Person hit by train at Cardiff 28/07/16

[PHILIPE]

An unusual story. On Thursday 28/07 a man was hit by the 1015 Paddington to Cardiff Central on it's approach to Platform 3. Platforms 2,3 and 4 were closed for several hours for the usual investigations. All Eastbound trains used Platform 1 and Westbound slotting in between Cardiff Valley trains through Platform 7 resulting in delays to the latter. Some turned back at Newport. The person was an 86 year old man who suffered leg injuries. News revealed the following day that he had been arrested on a charge of murdering his wife.

 

[westcoaster]

An unusual story. On Thursday 28/07 a man was hit by the 1015 Paddington to Cardiff Central on it's approach to Platform 3. Platforms 2,3 and 4 were closed for several hours for the usual investigations. All Eastbound trains used Platform 1 and Westbound slotting in between Cardiff Valley trains through Platform 7 resulting in delays to the latter. Some turned back at Newport. The person was an 86 year old man who suffered leg injuries. News revealed the following day that he had been arrested on a charge of murdering his wife.

A case of murder suicide then.

 

[74A]

A case of murder suicide then.

Almost. The man survived

 

[ValleyLines142]

Stupid question but why was platform 2 closed?

 

[richw]

The wife was found at their home address, and had been suffering severe dementia according to reports.

 

[PHILIPE]

Stupid question but why was platform 2 closed?

Because proceedings on the track at Platform 3 would have been in full view of people on Platform 2 and safety due people on tracks.

 

[TheEdge]

The wife was found at their home address, and had been suffering severe dementia according to reports.

There has been a similarary sad case recently down in Essex. Elderly husband had watched his wife be lost to dementia, found (IIRC) his father-in-law's old service revolver, went to her care home, shot her, handed himself in saying she had suffered enough.

 

[Envoy]

Most trains from England that terminate at Cardiff were turned around at Newport instead. Were passengers for these trains informed at Cardiff that they should get on any train going to Newport in order to catch these services?

It surely would have helped if they had platform 8 up and running. (Half the track has been laid so far).

 

[No Fault Found]

It was set LA16 involved, one of the green liveried ones.

 

[Antman]

There has been a similarary sad case recently down in Essex. Elderly husband had watched his wife be lost to dementia, found (IIRC) his father-in-law's old service revolver, went to her care home, shot her, handed himself in saying she had suffered enough.

My late father had dementia in his latter years so I can fully understand such actions.

 

[richw]

My late father had dementia in his latter years so I can fully understand such actions.

Gran had it really bad, to the point my granddad couldn't cope, she was found a specialist care home at NHS cost as it was deemed otherwise she would be retained in hospital for her last year.

Father in law has it now, he remembers what he has to do but does it multiple times as forgets he done something. He cant grasp times of the day neither, eating evening meals mid morning, turning up at the day centre in the middle of the night are regular occurences.

It was set LA16 involved, one of the green liveried ones.

Would that be why one green set now has 1 blue power car?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Most trains from England that terminate at Cardiff were turned around at Newport instead. Were passengers for these trains informed at Cardiff that they should get on any train going to Newport in order to catch these services?

It surely would have helped if they had platform 8 up and running. (Half the track has been laid so far).

I'm afraid that I don't understand your last comment.

Isn't platform 8 just going to be for Valley lines services? These wouldn't have been affected by platforms two and three being closed as they don't go from there.

 

[PHILIPE]

I'm afraid that I don't understand your last comment.

Isn't platform 8 just going to be for Valley lines services? These wouldn't have been affected by platforms two and three being closed as they don't go from there.

Platform 8 will be for Valley trains, and will allow one train to pass another and faster acceptance into the station to avoid waiting platform clearance.

 

[StripeyNick]

Would that be why one green set now has 1 blue power car?

It was running with one blue one already...........that was on the rear of the set.

 

[CardiffKid]

It surely would have helped if they had platform 8 up and running.

I'm afraid that I don't understand your last comment.

I think what Envoy is trying to say is that if the station was larger (i.e. if Platform 8 was open) then the congestion and problems would have been less sever.

If 7 platforms have to become 4 due to an incident, then of course hypothetically having 8 platforms reduced to 4 (so one extra) would have helped.

But platform 8 will help with general congestion anyway, so Envoy's original point is rather silly and unnecessary IMHO.

Also remember that after Platform 8 opens in a four months service levels will increase in time too rather than simply spread the existing services over more platforms.

 

[D1009]

I'm afraid that I don't understand your last comment.

Isn't platform 8 just going to be for Valley lines services? These wouldn't have been affected by platforms two and three being closed as they don't go from there.

If you read the OP, it is quite clear that Valley lines services WERE affected.

 

[Envoy]

If you read the OP, it is quite clear that Valley lines services WERE affected.

Valley line services were having delays. My understanding is that this is because some mainline trains from the east were coming in on P6. I was just thinking that had P8 been up and running, that this would have enabled valley line services to keep to schedule during the loss of P6 to accommodate displaced mainline trains.

PS> They took about 2 hours to clear P3 of the HST involved in the incident.

 

[CardiffKid]

Valley line services were having delays. My understanding is that this is because some mainline trains from the east were coming in on P6. I was just thinking that had P8 been up and running, that this would have enabled valley line services to keep to schedule during the loss of P6 to accommodate displaced mainline trains.

PS> They took about 2 hours to clear P3 of the HST involved in the incident.

By your own logic every large station should have a spare platform that isn't in use on a normal timetable to allow for disruption.

Can't see that being a priority for Governments and the DfT to fund somehow.

 

[PHILIPE]

Valley line services were having delays. My understanding is that this is because some mainline trains from the east were coming in on P6. I was just thinking that had P8 been up and running, that this would have enabled valley line services to keep to schedule during the loss of P6 to accommodate displaced mainline trains.

PS> They took about 2 hours to clear P3 of the HST involved in the incident.

No. Platform 7 was used for Main Line trains in an East to West to West directions. The signalling is not appropriate for loaded passenger trains to run westwards through Platform 6, although I must admit special arrangements have been put into place in the past to allow for Valley trains to turn back there in the case of severe disruption on the Valley Network or Engineering Work.
Platform 8 is not yet open so there is no case for "ifs and buts". In any event, the benefit may not have been great in this instance because trains will still have to use the same approach to the station as Platform 7 and departure at the West End.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Ah ... I didn't know that the disruption was that severe, nor that the Valley Lines services were as affected as they were.

Thanks for all your comments.

 

[Envoy]

By your own logic every large station should have a spare platform that isn't in use on a normal timetable to allow for disruption.

Can't see that being a priority for Governments and the DfT to fund somehow.

I did not say anything of the sort. I just put forward the point that P8 might have helped if it had been commissioned - being as it was being built in anycase.