Mobility scooter on track - Thameslink 29/8

[Haywain]

I was heavily delayed waiting for a Thameslink service yesterday evening (20 miles away from this incident), which was due to a mobility scooter and occupant falling on to the southbound track at Farringdon station. Obviously this meant all trains were stopped while emergency services attended and the traction power was turned off. The person landed quite close to the third rail but doesn't seem to have made contact, thank goodness. It wasn't clear how close any trains may have been, but the driver of the nearest northbound train declared themself unfit to continue when the train was eventually allowed to enter Farringdon station. The result was a load of cancellation and a near two hour gap in services north of St Albans.

 

[Towers]

Sounds like a very, very nasty incident was narrowly avoided. Although by no means a good day out for the poor sole on the scooter, regardless. I’m less familiar than I really ought to be with TL; is Farringdon DC or overheads?

 

[357]

Sounds like a very, very nasty incident was narrowly avoided. Although by no means a good day out for the poor sole on the scooter, regardless. I’m less familiar than I really ought to be with TL; is Farringdon DC or overheads?

Both

 

[swt_passenger]

Sounds like a very, very nasty incident was narrowly avoided. Although by no means a good day out for the poor sole on the scooter, regardless. I’m less familiar than I really ought to be with TL; is Farringdon DC or overheads?

Both. It’s where southbound changeover normally happens.

 

[Towers]

Even more ‘yikes’, then!

 

[Horizon22]

Didn't this happen a few months ago too at Farringdon or City Thameslink? I don't think there was someone in the scooter the last time thankfully but same result of considerable disruption as it caused arcing on the 3rd rail.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2024 ==

I was heavily delayed waiting for a Thameslink service yesterday evening (20 miles away from this incident), which was due to a mobility scooter and occupant falling on to the southbound track at Farringdon station. Obviously this meant all trains were stopped while emergency services attended and the traction power was turned off. The person landed quite close to the third rail but doesn't seem to have made contact, thank goodness. It wasn't clear how close any trains may have been, but the driver of the nearest northbound train declared themself unfit to continue when the train was eventually allowed to enter Farringdon station. The result was a load of cancellation and a near two hour gap in services north of St Albans.

Given the frequency - dependent on time of day of course - nearest Southbound must have been only a few minutes away.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Didn't this happen a few months ago too at Farringdon or City Thameslink? I don't think there was someone in the scooter the last time thankfully but same result of considerable disruption as it caused arcing on the 3rd rail.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2024 ==



Given the frequency - dependent on time of day of course - nearest Southbound must have been only a few minutes away.

Yeah I remember the kid scooter on the rails at Farringdon. Seemed to have fallen from the footbridge that time.

 

[LevelReverse]

I was on platform 4 when this happened. Has it been confirmed whether the person was ok?

 

[Bald Rick]

It wasn't clear how close any trains may have been, but the driver of the nearest northbound train declared themself unfit to continue when the train was eventually allowed to enter Farringdon station. The result was a load of cancellation and a near two hour gap in services north of St Albans.

AIUI the driver of the northbound train was entering the station as the incident happened. He/she stopped the train half in the station.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Reports state that it was an elderly man in his 80s who accidentally pressed the accelerator on his mobility scooter, propelling the scooter forward while attempting to perform a reversing maneuver.

 

[Mawkie]

Various images and videos online, not my pic, but added here for context.

Does anyone know why it appears to be LU staff and not Thameslink staff assisting?



(Pic shows a wide shot of the tracks at Farringdon Station, with a mobility scooter and person on the tracks and 3 Station staff on the platform assisting.)

 

[Bald Rick]

It‘s an LU managed station, and I imagine that the LU staff on P2 was the closest to the incident.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Thameslink staff mainl I see have their office area in P1. I believe there were two individuals however who were preparing for ramp assistance. They've probably gone to stop the trains in as one was due. This pocture is a few minutes after the start of the incident.

 

[Haywain]

I believe there were two individuals however who were preparing for ramp assistance.

There is no ramp assistance at Farringdon due to the raised platform area (visible in the photo above).

They've probably gone to stop the trains in as one was due.

That does seem possible.

 

[NSEWonderer]

There is no ramp assistance at Farringdon due to the raised platform area (visible in the photo above).

That does seem possible.

I know but usually if called they're supposed to make sure said person gets on the train and pass over the headcode.

 

[SouthStand]

Why did the northbound driver declare himself unfit? He wasn’t involved

 

[Haywain]

Why did the northbound driver declare himself unfit? He wasn’t involved

I don't know exactly what happened but possibly because an emergency stop and seeing someone on the track might have shaken them up a bit. Especially if they had had a fatality incident in the past.

 

[ellelup]

Does anyone know if the man who fell survived?

 

[Gloster]

Maybe I am an out-of-the-ark railwayman, but why isn’t at least one member of staff down on the track checking on the old man, talking quietly to him to keep him calm and doing an initial check to see whether he can be left until the emergency services arrive. Even if I was on my own with the line still live I would have done that, and been expected to, but here you appear to have stopped the services and have someone to relieve you of keeping a lookout. And, yes, I have seen that there is a third-rail there.

 

[43066]

Even if I was on my own with the line still live I would have done that, and been expected to,

Thankfully things have changed. Safety first, there’s no sense in having two casualties.

 

[Towers]

Why did the northbound driver declare himself unfit? He wasn’t involved

That is very much a matter for the driver, and it was without any question the right thing to have done if they felt in any way unfit to continue. Really nothing else to be said on that!

 

[DJ_K666]

Various images and videos online, not my pic, but added here for context.

Does anyone know why it appears to be LU staff and not Thameslink staff assisting?

View attachment 164618

(Pic shows a wide shot of the tracks at Farringdon Station, with a mobility scooter and person on the tracks and 3 Station staff on the platform assisting.)

Yikes that's really close

 

[norbitonflyer]

Maybe I am an out-of-the-ark railwayman, but why isn’t at least one member of staff down on the track checking on the old man, talking quietly to him to keep him calm and doing an initial check to see whether he can be left until the emergency services arrive. Even if I was on my own with the line still live I would have done that, and been expected to, but here you appear to have stopped the services and have someone to relieve you of keeping a lookout. And, yes, I have seen that there is a third-rail there.

First rule of First Aid - is it safe to approach the casualty? Unless a train has actually stopped within sight, you don't know that.
(Electricity may be involved in this situation too, which is an unseen hazard - I was taught not to appraoch a casualty who appears may be incontact with a cable)

Also, if the casualty is conscious and not obviously bleeding to death, it is prudent to talk to him from the platform.

 

[357]

In the photo, both staff are wearing London Underground uniform and as a result will not have Network Rail PTS.

When I worked on stations we would have gone onto the line once the line was blocked by the signaller. Until that point, you're putting yourself at risk.

Thankfully the safety culture we have today has moved on from people blindly jumping onto the tracks to play hero.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Maybe I am an out-of-the-ark railwayman, but why isn’t at least one member of staff down on the track checking on the old man, talking quietly to him to keep him calm and doing an initial check to see whether he can be left until the emergency services arrive. Even if I was on my own with the line still live I would have done that, and been expected to, but here you appear to have stopped the services and have someone to relieve you of keeping a lookout. And, yes, I have seen that there is a third-rail there.

Not PTS trained, only a MOM or PTS trained individual that is authorized or the emergency services will do that

 

[Surreytraveller]

You don't want one casualty turning into two or three

 

[renegademaster]

Dont particularly think that man will enjoy seeing the photo of him lying sideways at Farringdon being shared on line

 

[Trackman]

First rule of First Aid - is it safe to approach the casualty? Unless a train has actually stopped within sight, you don't know that.
(Electricity may be involved in this situation too, which is an unseen hazard - I was taught not to appraoch a casualty who appears may be incontact with a cable)

Also, if the casualty is conscious and not obviously bleeding to death, it is prudent to talk to him from the platform.

Yes, best not move them until paramedics arrive, especially with neck/back injuries.
What you say about electricity being involved is completely correct and not to approach them. It should be law everyone is trained in first aid.
Best bet is to talk to them and try to assess their condition in case they lose conciseness and reassure them they will be OK , like saying 'where does it hurt'. 'help is on the way' etc and relay this information for when the emergency services arrive.

Yikes that's really close

The photo is deceiving, it's closer than it looks.

 

[Haywain]

Dont particularly think that man will enjoy seeing the photo of him lying sideways at Farringdon being shared on line

Bad luck, that's modern life. At least he can't be easily identified.

 

[Mawkie]

Bad luck, that's modern life. At least he can't be easily identified.

Exactly. I blurred the faces of those that were identifiable (which is more than the original picture had), but figured the scooter driver was unidentifiable from the angle of the picture.