New Malden "Fast" Platforms

[matt]

At New Malden does anyone know why the disused middle platforms have information screens on them and non-stop trains are announced going through them?

 

[tsr]

Presumably the presence of information systems would allow remote broadcast of advice to any passengers who alighted there during an emergency evacuation or information if doors did happen to be opened in the event of some other unplanned special stop.

Certain stations on the Purley-Clapham Junction section of the Brighton Mainline have rarely-used Fast Line platforms with working announcements and screens, although those platforms are generally able to be accessed properly by members of the public during planned engineering works or emergency circumstances (with a very small handful of exceptions which require doors to be unlocked by train crew or the on-call manager), which I am unsure can be done at New Malden.

 

[Deepgreen]

NM was my home station from 1961 (born!) to 1981. In the 60s there was at least one train which called at the fast platform (up) in the morning peak and ran (I believe) non-stop top Waterloo. Not sure if there was an equivalent down working. Occasionally trains called there on the fasts in exceptional circumstances, and I assume the screens are there today to cater for this eventuality (although it would seem to be rather OTT to have announcements for every passing train!). Staff with a loud-hailer would be more cost-effective in those emergency situations, I would have thought.

 

[swt_passenger]

Back in 2009 a thread suggested that they had just removed the info displays at New Malden's central island, but someone else mentioned in the same thread that it remained available for emergency use:

So, we have established that Esher and Walton are out of use and have been for years which certainly looks to be the case.

However, New Malden can be used, presumably if engineering work or some other inconvenience affects one or both of the slow platforms. Which begs just one further question; given that the indicator boards had been left, or put, on the fast platforms, why have they recently been removed?
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28839

 

[matt]

Back in 2009 a thread suggested that they had just removed the info displays at New Malden's central island, but someone else mentioned in the same thread that it remained available for emergency use:

They were definitely there and in operation last Saturday. There is still access to the platform so the emergency use seems plausible. The platform has a surface you can walk on but isn't made up of slabs or tarmac etc like in use platforms.

 

[londonmidland]

Hadley Wood on the ECML is the same I think. The middle platforms which are on the fast lines have announcements (or a least used to) of passing trains.

 

[theironroad]

Not sure about the screens and announcements, but trains can only release doors and detrain passengers after receiving prior permission as it requires station staff to unlock the access to the island platforms. Same applies at Esher and Walton on Thames.

 

[Feathers44]

The platform has a surface you can walk on but isn't made up of slabs or tarmac etc like in use platforms.

The last time I went through, it also had all of its electrical services routed through metal ducting screwed to the platform surface. It wouldn't be the easiest platform to navigate in an emergency.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

If it gives you a perspective of how often its used by passengers, I've only used it twice in xx years of driving, both times when the service was completely screwed up and it was in desperation.