Overnight access at London Victoria.

[londonbridge]

I know Victoria is locked up overnight and they only open the gate to allow access when a train is due. I arrived this morning at 02:55 for a train due at 03:08. There was a fair sized crowd outside. The security guard wandered up and down before disappearing into the concourse. He came back and unlocked the gate at 03:07, by which time several people were rattling it, with one guy shouting at him to “open the (expletive deleted) gate, man”.

Cue people running across the concourse. I was nearly knocked over twice by people running and pushing past me. I boarded just before the doors closed and the train departed at 3:10, with some passengers still on the platform. Does Victoria usually leave it that late to allow access to overnight services?

 

[JonathanH]

RTT shows that the inbound train didn't arrive until 0307, which is likely to explain why access to the station was delayed.

I suspect they don't want passengers waiting on the platforms before the train arrives for safety reasons, although clearly a bit of explanation that the train was not going to leave until everyone was aboard would be helpful.

 

[Russel]

I suspect they don't want passengers waiting on the platforms before the train arrives for safety reasons, although clearly a bit of explanation that the train was not going to leave until everyone was aboard would be helpful.

But passengers wait on platforms up and down the country for 18+ hours a day?

 

[MrJeeves]

although clearly a bit of explanation that the train was not going to leave until everyone was aboard would be helpful.

I think any such explanation would be rather meaningless, if...

the train departed at 3:10 with some still on the platform

 

[southern442]

I often have to travel south late at night from London, and I absolutely hate using Victoria for it - every other night of the week you can use Thameslink from St. Pancras which is so much nicer, as you can wait inside the station and indeed on the platform. Victoria is obviously a lot bigger (in terms of a larger open space to manage) but I've always wondered if they couldn't just have a small part of the station open for people to wait inside rather than hang about in that always-slightly-too-lairy crowd outside by the bus station.

 

[styles]

I suspect they don't want passengers waiting on the platforms before the train arrives for safety reasons, although clearly a bit of explanation that the train was not going to leave until everyone was aboard would be helpful.

In general perhaps, but not opening a station until 60 seconds before departure is the other extreme. That's 2023 Euston crowd control levels of silliness.

 

[londonbridge]

Whilst you can’t see the platforms from outside, you can see a departure board, given the info in @JonathanH post, if they’d changed it to “expected 03:10” there might have been less running and panicking.

 

[GoneSouth]

Lazy and imbecilic behaviour by staff. Thank goodness we don’t have that everywhere. All people wanted was 2 minutes of waiting time on a platform that any other time of day they could sit or stand on for hours.

Yeah but thems the rules mate!

Utterly moronic.

And, if them are the rules, they need looking at. Nobody should be left behind by a train at 3am when they arrived with plenty of time to spare because somebody who worked at the station didn’t let them onto the platform in time. Bizarre, baffling and unacceptable.

I do on the other hand accept that Victoria is probably a hard place to police/monitor but there has to be a better solution than locking people out until their train is ready to depart.

 

[ShadowKnight]

Yeah 2 minutes to get across the concourse, through the ticket barriers, onto the platform and then on the train is pretty ridiculous. Id imagine that typically the gates open about 5-10 minutes before departure and some member of staff dropped the ball that morning

 

[dcsprior]

I do on the other hand accept that Victoria is probably a hard place to police/monitor but there has to be a better solution than locking people out until their train is ready to depart.

Until a few years back (maybe right up to COVID times?), Victoria was open 24h wasn't it? So presumably not that hard

 

[NSEWonderer]

Until a few years back (maybe right up to COVID times?), Victoria was open 24h wasn't it? So presumably not that hard

Yeah but after and during covid there probably has been a shortage of recruitment in conjunction with the reduction of services. Probably a policy due to staffing numbers on when they can truly open the station. Agreed its dangerously cutting it late.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Until a few years back (maybe right up to COVID times?), Victoria was open 24h wasn't it? So presumably not that hard

No. It always shut at 01.00 and only opened about ten minutes before each train.

 

[flythetube]

I’ve witnessed 3 purple hackers physically hoik up a homeless person in a red jacket by using his underarms when he was sitting in front of the gates. Not sure if that constitutes assault or whether purple jackets are allowed to get physical with anyone.

 

[AlterEgo]

I’ve witnessed 3 purple hackers physically hoik up a homeless person in a red jacket by using his underarms when he was sitting in front of the gates. Not sure if that constitutes assault or whether purple jackets are allowed to get physical with anyone.

Good. Oxtering someone isn't likely to be assault in the circumstances if they were on railway property. The forecourt probably is.

 

[Wolfie]

I know Victoria is locked up overnight and they only open the gate to allow access when a train is due. I arrived this morning at 02:55 for a train due at 03:08. There was a fair sized crowd outside. The security guard wandered up and down before disappearing into the concourse. He came back and unlocked the gate at 03:07, by which time several people were rattling it, with one guy shouting at him to “open the (expletive deleted) gate, man”.

Cue people running across the concourse. I was nearly knocked over twice by people running and pushing past me. I boarded just before the doors closed and the train departed at 3:10, with some passengers still on the platform. Does Victoria usually leave it that late to allow access to overnight services?

The Victoria area has more than it's fair share of homeless folk, winos and other addicts. I'm unsurprised that access to the station out of hours is heavily restricted.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Nov 2025 ==

In general perhaps, but not opening a station until 60 seconds before departure is the other extreme. That's 2023 Euston crowd control levels of silliness.

Agreed.

 

[nanstallon]

I’ve witnessed 3 purple hackers physically hoik up a homeless person in a red jacket by using his underarms when he was sitting in front of the gates. Not sure if that constitutes assault or whether purple jackets are allowed to get physical with anyone.

All part of the hostile environment of today's railway, and the way we treat the less fortunate members of society.

 

[styles]

I’ve witnessed 3 purple hackers physically hoik up a homeless person in a red jacket by using his underarms when he was sitting in front of the gates. Not sure if that constitutes assault or whether purple jackets are allowed to get physical with anyone.

Legally they are likely allowed.

On private property, the landowner is entitled to use reasonable for ento remove trespassing, even if it is only a civil matter (in this case it may even be criminal due it relating to the railways). Usually you'd ask somebody to leave your land first, but failing that, lifting them up and carrying them off is pretty reasonable force.

Whether it's morally right is another matter but legally yes I believe it to be lawful.

 

[Chriso]

Of all the places to sit at Victoria knowing its purpose and the fact I’m sure the person was asked many a time but refused to leave hence the response. Which would be totally justified

 

[yorkie]

Of all the places to sit at Victoria knowing its purpose and the fact I’m sure the person was asked many a time but refused to leave hence the response. Which would be totally justified

Very much agreed. Good to see robust action taken for a change.

 

[AlterEgo]

Life is harsh but railway stations are not homes and housing all of London's homeless on our public transport infrastructure is not likely to be safe nor of long term benefit. If you're cross about the issue vote for parties that will sort it at the root instead of sniping at people who value accessible and clean public transport.

All part of the hostile environment of today's railway, and the way we treat the less fortunate members of society.

The railway would feel a lot more hostile to a lot more people if it routinely housed homeless people.

 

[Full Standing]

Yeah 2 minutes to get across the concourse, through the ticket barriers, onto the platform and then on the train is pretty ridiculous. Id imagine that typically the gates open about 5-10 minutes before departure and some member of staff dropped the ball that morning

Just out of curiousity: Does Victoria have ticket machines that are located outside the station, i.e. accessible even when the station is closed? Otherwise, how should you buy a ticket in these circumstances (given you haven't purchased one in advance, which is totally legitimate). Due to the lack of time, one wouldn't really have an opportunity to buy before boarding. And I guess the gateline wouldn't let you pass without a ticket...

 

[AlterEgo]

Just out of curiousity: Does Victoria have ticket machines that are located outside the station, i.e. accessible even when the station is closed? Otherwise, how should you buy a ticket in these circumstances (given you haven't purchased one in advance, which is totally legitimate). Due to the lack of time, one wouldn't really have an opportunity to buy before boarding. And I guess the gateline wouldn't let you pass without a ticket...

I would be amazed if the gatelines are staffed at 0308, and almost no chance of encountering revenue anyway at that time.

 

[fkofilee]

I would be amazed if the gatelines are staffed at 0308, and almost no chance of encountering revenue anyway at that time.

No they arent - Done this journey many a time home to Gatwick - Never seen it that bad though...
Some mornings Ive gone and its only a 4 carriage train... Plenty of people trying to get to Gatwick that early etc and lack of space due to luggage. Its stupid...

 

[Full Standing]

I would be amazed if the gatelines are staffed at 0308, and almost no chance of encountering revenue anyway at that time.

No they arent - Done this journey many a time home to Gatwick - Never seen it that bad though...
Some mornings Ive gone and its only a 4 carriage train... Plenty of people trying to get to Gatwick that early etc and lack of space due to luggage. Its stupid...

Thanks for the responses; this does make perfect sense.

 

[etr221]

Some thoughts, reading this thread:

National Rail website info for Victoria says nothing about the station being closed overnight: if this (publicly) documented anywhere? If only one entrance is going to be opened for accessing trains, which is it?

BRFares gives a 'minimum connection' time of 10 or 15 minutes, which is what I would expect to drive the 'open entrance' time (i.e. for an 0308 train, entrance should have been opened at 0253, or 0258 at the latest.

For those who didn't make the train, were they allowed to wait on the station for the next train? or ushered out to repeat the performance - including possibly not making the train - an hour later? if so, how many possible repetitions? what is the position re delay repay? when does requesting a taxi become reasonable? or calling 03457 11 41 41? or 0203 750 2031?

 

[johncrossley]

We need a response from GTR regarding this situation. The incident was 18 days ago.

 

[Taunton]

Modern day railway. The station is managed by Network Rail, who will have their own standards for station security and access, although with minimal night rate cost staffing and supervision. The train is run by GTR, who will have quite separate standards, for punctuality, with on time departure key, regardless of whether all (or any) passengers have been able to get in it, just so they can report on time to the DfT and Golden Whistles.

 

[yorkie]

I know Victoria is locked up overnight and they only open the gate to allow access when a train is due. I arrived this morning at 02:55 for a train due at 03:08. There was a fair sized crowd outside. The security guard wandered up and down before disappearing into the concourse. He came back and unlocked the gate at 03:07, by which time several people were rattling it, with one guy shouting at him to “open the (expletive deleted) gate, man”.

Cue people running across the concourse. I was nearly knocked over twice by people running and pushing past me. I boarded just before the doors closed and the train departed at 3:10, with some passengers still on the platform. Does Victoria usually leave it that late to allow access to overnight services?

Have you put in a complaint to GTR?

Please let us know how they respond.

 

[Taunton]

Which organisation does the despatch at an NR station - NR or the TOC?

 

[josh-j]

Very much agreed. Good to see robust action taken for a change.

I have seen a homeless person physically kicked by private security outside the (being converted) London Road fire station next to Manchester Piccadilly. In plain view with people walking past.

I bet that security guy felt super big and important doing all that "robust action".