16 replies to this topic

[Fry]

Epsom Derby racegoer injured as train is stopped
Epsom Derby The train was packed full of racegoers from Derby Day at Epsom

A woman was badly burned as she stepped on to the line when a train packed full of Epsom Derby racegoers was stopped and the doors forced open.

The emergency cord was pulled on the Victoria-bound service near South Croydon station, south London, when a fight broke out on Saturday night.

Police said the woman, 22, who was in a separate carriage, then climbed out the doors and on to the line.

She remains in hospital. Her condition is not thought to be life threatening.

British Transport Police (BTP) were called at 2044 BST to reports of a fight between a group of men on the 1950 BST service from Tattenham Corner station near the racecourse in Epsom, Surrey.
'Stark reminder'

The emergency cord was pulled by a passenger as the train approached South Croydon station.

Police said a set of doors were forced open and the woman, from Mitcham, south London, stepped down on to the line.

She suffered burns after touching the live third rail and was taken to hospital.

A BTP spokeswoman said the "separate" incidents were being investigated and there had been no arrests.

Insp Jack Ioannou, from Croydon BTP station, said: "This incident serves as a stark reminder that members of the public should never attempt to go on or near the tracks unless directed to by a member of rail staff or a police officer.

"The live third rail powers trains across south London, carries 750 volts of electricity and remains switched on 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-13664371

[Kellym82]

My flatmate was on that train on the way back - she said it was a complete shambles, no-one told them what was going on, no-one could keep control, some older ladies were panicking. Apparently it took a really long time to get the situation under control and it wasn't very well handled!

[samt]

"The live third rail powers trains across south London, carries 750 volts of electricity and remains switched on 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Do all stations use these live third-rails or is it just in London as I've never seen one?

[Heimdall]

They're used by rail systems.

So the 'London Underground' or 'MerseyRail' for example.

[LankyDan]

Do all stations use these live third-rails or is it just in London as I've never seen one?

We don't have many up North I think, I have only ever seen overhead cables and engine trains.

[Giraffe]

We have live third rails around Surrey and London. In fact I can't ever recall seeing overhead lines!

[bensonby]

It was a conscious decision in teh 1920s/30s when they did the first network electrifications in South East England - likemany things, it was a cost consideration..... much cheaper than overhead wires.

[Cardiff Bluebirds]

Do all stations use these live third-rails or is it just in London as I've never seen one?

General all railways out of South London down towards Southampton, Brighton and Bournmouth have live 3rd rails as do those out to Kent. There are also lines out of Liverpool around merseyside and to Chester with 3rd Rails.
In the main railways in out of north London and to the East have overhead live wires to power trains.

If you are silly enough to touch the OHL it will throw you off them, but the nasty so-in-so that is the 3rd will stick you to it until the juice to switched off.

This train a Southern Metro service is DOO (Driver Only Operation), when someone pulls the PASSCOM the train stops dead the driver would then contact the controlling signaller to inform him of the situation and that he was going to go into the train to reset and check the situation. On this type of stock Class 455 it is very easy to push apart the train doors, once you have your fingures between the doors and have some pressure every a child you prob open them with the will.

Once this lady had been shocked and injured (she was lucky not to be killed) the driver would have had to declare an emergency and get the power switched off, then got all lines blocked and called the Police/Fire/Paramedices etc.

Bluebird.

[MerseyLLB]

To the earlier poster, London Underground has a fourth rail as well whuch runs in the middle of tgw running rails.

Why on earth you would jump off a train trackside,even if there is a fight, escapes me.

[Cardiff Bluebirds]

The reason is in the last couple of words in your post mate......many many many many years ago passenger were locked into the carriage between stations. This was when carriges consisted of compartments with no inside walkways, there were many high profile murders, assualts etc and women especially didnt like using them alone at night so the railway companies contructed stock with wallways down the inside of the carriage but still with compartment off the corridor.

During a fire on a sleeper train in the 1970's several people lost their lives due to external doors being locked. After this incident one of the recommendations was that no exteneral doors are to be locked whilst the train is in motion or when it has passengers on.

Modern trains well those contructed from the early 1980s have what we call PASSCOMs which are EM alarms pul them and the train stops. However they also have EM door releases, it is common for late night travellers to pull the PASSCOM wait for the train to stop, then they force the doors open and run off into the night. Ive had this on a number of occasions!.


No matter what we (rail staff) say passengers always know better and will attempt to alight the train even when told not to for this very reason!....Even when there are Overhead lines VISABLE there can ALSO be 3rd rails which are not visable at train level due to the overhang of the carriage. You jump down and BANG !

Bluebird.

[Croydon Boy]

To the earlier poster, London Underground has a fourth rail as well whuch runs in the middle of tgw running rails.

Why on earth you would jump off a train trackside,even if there is a fight, escapes me.

I was on duty, it was rather a busy shift. As ever there's more to it than in the press article, but it's part of an ongoing investigation. This lady aside, unfortunately in general some passengers don't like being stuck on stationary trains without toilets when they've been drinking all day and ignore instructions to remain on the train...

[Cardiff Bluebirds]

Class 455's that formed this service I suspect have toliets but whether they were working is another matter !!

Bluebird.

[DCI TAGGART]

That is a bit of a dodgy line out of Tattenham C going through some high crime stations

Edited by DCI TAGGART, 07 June 2011 - 01:40 PM.

[Croydon Boy]

Class 455's that formed this service I suspect have toliets but whether they were working is another matter !!

Bluebird.

No, they don't, certainly Southern and South West 455s don't

[Cardiff Bluebirds]

Im sure the Southern 455's have toilets? There was a right stink when they introduced the 313's on the south coast services which dont have toilets......I have a look

I suspect the train stopped short of the South Croydon station, this female couldnt be bothered to wait released the doors on the handle jumped down and bang ! ??

Bluebird.

[Fry]

Im sure the Southern 455's have toilets? There was a right stink when they introduced the 313's on the south coast services which dont have toilets......I have a look

I suspect the train stopped short of the South Croydon station, this female couldnt be bothered to wait released the doors on the handle jumped down and bang ! ??

Bluebird.

I'm going to guess by your userbars you live/work in the Northants direction. Using similar powers of deduction, I think Croydon Boy might be from the Croydon area. The 455s used by Southern don't have toilets.

[Cardiff Bluebirds]

Your correct mate, however I have 10yrs experince working the railways and have picked up a thing or two. But on this occasion Mr C is correct Southern Class 455 EMU do not have toliets.

Oh and neither does the Class 121 single car DMU that runs the 1/4 from Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay

Bluebird.

Edited by Cardiff Bluebirds, 11 June 2011 - 11:09 AM.