I think the matter of who closes the doors which is one of the main contentions at the moment is being overdone by the RMT Union. There are routes going into London with as much as over 80% where drivers do the doors. Indeed this driver doing doors has went on for years so why it is suddenly a big problem is beyond my ken. Up here Scotrail has had problems and there have been 2-day weekend breaks popping up. That too is an oddity as 60% of trains in Scotland are operated by drivers. Most trains also have a conductor on them as it happens too!
When you look at a large area such as the London and surrounds where trains running about with only a driver where is the RMT coming from? What about the Tube?...
As a retired English train driver with experience of working D.O.O (driver only operation) trains, I feel I that I would like to add my two penneth worth to this discussion. It is not meant as a criticism of anyone else's opinion, just an expression of mine drawn from my experiences.
Apologies in advance for writing a blog rather than a post but it's the only way I could think of to get my point across. In the scenario I describe, I chose sliding door stock because D.O.O on slam door stock years ago was a dismal and dangerous failure and didn't last very long, except for empty stock workings.
I have to say that I was never truly comfortable having to disconnect my mindset from the driving part of my job to concentrate on the safety and wellbeing of passengers getting on and off my train. It's a situation that demands that you are constantly alert for all the different kinds of hazards that can not only trip your passengers up but can also trip you up too (metaphorically speaking.) Driving and passenger concerns require two different approaches because, after all, it is - in my opinion - two different jobs.
Amongst other trains, I regularly worked fast (express) services and semi-fast D.O.O services between Birmingham and London. I had over 30 years experience under my belt when ill health forced my retirement. The semi-fast trains were sometimes 8 cars, sometimes 12 (Class 310/312's for a very brief trial period and later, more successfully, 317's and 321's)) and they stopped at a lot of stations over the 114 mile distance. The morning rush hour services into London were far and away the worst ones to work, for the obvious reason of numbers of people travelling. Let me give you a scenario.
Imagine a dull, cold morning with rain and a blustery wind. You're on your own working a very busy commuter train of, say, 8 cars in length with sliding door stock - and you're running late. You're approaching a platform with a red signal at the end of it and your train is slipping and sliding on the greasy rail. The side windows of the cab are all steamed up because of the cab heat (because we all like to be warm, don't we?) but you have that red signal firmly in your sights and in your mind as you look forward through the windscreen. At that stage you're not even aware of who or how many people are waiting for you. You only see that signal and your stopping point.
Now you've brought your train to a complete stop. Your mindset changes. It has to. You press the "door relase" buttons and people begin to get on and off your train. It's a mad rush because everyone just has to get on THIS train - even though there's another one 5 minutes behind. But that's the general public for you.
Don't forget, now, it's cold, it's wet and it's blowing a gale outside and your cab windows are steamed up so you can't see the TV screen/Mirrors outside your cab. Even using a cloth (or more often than not, your arm) to wipe the mist away on the window, visibility is poor. Your only option realistically is to open the window. Upon doing so, the wind and the rain drive straight into your face. As you can imaginge, you are not exactly thrilled at the experience.
Shielding yourself as best you can from the elements, you try to look down your train to monitor the comings and goings of a very unpredictable public (you don't just look at TV screens/Mirrors unless you really want to kill/injure someone.) You stand up, lean out of the window, look around as best you can; all the while getting cold and wet - and this is just ONE station.
You know you're running a few minutes late so you want to get out of here as quickly as possible. Finally, there appears to be a chance to "safely" close the doors. The mad rush has subsided. You press the "door close" button and your eyes rapidly switch from TV/Mirror to platform to train doors (what you can see of them) and back again. Back and forth, you're constantly looking for danger, for someone trapped by the doors (no door edge sensitivities here,) or latecomers thinking they can still get on the train. Suddenly, you have a latecomer. The doors have closed and he looks at you and shouts "Ah come on mate. You must've seen me running. You did that on purpose, didn't you?" (Wording kept cleaner than reality for decency's sake.)
You have to be immune to the abuse you get from these latecomers. They all think you've closed the doors on purpose because you think it's funny to watch them being left behind.)
Now - amid the verbal abuse - you hear the comforting "clicks" of the door interlock relays on the bulkhead behind you reassuring you that the doors have closed properly and this is confirmed by the rush of escaping air as your brakes release. Desperate to make sure you are not dragging anyone by the coat-tails - or any other part - and to leave your abuser behind, you open the throttle whilst still leaning out of the window and looking back (because the TV screen/Mirror is no help now you're moving away.) Relief! We're safely away!
WHOAAAAAA!!!! Hold on a minute, my friend. You forgot to change your mindset back to that of a driver! You're too busy thinking about passengers and fuming about the abuse you got from the latecomer.
You - and everyone else on board - are now in mortal danger. You forgot all about the red signal on the end of the platform and you are now heading - at speed - for the back of the train in front! (and you haven't yet realised - and probably won't - because your mind is still on your abuser.)
This happened so many times in reality that British Rail produced a video of the scenario, and many similar ones too, to be shown to drivers - and conductors too - to make them more aware of this pitfall. Thankfully, most incidents did not result in collisions. Those that did were minor, slow speed incidents - but frightening nonetheless.
This is just one example. I could list many more - particularly under the heading of "familiarity breeds contempt."
Think of a platform on a curve where the most part of your train is invisible to you except for on a small TV screen showing mulitple cameras pictures. Would you feel completely comfortable closing the doors knowing that there's even the slightest chance that you might have someone trapped? I've seen some horrific injuries over the years caused by people being dragged along a platform by a train. At best, you're scarred for life. At worst...
I don't care how much money the company can save and reinvest elsewhere (usually in some shareholders's pocket,) even with the best will in the World you cannot beat having a man (or woman) specifically looking after the passengers safe access (as passengers are totally oblivious of their own frailties in the railway environment anyway.) Oh, and on the Tube, they have sensitive door edges which cause doors to open again if someone gets an arm or a leg or a bag stuck in between them. Though if it's your coat or something similarly small, you're still going for an unwanted ride - and it happens quite regularly, though luckily not always with serious results.
Dave