Pacers and "Set-Down only"

[Chilled Phill]

Due to a failed train at Cheadle Hulme today, our service to Oxford Road from Crewe was diverted via Styal and called at Heald Green for "Set down only" to allow passengers to change for the airport.

However, when we arrived at Heald Green, passengers at the platform were able to board the train even when there wasn't a passenger on the inside to open the door for them, in other words they could open the doors from the outside.

So I guess what I'm asking if, can urban DMUs and EMUs, such as the Class 142 we had today, perform a "set down" or not?

 

[MCR247]

This was in another thread, but the have door buttons on the outside.

 

[curly42]

Simple operation really,the conductor releases the local door only and everyone exits the train that way,and (s)he is able to prevent anyone joining the train.

 

[O L Leigh]

You can't just give a door release for the internal or external door buttons only. When a release is given it activates all the door buttons along that side, both on the inside and the outside.

"Set down only" in this situation really was there only as a contingency for airport passengers only. If tipping them out at Heald Green was the only way the railway could get them to their flights then that is what the railway needed to do. If the conductor was doing his/her job to the letter, anyone joining the train there would have found their tickets were probably not valid for that service. However, the conductor was probably being pragmatic in allowing people to board on the basis that it would cause too much trouble and additional delay to the service to argue the toss.

Then again, if all the punters for the airport had already jumped off the train probably wasn't terribly pressed for space.

O L Leigh

 

[Chilled Phill]

You can't just give a door release for the internal or external door buttons only. When a release is given it activates all the door buttons along that side, both on the inside and the outside.

Curious. So how do the Pendos manage to do a set down/pick up then?

 

[O L Leigh]

The same way an IC225 does, I would imagine. Clearly identifying such services in the timetable, lots of platform announcements and staff to shout at people, plus restrictions on ticketing.

O L Leigh

 

[driver9000]

If an InterCity service calls for 'set down' only it generally isnt announced on the station, and the platform indicators will show 'This train is not in service at this station - stand clear' or something to that effect

 

[P156KWJ]

Virgin Trains staff at Stockport and Watford Junction are very strict. Also, having buttons that release internally only would be pointless as what do you do to stop someone wandering in when someone's already opened the door anyway?

 

[Chilled Phill]

Virgin Trains staff at Stockport and Watford Junction are very strict. Also, having buttons that release internally only would be pointless as what do you do to stop someone wandering in when someone's already opened the door anyway?

Point taken.

But then again, it would make the jobs of people at Stockport and Watford Junction a little easier, no?

 

[O L Leigh]

Not really. As Sulzer25 says, what's to stop someone boarding through a door opened by a passenger leaving the train?

O L Leigh

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

We have discussed this issue in another thread, I'm not convinced by the whole 'set-down' routine tbh. You can't realy stop someone from alighting a train unless you have bouncers on every door. The whole thng is a waste of time and nonsensical imo.

 

[curly42]

This problem used to occur at University when Wessex ran into Birmingham.As I've said,the conductor would release the local door only - certainly possible on the classes we used to get on that route 150/153/158.Did it for years,no problem.