The Anonymous Widower

Death Of A Commuter At Waterloo

This tragic accident is reported in this article on ITV, which is entitled Commuter Crushed To Death After Falling Unseen Into Tube Gap At Waterloo.

These are the first two paragraphs.

A commuter was trapped and crushed to death by a Tube train after he fell down the gap on the northbound Bakerloo line train at Waterloo, an investigation has found.

Tube staff did not spot the man after he slipped and fell on to the track where he lay for more than a minute before being hit by a second train, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.

The accident is partly blamed on the curve of the track in the station.

I took these pictures at Waterloo station.

Note.

1. Pictures were taken on both platforms, which are similar, as they are above each other.
2. The gap is wide, but not the widest on the Underground.
3. When I boarded a train, I realised there was no grab handle.
4. I got my hand rather dirty using the door to pull myself across the gap.

Could this have been a factor in the death of the commuter, in that he looked for the grab handle, noticed there wasn’t one and then overbalanced?

This picture shows the detail on the inside of the door.

I’m sure a design could be created, that would give those who needed a pull-up something to grab.

November 3, 2021 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Bakerloo Line, Health and Safety