Passengers causing a disturbance on a train?

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

polite police

An oxymoron, surely? 

[John R]

I've never experienced a policeman anything but polite in the thankfully few interactions I've had with them. But then again, I probably haven't rubbed them up the wrong way.  I'm extremely grateful for the job that the police do in protecting us, and as was seen last week at Westminster, their job is not without danger.

[plymothian]

I think you can imagine that this incident has gone down like a cup of cold sick with the management!

[TaplowGreen]

19:45 London Paddington to Plymouth due 23:25


19:45 London Paddington to Plymouth due 23:25 has been cancelled.
This is due to passengers causing a disturbance on this train.

Sounds interesting! Any idea what happened?

[Timmer]

Doesn't look like it even left Paddington

[TaplowGreen]

People getting upset at severe overcrowding perhaps?

[SandTEngineer]

People getting upset at severe overcrowding perhaps?

So the 2035 down will have twice the number of passengers on it.  Would hate to be travelling on that one.....

Noted on Open Train Times Maps that the 1945 is running down to Plymouth as empty stock.

[GBM]

So the 2035 down will have twice the number of passengers on it.  Would hate to be travelling on that one.....

Noted on Open Train Times Maps that the 1945 is running down to Plymouth as empty stock.
[/quote]

Surely if running empty stock it could run in service to relieve the overcrowding; or even run as a limited stop to Plymouth?

[broadgage]

Not having been present I know not what happened, but I have a suspicion that a member of the crew might have been assaulted, or felt in fear of assault, or felt that the train was overcrowded to a dangerous degree.

Members may recall an incident last Easter when the 18-03 terminated at Reading after an alleged assault.

[TaplowGreen]

Not having been present I know not what happened, but I have a suspicion that a member of the crew might have been assaulted, or felt in fear of assault, or felt that the train was overcrowded to a dangerous degree.

Members may recall an incident last Easter when the 18-03 terminated at Reading after an alleged assault.

Surely there is a BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) presence at Paddington, or were they on a donut break? If a member of staff "felt threatened", the culprit should have been removed by the BTP allowing the train to proceed?

As for overcrowding, GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) default position is that it however bad it is, overcrowding doesn't represent a safety risk so can't imagine that would be the reason?

If memory serves the incident last Easter you referred to turned out to be a red herring?

Obviously I acknowledge that I/we are all speculating............although Broadgage's suggestions sound plausible........

[broadgage]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) certainly have a default position that overcrowding is not a hazard, however individual drivers or guards may take a different view and they have considerable discretion.

I agree that disruptive or threatening passengers should have been removed by the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).

The incident last Easter was originally reported as an assault, but this was indeed found to be a red herring. Nonetheless the train still ran empty, and from a passengers point of view was cancelled.

All this is speculation, hopefully we might get a report from someone who knows what happened ?

[broadgage]

Some time has now passed, does anyone KNOW what happened, either by personal observation, reliable secondhand accounts, or information made public.