Trespassing on the railways

[gregg011]

I am currently doing a project for my safety degree which concentrates on trespassing on the railways, reasons for it, ways to mitigate it etc. Could anyone assist with any inforation which may be of use for this. I have not seen much in the way of printed material on this subject which I find surprising, there is lots on websites I know but, if anyone could point me in the direction of articles on this subject or indeed any reference books, I would be really grateful.
Many thanks in advance,

Gregg Turnbull

[hq1hitchin]

Have you been in touch with the Rail Safety and Standards Board yet, Gregg?

[jwealleans]

I'd have thought BTP might be a good source as well; there may be something in the accident reports from the RAIB or on here.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[gregg011]

Thanks guys, you have given me some great souces of information.
Many thanks

[60041]

I witnessed some astonishing stupidity at the weekend.
We were staying near Armathwaite so I decided to go down to the station to watch Dutchess of Sutherland come through. When I got there, a family were already waiting; parents and a couple of small children about 8 - 10 years old.
I stood at the south end of the station, and chatted to a photographer who had arrived then we realised that the children had gone down the platform ramp and were playing on the ballast adjacent to the up line, picking up stones; at one point one of them even stood on the rail while his sister tried to push him off. I was about to say something when the mother came running up, but rather than stop them she knealt down in front of them with a video camera and filmed them playing! She then asked them questions about why they were there and filmed them talking ( "why are we here Timothy?" "To see a steam train" "Is it exciting?" "Yes its fun").
A couple of minutes later the train came through and they all stood at the bottom of the ramp to watch it before walking across both tracks to the opposite platform where they had left their car. They were obviously not stupid people - well spoken, affluent, otherwise very well behaved, but it is a long time since I have seen people so oblivious to danger and show such utter lack of common sense.
I thought about it later and wondered if the way that the Settle and Carlisle is promoted that could have something to do with it. Much of the advertising seems to suggest that the line is a self contained unit and makes little mention that it is part of the national network and this is reinforced by the brown tourist signs that point the way to the stations; I suspect that some people think it is some sort of tourist operation.

[giner]

I daresay some of us on here, myself included, have given the odd apoplectic episode to someone at some point. You know, indulging in what I now recognise as absolute supidity in placing pennies on the line for a train to come along and flatten/elongate them. Such was childhood fun back in the day.

But for parents to encourage such behaviour as demonstrated by those "not stupid people" on your S&C visit is absolute lunacy - in any day or age. I'm sure that the S&C, regardless of how they market themselves, would hardly condone such behaviour. Private line or not, connected to a national network or not, several hundred tons of train versus human flesh will have a very predictable result.

[60129 GUY MANNERING]

The thing the general public do not apprec iate is that with modern motive power, the train can approach you pretty darn quick and most importantly they are very quite.I have been trackside whilst working and an L T train has approached at 60 M.P.H and you don't hear it. Wind direction plays an important part in this as well.
Good Luck Gregg.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I've had a scary moments working on the railway, watching people running across the tracks in front of trains, and have now come to the conclusion that an awful lot of people are due for the 'Darwin Awards' because they will 'Never' collect there pensions.

I now know why certain companies write things, like 'This product, will be Hot, when heated" ?????

Bewildered...........manna

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I've been around railways since the age of 5 and the dangers of them were brought home to me forcefully at Longmoor. "Gordon" was shunting and the squaddie on the point lever pushed it over before the pony wheel got there. The lever whipped back and sent him through both walls of a wooden signalbox with his breastbone split in two.

I have also nearly been caught by a double headed steam hauled train blasting up a 1 in 60 bank. With 8 on. Thankfully a ganger saw what was happening and got my attention. There was a strong wind blowing towards the train which was about 100 yards away. I had to buy the crew of the pilot engine (I knew them) a pint after "work" for scaring them witless. They said that I should have known better. And they're right - I should.

Oh, and I had a lineside pass and had been through a basic track safety course.

[easternstreak]

I have also seen much stupidity on the rails. However the most shocking I think is on the London Underground. At Alperton station, it is the standard two platforms of either side. The station itself was on a raised section above a road, so passengers had to climb down a flight of stairs to exit the station. So the passengers leaving the northbound platform, would have climb down the stairs and walk under the southbound paltform to exit the station. While waiting for a southbound train, I saw a man jump of the northbound platform, walk across the tracks and climb onto the southbound platform.
He was completley ignoring everyone telling him to go back, I myself was surprised that he didn't get electrocuted. I don't what happened to the man, never saw him again. But I still can't believe he did that, he was lucky to survive. It is genuinley unbelievable some of the things people get up on a railway. Seriously risking your life, just to avoid going underneath the platform.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[manna]

G'Day Gents

It's a great pity somebody didn't flush the toilet, at that moment

manna

[easternstreak]

G'Day Gents

It's a great pity somebody didn't flush the toilet, at that moment

manna

Ah well we can all dream.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I once saw a chap try to get off a train in Batley station. Thing was, the train was doing about 60mph. He survived. Just.