Standing on the platform at Stevenage railway station last week, waiting for the train back to Leeds, an announcement advised that the next train at the platform opposite would not be stopping. A few seconds later a train passed through the station at 125 miles per hour.
Some minutes later, the same thing happened at the platform I was standing on. However, this time the train hurtling down the track at 125 miles per hour was probably 3 feet away from me, or less. You could feel the turbulence in the air around - this was truly unnerving and my colleague and I were quite disturbed by this.
I have thought about this quite a bit. So here are a few points to consider. If you come and visit my factory where we injection mould and blow mould plastic products, you will be required to wear specific safety clothing to ensure you are visible and you will not be able to get anywhere near any moving machine parts which are protected by screens, locked panels and the like.
If you go anywhere near a railway line, quite correctly you will be removed by the police and whilst this is going on the trains will not run until you are removed.
You can't go for a walk down the hard shoulder of a motorway because it is dangerous to be close to traffic moving at high speed.
It is right and proper that health and safety should be a priority and the previous statements are proof that this principle is generally being followed.
How then can a train be allowed to travel at 125 miles per hour just inches from members of the public?
Does anyone share my concerns?
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I'm adding some notes having just been at Huntingdon station today. There are four lines. Many trains passed through at speed - all on the central two lines and well away from people. This is sensible and not a problem. I think if there are only two lines through a station it should be forbidden for a train to pass through at anything like the speed they are doing.
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