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Man hit by Northen Line train
- Thread starter gooper1
- Start date
Nothing unusual. Probably a couple of fatalities (usually suicide or trespass) a week across the tube network, sometimes more on the national rail network. It's a sad fact of life and no railway system across the world, be it a humble heritage railway or modern high speed operation is immune to it. Kudos to those who have to go out and deal with the aftermath, I've seen it a couple of times myself and it's not pretty.
Nothing unusual. Probably a couple of fatalities (usually suicide or trespass) a week across the tube network, sometimes more on the national rail network. It's a sad fact of life and no railway system across the world, be it a humble heritage railway or modern high speed operation is immune to it. Kudos to those who have to go out and deal with the aftermath, I've seen it a couple of times myself and it's not pretty.
You know the man is in a good but critical condition, right?
I agree with Vern. He is very lucky to be recovering from something like this.
As far as the platform being too narrow for the crowd, which I read somewhere... this is not uncommon on our underground (subway) system we have in Boston. The famous Park Street Under station (Park Street) serves both trams (LRVs/trolleys) for the green line above and the red line subway below. The platforms and station areas are mobbed to a point where people have gotten squished or pushed. On the red line there's also the issue of a center platform where the subway line run on both sides. Combine that with a narrow crowded platform and it's quite a hairy and a bit unnerving!
Boston's system, like London's, is one of the oldest underground systems in the world, with Boston being the second.
John
As far as the platform being too narrow for the crowd, which I read somewhere... this is not uncommon on our underground (subway) system we have in Boston. The famous Park Street Under station (Park Street) serves both trams (LRVs/trolleys) for the green line above and the red line subway below. The platforms and station areas are mobbed to a point where people have gotten squished or pushed. On the red line there's also the issue of a center platform where the subway line run on both sides. Combine that with a narrow crowded platform and it's quite a hairy and a bit unnerving!
Boston's system, like London's, is one of the oldest underground systems in the world, with Boston being the second.
John
Stockwell is one up from my station at Brixton and was significantly rebuilt in the 60s when they extended the Victoria line, so the platforms aren't that bad (go to Clapham North - that's scary!) This is the second incident in a fortnight where a train has struck someone trying to retrieve something dropped onto the line (in the previous incident, a person was killed and another seriously injured).
Paul
Paul
Angel was another City Line station with a very narrow island platform (since rebuilt). I remember alightig there in the late 70's/early 80's just for the hell of it and found it very un-nerving. In fact I bottled and waited halfway up the stairs until the train ran in.
Another system with very narrow island platforms was Glasgow - now mostly rebuilt but I believe some locations still have the original configuration. Not sure how many "one unders" they had there as a result of the cramped infrastructure.
The long term aspiration certainly for underground stations must be to standardise rolling stock and fit platform doors (already in use on the Jubilee Line) which prevent both accidental and deliberate falls from the platform edge. Not so simple on surface sections or the main line where different types of rolling stock are in use and in any event, a person determined on self harm will usually find another way on the railway even where fenced off.
Another system with very narrow island platforms was Glasgow - now mostly rebuilt but I believe some locations still have the original configuration. Not sure how many "one unders" they had there as a result of the cramped infrastructure.
The long term aspiration certainly for underground stations must be to standardise rolling stock and fit platform doors (already in use on the Jubilee Line) which prevent both accidental and deliberate falls from the platform edge. Not so simple on surface sections or the main line where different types of rolling stock are in use and in any event, a person determined on self harm will usually find another way on the railway even where fenced off.
The "T" has looked into retrofitting platforms with those new doors as well but nothing has happened. This is typical of them anyway as they say a lot and do very little. Without changing the subject, this has only gotten worse with Keolis taking over the commuter rail side of things under a no bid contract!
Anyway, the Boston "T" system which is run by the same MBTA, is made up of four different systems with only 2 being close in train size and length. The Green line is 100% trams with some high platform sections being built, but the system for the most part is all low-level platforms. The Orange and Blue lines share the same sized rolling stock, but they are two different systems, and the Red Line has the largest, both longest and widest subway cars on any system used. It's on this system where the platforms do the middle loading and like Vern I was scared to death when I got off the train there!
To add insult to injury, the Park Street station is also curved as in "Mind the gap!" which makes getting on and off a bit hairy too especially for elders and children.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Park_Street_Red_Line_platforms_1.JPG
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billmorrow/5447310912/
John
Anyway, the Boston "T" system which is run by the same MBTA, is made up of four different systems with only 2 being close in train size and length. The Green line is 100% trams with some high platform sections being built, but the system for the most part is all low-level platforms. The Orange and Blue lines share the same sized rolling stock, but they are two different systems, and the Red Line has the largest, both longest and widest subway cars on any system used. It's on this system where the platforms do the middle loading and like Vern I was scared to death when I got off the train there!
To add insult to injury, the Park Street station is also curved as in "Mind the gap!" which makes getting on and off a bit hairy too especially for elders and children.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Park_Street_Red_Line_platforms_1.JPG
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billmorrow/5447310912/
John
Hi everybody.
In line with what Paulsw2 stated, the first rule of regular travellers on the London Underground is always “whatever falls down on the line remains on the line”. Old hands never try to retrieve dropped items however valuable they may be. Often the trains are only one or two minutes apart and it is often tourists and those who do not use the underground regularly who drop valuable items such as cameras and iPads etc down onto the line. They then very unwisely lay down on the edge of the platform trying to retrieve them (definitely not recommended)
As Vern stated the width of platforms on some of the stations can be somewhat disconcerting to say the least. However, overcrowding on the platforms can be far more disconcerting in my experience. I remember approximately 3 years ago a work colleague and myself where on the westbound platform of the central line at Holborn station in the evening peak period. We moved forward to the front of the platform when the train’s arrivals board stated two minutes for our train to Notting Hill where we were to change on to the district line. The platform was already congested with commuters awaiting trains and I believe our train may have been delayed for a further minute or two beyond the stated time.
The forgoing made for a situation that as we stood at the front of the crowd; many others were coming down the escalators and pushing into the back of those already on the platform. We could feel the crush building up behind us which began to push us forward until we were right on the edge of the platform. I looked up again at the arrivals board which then stated one minute to the arrival of our train. I think that one minute was the longest minute of my life as we both felt that at any second we would be pushed over the edge.
People alongside us were shouting to those at the back not to push forward and for that minute it appeared to be a very dangerous situation indeed until the train arrived. Fortunately these days the underground staff appear to cope much better with overcrowding on platforms and stop it building up by closing off escalators or the gates on the front of the stations. The foregoing stops people entering the station or travelling down to the platforms and therefore overcrowding is averted. Many like myself give great thanks to the powers that be that (LOL)
Bill
In line with what Paulsw2 stated, the first rule of regular travellers on the London Underground is always “whatever falls down on the line remains on the line”. Old hands never try to retrieve dropped items however valuable they may be. Often the trains are only one or two minutes apart and it is often tourists and those who do not use the underground regularly who drop valuable items such as cameras and iPads etc down onto the line. They then very unwisely lay down on the edge of the platform trying to retrieve them (definitely not recommended)
As Vern stated the width of platforms on some of the stations can be somewhat disconcerting to say the least. However, overcrowding on the platforms can be far more disconcerting in my experience. I remember approximately 3 years ago a work colleague and myself where on the westbound platform of the central line at Holborn station in the evening peak period. We moved forward to the front of the platform when the train’s arrivals board stated two minutes for our train to Notting Hill where we were to change on to the district line. The platform was already congested with commuters awaiting trains and I believe our train may have been delayed for a further minute or two beyond the stated time.
The forgoing made for a situation that as we stood at the front of the crowd; many others were coming down the escalators and pushing into the back of those already on the platform. We could feel the crush building up behind us which began to push us forward until we were right on the edge of the platform. I looked up again at the arrivals board which then stated one minute to the arrival of our train. I think that one minute was the longest minute of my life as we both felt that at any second we would be pushed over the edge.
People alongside us were shouting to those at the back not to push forward and for that minute it appeared to be a very dangerous situation indeed until the train arrived. Fortunately these days the underground staff appear to cope much better with overcrowding on platforms and stop it building up by closing off escalators or the gates on the front of the stations. The foregoing stops people entering the station or travelling down to the platforms and therefore overcrowding is averted. Many like myself give great thanks to the powers that be that (LOL)
Bill
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Bill,
Try this same experience as a small child! That was one of my scariest moments when I was about 5 or 6 years old and experienced the narrow platforms with the crowd of adults behind me. The Cambridge Subway, now the Red line serves a large tourist and shopping district in Boston MA. This line runs from past Harvard Square, near the famous uni, all the way down to Braintree on the south shore, making this the longest line on the system and also the second-most crowded outside of the trams. The famous Park Street station sits on it's namesake street at the corner of Park and Tremont, just inside the gate of the Public Gardens. This is a famous place with the swan boats and Victorian era bridges, and part of the urban greenbelt created by Frank Olmsted in the late 19th-century. This station is a junction between the red, green, and orange lines (via passage tunnel), making it the crossing point for practically the whole system and making it not only busiest but also the most crowded.
Just outside of this area, is a large shopping district called Downtown Crossing. In the old days it was known as Washington Street and it was once full of big department stores. Sadly the areas was urban renewed during the 1970s and the old buildings are long gone, and so are the stores as they merged together and moved to shopping malls. After I visited London, the area reminded me of Oxford Circus and around Harrods while Boston's Washington Street was in its heyday. So now we combine the crossing junction underground of trams and subways lines, plus the shoppers and tourists, kids could get lost or pushed quite easily! Mom used to grip our wrists so tightly, I swear I had finger marks pressed into them as she held on to us for dear life.
To get to Downtown Crossing, one could walk from Park Street or even from Government Center, but with us being small, and her having bags, it meant we would have to go downstairs and I would pray we wouldn't get the middle platform!
What contributed to these crowds was two of the biggest retailers had direct connections to the subway so people could get off the train and head right into the stores without having to climb the escalator! During this time these big retailers had Dollar Days. These were on the first or second Wednesday every month, and in August we would go in for school clothes shopping. The crowds of people! I can't describe the number of shoppers, pressing forward to be the first ones through those glass doors into Filene's Basement or Jordan Marsh to purchase clothing, and handbags. This was mostly women on the hunt it seemed, and the perfume counters in Filenes and Jordan's smelled so strong, I could smell the perfume and even taste it afterwards! But anyway it was both an exciting and sometimes scary experience as we got pushed along with the crowds of people, and is something I definitely will never forget.
Ah the memories... Sorry for losing the subject here. This nightmare came back as I read your platform scare.
John
Try this same experience as a small child! That was one of my scariest moments when I was about 5 or 6 years old and experienced the narrow platforms with the crowd of adults behind me. The Cambridge Subway, now the Red line serves a large tourist and shopping district in Boston MA. This line runs from past Harvard Square, near the famous uni, all the way down to Braintree on the south shore, making this the longest line on the system and also the second-most crowded outside of the trams. The famous Park Street station sits on it's namesake street at the corner of Park and Tremont, just inside the gate of the Public Gardens. This is a famous place with the swan boats and Victorian era bridges, and part of the urban greenbelt created by Frank Olmsted in the late 19th-century. This station is a junction between the red, green, and orange lines (via passage tunnel), making it the crossing point for practically the whole system and making it not only busiest but also the most crowded.
Just outside of this area, is a large shopping district called Downtown Crossing. In the old days it was known as Washington Street and it was once full of big department stores. Sadly the areas was urban renewed during the 1970s and the old buildings are long gone, and so are the stores as they merged together and moved to shopping malls. After I visited London, the area reminded me of Oxford Circus and around Harrods while Boston's Washington Street was in its heyday. So now we combine the crossing junction underground of trams and subways lines, plus the shoppers and tourists, kids could get lost or pushed quite easily! Mom used to grip our wrists so tightly, I swear I had finger marks pressed into them as she held on to us for dear life.
To get to Downtown Crossing, one could walk from Park Street or even from Government Center, but with us being small, and her having bags, it meant we would have to go downstairs and I would pray we wouldn't get the middle platform!
What contributed to these crowds was two of the biggest retailers had direct connections to the subway so people could get off the train and head right into the stores without having to climb the escalator! During this time these big retailers had Dollar Days. These were on the first or second Wednesday every month, and in August we would go in for school clothes shopping. The crowds of people! I can't describe the number of shoppers, pressing forward to be the first ones through those glass doors into Filene's Basement or Jordan Marsh to purchase clothing, and handbags. This was mostly women on the hunt it seemed, and the perfume counters in Filenes and Jordan's smelled so strong, I could smell the perfume and even taste it afterwards! But anyway it was both an exciting and sometimes scary experience as we got pushed along with the crowds of people, and is something I definitely will never forget.
Ah the memories... Sorry for losing the subject here. This nightmare came back as I read your platform scare.
John
Last edited:
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