Why do people do this ?

[Agrippa]

Every week or so I get a train from Glasgow Central to Paisley, usually about 6.00 pm - 6.30 pm. I notice about 1-2 minutes before the train leaves there are people running along the platform to catch it, but they don't get into the rearmost coach, but run along much of the length of the 6-7 coach train, about 100 yards or so. Must be psychology behind it , but can't figure it out. Another mystery of the Universe. The coaches are all connected so it's not a toilet thing and there's no buffet car (alas). Answers on a postcard please.

[Leo1961]

[Pengi]

I do this sometimes at London Waterloo. It is quicker to get to the front of the train, where there are likely to be more free seats, by running along the platform then by fighting your way past people standing in the aisles, people standing in the aisles when taking their coats off or putting bags in the racks. Sometimes the refreshment trolley has to be navigated as are people sitting on the floor.

Every second counts in the battle to get a seat

[port perran]

I'm really interested in the psychology of catching a train.
Frequently I catch trains to/from Cornwall from various locations. Often, eg Bristol TM, the train I'm catching will be very busy. 90% of people all congregate at a point where the centre 4 or so coaches will pull in. Those coaches will be absolutely crammed.
I always walk to one end or the other and find the coaches (not 1st class) reasonably empty.
If I ten walk through the train to the buffet car, I find the centre coaches bulging to capacity with people standing but still the end carriages are realatively quiet !
Do others experience this ?

[Claude Dreyfus]

Also, carriages nearest the entrance tend to fill up, so in the last minutes or so before departure they are rammed full. You have to leg it down the platform to get through the doors.

[MikeDunn]

The middle lot tend to be because that's where (most) bridges release the hoarde onto the platform ...

And yes, I head to one or other end for those trains !  Much easier.

[EtchedPixels]

At Waterloo you also sometimes have to get the right bit of the train otherwise you've got to mess around at Salisbury when it splits.

[Sprintex]

Likewise with some of the KX to Cambridge trains that split at Letchworth


Paul

[Agrippa]

Thanks for all answers, no trolley on rain, train doesn't split. no advantage to trying to be in a portion of  the train for
getting off at a convenient part of the arrival platform if you miss the train! If there are seats further along you can always walk through the train. Mystery remains.

Regarding splitting trains, nothing worse than some announcement saying last four coaches for West Bumstead as the
train arrives at 60 mph and you try and count the number of coaches which are at  the front and back.

[Bealman]

Yes, Paul, I did experience that on my trip from KX to Cambridge on my adventure. Luckily it was Sun arvo and not busy, plus I must not have been all that jetlagged as I worked it out!

[NTrain]

People tend to fill a train from the closest possible point, so the train tends to fill up from one end first.

Those in the know attempt to bypass the crush of bodies and use the platform to get to a less crushed part of the train.

I used to travel from Kings Cross to Kings Lynn every Friday and managed to arrange my working hours to avoid most of the manic crush. Also, I tried to leave myself plenty of time to get a cup of tea before boarding. Nothing worse than trying to rush with a tray of hot drinks and tripping over....................

[ParkeNd]

The answers so far seem to me, who last caught a train in 1970, too rationalized - so as to make it seem as though there is some thought out logic behind it.

I suggest it is driven by the same subconscious psyche that makes people overtake just one more car before the first cone on a 10 mile long motorway contraflow. 

[Agrippa]

Thanks for all replies, still not any clearer ,next time I see it happen I'll rugby tackle the running passenger and ask
him/her why they're doing it. 

[Newportnobby]

They are probably running down the platform to avoid people who rugby tackle them

[Leo1961]

I have to say that I am disappointed in the scarcity of replies on the backs of postcards though