Driver-only operation

[whole diary]

[G.Uard]

In darkest Wiltshire, we use front door panel, but only local door at the very short platformed Avoncliff and Dilton Marsh.  This is to ensure that driver can platform the train correctly.  It also prevents folk from opening other doors and falling out, which could be a tad distressing.  At Melksham International Parkway, some drivers will get a 2 car 150 right on the paltform, but many prefer the guard to use front local.  A 2 car 158 is a shade too long BTW^▸ (by the way), so front local is the order of the day.

[thetrout]

In darkest Wiltshire, we use front door panel, but only local door at the very short platformed Avoncliff and Dilton Marsh.  This is to ensure that driver can platform the train correctly.  It also prevents folk from opening other doors and falling out, which could be a tad distressing.  At Melksham International Parkway, some drivers will get a 2 car 150 right on the paltform, but many prefer the guard to use front local.  A 2 car 158 is a shade too long BTW^▸ (by the way), so front local is the order of the day.

Yes Your right. When I travel from Bristol - Frome on the 1649 or 1749 The guard normally opens the doors at freshford from the rear, walks down the platform and despatches from the front. This is so they are in the right place for Avoncliff because the train is always full and standing and they cant get to the front... They say the working it should be a 3 car. But i've only ever seen it as a 2 car

Off peak hours and the guard despatches from the rear at Freshford

[Chris from Nailsea]

At Melksham International Parkway, some drivers will get a 2 car 150 right on the paltform, but many prefer the guard to use front local.

In my vast experience of train travel from Melksham (erm, actually, just once: on Saturday 29 March 2008 ), that's exactly what happened.