Anti-Vandal Trains

[Inversnecky]

I came across this intriguing reference in the Scottish SA.

What exactly is an ‘anti-vandal train’: how is it equipped and what does it do? Does it respond to reports, or clean up the mess?

 

[johnnychips]

I think these are special trains to deter vandals on the line, rather than on trains themselves.

 

[FGW_DID]

Q-trains can be anything, going back to the 80’s it would be nothing more than a DMU essentially a non passenger carrying train but with a load of British Transport Police aboard who would leg it after any miscreants spotted lineside.
They would be deployed on ‘high trespass’ areas, in todays parlance, their deployment would be “intelligence led”.

 

[D821]

I came across this intriguing reference in the Scottish SA.

What exactly is an ‘anti-vandal train’: how is it equipped and what does it do? Does it respond to reports, or clean up the mess?

View attachment 108180

See:

 

[FGW_DID]

^video explains the Q train principle perfectly.
As for the second news report about crossing misuse it’s good to see that the “tougher penalties” mentioned happened and crossing misuse is a thing of the past……………oh hang on!

 

[Pigeon]

See also "Q ships" used against submarines in WW1, which is no doubt where the name comes from.

 

[Meerkat]

See:

I'd love to see the safety case for trying to replicate that video now!
"yeah, we are gonna have coppers leaning out of doors on moving trains, then jumping down and running across the ballast"

 

[hwl]

See also "Q ships" used against submarines in WW1, which is no doubt where the name comes from.

And covered in the video...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Used to run them on the North London Lines - 121 DMU with BTP , (+ road patrols alerted) , A MOM , Traction Inspector and of course a keen driver.

Best times for action were from 1400 to 1800 , before end of Summer term and we used to patrol Watford DC to Upminster (being nice to the LT&S , a frequent bomb alley after Barking) , with a sortie to Gunnersbury. All "regulated" by the signal boxes and we decreed we would accept any delays to the service trains.

Worked really well - and we got a few results. The surprise of the vandals to have their recreation of smoking weed, a bit of graffiti action on the Tottenham and Hampstead etc was somewhat diluted when the 121 screeched to a halt and the brake van disgorged a few coppers.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Could a scrote with access on their 'phone to Realtime Trains work out when the next 'Q' Train was on its way to any given railway location?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think they were used on the Atherton line in the 1980s, as graffiti appeared on an overbridge about them.

 

[LowLevel]

Not quite the same principle but I recently worked an ordinary service train stuffed with plain clothes BTP and revenue inspectors who had much fun dragging scrotes out on to the platform.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Could a scrote with access on their 'phone to Realtime Trains work out when the next 'Q' Train was on its way to any given railway location?

Ours carried a simple 2T01 head code and it was "go as you please" which is what the MOM was there for to co-ordinate , - could turn up randomly for obvious reasons....

 

[Sean Emmett]

They also ran a few Q trains in front of steam specials, to catch trespassers. North Wales coast springs to mind.

 

[syorksdeano]

How did they manage to jump out of a pacer whilst moving?

 

[Skie]

They have an anti goth train, too.

Could a scrote with access on their 'phone to Realtime Trains work out when the next 'Q' Train was on its way to any given railway location?

Well given they proscribe the only possible head code that may be used in the notice, yes. Fairly trivial to keep an eye out.

 

[XAM2175]

Well given they proscribe the only possible head code that may be used in the notice, yes. Fairly trivial to keep an eye out.

It could very easily be suppressed.

 

[fairysdad]

See:

Love this quote (out of context): "If you value your lives and the lives of your children, please keep them off British Rail."

 

[Spartacus]

It could very easily be suppressed.

If they do a good deal of to-ing and fro-ing there's a good chance the times would become screwed up anyway.

 

[Alanko]

It could very easily be suppressed.

Would it appear on Traksy? The Royal Train passed through my local station last year. No trace of it on RTT but it was visible on Traksy with an unscrambled headcode to boot.

Saying that, I would be surprised if there were that many vandals who use these online services to meticulously plan a night of vandalism?

 

[Efini92]

Love this quote (out of context): "If you value your lives and the lives of your children, please keep them off British Rail."

I love the outside shot of a 142 then the interior of a 1st generation dmu

 

[greyman42]

I remember in the 1970s, there was a 08 shunter that used to travel between York station and Dringhouses Yard with BTP on it.
I think it was more for trespassers than vandals.

 

[D821]

That would be a slow chase in an 08!
"Did you catch the trespassers?"
"No, they escaped."
"How?"
"Walking."

 

[greyman42]

That would be a slow chase in an 08!
"Did you catch the trespassers?"
"No, they escaped."
"How?"
"Walking."

The police would jump out of the shunter and run after them.

 

[pieguyrob]

Maybe the police could use a Thumper unit!

 

[Trackman]

That would be a slow chase in an 08!
"Did you catch the trespassers?"
"No, they escaped."
"How?"
"Walking."

I remember years ago we saw a light engine class 25 loco approach at walking pace, we'd been watching it a while and could see the signals were clear so we assumed it was sick. It approached the platform and both cabs had BTP in them and at the cab door ready to jump off. They didn't have hats on like in the video above.

 

[the sniper]

I remember years ago we saw a light engine class 25 loco approach at walking pace, we'd been watching it a while and could see the signals were clear so we assumed it was sick. It approached the platform and both cabs had BTP in them and at the cab door ready to jump off. They didn't have hats on like in the video above.

I can imagine the hats (and particularly the very clean hi-vis) were worn primarily because they were to be on television...

 

[Gloster]

From what I have heard the BTP, or at least those who would make the initial chase, would wear denim overalls or the like. Once they had grabbed the malefactors uniformed police would do the necessary.

 

[tj_trains]

Q-trains can be anything, going back to the 80’s it would be nothing more than a DMU essentially a non passenger carrying train but with a load of British Transport Police aboard who would leg it after any miscreants spotted lineside.
They would be deployed on ‘high trespass’ areas, in todays parlance, their deployment would be “intelligence led”.

I saw a video after the ealing crash of a whole bunch of BTP officers in a pacer trying to cath trespassers.

 

[Trackman]

I can imagine the hats (and particularly the very clean hi-vis) were worn primarily because they were to be on television...

No hi-vis jackets!

From what I have heard the BTP, or at least those who would make the initial chase, would wear denim overalls or the like. Once they had grabbed the malefactors uniformed police would do the necessary.

The ones I saw were wearing strange attire, I knew they were not railwaymen.
The loco stopped and they gave us looks but didn't disembark.
We asked the driver if it had failed and he just said 'Police' and thumbed backwards.