"Train journey from Hell"

[Geeves]

If it was anything like the Saturday before, staffing at Control was low and that's putting it mildly, a lot of very experienced folks have recently retired too.

 

[northwichcat]

if it’s true there was no staff interaction for at least an hour?

I've been on a Northern train stuck due to a fallen tree, a XC train stuck due to overhead wire damage and a London Underground train stuck due to a security incident at the next station. In all 3 cases staff provided updates even when they had no further information to give to us. They obviously felt that telling us the latest information we were given is still the latest is what passengers want to hear, opposed to nothing.

 

[uglymonkey]

Why not blame " the system" that left them there, rather than blaming the people on the train for not being rescued?

 

[Fokx]

It wasn’t just this particular train that was effected either. The very last Manchester Piccadilly (Winslow) to Liverpool Lime Street terminated at Manchester Oxford road due to the traincrew being stuck on the broken down train.

Both driver and guard left the train at Oxford Road around 2325 with no passenger update until station security removed the passengers at 0015 who had not had any contact with Northern, and around 200 passengers, including many families from the little mix concert were told to wait until 2am for a rail replacement bus or source their own taxis.

Control we’re trying to arrange transport for around 500 people in total on both ends of the Chat Moss, on a Saturday night without much success on top of finding traincrew, most of who had ended their shifts to rescue the powerless 323z

 

[jamesst]

Surprised no one self-evacuated if it’s true there was no staff interaction for at least an hour?

'If' being the important word here!!

 

[Fokx]

Surprised no one self-evacuated if it’s true there was no staff interaction for at least an hour?

There wouldn’t be much point even if they did.

The area the train came to a stop in is a pitch black peat bog with no sign of life, buildings, main roads or traffic for miles

 

[onlinespotting]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:37034/2022-05-08/detailed Is this the rescue train?

 

[Trackman]

If this was in London people would simply have broken out of the train.

The Lewisham incident springs to mind … live rails and all.

 

[childwallblues]

OK, but the stranded train should have an open line and not be "waiting in a queue"? As it happens I don't believe they couldn't get through to control for that length of time...just doesn't add up. Even if they couldn't - control must have been able to contact them? Think there's a porkie/misreporting there somewhere!

There is still a signal box at Astley. Does it stay open at nighi or get switched out?

 

[LowLevel]

There is still a signal box at Astley. Does it stay open at nighi or get switched out?

It has to stay open or close, it's track circuit block so can't switch out per sé.

 

[Howardh]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:37034/2022-05-08/detailed Is this the rescue train?

If it was cancelled from Victoria, where did it end up? Just stay there until the morning?

 

[Mikw]

Reading about this, and the Lewisham incident. Perhaps Diesels aren't that bad after all.

 

[Howardh]

Reading about this, and the Lewisham incident. Perhaps Diesels aren't that bad after all.

They broke down too, but of their own accord rather than the lines being down!

 

[Skie]

They broke down too, but of their own accord rather than the lines being down!

Reading about this, and the Lewisham incident. Perhaps Diesels aren't that bad after all.

Can’t get very far when the driveshaft falls out. Or the engine

 

[185]

empty out the train, a prerequisite for a rescue

Is this a Northern-only prerequisite?

Some time ago at another operator, one was done where passengers climbed down from the (front) cab door of train 1 across into an intermediate cab door of train 2, and a year before that, passengers went train 1-to-train 2 via two passenger doors and a wheelchair ramp. Neither were emptied prior to rescue, and both were on control's instructions.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

You have to bear in mind the size and loading of the rescue train. As has already been mentioned one potential train was full of people under the influence of alcohol. It was not possible to utilise this train as a result. it was not safe to detrain the passengers already on board as there was no suitable location to do so, and it wouldn't have been safe to stop the train and action a rescue either. The drunk passengers would have been a hindrance and may have exasperated the problem

 

[yorksrob]

Before that, passengers went train 1-to-train 2 via two passenger doors and a wheelchair ramp. Neither were emptied prior to rescue, and both were on control's instructions.

I've witnessed this operation being carried out between Northern trains this year.

 

[danielcanning]

Yet another disgraceful incident on our railways, leaving passengers stranded at 1am on a cold windswept platform. Why do the train operators think this is acceptable?

 

[Magdalia]

passengers went train 1-to-train 2 via two passenger doors and a wheelchair ramp.

This is what I'd expect to be the normal method of evacuation. But with an empty train, so that there is no requirement to manage the behaviour of the passengers on the rescuing train, and with a train of the same class, so that the doors line up.

Maybe Northern have a different risk assessment, because they are not DOO, and their train fleet is mixed.

But, in this instance, in the dark, at an isolated location, with crowded trains and some passengers under the influence of alcohol, I wouldn't want to be asking the on train staff to manage an evacuation onto a train that wasn't empty.

 

[yorksrob]

This is what I'd expect to be the normal method of evacuation. But with an empty train, so that there is no requirement to manage the behaviour of the passengers on the rescuing train, and with a train of the same class, so that the doors line up.

They don't need to be the same class as they only need to line up one set of doors. Also the rescuing train doesn't need to be empty - just have sufficient room to carry stranded passengers for a while.

On the occasion I experienced it, it was a 158 rescuing passengers from stranded 333's.

 

[Watershed]

I surely cannot be the only person who read the thread title and wondered whether this related to a journey from Hell in Norway?

 

[43066]

I surely cannot be the only person who read the thread title and wondered whether this related to a journey from Hell in Norway?

It regularly freezes over, I’m told…

 

[exbrel]

i know this might be a silly question, but they say a silly question, is the one you don't ask... and i've been retired a good few years now so out of touch, but do the train crew still have to put detonators etc out, or will the signal box do the necessary protection...

 

[Ken H]

i know this might be a silly question, but they say a silly question, is the one you don't ask... and i've been retired a good few years now so out of touch, but do the train crew still have to put detonators etc out, or will the signal box do the necessary protection...

or track circuit clips

 

[skyhigh]

i know this might be a silly question, but they say a silly question, is the one you don't ask... and i've been retired a good few years now so out of touch, but do the train crew still have to put detonators etc out, or will the signal box do the necessary protection...

Assuming you mean assistance protection, yes, the crew still have to place dets.

 

[52290]

It regularly freezes over, I’m told…

Yes, I've been to Hell and back. I went through it travelling from Trondheim to Ostersund in Sweden. Quite a pleasant journey.
.

 

[bramling]

Is this a Northern-only prerequisite?

Some time ago at another operator, one was done where passengers climbed down from the (front) cab door of train 1 across into an intermediate cab door of train 2, and a year before that, passengers went train 1-to-train 2 via two passenger doors and a wheelchair ramp. Neither were emptied prior to rescue, and both were on control's instructions.

I don't think anyone would want to be using a loaded train to perform a rescue if avoidable, for the reason that it will be adding to the list of potential problems - especially if it's full of drunks.

 

[Djgr]

Is there any evidence that relevant trains were "full of drunks" or is this the usual attempt to push the failings of the railway onto its paying customers?

 

[jamesst]

Is there any evidence that relevant trains were "full of drunks" or is this the usual attempt to push the failings of the railway onto its paying customers?

Try 99.9% of trains late on a friday/Saturday and you'll soon have your answer. It seems much worse lately on the lines I work.

 

[bramling]

Is there any evidence that relevant trains were "full of drunks" or is this the usual attempt to push the failings of the railway onto its paying customers?

I’d say the clue is Saturday evening and big cities. A pretty safe bet to be fair.