Ipswich/Claydon: Door on a Greater Anglia train travelling at speed opens mid-journey to the shock of passengers

Andrew Marshall, of Stowmarket, said he was travelling on the 9.02pm Ipswich to Cambridge Abellio Greater Anglia service on Sunday when the incident took place.

The 20-year-old stressed none of the 20-30 passengers on board were injured or had their safety put at risk, but said: “I was left somewhat shocked when both the front external and driver’s cab doors suddenly blew open, revealing the outside world hurtling towards us.

“We must have been travelling at around 50mph in the Claydon area. The ticket conductor was walking towards myself, seated at the front of the train when there was suddenly a loud bang and a whoosh of air and the train effectively became an air tunnel.

“I turned around to see the outside world a little closer than I would have hoped through the open doors.

“At this point the conductor ran towards the front of the train into the driver’s cab and started wrestling with the external door, attempting to close it which I presume had become engaged in the open locking position as he appeared to be struggling.

“He was eventually able to close the external door and the driver’s cab door, resuming usual duties.”

The IT technician added: “I am no expert in health and safety. However, I would like to assume that there would be some sort of system in place to prevent the external doors of a train from flying open mid-journey.”

A spokesman for Abellio Greater Anglia said: “When operating the 9.02pm Ipswich to Cambridge service on August 31 which was being formed by a single carriage train, the connecting door situated at the front of the train which is enclosed as part of the secure train crew only, non-passenger area of the train, opened whilst the train was in motion.

“This door is not an external door for passenger use and is not situated in a passenger area of the train. The driver immediately checked and secured the door and the train was able to continue.”