident.

The rest of the platforms were reopened after a rather more lengthy wait. The signallers did a fine job of routing everything they could through 5 & 6, but it was far, far from ideal.

The incident was also compounded by the signal failures (plural) on Platform 3, a passenger accident on 5 & 6, and a passenger taken ill at Streatham Common.

 

[RichardKing]

Regarding the Platforms 5 & 6 reopening, it was done in much less than 40mins - only about 15.

The speed of the reopening actually got queried by several train crew to make sure nothing disturbing could be seen by passing passengers. Luckily nobody seemed to be able to see the specifics of the incident.

The rest of the platforms were reopened after a rather more lengthy wait. The signallers did a fine job of routing everything they could through 5 & 6, but it was far, far from ideal.

The incident was also compounded by the signal failures (plural) on Platform 3, a passenger accident on 5 & 6, and a passenger taken ill at Streatham Common.

Oh - I can't remember what made me think it was 40 minutes! 15 minutes for such an incident at Croydon at rush hour is remarkable!

They do say everything goes wrong at once!