In message , at 10:17:46 on Sun, 3
Aug 2008, Brian Watson remarked:
Why cannot more mainline trains be a little longer (by a carriage or two)
and overhang platforms at the back?

It happens on various rural routes and seems to present no problem.

The Elfin Safety people won't allow it. And surprisingly a lot of modern
trains simply aren't equipped with sufficiently sophisticated selective
door opening.

As you say, it can happen on some "grandfather rights" rural routes. I
was on a 5-car train a week ago that stopped at two stations with only
room for 3-cars. The way they organised it was for the guard to make
several announcements and walk through the train, and then *only* open
the door at the very front of the train by the driver's cab.

And many London commuter trains are driver-only-operated so similar
logisitics would be difficult.
--
Roland Perry