Passengers stranded after being let off train for fresh air

[TheManBehind]

I thought whistle were required under the RSSB rule book when communicating between platform dispatcher and guard? How does that work for trains that are dispatched by non GWR stations? SWR, GTR, NR and probably TfW stations.

They're used if drawing attention to a safety requirement, but they're not required for dispatch - certainly at SWR my whistle was never required for communicating with my dispatcher - its purpose was to start the process, even if I was on my own, but ultimately it was the time on the clock that decided when it started. There was no obligation to blow it more than once before you closed the doors - and effectively, GWR have just gotten rid of that requirement.