To say that It feels like there's no effort to reduce train stress.

[hockeysticks89]

I'm sitting at Euston, having missed my hourly train by seconds. When I approached it (running, which is not an attractive look for me) at its proper departure time a guy blew a whistle at me and said no. He saw me coming but gave the lock doors command as I approached.

Fair enough but I know from experience that they only put the station up on the board for my Crewe train around five minutes before it departs, at which point everyone literally charges like crazed animals. If you're slightly infirm you're screwed, it's a health and safety nightmare.

There are more platforms than there are trains. Guards know in advance which station it's going from.

AIBU to state that there appears to be no desire to reduce the stress of train travel in this situation? Grrrrr

Wonder if it's to do with the layout of the station?

I don't use the other large major London stations so cannot make a comparison.

Agree that Euston is terrible for this. You need this app OP, it has never let me down. Yesterday I waited by the platform for 10 minutes before my train actually came up on the board. When it did I strolled onto the platform and was first on the train.

apps.apple.com/gb/app/london-platforms/id1044591401

@Joinedforthis2021

Soul of Euston that's made me laugh I may change my username to that.

I promise I don't work at Euston, I travel in and out of Euston A LOT and just from knowledge and observations.

Do it! It would make my day if I inspired a username.

Although you’ve broken the spell now, as don’t see Euston as having much of a sense of humour

@Joinedforthis2021

Wonder if it's to do with the layout of the station?

I don't use the other large major London stations so cannot make a comparison.

St Pancras has different areas of the station for different train companies. So you always know roughly where your train will leave from. And the display boards are all over the station, so there's not just one big board like there is at Euston, that everyone has to crowd around.

But the platforms are decided way before the train comes in. I have never had to wait and watch for the platform to be announced at StP, and I'm one of those people who gets to transport hubs way, way earlier than they need to. The information has always been there half an hour before.

Ah, I can go to bed happy now @SoulofEuston. Counting platform numbers to get to sleep...

I’m thinking a lot of people on this thread have never got a train from Euston. Get there on time, check an app, none of this applies at Euston

The Euston stampede is actually quite frightening and you get caught up in it trying to get the train or just stood on the concourse

The 1st class lounge (just saying and for anyone who’s been knows it’s nothing to brag about) give you an indication of the platform but half the time it changed based on the other trains wanting to get in the station

I think it’s very dangerous

In fact, I wonder if there is a case to be made on age and disability discrimination for this practice of late posting of platforms and changing them around.

Very likely. Legal action is the only thing that will make management listen. Perhaps the Association of British Commuters might take it up.

By the way, it's only the London terminals which do this. Glasgow Central gives at least 30 mins notice, pretty much everywhere else I've been to gives up to two hours notice.

I'm glad it's not just me. For years I've wondered why the trains I get from Euston (usually to Glasgow) have the platform announced so late. I thought it was something to do with that specific train service. I never had those problems from Kings Cross.

@Joinedforthis2021

Wonder if it's to do with the layout of the station?

I don't use the other large major London stations so cannot make a comparison.

Possibly - maybe they think it's more problematic to have people hanging around near their platform at Euston than elsewhere? I do think it's really dangerous, though, to encourage the stampede as it does.

@DdraigGoch

In fact, I wonder if there is a case to be made on age and disability discrimination for this practice of late posting of platforms and changing them around.

Very likely. Legal action is the only thing that will make management listen. Perhaps the Association of British Commuters might take it up.

By the way, it's only the London terminals which do this. Glasgow Central gives at least 30 mins notice, pretty much everywhere else I've been to gives up to two hours notice.

Or a serious accident, but legal action would obviously be greatly preferable!

Euston must also be a horrible place to work. It's stuffy, gloomy and dreary as well as having the worst concourse information and boarding system that I've ever come across. St Pancras and Kings Cross are incredibly airy and calm places in comparison.

No wonder the staff at Euston are grumpy. They have to spend all day every working day amid the tension and yellowy gloom.

@Joinedforthis2021

When a train arrives, passengers get off, the preparations are done for the next journey, its announced on the board and passengers have up to 2 minutes to board before boarding closes and the train departs.

@Joinedforthis2021 two minutes?

You do realise that the minimum connection time at Euston (a "large interchange") is fifteen minutes?

@DdraigGoch I have never, ever been given platform information 15 minutes in advance at Euston, whether it's been to get a train myself or to meet someone from one. I'd say that five is probably closest to the norm.

Apologies I meant boarding closes 2 mins before the train departs

So looking forward to my Euston to Crewe experience tomorrow. Luckily it's an open return so I can miss lots of trains. Thanks for the heads up OP.

@HardbackWriter nah, they've got the potential liability of an accident covered with the "no running" signs. You'd need a good lawyer to argue that not running would make catching a train impossible.

Indirect discrimination litigation is the way to go.

@ClafoutisSurprise

Ah, I can go to bed happy now *@SoulofEuston*. Counting platform numbers to get to sleep...

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16 sleep

@saraclara

Euston must also be a horrible place to work. It's stuffy, gloomy and dreary as well as having the worst concourse information and boarding system that I've ever come across. St Pancras and Kings Cross are incredibly airy and calm places in comparison.

No wonder the staff at Euston are grumpy. They have to spend all day every working day amid the tension and yellowy gloom.

Tbf St Pancras and Kings Cross have both had much more recent love and care than Euston - my memory of King's Cross before it was renovated is a bit dim but I think it was pretty horrible!

Er, don't call me a liar.
I Didn't
That's what happened. A guy from the offices came onto the train after getting complaints and people were asking him what he was going to do. And he said he was going to walk down the train and see if there was anybody who could drive the train. People were rolling their eyes and muttering because it was a ridiculous thing to say. I've got no reason to lie. They're were a dreadful company and they lost their licence.
So now the story has changed from "he did x" to "he said he was going to do x"
Fair enough it happened then, but it was ridiculous because as I said - driving a train isn't like driving a car, get in and know the controls, job done. You have to have route knowledge - it's part of the training.

How weird Euston is. I go in to kings cross very regularly and they are pretty good with platforms.

I expect London trains to leave on time though.

However if they are held up on the way back ooop north, the connecting trains will wait for the London trains. And the conductors will tell you the platforms in advance. It's only good manners isn't it?

[quote saraclara]@DdraigGoch I have never, ever been given platform information 15 minutes in advance at Euston, whether it's been to get a train myself or to meet someone from one. I'd say that five is probably closest to the norm.[/quote]
Well quite. If their own documentation says that it takes fifteen minutes to go platform 1 > concourse > platform 16, then they should be allowing at least 10 minutes for concourse > platform.

Never mind that for intercity services, train travel ought to be a relaxing pleasure, not a fevered dash; so you ought to be able to board at any point within a quarter of an hour before departure. I certainly don't remember any mad dash at Paris Gare de l'Est. On the contrary, a sit-down lunch before ambling to my onward TGV.

There is no justifiable excuse for the situation at Euston. Other stations seem to be able to manage. And as a passenger there is nothing you can really do to avoid it. You can be as early as you like but that doesn't help if you're only going to get 2 or 3 minutes to board anyway.
Booking passenger assistance isn't the answer. Aside from the fact that if everyone who has some degree of mobility issue booked they'd be trying to board an awful lot of people early, it's just not practical or desirable for everyone.
90% of the time I am in London it is for work. I don't always know what time I 'm going to finish and therefore which train I will get home. If I happen to get away early,then just like everyone else would, I will try to make it to the earlier train, not sit around waiting for another hour plus so I can be boarded early on the one I've booked.
I don't think it is unreasonable to think that if you arrive at a station say 15 minutes before a train is due that you should be able to walk at a reasonably leisurely pace to the platform and get on it when it's ready. More often than not my experience at Euston is the stampede and then everyone getting into one of the nearest carriages to ensure that they are actually on board when it leaves, then a scrum of people trying to move through the train to find seats and somewhere to put their luggage as it's pulling out of the station. Particularly given what a peak time ticket costs me (well, my employer ) I think the standard of service is appalling. Putting the onus on passengers to book assistance when it shouldn't be needed is ridiculous
That said, WFH has meant I haven't been for ages and I can't say I miss it. My DH went for a face to face meeting for the first time in 2 years this week and said the train was half empty which made it a bit better. He still had to run to catch it though!

@Joinedforthis2021 we all understand the concept of trains being late thank you.

Why is this a problem at Euston but not at Kings Cross or London Bridge do you think? As presumably Kings Cross trains also need to be cleaned and checked, and can’t set off late. But somehow, magically, the station is announced 10-15 mins before departure time.

YANBU, OP. That stupid long ramp and the manual ticket checks at the end of it. Just put an inspector on the train! And Euston is a sad gloomy place, although it has a waiting room, so is doing better than London Bridge. I think it's supposed to get some work with HS2?