London mass transit commuters probably weren’t expecting the birth of a child during their ride today. Thankfully, the newborn baby and its mother are doing just fine after a successful delivery.
The baby was born at West Mailing aboard a crowded rush hour train – the 18:18 London Victoria to Maidstone East service. While the baby was being delivered, the train was delayed for close to 45 minutes. A spokesman for the rail company spoke to BBC about the baby’s birth:
The normal protocol for a medical emergency is for the conductor to administer first aid, but it is likely he would have had to put a message out to ask for help.
The rail company is preparing to send flowers to the new mother and her healthy child. Several warm tweets from the actual passengers of the train were posted afterwards:
Named Annie or Clarabel? RT @nationalrailenq: #WestMalling ~ A passenger has given birth to a baby girl. Congratulations to mother and baby!
— John Cushing (@2012cushing) March 7, 2013
Delays up to 15 mins between Otford & Maidstone East because of passenger giving birth on a train at#WestMalling” Classic
— Lawrence McGinty (@lawrenceitv) March 7, 2013
#WestMalling Did anyone one offer the lady a seat or did they all pretend it wasn’t happening? LOL Congrats 2mum #bizitalk
— Stand4Success (@stand4success) March 7, 2013
A couple other tweets came courtesy of the trending topic #WestMalling:
First class delivery! “@loupepper :@nationalrailenq: Delays because of a passenger giving birth on a train at #WestMalling“
— Caroline Barker (@Barkerstweets) March 7, 2013
Congratulations to Phoebe, born tonight on a train in #WestMalling. Let’s hope it wasn’t standing room only
— Andy Dickenson (@TheLastDays_AD) March 7, 2013