Teenage insurance worker passed out in train toilet after drunken office party - and had to call police to get rescued after waking up at 2am in a deserted depot

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Connor Watts was at an office leaving party when he got drunk and passed out on his train home

A teenage insurance worker had to call police to get rescued after he passed out in a train toilet on a drunken night out and woke up in a deserted depot.

Connor Watts, 19, had gone for drinks at an after work leaving party on Thursday before taking his normal route from London Cannon Street to his home in Gillingham, Kent, at around 11.30pm.

But on the journey back he started to feel ill and went to the train toilets to be sick where he ended up passing out. 

After more than two hours he woke up and went back to his seat in the carriage where he sat for about 20 minutes before realising he was the only person on the train and it wasn't moving.

Mr Watts was due to change trains at Dartford, Kent, to meet his connecting train to Gillingham, but because he had been in the toilet he missed it and ended up locked in the train at Dartford's depot. 

The teenager, who is currently doing temp work at Howden Insurance Brokers, said: 'There was quite a big group of us that had gone out for a leaving do to a bar called Agenda.

'I'd had quite a long day and had been up since 5.30am for work. I was also drinking on empty stomach, which wasn't a good idea.

'I remember getting the 11.40pm train and going into Tesco to buy a spicy wrap, but I didn't realise it was so spicy so I went to the toilet on the train and then I was sick and must have passed out.

'I came round but didn't realise I'd passed out so I sat on a seat and I was still feeling a bit ill. I wasn't really paying attention and sat there for about 20 minutes and then I realised we weren't moving and I was the only one on the train.'

He explained that he looked outside and although it was dark he could see other trains parked up and worked out he was in a depot.

He posted on Twitter the next morning about his night out, telling his 489 followers that he woke up 'trapped on a train'

He explained that when he woke the train lighting and heating was still on and it took him 20 minutes to realise it wasn't moving anywhere. He was left with a £40 taxi bill to get back to his home in Gillingham

A picture of the depot looking down the side of the train (left) that Mr Watts took as he got off the train

'The train I was on still had its lights on and the heating on so I think that's why it took me a while to realise.

'When I tried the door it was locked so I called the police and just said I was stuck on the train. They sent someone who works there to come and let me off.

'He found it quite funny and was laughing and said something like 'at least you've got a story to tell everyone tomorrow'. 

'He said they normally check the train but I think it was because I was in the toilet, but they should check them really. It could have been a different story.'

The Southeastern rail worker let him out a side gate at the depot and Mr Watts, who lives with his mother, walked back to the train station where he made attempts to call a taxi.

'I knew that most people would be asleep so I didn't bother ringing my mum and the people I had been out with all live in London so I tried calling a taxi.

'It took me a while to eventually get one and it cost me £40 to get home. I didn't get back until 4am and luckily I had booked the next day off otherwise I would have been up again at 5.30am.' 

Mr Watts said this is the first time something like is ever happened but didn't feel embarrassed by the situation and decided to share what happened on his Twitter page. 

A spokesperson from the British Transport Police said: 'We were contacted at around 2.15am on Friday, 20 February, by a passenger who had fallen asleep on a train and woken up in a depot in Dartford.

'Officers contacted colleagues from Southeastern, who attended the depot and escorted the man from the train.'

They added that it is quite rare for police to get a call of this nature unless a crime has been committed but that they were happy to help in this situation.

Connor Watts, left, on a recent night out with friends, says this is the first time anything like this has happened to him. He had fortunately booked the next day off work after getting home at 4am

Michelle Ulyatt, from Southeastern Railway, said: 'Our control centre received a call from British Transport Police in the early hours of Friday 20 February to advise that a passenger was still on board one of our trains at Dartford sidings. 

'We contacted the passenger to reassure him and advise that a member of staff was on the way to unlock the train and assist him. Our station team escorted him from the train.

'Our station staff check all trains that terminate at Dartford station before they proceed to the sidings or run to the depot at the close of service. 

'We are currently investigating why we did not discover the passenger on board on this occasion and will put in place learning points required as a result of this incident.'

This map shows the route that Connor Watts should have taken, starting at London Cannon Street Station and ending at Gillingham in Kent, but after passing out in the toilet he ended up at Dartford depot station

The depot is about a five minute walk from Dartford Station, where Mr Watts had to walk down a road, past a Wickes store, across a bridge and back to the station where he waited for a taxi to take him home