Ways for passengers to stop trains in emergency

[JulienD]

Let's say someone or something has fallen onto the tracks and the train is coming. What are some ways for passengers to get the train to stop immediately?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Let's say someone or something has fallen onto the tracks and the train is coming. What are some ways for passengers to get the train to stop immediately?

Face the cab, raise both hands above your head.

If there are staff around shout for them as them doing that may be more credible than a passenger doing it and they may have other options e.g. getting signals put back if the train is still behind one.

 

[D1511]

Would it be acceptable to climb the fence and use a signal phone?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Would it be acceptable to climb the fence and use a signal phone?

Those are being removed.

The signal post phones... not the fences.

 

[paulmch]

If it's night time, switch your phone's torch on and wave it side to side very quickly in the direction of the train. It's not ideal but drivers are trained to treat that as a danger signal.

 

[D1511]

Oh wait, passengers?
That's pretty obvious isn't it?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would it be acceptable to climb the fence and use a signal phone?

If you're not at a station phoning 999 is in most cases going to be the option they would expect the public to take, I'd think. Though bridges have a plaque on them showing who to ring in case you witness damage e.g. a bridge bash.

 

[voyagerdude220]

If it was where I work or nearby, I'd phone the Signaller on my mobile and make an emergency call.
If it was elsewhere I'd try to alert a member of staff.
Would calling 999 help? I don't know if the call taker would have details for Network Rail.

 

[D1511]

Those are being removed.

The signal post phones... not the fences.

True, it was the only trespass scenario that came to mind.....but the OP is referring to passengers

 

[Bletchleyite]

True, it was the only trespass scenario that came to mind.....but the OP is referring to passengers

Yeah that's why I assumed the station. Obviously if on board the red handle is the way to do it.

 

[renegademaster]

Lots of stations have those non descript "emergency phone" that looks like signal post phones, where do they go?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I was taught that "any light waved vigerously" can be a danger signal - (my personal Bardic - retained after retirement has a red shade of course) , - anthing to attract attention IMHO , but Jenny Agutter in "The Railway Children" had innovative ideas.......

 

[Vexed]

Contact us - Network Rail

For safety issues call our 24 hour helpline: 03457 11 41 41 To report a crime call the BTP: 0800 40 50 40, 999 or text: 61016

www.networkrail.co.uk

Network Rail's website gives their 24/7 number for "people, animals, trees or objects on or near the track" so I guess that's the official answer!

I've only called them once and there was quite a long spiel before you could actually get connected to someone - I think the National Highways contact number is much better as you are almost immediately asked to press one for a stranded vehicle and two for debris.

 

[Greenheart]

Contact us - Network Rail

For safety issues call our 24 hour helpline: 03457 11 41 41 To report a crime call the BTP: 0800 40 50 40, 999 or text: 61016

www.networkrail.co.uk

I've only called them once and there was quite a long spiel before you could actually get connected to someone - I think the National Highways contact number is much better as you are almost immediately asked to press one for a stranded vehicle and two for debris.

I experienced this too, also they wanted to know the postcode of the location, which I didn't have as I was out and about; the bridge number I had wasn't any use.

 

[Hellzapoppin]

Lots of stations have those non descript "emergency phone" that looks like signal post phones, where do they go?

They're direct lines to the Controlling Signal Box.

 

[GB]

Would it be acceptable to climb the fence and use a signal phone?

Acceptable maybe, but generally not advisable.

 

[bb21]

If the train is coming imminently you may not be able to stop it in time, so lay down in the 6 foot, tuck everything in, and for heaven's sake never in the 4 foot.

 

[Ashfordian6]

This is a very poor thread idea.

If you have this knowledge already you will know how to bring a train to an emergency stop.

The last thing the railway needs is this information to get into the wider public and being abused by people. There is enough misuse on the railway already!

Call 999 should be the only answer if you are not a trained railway employee...

 

[Iskra]

If the train is coming imminently you may not be able to stop it in time, so lay down in the 6 foot, tuck everything in, and for heaven's sake never in the 4 foot.

There aren’t many scenarios where a member of the public should be walking on or near the line, even in an emergency.

The cess would also be a preferable location over the six foot if ‘caught out.’

 

[speedy1]

Call 999 should be the only answer if you are not a trained railway employee...

No room for nuance?

Is there an established and reliable procedure for a 999 handler to halt a train in under eg 1/2 minutes? What if you don't have your phone on you? Or no signal?

 

[bb21]

There aren’t many scenarios where a member of the public should be walking on or near the line, even in an emergency.

The cess would also be a preferable location over the six foot if ‘caught out.’

Correct on both fronts. I'm more thinking along the lines of "someone" not really being able to move much eg. badly injured due to a fall, especially in a multi-track layout area, as otherwise surely they just get as far away as possible from the running lines. Really these are all edge cases which should hopefully occur very rarely.

 

[alxndr]

Would calling 999 help? I don't know if the call taker would have details for Network Rail.

They should, especially since the collision between a HST and a fallen bridge parapet at Froxfield, near Hungerford, in 2015. That turned into a game of pass the parcel.

17:20 - lorry strikes the bridge and causes damage.
17:22-17:23 - member of public phones 999 and gets put through to Thames Valley Police.
17:23-17:26 - Thames Valley Police phone BTP (London).
17:26 - BTP mistakenly contact Wessex Route Control.
17:28 - BTP contact Western Route Control on a non-emergency number. Thames Valley Police contact Wiltshire Police.
17:30 - Train strikes debris. BTP London transfers control to BTP Birmingham.
17:32 - Train driver contacts signaller via radio. Wiltshire Police contact Western Route Control. Member of public makes another 999 call to Thames Valley Police that a train has struck the debris.
17:38 - Thames Valley Police contacted Western Route Control to tell them a train had stuck the debris, but by this point they already knew.

RAIB report here for the interested.

 

[Recessio]

If you're near a level crossing, I'd use the emergency phone there. If near a bridge, I'd probably ring the bridge collision number from the sign on the bridge (and for "belt and braces", I'd get someone else to ring 999 if possible) , else I'd hope 999 can get through to the railway quickly

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2026 ==

They should, especially since the collision between a HST and a fallen bridge parapet at Froxfield, near Hungerford, in 2007. That turned into a game of pass the parcel.

17:20 - lorry strikes the bridge and causes damage.
17:22-17:23 - member of public phones 999 and gets put through to Thames Valley Police.
17:23-17:26 - Thames Valley Police phone BTP (London).
17:26 - BTP mistakenly contact Wessex Route Control.
17:28 - BTP contact Western Route Control on a non-emergency number. Thames Valley Police contact Wiltshire Police.
17:30 - Train strikes debris. BTP London transfers control to BTP Birmingham.
17:32 - Train driver contacts signaller via radio. Wiltshire Police contact Western Route Control. Member of public makes another 999 call to Thames Valley Police that a train has struck the debris.
17:38 - Thames Valley Police contacted Western Route Control to tell them a train had stuck the debris, but by this point they already knew.

RAIB report here for the interested.

Ah, that's not particularly encouraging...

 

[norbitonflyer]

Pulling the person clear of the tracks may be a better idea, if you can do it without risking becoming a casualty yourself.

Ed Davey reveals moment of heroism – Kingston Courier

The MP for Kingston and Surbiton jumped onto a line at Clapham Junction station to rescue a woman lying between live train tracks in 1994

kingstoncourier.co.uk

An article from 2012

Mr Davey told the Independent how he acted after a woman fell between a train and a platform at Clapham Junction station in December 1994:

“She hadn’t gone on to the live line, but she wasn’t moving,” he told the Independent. “Everyone went ‘ooh… ahhh… gosh’, but didn’t seem to be doing anything,” he said.
The then 28-year-old Davey jumped onto the line to rescue the woman, who he said had been pushed out of the train onto the platform by a man before she fell.
“I was wondering whether to move her or not, and I looked up. It was late at night and there were these two big lights coming my way. I decided that I had to go across the live rails to the other side.” As the next train approached, Davey’s decision saved both the woman’s and his own life. His actions earned him a Royal Humane Society bravery award in 1995 and a commendation by the police.

Mr Davey is now the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party.

 

[Unobrow]

If anyone is ringing 999, could they not ask for BTP rather than just the police? I’m sure the operator could put the call direct through to them in the same way they can the coastguard for example.

 

[Falcon1200]

Would calling 999 help? I don't know if the call taker would have details for Network Rail.

They would; Where I worked, in Scotland, the Emergency Services have a dedicated number on which to contact Network Rail in an emergency, this activates a siren in Control so will be answered immediately.

They should, especially since the collision between a HST and a fallen bridge parapet at Froxfield, near Hungerford, in 2007. That turned into a game of pass the parcel.

Perhaps this was the catalyst for the plates now fitted to bridges with the number to call if a strike is witnessed; This also activates a siren in Control.

 

[alxndr]

Perhaps this was the catalyst for the plates now fitted to bridges with the number to call if a strike is witnessed; This also activates a siren in Control.

The report discusses them, apparently installing signage was already underway by this point on the Western, although they weren't yet fitted to this bridge.

Having been over that bridge it feels surprising that they didn't rank that need higher, it's not a particularly wide road, with a blind summit and fairly limited sighting on the bend immediately after.

 

[WAB]

Would calling 999 help? I don't know if the call taker would have details for Network Rail.

The railway is a category II responder under the Civil Contingencies Act and suffice it to say that there are well-established procedures in place regarding Control's interaction with the police.

I would venture that calls between railway controls and police controls number in the hundreds if not thousands each day. Although as mentioned above, getting the police to contact the right Route Control or determine what warrants an urgent call to NR Control is not always easy.

 

[transportphoto]

If anyone is ringing 999, could they not ask for BTP rather than just the police? I’m sure the operator could put the call direct through to them in the same way they can the coastguard for example.

No, BTP is not contactable via the 999 system. Evening if asking specifically for British Transport Police you will be routed to the appropriate Home Office force for your telephone.

There are industry internal 999 equivalent numbers for BTP (and emergency service interagency numbers) but no external facing number.

The railway is a category II responder under the Civil Contingencies Act and suffice it to say that there are well-established procedures in place regarding Control's interaction with the police.

BTP specifically, maybe. A generic Home Office force maybe [likely, IMO] not. Ambulance NHS Trusts also have very differing policies between them and I would not be surprised if they’re scratching around for a telephone number for Network Rail, or if they’d default to asking BTP to help play Chinese whispers.

 

[WesternLancer]

I was taught that "any light waved vigerously" can be a danger signal - (my personal Bardic - retained after retirement has a red shade of course) , - anthing to attract attention IMHO , but Jenny Agutter in "The Railway Children" had innovative

I’d presume Ms Agutter’s approach would be the one most members of the public would know to do.
At least those in a certain age group