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Misery for commuters as bright sunshine delays train
Last updated at 00:22am on 01.09.06Rush hour commuters delayed for up to half an hour were astonished to be told their trains had been held up because the sun was too bright.
The passengers, familiar with previous infamous seasonal excuses for delays including 'leaves on the line', and 'the wrong kind of snow', thought they had heard it all until rail operator c2c revealed the bizarre new explanation for late-running services.
The railway company claimed that a train driver had to be given a hand by station staff at Laindon in Essex after complaining the sun's glare made it impossible to check in a mirror on the platform if anyone was getting in or out of the carriages.
As well as causing hold ups to passengers on the train concerned, those behind it on the line between Southend and Fenchurch Street in London were delayed for up to 30 minutes.
One puzzled commuter said: 'This is the first time I've heard delays blamed on the sun - although I suppose it does make more sense UK trains would be less prepared for good weather than bad.'
The rail company blamed the Wednesday morning delays on a 'freak occurence' caused by the bright sun and the position of the mirrors on platform two at Laindon station in Essex.
Up to 100 passengers on the 7.52am to Fenchurch Street had to wait seven minutes at the station before they finally left. And their delay meant a queue of trains built up, delaying others for more than three times as long.
When all trains had guards, platformmirrors were not necessary. But in this age of driver-only trains, a mirror has to be used so the driver can check from his seat whether anyone is getting on or off the train as he prepares to leave the station.
A spokesman for c2c said: 'Depending on which way the sun is shining and how bright it is, very occasionally it can provide a glare on the mirror which some drivers can't see past.
'Yesterday morning it was piercingly bright. Normally the driver sits in his cab and presses the horn, the doors will close and he will move on.
'In this case he couldn't see in the mirrors on the station. There are safety procedures which are put in place and that puts extra time on the journey.
'We will always put safety first and if that means causing 10 to 12 minutes' delay that is what will happen. At no time was anyone in danger.'
He said only one train was affected by the glare but the trains behind were held up while the first train was moved on.
The spokesman said the event was very unusual.
'It's very very rare,' he said. 'Yesterday morning was an extremely bright morning and there was very little cloud, it was a combination of the brightness of the sun and the angle of the mirrors.
'It was a freak occurence whereby the driver had this problem and didn't feel confident about moving on so special procedures were put in place.'
Rail companies have previously claimed that 'leaves on the line' in autumn have held up trains, and that 'the wrong kind of snow' on the tracks in winter have caused delays.
Three years ago Network Rail blamed the 'wrong kind of soil' for delays in the summer, saying that a heatweave had dried out clay beneath the London to Birmingham line, shifting a ten-mile section of track.
Reader views (9)
I can assure you that 'leaves on the line', actually known as low adhesion to those who experience it, is potentially a very dangerous occurence. If a train cannot stop when the driver applies the brake then you are facing a possible collision or derailment. The issue of 'low sunlight in rear' affecting vision or signal sighting has already had fatal consequences. This was thought to be a contributing factor in the Paddington rail crash which killed 31 people. Shall we make a silly joke about 'the wrong kind of sunlight'? The real issue here is that these are risks which are not being taken seriously.
- Jim, Brighton,UK
The 'wrong kind of snow' didn't affect the track. It was very unusual powdery snow and it was able to blow into the junction boxes on brand new rolling stock. The trains were electric and the junction boxes had ventillation grilles designed to keep rain and snow out, but the fine powdery snow was able to get through, cause a short-circuit and blew the fuses. The new rolling stock was withdrawn and modified. It was a genuine reason and it annoys the hell out of me everytime a reporter thinks it was a stupid answer!
- Eye, UK
Because putting his head out the window to check if anyone was alighting is impossible?
- Ben, Brighton, UK
You know, it's not that we in England haven't heard of sunglasses, or anti-glare coating, it's just that we're too cheap to use it.
- John, Bromley
So if the driver had just assumed that everyone had got on and off safely, shut the doors and dragged someone to their death that would have been OK? The driver acted safely, no one was hurt but a few people were delayed.
- Willis, London UK
Install IR cameras... that way they can't say it's too dark to move the train next time.
- Damon Brunger, Fort Wayne, USA
Couldn't the driver have just stepped out of his cabin and looked down the platform to see if it was safe to pull away, instead of relying on his mirror? It just takes a little imagination.
- Dhanraj, Basildon
Say, we have these things here called sunglasses. I realize we here get a bit more exposure to that mysterious bright orb in the sky, so it is OK with us if you're not familiar with this new invention, but surely most of your opticians will have a basic knowledge of them.
- Erik, Santa Monica, California, USA
This has to be one of the most imaginative excuses for late trains.
I wonder if the bugbear of my commuting existance in Australia - V/Line will take a leaf out of this book! Fortunately we still have "conductors" here. Although I'm wondering if the suburban trains which are driver only might use this excuse, after all this is sunny Australia!
- Vlinewhinger, Melbourne Australia
