A TRAIN sped off without a driver on board after they hopped off for an “emergency” toilet break.
The anonymous driver on London’s Elizabeth Line had warned a signaller that they had to take an “emergency personal needs break” before pulling into Paddington Station.
An Elizabeth Line tube moved away from Paddington Station without a driver[/caption]
Passengers travelling on the rush hour service were escorted off by platform staff while the driver headed to the loo.
But once the train doors closed, it began moving off down the tracks by itself.
In total, it travelled a mile away unmanned to Westbourne Park on Friday, October 11.
The driver had mistakenly put the train into auto-reverse mode – normally used when it’s time for carrier to change direction.
A source told The Metro: “The driver probably thought the staff weren’t going to close all the doors and station staff probably thought it was in a secure state, which means it wouldn’t drive off.”
Following the incident, drivers were urged to give signallers more notice if they needed toilet trips.
An alert put out said: “If you require an emergency [personal needs break] then contact the signaller and control in good time, giving as much notice as you can.
“Remember to always come to a clear understanding with not only signallers but also station staff too.”
Bosses at Elizabeth Line operator MTR reported the incident to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
But rail accident safety investigators decided not to take further action.
A TfL spokesperson said: “Elizabeth Line trains are designed to safely reverse automatically between Paddington and Westbourne park sidings while out of passenger service.
“The train should always be staffed, so our operator, MTR Elizabeth Line, reminded all drivers of the high professional standards we set for the railway.”
Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the line in May 2022 to commemorate her Platinum Jubilee year.
Since then, several incidents have occurred on the line including passengers being trapped on a train for hours in December 2023.
Pictures at the time showed hundreds of commuters sat in dimly lit carriages which had suffered from power outages, before they were eventually evacuated.
National rail, Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express services were all disrupted as the London Paddington to Reading line remained closed.
Celebrities including musician James Blunt and TV presenter Rachel Riley were also affected by the disruption.
