Forum Topic

Fatality at West Ealing

Yesterday there was a suicide at West Ealing. A man dressed in pyjamas jumped in front of a Heathrow Express Train.

Steven Cowburn ● 6562d10 Comments

Drove past there at around 13.00 and saw lots of police cars. When somthing like this happens we tend to forget about the train driver who has to go through months of theray treatment due to the shock and trauma.I doubt that there are any staff on duty at West Ealing who might have raised the alarm of a trespasser on the track.

Pete Gregory ● 6561d

As both West Ealing and Hanwell are closed on a Sunday there would have been no one there. Sadly these stations along this line suffer with these sad events. The poor girl at Southall who killed herself and her Children only to be followed by her mother some time later show what sadness is around in peoples lives.

Peter Chadburn ● 6561d

I used to work alongside London Transport in the early 80s. In those days, the driver used to get 3 days leave after a suicide and that was it ! I trust things are better now.

Penny Crocker ● 6561d

In the 1950s an Underground motorman (train operator, driver now) had the option of staying a motorman or transferring to being a guard but at the motorman's rate of pay. With the disappearance of guards on the Underground this is no longer an option of course.

Alan Brainsby ● 6561d

I noticed that although West Ealing Station is supposedly closed on Sunday the door to the station was open for just anyone to walk in.In fact during the days when that station is open there are generally no staff on the platforms at all and trains fly past at very high speed. From a health and safety aspect this is completely crazy. During the golden age of railways (certainly pre-WW2) there would always be staff on the platform to supervise passengers, keep order and answer passengers' questions.We live in a world of conductor-less buses and rail platforms bereft of staff. Is this really an improvement?

Eric Alan Leach ● 6561d

The problem is that if they lock up the station and no one turns up in the morning to open up then commuters are all stuck outside. Hanwell also has 24 hour access as the maintenance people often get on to the Track there. Hanwell is only from 06:00 to 13:00 as a manned station. If we pushed for permanent staffing then they would close Hanwell, West Ealing and the Greenford line which would allow them to make money out of longer distance commuters.

Peter Chadburn ● 6560d

Peter - surely not actions to make money rather than provide safety and services? Now that Britain is turning back into a Socialist country with nationised banks and all we'll surely see a different attitude....If Ealing Council (or whoever they outsource services to) can manage to close the parks at night and open them in the morning - then surely Network Rail can do likewise for all its stations.

Eric Alan Leach ● 6560d

The train drivers can be permanently affected - I used to see claimants at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel all the time...and train/tube drivers were the only people who COULD claim for PTSD following a suicide - was specifically written into the scheme. Some poor guys may have had three in less than 18 months and found themselves unable to drive into stations at all.Such a selfish way of topping yourself.

Sara Nathan ● 6560d

What Nationalise the Railway?? That idea would never catch on!! In all seriousness First Great Western and Network Rail would love to close our little stations so that they can run more longer distance trains through. Already they are proposing to stop the Greenford Rocket at West Ealing so that people would have to change trains.

Peter Chadburn ● 6560d

It wasn't so long ago that the Greenford "Rocket"* used to terminate at Ealing Broadway. Can't do it now as the reversing siding and crossing have been removed.*I suppose "Greenford Rocket" isn't as presumptive as  "Greenford Zephyr" or "Greenford Belle". :)

Alan Brainsby ● 6560d