Request stops

[YorkRanger]

There is a public footpath leading to Lympstone Commando now, has been for quite a few years. The path runs between the training camp and the railway (similar to the setup of the footpath by Altcar Training camp and Hightown in Merseyside).

 

[trainJam]

does cause confusion and a number of us have driven past people waiting to board as they have not indicated their intention. The confusion is that Chiltern do stop as the don't have request stops and being a single line people are often waiting for the next train going the other way and at Bearley that can be only a few mins away so we are used to people on the platforms who don't want to travel in our direction.

Thoughts on 'handsignals' and comparison to buses:

For requesting to stop, I assume it is very similar to buses - arm out horizontally.

If this is not given, would trains pass through in the same way as buses?

What do people do (if anything) to reject a bus/train?

At least there isn't the problem of requesting the second/third bus behind

 

[dk1]

Thoughts on 'handsignals' and comparison to buses:

For requesting to stop, I assume it is very similar to buses - arm out horizontally.

If this is not given, would trains pass through in the same way as buses?

What do people do (if anything) to reject a bus/train?

At least there isn't the problem of requesting the second/third bus behind

As a general rule, if somebody is on the platform we stop.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

For TFW Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan no longer request stops. No idea about other routes.

Deganwy can also be added to the above

 

[sandpiper]

I my view, in this age of Health and Safety, request stops are create a higher risk than is necessary to a passenger wishing to join a train, particularly on a line where there is a mixture of stopping services and expresses that pass the request-stop platform.

At major staffed stations, if you cross the yellow line or tactile paving, you can expect to be shouted at by the platform staff. However, if you want to join a train at a request stop you are instructed to hold your arm out but remain in a safe place on as you do so. However, most passengers don't and stand a little to close than perhaps they should, if it was a major station the platform staff would be screaming at them!

This is all very well, but what if the approaching train is not the service you think it is, for example a late running fast express or a freight train. It's not always obvious, especially to most non-railway people whether the approaching train is their service, (especially at night), not to mention that the platform information displays are not always the most reliable of info systems, (when they work that is......).

The timetables all take account of request stops anyway and drivers approach them expecting to stop, so surely for the sake of safety and risk reduction request stops are a unnecessary historical anachronism in this day and age?

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I my view, in this age of Health and Safety, request stops are create a higher risk than is necessary to a passenger wishing to join a train, particularly on a line where there is a mixture of stopping services and expresses that pass the request-stop platform.

At major staffed stations, if you cross the yellow line or tactile paving, you can expect to be shouted at by the platform staff. However, if you want to join a train at a request stop you are instructed to hold your arm out but remain in a safe place on as you do so. However, most passengers don't and stand a little to close than perhaps they should, if it was a major station the platform staff would be screaming at them!

This is all very well, but what if the approaching train is not the service you think it is, for example a late running fast express or a freight train. It's not always obvious, especially to most non-railway people whether the approaching train is their service, (especially at night), not to mention that the platform information displays are not always the most reliable of info systems, (when they work that is......).

The timetables all take account of request stops anyway and drivers approach them expecting to stop, so surely for the sake of safety and risk reduction request stops are a unnecessary historical anachronism in this day and age?

I‘d be interested to know of any request stops on routes with fast running expresses. Most are located on rural routes which tend to have a lower line speed?

There are several benefits of request stops;
- improved journey time - often on a long route such as the HOWL or Far North the timetable may only allow for a certain number of booked request calls to be made
- reduced wear on brakes and fuel use when not actually stopping (even the marginal difference between passing at 15-20mph and actually stopping does make a difference!
- most likely keeps lightly-used stations open. Quite a number may have closed, or reduced service to token/parliamentary frequency, without the option to stop on request

I wonder if a sensible suggestion to TOCs might be for a request stop to have a painted box on the platform designating where the signalling passenger should stand? It would also help drivers to know where to look. (For example like ATMs which increasingly have painted ‘feet’ to show where queuing customers should stand to avoid crowding the person using the machine.)

A higher tech solution would be to have a press button ‘Request train to stop’ with an associated light indication but this would need a power source, add cost and potentially cause the wrong train to stop if for example they pass in quick succession in opposite directions.

 

[YorkRanger]

I‘d be interested to know of any request stops on routes with fast running expresses. Most are located on rural routes which tend to have a lower line speed?

Hapton, Huncoat and Pleasington on the East Lancs line spring to mind. Not sure what the line speed through them is, but they have the likes of the Blackpool to York and Headbolt Lane to Blackburn services passing through them fairly regularly.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Hapton, Huncoat and Pleasington on the East Lancs line spring to mind. Not sure what the line speed through them is, but they have the likes of the Blackpool to York and Headbolt Lane to Blackburn services passing through them fairly regularly.

On a route like that I’d be surprised if the linespeed is more than 60-70mph.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Hapton, Huncoat and Pleasington on the East Lancs line spring to mind.

Is Hapton still designated as a "request stop"?

 

[D6130]

Hapton, Huncoat and Pleasington on the East Lancs line spring to mind. Not sure what the line speed through them is, but they have the likes of the Blackpool to York and Headbolt Lane to Blackburn services passing through them fairly regularly.

On a route like that I’d be surprised if the linespeed is more than 60-70mph.

It's 70....which is fast enough to bowl over a passenger standing right on the edge of the platform!

 

[YorkRanger]

On a route like that I’d be surprised if the linespeed is more than 60-70mph.

According to the Sectional Appendix, it's 70mph through all 3 of those stations.

Is Hapton still designated as a "request stop"?

Hapton is still marked with a X on the timetables, but apparently Huncoat might not be one anymore, none of the services that stop there are marked as a request stop.

 

[craigybagel]

I‘d be interested to know of any request stops on routes with fast running expresses. Most are located on rural routes which tend to have a lower line speed?

Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton are all 90MU/70. There are occasions when you pass through at full speed with the local service right behind you so there are people waiting on the platform, but I've never experienced any issues of people getting confused and standing too close to the edge, the locals seem to be pretty sensible.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would there not normally be the usual automated "Fast Train Approaching - Please Stand Clear" announcements at the likes of Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton before fast trains whizz through just ahead of following services?

 

[sandpiper]

Huncoat isn't a request stop due to the presence of the level crossing at the end of the platform.

The East Lancs Line has the fast, (non-stop), York-Blackpool North services, (Pleasington and Hapton), and Headbolt Lane-Blackburn, (Hapton), services, not to mention freight and infrastructure trains. (Pleasington sometimes seeing several during the day as it is on the way to and from the S&C).
The other factor to consider is that both Hapton and Pleasington have poor sighting for passengers of approaching trains in the Up direction due to overbridges and foliage at the end of the platforms.

 

[172007]

Would there not normally be the usual automated "Fast Train Approaching - Please Stand Clear" announcements at the likes of Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton before fast trains whizz through just ahead of following services?

These announcements must not be considered or treated as usual.

Many platforms don't have them and a container train can cause considerable turbulence even at 50mph. If people start to think that these types of announcement always happen it may lead to increased trespass such as retrieving lost items or using the platform edge as a seat.

 

[ponponjo]

How many recorded instances have there been of fatalities/casualties incurred by passengers due to standing too close to the edge when hailing the wrong train at a request stop?

 

[AdamWW]

A higher tech solution would be to have a press button ‘Request train to stop’ with an associated light indication but this would need a power source, add cost and potentially cause the wrong train to stop if for example they pass in quick succession in opposite directions.

I think they're doing a more sophisticated version of that in Scotland where it transmits a message to the train. I hope it's done in a failsafe manner. Could be a long time to the next train if it doesn't work properly. Assuming it works for the next train anyway...

I did use a request stop in Austria where you pressed a button on the platform to light up an indication for the driver.

(And missed a stop in Czechia because I didn't realise you had to "ring the bell" to alert the driver as if you were on a bus).

 

[craigybagel]

Would there not normally be the usual automated "Fast Train Approaching - Please Stand Clear" announcements at the likes of Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton before fast trains whizz through just ahead of following services?

As far as I'm aware, no. You do get other forms of warnings though - Wrenbury and Prees have level crossings adjacent so their operation will make it obvious a train is approaching, and at Yorton there are whistle boards in both directions as there's a foot crossing close to the station.

 

[DelW]

How many recorded instances have there been of fatalities/casualties incurred by passengers due to standing too close to the edge when hailing the wrong train at a request stop?

I suspect the number is close to zero. Obviously locations vary, as in the cases mentioned above, but at all the request stops I've used (Heart of Wales and Cambrian Coast), you'd be more likely to die of boredom waiting for a train to appear than to suffer an accident from one passing at speed.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would there not normally be the usual automated "Fast Train Approaching - Please Stand Clear" announcements at the likes of Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton before fast trains whizz through just ahead of following services?

As far as I'm aware, no. You do get other forms of warnings though - Wrenbury and Prees have level crossings adjacent so their operation will make it obvious a train is approaching, and at Yorton there are whistle boards in both directions as there's a foot crossing close to the station.

Thanks for clarifying. Mostly on that section of line between Crewe and Shrewsbury, I'll be on a 'fast' train whizzing through the said stations and so it's impossible to know what announcements were made (or weren't).

 

[AdamWW]

Thanks for clarifying. Mostly on that section of line between Crewe and Shrewsbury, I'll be on a 'fast' train whizzing through the said stations and so it's impossible to know what announcements were made (or weren't).

I've also been at a station where the next passenger train was announced, followed by a fast freight running through.

 

[Parallel]

I‘d be interested to know of any request stops on routes with fast running expresses. Most are located on rural routes which tend to have a lower line speed?

Dilton Marsh is another, although I doubt the speed of most trains passing through will be high due to the proximity of Westbury station.

 

[JW4]

Claverdon and Bearley are still request stops on the WMR Feb 2024 network map: https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/media/3176/download?inline

 

[172007]

Claverdon and Bearley are still request stops on the WMR Feb 2024 network map: https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/media/3176/download?inline

The maps on train state it but as previously mentioned other official sources do not mention it and Chiltern treat them as regular stops.

 

[Eoch]

Claverdon and Bearley are still request stops on the WMR Feb 2024 network map: https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/media/3176/download?inline

This map is marked as 10_2023.

 

[JW4]

This map is marked as 10_2023.

LNR website says it was updated February 2024, so one of them has to be wrong.

 

[RailWonderer]

Dilton Marsh is another, although I doubt the speed of most trains passing through will be high due to the proximity of Westbury station.

Chetnole, Yetminster and Thornford are still request stops as well.

 

[Kite159]

Chetnole, Yetminster and Thornford are still request stops as well.

Although unlike Dilton Marsh nearly everything* which passes those three will have the ability to call there (so won't be going that fast) from a glance at RTT the only train which is booked to skip Chetnole & Thornford is the 1610 Gloucester to Weymouth which has the ability to call at Yetminster)

(*Outside summer time)

 

[JW4]

On the departure boards at Wolverhampton only Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch and Valley are listed as request stops for Birmingham-Holyhead services, which fits with Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan being compulsory stops.

 

[Djgr]

I suspect the number is close to zero. Obviously locations vary, as in the cases mentioned above, but at all the request stops I've used (Heart of Wales and Cambrian Coast), you'd be more likely to die of boredom waiting for a train to appear than to suffer an accident from one passing at speed.

Sounds like Health and Safety madness