Jonathan MacDonald

Today, just after 230pm, I saw an elderly man with his arm trapped in the closing door of a faulty train at Holborn Station.

We all thought the train was heading further east but actually, for reasons we shall never know, the train was terminating at Holborn and we were ushered out onto the platform by two (shouting) staff in Underground uniforms.

The elderly man was slow to get off in the mad rush, hence the entrapment.

A few people around called to staff to open the door again so he could be released.

About 30 seconds later the doors opened again and he removed his arm.

I watched as he calmly relayed his experience to the staff member (who was called Ian by the way).

Ian didn’t think it was a problem – in fact, he was furious that the guy had mentioned it at all, especially as the guy was standing close to the track.

After a while, Ian started shouting at the guy to “stand back there is a fucking train approaching“.

The elderly guy quietly questioned why Ian had to swear (as did several other passengers).

Ian literally screamed in this guys face (and I quote): “because there is a fucking train approaching and I need to make sure nobody is over the fucking yellow line“.

The elderly guy stood his ground – admittedly the wrong side of the yellow line (which was hard to see as there were hundreds of stranded people on the platform).

Ian then told the guy that he wasn’t allowed to get on the next train and had to “come upstairs to speak to the police“.

That was when I pulled out my video camera.

The below clip is taken immediately after Ian’s initial outburst and you can hear him repeat the police part too.

All seems fine until the incoming train arrives and the elderly guy tries to get on it – although watch how twitchy Ian is during the train arrival..

You will hear Ian telling him not to get on and then threatening a halted service until he gets off again.

Listen to what Ian says. Watch the reaction of the other passengers.

But then – right at the end of the clip (at exactly 50 seconds), you will hear Ian exclaim (again, I quote): “sling him under a train“.

I’m not sure this is cool. I felt compelled to blog it.

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As I write this piece, I am looking at the front page of the London Lite paper which is running the headline tonight: “Oysters up 20%, Congestion Charge up 25%”.

This is a story about the Mayor of London raising transport prices to address the ‘black-hole of £3.2Billion’ in his transport budget that he claims was inherited from decisions before his time.

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So we have two things.

Staff threatening to throw passengers under trains and in return, prices going up.

London is already more expensive than most, if not all, European cities. Added to this, it has terrible reliability issues and by the above account, staff with dubious intent.

I suppose we are meant to feel happy with this situation? Are we, the people, supposed to tolerate this?

What are our options?

Where and how is the elderly quiet gentleman who got stuck and then abused?

The monopoly that is our system leaves us few alternatives. We just have to suck it up – absorb the threats and pay the difference.

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By the way – at the end of the video clip, you will see the look of utter disdain from the female guard who I didn’t catch the name of.

She asked me to stop filming, so I did. But as I left, I said one thing:

“He will lose his job for this“.

She laughed and walked away – in the assumption that we have no power.

Let’s see shall we?

I have alerted TFL to this blog post….oh, and the press.

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