Passengers were left in shock after the doors on a busy Merseyrail service unlocked on their approach to Liverpool Central station. A train guard was seen running up and down the train to warn people onboard a Headbolt Lane service toward the city centre to step back during their morning commute.
According to a person who was on the 06.11 train, as it paused outside the terminal stop, an alarm sounded to indicate the doors had been released. The unexpected development prompted the guard working the service to shout “Oh my god!” and keep people away from the doors.
One traveller told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that they worried someone suffering sight loss could have been endangered by the fault, which came not long after a train passed in the opposite direction. They said that the train came to a standstill in a tunnel just outside Central Station.
The LDRS understands that despite the shock of the lock being released, at no point did the doors open. A full review into what happened will now take place.
The passenger who was on board the train, who asked not to be named, told of their surprise at what happened.
They said, “I got on at Rice Lane and it was just as we were pulling into the station at Liverpool Central. We had just heard the announcement and some people got up to stand by the doors on the right-hand side.
“The guard was there and then the train just paused outside the station. As we were there, another train passed and I heard the beeping of the doors when they’re released and about to open.
“It carried on and I was like ‘Oh my god, what’s that?’ The guard heard it and she shouted down the carriage, ‘Oh my god, keep away from the doors, don’t touch the doors.’ She was running down the carriage repeating it to everyone.
“After that she used some sort of intercom to tell someone the doors had been released. She came back to use an allen key of some sort to do something by the door and then apologised to everyone for the delay.”
The passenger explained that they had been fearful for other commuters but was quick to praise the work of the Merseyrail guard in keeping people safe. They added, “It was a shock, it took a while for it to sink in.
“I thought afterwards what could have happened if someone partially sighted would have walked out towards the door. The guard acted really quickly, she was great, but I only thought the drivers could release the doors.”
In a statement, Stephen Dodd, Chief Operating Officer at Merseyrail said, “A technical fault onboard one of our trains briefly affected the door system. The Train Manager responded quickly and in accordance with their training, ensuring the doors remained securely closed throughout while the issue was addressed.
“The train was subsequently withdrawn from service at the next station and transferred to the depot for repair. As with all operational incidents of this nature, a full review will be conducted in line with our commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards across the network.”
Image: https://depositphotos.com/
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