Christopher McGee------The Liverpool Rail Guard.

[susan]

Hi Patti  the problem is it is very difficult for train operators to control passengers behaviour.  People jump infront of trains to take their own life imagine the impact this would have on the driver of the train. To put up somekind of electric fencing passengers would end up getting an electric shock  and killing themselves.  I think the best method is for the Guard not to allow the train to move until it is safe to do so. Safety at level crossings needs to be improved but even then motorists take the risk even when they can see a train approaching  A no win situation.

[susan]

april I do agree the sentencing seems harsh but maybe this is a warning to other Guards to carry out their duties as is expected of them. 

[lookout]

april I do agree the sentencing seems harsh but maybe this is a warning to other Guards to carry out their duties as is expected of them.

Hi Susan,,it's not fair that this man should be made an example of though. This particular subject will come to the fore on account of the many guards who also save lives through their training. Suicides on live rails are a sad occurrence and recently a guard saved a woman from " teetering on the brink ".That side of their job can be very distressing,and no amount of training will ever compensate for the loss of a life.
Accidents/fatal injuries can happen in a split second.

[Jane]

Hello april may I ask you as a Mod is it possible for me to correct a typing error in one of my posts posted by me on the forum.

Susan. if I follow the line of it being your post in the first place, I would imagine that you are free to alter it Shhhh! Please don't share this with anybody else, but I'm clueless when it comes to technicalities so I've yet to find out how these things work

[susan]

Hi lookout I do agree with you on so many points but it is the guards responsibilty to keep that train on the station until it is safe for the driver to move it and that means the train has to be clear of passengers on the platform.  I still think the sentence extremely harsh and should have been dealt with by the Guards employers.

[Jo]

I think sometimes when things happen, the very fact they did happen is punishment enough. He'll have to live with seeing it, being there and the what ifs. The girl was drunk, to some degree she has to bear some responsibility for being drunk-unfortunately she paid the ultimate price for it. I don't know as it's in the public interest for him to be in prison.

[ngb1066]

Hello april may I ask you as a Mod is it possible for me to correct a typing error in one of my posts posted by me on the forum.

Susan you should be able to correct this yourself.  Do you not have the "modify" button?

[ngb1066]

I think sometimes when things happen, the very fact they did happen is punishment enough. He'll have to live with seeing it, being there and the what ifs. The girl was drunk, to some degree she has to bear some responsibility for being drunk-unfortunately she paid the ultimate price for it. I don't know as it's in the public interest for him to be in prison.

I agree with you Joanne.  This proecution was not in anyone's interests and the outcome is very harsh.  It should have been dealt with internally, possibly with some additional training, rather than by a prosecution for manslaughter.  I hope he succeeds in an appeal.

[susan]

Hi ngb  if I have a "modify" button where would it be.  Don't think I have one.

[susan]

Joanne01/ngb  I agree the sentence was too harsh.  I think the Guard was fully trained but misjudged the situation in that he expected the young lady to move away when the train started moving but she lost her balance due to the state she was in and fell between the moving train and the platform.  Had she not been under the influence she would have stepped back as the train always moves away slowly.  Wonder how the driver of the train felt.  Some type of grid should be attached to the platforms so that when a train pulls into the station the gap is covered.  But that would cost money and that seems to influence safety so much these days.  Very tragic accident for all concerned.

[ngb1066]

Hi ngb  if I have a "modify" button where would it be.  Don't think I have one.

It should appear at the top right of the frame surrounding any post you have made.

[tyler]

I have to agree with Susan on this case.The guard had a duty of care and just simply did not do his job properly.This tragedy was all caught on CCTV and the shot that was printed in the papers was damning enough without seeing the actual footage.I wonder how many of you would feel sorry for this man if the victim was your beautiful daughter?Whether she was drunk or not,the guard should NEVER have allowed the train to pull away whilst this young lady (or anyone else for that matter) was so close to the train.Even more so if he had witnessed her acting erratically.Sorry in advance if my post offends,it is just my opinion.

[lookout]

I have to agree with Susan on this case.The guard had a duty of care and just simply did not do his job properly.This tragedy was all caught on CCTV and the shot that was printed in the papers was damning enough without seeing the actual footage.I wonder how many of you would feel sorry for this man if the victim was your beautiful daughter?Whether she was drunk or not,the guard should NEVER have allowed the train to pull away whilst this young lady (or anyone else for that matter) was so close to the train.Even more so if he had witnessed her acting erratically.Sorry in advance if my post offends,it is just my opinion.

Tyler,the guard did his duty as far as care was concerned,because the RAIB had stated that had Christopher followed Merseyrails' guidelines,he would actually have been inside the train with his door closed,with no way of knowing that the girl was leaning on the carriage.The girl would still have died following those circumstances.
What Christopher had done was to shout to her to keep clear,,thus delaying the train which had a schedule to meet in conjunction with other trains. He wasn't aware that the teen had gone on to lean on the train.   

[lookout]

The space between the platform and train is one foot. !
Merseyrail have been told to reduce this platform space,and recommendations have been made countrywide.

[Patti]

Hi Patti  the problem is it is very difficult for train operators to control passengers behaviour.  People jump infront of trains to take their own life imagine the impact this would have on the driver of the train. To put up somekind of electric fencing passengers would end up getting an electric shock  and killing themselves.  I think the best method is for the Guard not to allow the train to move until it is safe to do so. Safety at level crossings needs to be improved but even then motorists take the risk even when they can see a train approaching  A no win situation.

Hi Susan

I don't mean electrifying gates i mean electronic....like sfatey gates on a platform....