When to "pull the cord"?

[JoeGJ1984]

Reasons to pull the cord at a station:-

1. A person unwell
2. Fighting on the train
3. Someone behaving inappropriately
4. A door obstruction
5. Someone needing assistance to alight as the doors are closing.

What if one of these happens with miles to the next scheduled station stop? Could they then stop at a station they will be passing through but were not scheduled to stop at? (I think this will mostly occur on 'Intercity' services where the stock has an option for communicating with the driver rather than suddenly bringing the train to a stop.)

Regardless, I think 'the man on the Clapham omnibus' will pull the cord immediately if encountering one of the above, not knowing how the cord works.

 

[Antman]

What if one of these happens with miles to the next scheduled station stop? Could they then stop at a station they will be passing through but were not scheduled to stop at? (I think this will mostly occur on 'Intercity' services where the stock has an option for communicating with the driver rather than suddenly bringing the train to a stop.)

Regardless, I think 'the man on the Clapham omnibus' will pull the cord immediately if encountering one of the above, not knowing how the cord works.

I would have thought so, if somebody became ill on a Scotland bound train that had just left Kings Cross next stop Berwick upon Tweed surely the train would stop at an intermediate station to meet medics?

 

[noddingdonkey]

I'd be more inclined to seek the assistance of the Guard in that scenario and that kind of service rather than use the passcom, either via a Call for Aid or the buffet staff who should be able to do a PA call.

 

[Radedamer]

I've pulled it twice. One was on the District Line at Sloane Square (I think) when a young child's father appeared to be going in and out of consciousness (possibly drink, but hard to tell) and the kid was panicking. The staff quickly came along, took them off, reset it and off we went.

The other time was when the traincrew failed to come and let a cyclist out of a Pendolino at Brum International (you need a carriage key) - this was late in the day during "blockade buster" diversions, so had I not done so he may not have reached Euston without a 50 mile bike ride from MKC; in normal circumstances I probably wouldn't have done.

On neither occasion was I criticised for doing so. The approach in both cases was pull handle (in station) then frantically wave at staff to get the issue dealt with as quickly as possible. (Disappointingly on the Pendolino the driver failed to answer it himself).

Could I ask exactly what happened with the cyclist? Never having taken a bike on a Pendolino, I'm not familiar with the secenario. Where was he that he needed a staff member with carriage key to let him out? I presume this is a sort of guards van for bikes – but how then did he get in? Are the staff supposed to unlock the door then wait to relock it, and somehow it shut while he was in there? Or what?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Could I ask exactly what happened with the cyclist? Never having taken a bike on a Pendolino, I'm not familiar with the secenario. Where was he that he needed a staff member with carriage key to let him out? I presume this is a sort of guards van for bikes – but how then did he get in? Are the staff supposed to unlock the door then wait to relock it, and somehow it shut while he was in there? Or what?

On a Pendolino the bikes go in the van area next to the Standard class (Coach A) end drivers' cab. This is accessed from outside through a door which requires a carriage key to open and close, but can also be accessed from Coach A via a sliding door which while it says Staff Only or somesuch on it, is not ever locked.

What happened was that the cyclist waited for a short while by the door, then realised nobody was coming. Then he tried to manhandle his bike through Coach A to the passenger door, not an easy or quick thing to do without clouting people as the aisle is narrow - a road bike would fit, but a straight handlebar bike is very awkward. By the time he reached the passenger door, it had already closed and locked. So, seeing this, I pulled the handle to prevent departure and get the issue dealt with.

I wouldn't have done it normally, he'd just have had to go to Coventry and back, probably no massive hardship. The problem here was that there were diversions on, and the train I was on (which was terminating at MKC for only LM stopping buses that nominally did not carry bikes) was the last one to connect with the 15-car Voyager "Blockade Buster" via the Chiltern line on which he wanted to travel to London. So had he been unable to alight, he would have been left with a 50 mile cycle ride from MK to London or a need to abandon his bike at MKC.

I think the need for the key is sort-of to enforce mandatory bike reservations - but it is often forgotten about by staff even when the passenger correctly has one.

 

[Radedamer]

Thanks, all clear now.

As I said, I've never taken a bike on a Pendolino, but now I recall that Virgin have compulsory reservations, which sort of makes sense but is rather restrictive. I think I prefer the HST system (bikes in van with no access to carriage A for passengers, but van door not locked) but anyway that's another topic entirely!