London Banter - View Single Post

[email protected] · November 29th 04, 01:07 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Boltar) wrote:

(DistrictDriver) wrote in message
. com...
You always get one idiot! Despite any anouncements, either by the
driver or the station staff, someone will still stick a foot or
briefcase etc into the doors. You have to be careful in this
'sue-anyone-for-anything' society which we now live... Only last week
one of my colleagues was 'stood down' while CCTV was investigated
afetr a lady alleged she got her foot trapped in the door and caused
her to fall back onto the platform. After thorough investigation, it
turned out that she did indeed stick her foot in the door, but then
removed it again. She never fell, but was obviuosly just a bit wound
up that she'd have to wait another 30 seconds for the next train...

I remember years ago when I was a teenager travelling on the northern
line
back in the 80s we'd got stuck at Camden by some idiot who'd stuck his
foot in
the door and wouldn't remove it and by the guard who was in a bad mood
and
wouldn't reopen
the doors at all. The driver sorted out the impasse after a few minutes
by
just motoring the train forward a bit (it seems on the old 59 stock the
cut out delay on the motors from the open doors was long enough to get
some
movement into the train) which dragged foot and idiot forward some
metres.
He quickly removed his foot and much shouting ensued but the train just
took
off anyway. Was quite amusing though no doubt these days both driver and
guard would have been disciplined by the nannies.

B2003

The motors were never interlocked with the doors and thus the driver could
always pull away if he wanted to. This meant that the train could be
"notched up" a few times if the doors were sticking open. Only the bravest
of passengers would remain with their foot stuck in the door then. It was
a bit more difficult on the 72/73 stock because of the same handle doing
motoring and braking but, with a bit of practice it could still be done.

Since OPO, this facility has unfortunately been lost.

Roger