Stations in darkness late at night

[lincolnshire]

After passing a station in an average sized town the other night in me car I was wondering who would liable if there was an accident due to there been no lighting.

Quite a few stations the platform lights go out after the last train has passed, so if you went to find out train times from the timetable on the dark station,s platform and had an accident who would be responsible? There is no notice giving station opening or closing times or anything to stop you access the station and platforms and the station booking office is only open for a morning shift.

Interesting situation then in this world of health & safety.

 

[railnerd]

Hi.

Spalding station is in darkness shortly after the last passenger train has run at night.
The station lights used to be on at night but about a year ago they go off at night.
Strange really as now we get freight running through the station at night. The station is quite open access once the staff go home around 2pm and theres several places for local 'yobboiks' to shelter and hang out around the station at night.
I guess both EMT and Network Rails attitude is 'well they shouldnt be there', which is fair enough! Try saying that though when someone is in the 4ft when a train goes through the station... God forbid!

 

[najaB]

After passing a station in an average sized town the other night in me car I was wondering who would liable if there was an accident due to there been no lighting.

Interesting situation then in this world of health & safety.

As I see it, the HSE wouldn't concern themselves as there's no requirement to provide lighting on premises that are closed for business (even if there's no sign) as the public shouldn't be in there. I don't know if the ORR would take an interest as if there's no gate then it's comparable to leaving a manual crossing gate open.

 

[jimm]

Hi.

Spalding station is in darkness shortly after the last passenger train has run at night.
The station lights used to be on at night but about a year ago they go off at night.
Strange really as now we get freight running through the station at night. The station is quite open access once the staff go home around 2pm and theres several places for local 'yobboiks' to shelter and hang out around the station at night.
I guess both EMT and Network Rails attitude is 'well they shouldnt be there', which is fair enough! Try saying that though when someone is in the 4ft when a train goes through the station... God forbid!

But turning the lights off is actually likely to act as a deterrent to people hanging around. Provide a nice illuminated platform with benches and a canopy and you have an instant 'youth shelter'. Turn off the lights and it suddenly becomes rather less of an attraction.

An option not available at my local station as the footbridge is part of a public footpath from one side of town to the other, so the lights stay on all night - though the police are in the habit of popping into the station to see what's going on.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is there a lighting problem at New Clee station than can affect services?

 

[Gathursty]

Most of my bashing has been during the night. Many stations are lit at night, even those that are underused (Kinbrace, Longcross) but there are some that are unlit for reasons such as yob deterrence (Pontefract Baghill) or would upset the local environment being aglow all night (Kirton in Lindsey, Arrochar & Tarbet). Dovey Junction is lit at night but the footpath isn't so beware.

My local line, Kirkby Northern Rail branch is unlit after the last trains of the day, which will be the most common reason for the lights to go out.

 

[furnessvale]

Most of my bashing has been during the night. Many stations are lit at night, even those that are underused (Kinbrace, Longcross) but there are some that are unlit for reasons such as yob deterrence (Pontefract Baghill) or would upset the local environment being aglow all night (Kirton in Lindsey, Arrochar & Tarbet). Dovey Junction is lit at night but the footpath isn't so beware.

My local line, Kirkby Northern Rail branch is unlit after the last trains of the day, which will be the most common reason for the lights to go out.

Wasn't there a station on the Welsh coast that trains did not stop at after dark because of a lack of lighting? Is that still the case or have they now found a power supply?

I also wondered at the time how that compared with being dropped by the local bus on a country lane at night and why H & S on rail is so much stricter.

 

[387star]

Pilning

 

[Antman]

After passing a station in an average sized town the other night in me car I was wondering who would liable if there was an accident due to there been no lighting.

Quite a few stations the platform lights go out after the last train has passed, so if you went to find out train times from the timetable on the dark station,s platform and had an accident who would be responsible? There is no notice giving station opening or closing times or anything to stop you access the station and platforms and the station booking office is only open for a morning shift.

Interesting situation then in this world of health & safety.

I really don't think anybody would have a case, even in todays H&S climate people do still bear some responsibility for their own actions and of course most people have phones that can be used to check train times.

 

[Gathursty]

Wasn't there a station on the Welsh coast that trains did not stop at after dark because of a lack of lighting? Is that still the case or have they now found a power supply?

I'm not sure about the Welsh coast but on the Grimsby line, Paul has already mentioned New Clee which isn't called at at night because of the lights although it is parallel to a road which is lit by streetlights. However if the streetlights were off, it's not under NR's control.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Pilning

I did turn up there at about midnight two years ago and after switching my headlights off and getting out, I could hear a security dog growling for my blood lol. Good job it was behind the fence for the yard next to the station. Pilning is pitch black, except for passing train lights!

 

[PHILIPE]

I think that lights have been installed now, but trains were not scheduled to call at a couple of stations in the evening in Autumn and Winter on the Looe branch due to the fact there was no lighting at all.

 

[30907]

Cambrian Coast did have some which I guess might have had a Tilley lamp or similar in GW days. Some of the GW type Halts were simply closed, I think the survivors with no lights were Llandanwg and Llandecwyn, possibly Llanaber too, but all Coast stations now (very wisely) have a PIS and lights. Llandecwyn has been rebuilt as well as part of the Pont Briwet job.

 

[dangie]

....even in todays H&S climate people do still bear some responsibility for their own actions....

Of course.

It goes dark every evening until morning. It's about time we all got used to it.

 

[Ibex]

Is there a lighting problem at New Clee station than can affect services?

There is indeed, New Clee is a request stop and trains can only call in daylight hours.

The lighting also goes off on a timer at St. Albans Abbey at approximately 23:00 but that's the only other station I know of where this happens.

 

[tsr]

I am always slightly bemused when stations such as Ashurst, Cowden and so on are lit up all night. Some of the stations on the Uckfield line must have almost the only significant clusters of outdoor/street-type lights for miles around.

It does help, as they are useful landmarks, and if you have to stop out of course to fix a problem on an ECS or test train, it could be handy (though not as much as you might think, for anything under the sole bar).

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Is there a lighting problem at New Clee station than can affect services?

That's my local. Yes, no trains could stop as there was no lighting at night. New lighting appears to have been put up recently on the pavement but services are still not calling.

 

[mbreckers]

Only slightly relevant, but all ScotRail stations that aren't manned 24-hours or completely inside from what I have seen have sensors at all the entrances that switch the lights on if there is movement at night and the lights aren't on

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Is Falls of Cruachan another one where trains don't call after dark, or does that one have lighting now?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Further up the line from New Clee is Barnetby.

The lights are switched off at about 0130 which is two hours after the last passenger service, 1B94 Manchester Airport - Cleethorpes, departs. They used to be left on all night which was useful for those interested in the overnight freight scene through the station, but they are now turned off. However, I have been informed by a fellow enthusiast that providing you get a friendly signalman at Barnetby East and a respectful and polite request is made, he or she will keep the lights on during the night

 

[Tetchytyke]

Given the council where I used to live has taken to turning the street lights off between midnight and 5am, I don't see the issue. No lights discourages people from hanging around, for one thing, as well as saving a bit of money.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I just wondered about something - if you are on an open station when it is closed (by that I mean all passenger services have stopped for that day) is it trespassing?

 

[duffield]

I just wondered about something - if you are on an open station when it is closed (by that I mean all passenger services have stopped for that day) is it trespassing?

Hard to see how it could be seen as trespassing - assuming there are no gates etc. it would be unusual, but not unreasonable, if you had missed the last train, to sit on the platform until the first train the next day (e.g. you have a ticket or enough money to buy one, but not enough money for B&B or there isn't one nearby).
I've done this on one occasion when I was much younger. It was *very* cold.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Hard to see how it could be seen as trespassing - assuming there are no gates etc. it would be unusual, but not unreasonable, if you had missed the last train, to sit on the platform until the first train the next day (e.g. you have a ticket or enough money to buy one, but not enough money for B&B or there isn't one nearby).
I've done this on one occasion when I was much younger. It was *very* cold.

I see... I did wonder what the legal position would be if one waited on a darkened station and was attacked by youths or fall over and hit by a train after the last services have gone through

 

[lincolnshire]

I just wondered about something - if you are on an open station when it is closed (by that I mean all passenger services have stopped for that day) is it trespassing?

So if your not familiar with the station how do you know that the last train has gone, look at the time table which just happens to be on the platform in the darkness. No signs on the entry to the station telling you when the stain is open and closed.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Further up the line from New Clee is Barnetby.

The lights are switched off at about 0130 which is two hours after the last passenger service, 1B94 Manchester Airport - Cleethorpes, departs. They used to be left on all night which was useful for those interested in the overnight freight scene through the station, but they are now turned off. However, I have been informed by a fellow enthusiast that providing you get a friendly signalman at Barnetby East and a respectful and polite request is made, he or she will keep the lights on during the night

Just out of genuine interest, how would anyone go about informing the signalman at Barnetby East that you would like to have the platform lights on all night? Surely no one in their right mind would trespass and make their way over to the signal box?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

On the other side of the bridge carrying the line is a car showroom with a fully walkable driveway up the side and the railway property does not start until almost against the back of the box itself, so no issue of tresspass.

As I understand it, the "procedure" is to inform the one on during the day time that you would be there all night and they will mention it at change over to the incoming signaller, although some people seemingly just wait for the overnight person to turn up, make the respectful request at that point in time and hope for the best. I have never tried this myself, but I have no reason to doubt this as a friend told me this tale as well as a number of other enthusiasts over the years.

 

[lincolnshire]

On the other side of the bridge carrying the line is a car showroom with a fully walkable driveway up the side and the railway property does not start until almost against the back of the box itself, so no issue of tresspass.

As I understand it, the "procedure" is to inform the one on during the day time that you would be there all night and they will mention it at change over to the incoming signaller, although some people seemingly just wait for the overnight person to turn up, make the respectful request at that point in time and hope for the best. I have never tried this myself, but I have no reason to doubt this as a friend told me this tale as well as a number of other enthusiasts over the years.

I somehow think that the above is a tale, as in the past the signalman was unable to switch the platform lights from Barnetby East. When it was light bulbs on cast Iron lamppost, it was just light switches on the platforms building walls then it was key-switched light switches for override, but usually the station lights was on a solar and ordinary time clock for lights off after last train and back on in a morning for first train etc. So since the present set up will be Network Rail owned but under the maintenance of N.G. Bailey the TPE contractor for there mtc. ( may have changed now) so very much doubt that a cable would be laid to signal box from station just for the odd times a train runs late to be able to switch on the lights. Its the usual thing now, the station is now,t to do with me except that trains stop or pass through there as far as Network Rail signalman is concerned as been part of his duties, there was also boxes where the signalman had a P.A. system for station announcements they was removed as not there responsibility anymore.
So I myself think its a just a myth that there signalman can override the platform lights and waste the TPE money for them, may be wrong.