All Paddington trains cancelled until further notice - AIBU?

[ChocolateFrogs]

I'm at Paddington waiting for a train that was meant to leave around fifteen minutes ago.

I've found out that a person has been hit by a train at Hayes and Harlington. All trains on all lines at Paddington have now been cancelled until further notice.

AIBU in asking you if you think that Paddington could have handled this better? Why have all trains been cancelled? Many don't operate on lines that pass near Hayes and Harlington.

I would like to add that my heart goes to anyone affected by the incident itself, and I do have every sympathy for the person hit by the train.

I'm just wondering about Paddington's response to the incident.

YABU. They don't cancel trains unless they actually can't operate them.

Fairly standard practice...

I would imagine it is for good reason. They will need to check that the rails are safe first (no possessions etc) / may need to investigate and have people on the line - therefore they need to keep them safe. The last thing you want is another injury or train crash.

I am sure they have a plan of action in place to get through it as quickly as possible.

Which services do not go through Hayes? Every Paddington train goes out on that line as far as at least Slough.

YABU

Huh? Pretty sure almost every train that goes in and out of Paddington has to go through Hayes and Harlington. YABU.

Where are you going anyhow? Instead of whinging on Mumsnet make alternative travel arrangements. eg get to Waterloo and go to Reading and onwards. Or local buses if your destination in closer to central London.

What was the cause of the accident? If it was due to faulty signalling because equipment had been damaged, then they'll need to stop all trains on all lines that could possibly have been affected until the extent and influence of the damage cable theft has been determined.

It's not just about the line the train was on when it hit the person, if they've got to turn power off to the lines, signals etc to stop emergency services and network rail personnel getting electrocuted then they can't run trains through that section of track at all.

I also remember the train I was on hitting someone just outside St Pancras a few years ago - they reversed the train into St Pancras so we could all get off instead of being stuck there while they sorted everything out but then people complained about being traumatised by having to walk past the damaged cab on their way up the platform! Literally couldn't win...

Sorry everyone.

I didn't know that. It was a genuine question.

I didn't think the Cheltenham train, for example, passed through there.

I realise that my question was being U. I'm sorry it was just that I didn't realise

To put it bluntly.

If someone is hit by a train they need to collect the bits of body and make sure they've got it all.
It's potentially a crime scene.
A coroner has to be called etc

britbat thanks for the support

Spongy please read my OP. I know someone who was involved in a similar accident. I'd appreciate it if you didn't swear at me. Thanks.

Wow.

I am sorry for the person and their relatives, but much more sorry for the train drivers who have to cope with these events.

For you OP as you were asking a technical question about Paddington Trains and you don't deserve to be sworn at so nastily, especially after you'd apologised.

And surely it's the train operator who has cancelled not 'Paddington'.

Just seen a friend post about this on Facebook. She's having to travel via Salisbury to get home.

Hayes and Harlington has a bit of "history" with suicides there i believe its due to the Asian community in the area. Seems form what i read somewhere a lot of them are women.

I know its very awkward having trains cancelled, but please just spare a though to the poor soul who was driven by desperation to do what they did:(

And the train driver and other staff who have to deal with it all.

It's what Glittery said. Evidence will be collected across a wide area so it's not necessarily about which stations the trains call at.

normal. Happens every time

You are not entitled to any compensation either.

OP I'm afraid for those of us who commute regularly it's easy to forget that everyone isn't as train savvy as us. The Cheltenham train goes out as far as Swindon before heading north - so it goes through all the stations in between.

Unfortunately it's a relatively regular occurrence. Your best bet for Cheltenham is probably to wait it out. If you're really desperate to get home or closer then either Waterloo to reading (but you'd still need a train from Paddington to come through and pick you up, not all of the Cheltenham trains stop there even though theyll pass through once they're back on the move) or Marylebone to Oxford and pick your way cross country from there.

Good luck.

Gosh Justaboy :( that's so sad.

I absolutely feel for the person affected. It's really awful. And for the train driver and staff, as you've mentioned.

I lost an extremely close friend to suicide in sixth form, and have some level of understanding of how difficult it is for people close to anyone who has committed suicide. I can't imagine how much the person must be suffering in order to consider this and go through with it. It's so so awful.

I echo spongy. You're delayed, that's irritating. A relatively minor, in the scope of things, irritation at that. Someone died. They may have been pushed, they have taken their own life. They will have friends, family. And you want to know who to complain to? I dunno, God?

Thanks so much for helping me lastnight (and for everyone else who's been kind and polite )