Passengers on a rail service scheduled to stop at Palmers Green were trapped for nearly two hours without functioning air conditioning when their train broke down yesterday near Drayton Park station.
Passengers were eventually evacuated from the train and walked along the track to Drayton Park (Photo: Chris Arnold)
The incident was reported on the LBC website using quotes by Chris Arnold, a commuter from Hornsey who was on the train. The report says that a request by the driver to open the doors so that fresh air could enter the train was refused by rail controllers. Mr Arnold, who provided photographs of the incident, is quoted as saying: “At no point did we feel that Great Northern was putting the health and safety of passengers first. Instead, it felt as though they were hiding behind bureaucracy while hundreds of people sat in increasingly dangerous conditions.”
According to the LBC report, “conditions were sweltering and several elderly passengers, as well as a pregnant woman, struggled with the heat”.
A statement issued by Great Northern included an apology but argued that they acted in the interests of the passengers:
"The safety of our passengers is our topmost priority which is why considerable efforts were made first to engage power and restart the train because the safest place for passengers is to remain on the train. When this was not possible, railway staff evacuated people along the track to Drayton Park station.”
One passenger on the train recounted the incident in a social media post that was retransmitted in a WhatsApp channel this morning.
Absolutely shocking from Great Northern today
Our train broke down outside Finsbury Park due to the heat and was left stranded in full sun for over 2 hours.
The air conditioning failed, turning the train into an oven with over 200 passengers stuck onboard.
Communication was poor, passengers were becoming increasingly concerned and there seemed to be no proper plan in place.
Only after more than 2 hours was an emergency declared, and we were finally evacuated and walked along the tracks to Drayton Park.
A clear example of bureaucracy coming before passenger wellbeing.
Check before travelling in this heat wave
Source: Screenshots of a social media post posted on Tuesday 23rd June - sender's identity unknown
