Spa Valley Railway - Locked Doors

[Ted633]

Had a day out around Tunbridge Wells yesterday and included the Spa Valley Railway as part of it (very nice ride on the Thumper). One question is why are all the doors locked on one side of the train? If you board/alight on Eridge and Tunbridge Wells West, you are free to do so, but at Groombridge the platform is on the other side and the platform staff have to unlock the doors (and lock behind you) when boarding and alighting. Is this because that side of the train faces the mainline at Eridge and prevent doors being opened onto it or is there another reason?

 

[zwk500]

Is this because that side of the train faces the mainline at Eridge and prevent doors being opened onto it or is there another reason?

Exactly this reason. It is a condition of operating next to NR that their doors are locked. As the Spa Valley don't have central door locking, they manually lock the doors at Groombridge prior to departure.

 

[Cowley]

Exactly this reason. It is a condition of operating next to NR that their doors are locked. As the Spa Valley don't have central door locking, they manually lock the doors at Groombridge prior to departure.

Quite a lot of doors to do on a Thumper then?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Quite a lot of doors to do on a Thumper then?

They are well used to it... Imagine if the centre coach had been marshalled in....

 

[Cowley]

They are well used to it... Imagine if the centre coach had been marshalled in....

Good point!

 

[Ashley Hill]

That would not be allowed on NR without evacuating the coach.

 

[steamybrian]

That would not be allowed on NR without evacuating the coach.

Really- despite central door locking. Have been on steam specials on NR with mark 1 stock where the doors were locked.
At Groombridge the platform is the same side as the NR line between Birchden Jn and Eridge.

 

[43096]

Really- despite central door locking. Have been on steam specials on NR with mark 1 stock where the doors were locked.
At Groombridge the platform is the same side as the NR line between Birchden Jn and Eridge.

The point in this case is that the doors are locked using the T-key/budget lock and there's no emergency egress facility.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

As a previous thread has been locked (2014), what is the current status of 1317's centre coach?

 

[Ted633]

The point in this case is that the doors are locked using the T-key/budget lock and there's no emergency egress facility.

The doors on the other side are unlocked

Exactly this reason. It is a condition of operating next to NR that their doors are locked. As the Spa Valley don't have central door locking, they manually lock the doors at Groombridge prior to departure.

Thank you. Was what I thought then. May be better if there were notices to say so? I was there trying to open the door wondering what was wrong, before the platform staff appeared with a T key!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

May be better if there were notices to say so? I was there trying to open the door wondering what was wrong, before the platform staff appeared with a T key!

It's a long time since I've been down there but I'm sure the staff used to announce on the platform/train in advance

 

[Solent&Wessex]

The doors on the other side are unlocked


Thank you. Was what I thought then. May be better if there were notices to say so? I was there trying to open the door wondering what was wrong, before the platform staff appeared with a T key!

There are notices to say so, somewhere, as I visited the other week and saw some, but can't remember where. Might have been at Tunbridge Wells or their timetable leaflet. Or possibly even on the website. But I've seen it somewhere.