"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
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 I've mentioned before, TOCs such as SWT use SDO by whole unit, sometimes
only releasing the doors in 4 coaches of 12; or using single door only in
444s at 4 platform stations such as Beaulieu Rd, or Shawford.

Happens routinely on the mainline platforms at Clapham Junction too, so the
rural bit isn't a requirement either.

Thes trains do not have 'grandfather rights' - so the H&S issues presumably
can be overcome if required - you can nearly always find an example of
something happening on the railway that they say 'isn't possible' somewhere
else...

Paul