If Southern kept platform staff, they wouldn't have much of a problem. The CCTV is too unreliable.., rain makes it hard to see, the cameras are fitted with "low level light" warnings, so after dark 30% of the time, drivers were getting these warnings.., this meant the driver couldn't rely on it, also curved platforms meant on longer trains the driver couldn't see the back of the train.

Out of the last 10 trap n drags, 7 were DOO. Not good stats.

There is a system called "interlock", there is a micro switch above each door, when all doors are closed this creates a circuit that manifests itself via a blue (I think) light in the drivers cab, this tells the driver all doors are secure.. Unfortunately this is also unreliable, if a small child's arm or a scarf is caught in the door, it will drag the child/person along when train pulls off.
We had a old man stick a crutch in the doors of a train, it was a grey crutch, that blended in to the grey background, the driver couldn't see it on the CCTV, and dragged a of boy down the platform, he was lucky he fell backwards not forwards.

*the trap n drag stats are accurate at the time I left the industry.

Have to admit having to consider carefully how I can travel back from SE25 to North London at 10pm without the trains is stretching my sympathy.

Either a bus into london to pick up the tube/overground or a bus into East Croydon and then the thameslink into town.

"It's almost like a moral decision. Except not really cos noone is going to find out," Jez, Peep Show

Right, so you're saying that the outdoor issues (being above ground and so susceptible to light conditions and being exposed to weather) and no people on station platform is specific to southern and no other providers?

I'm just trying to ascertain whether the conditions that the strikes are over occur elsewhere in the industry and are accepted or if this is a new issue that hasn't been tested anywhere else in our country before?

I don't know if other TOCs have problems... I don't even know how widespread doo is on over TOC's.
Southwest have guards, SouthEastern have a ScotRail type agreement.
My guess is.... Southern is being used as a test case (hence the DfT offering this industry unique franchise deal). What happens at Southern will be rolled out nationwide... That is just a guess thou

My guess is... If Southern stopped using the courts and engaged in finding solutions via meaningful talks with unions/ACAS... Then the strikes would be suspended.

One thing I can say without any shadow of a doubt...management f***in hate the drivers... They see them as holding too much power. Southern drivers haven't been on industrial action in over 20yrs... I always thought the hatred was misplaced

Sick pay withdrawn unless you have a docs note. Docs won't issue sick note until you've been off for 7 days AND doc is convinced you're not fit for work

Edited by 7mins (08 Dec 2016 5.55pm)