I had a sudden recollection from my junior school days in the late 80s - a man called Mr Fever from British Rail who came to our school and gave a frightening and graphic presentation of the dangers of trespassing on the railway. This was in Liss (Hampshire), in third-rail country, so there was a lot of additional risk associated even if you weren't hit by a train. Presumably BR had a dedicated team of people doing this kind of safety activity? Does it still happen?
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Safety outreach in schools - Mr Fever?
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Bletchleyite
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A local policeman used to do it in the Merseyrail area, there was a pretty shocking video to go with it.
SargeNpton
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Train crew in some areas, BTP Police in others. I think that there were some general films that had different versions, depending on whether the schools were close to 3rd Rail, OLE or non-electrified lines.
The "school sports day" film was notorious for making children vomit in the classroom.
The "school sports day" film was notorious for making children vomit in the classroom.
185
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Twas two drivers from BR at one point, with the video that left most of us frightened that some psycho killer train would jump out from under yer bed in the night.
It had the desired effect, but in our modern world they couldn't do that any more.
Peter Sarf
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I feel sure that somewhere lurking on the Weird and Wonderful World Wide Web will be links to said films for those who believe safety trumps shock !. One hopes the moderators would not object to a link to such content, so google away.
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I don't recall it at school, but I remember being taught how to cross a level crossing safely while in the (cub)scouts. Now in my late forties, I end up living close to a level crossing [which I walk over fairly often], and I found those lessons never left me, Even though I know when the trains are supposed to be passing that particular crossing, and even though I know the "up line" and "down line", I still look both ways all the way across (while walking quickly, NOT running)
Merle Haggard
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There's certainly one on the web about the dangers of electricity pylons and sub stations for children, which was once shown at schools.
It includes a simulation of the trespasser in a sub station being electrocuted. As an indictment of the level of stupidity in the modern world there are several comments from people who think that the actor concerned was really electrocuted
I lived in London in the 70`s and I remember an old boy who had driven the Mallard come to our school and warn people of the dangers of the railways as I lived near the Liverpool Street to Chingford line then. He mentioned he had been driving for so many years and had hit 4 people in that time. I remember him talking about the psychological damage to many drivers he had known especially where children were involved. I don't remember what his name was or whether it's the same guy but he was very good at getting the point across.
Pit_buzzer
Member
This has prompted a memory from school in the late 60s. A policeman came to see us, we had been told in advance he was called PC Wolstenholme. He came into the room and said "good morning children" and in response got a chorus of 30 junior school children all attempting to say good morning PC Wolstenholme. I think we did pretty well at remembering his name. Can't remember anything of the talk that followed though
Gemz91
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In 1997 our school year, along with many other schools in Leeds went to the theatre to watch a play that in the end turned out to be about the dangers of playing on railway lines.
Stampy
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It includes a simulation of the trespasser in a sub station being electrocuted. As an indictment of the level of stupidity in the modern world there are several comments from people who think that the actor concerned was really electrocuted
Jimmyyyyyyyyyyy......
If it's the safety one I'm thinking of where the lad goes to retrieve his frisbee...
Merle Haggard
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Yes, that was the one.
If you want to see 'Educational' videos that don't use actors. there's the U.S. ones for schools 'Red Asphalt' and 'Signal 30', filmed (with sound) at accidents soon after they occurred . It's best not to see them, not least because it shows how people, clearly untrained in even basic emergency care, picked up seriously injured people with the same technique as a sack of coal. But they would certainly motivate you to be a more careful driver.
SargeNpton
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Had a first-aid talk once about road accidents.
The advice was to move the walking-wounded to the side of the road.
For the seriously injured we were told to leave them where they were, but putting them in the recovery position if they were unconscious. However, if they were in danger of being hit by passing traffic, or if one of the vehicles was on fire, to move them as carefully as possible to a safer place.
Merle Haggard
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In the U.S. films, there was someone lying beside a car in a very crumpled position, possibly with a broken neck and/or back. Two policemen turned up; one lifted him up by under the armpits, the other by the feet, and carried him away. His body drooped between the two of them, and his head hung down vertically. It made me shudder, and I think it removed the word 'possibly' from the situation...
rf_ioliver
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Ah great...an afternoon of watching 1970s public safety films and PTSD. Thanks @Peter Sarf ! I remember these train ones, haven't seen them in years...next up, rabies...
The name of the then football commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme may have helped some of you.
"Some people are on the track, they think it's all over .....it is now"
Apologies for that
75A
Established Member
Very good"Some people are on the track, they think it's all over .....it is now"
Apologies for that
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Ah... the frisbee that ended up jammed in the insulators at an angle you couldn't possibly get it in and get it to stay there if you threw it a million times...?
StoneRoad
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I don't really remember the road / rail / water safety films and talks we had at school.
In my defence, it was a long time ago and more recent volunteering has overlain the information.
However, what I do remember is the techniques involved in moving casualties ... with the added reinforcement given during recent first aid training.
In my defence, it was a long time ago and more recent volunteering has overlain the information.
However, what I do remember is the techniques involved in moving casualties ... with the added reinforcement given during recent first aid training.
According to various sources, it was given to primary school kids in 1991; not sure what year groups and that may well have depended on supplies and the schools, so in theory those born between roughly 1979 to 1987 could have one.
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As far as I know, not in my area; it seems to rely on school staff showing videos, rather than having visits.
Maybe visits do occur elsewhere, I don't know (That said, if anyone from NR in the York area wanted to do this, I have some contacts to put them in touch to get it organised...)
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Safety education - Network Rail
Safety education resources that encourage young people in primary or secondary school to stay switched on around the railway
www.networkrail.co.uk
There also videos on NR's Youtube channel, for example:
Mzzzs
Member
In my London primary school i can remember one about tube which showed people going between carriages while living then suddenly falling it causes one person to rather abruptly start crying.
Not as bad as the Finishing Line which was never shown as it was so graphic!Dear me, that Robbie one is very bleak isn't it?
Yes, just watched it. It was also wierdly sureal (like something from Monty Python). I can see why it was never shown.
Deepgreen
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A popular film in the 70s was 'The Railway Children' (and ever since), involving several instances of railway trespass (albeit for excusable reasons) - mixed messages.
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I remember that Robbie film from school, in particular the bit where they say ‘and he still kept his football boots’. My confused childhood brain for some reason got the impression that his severed feet were still inside them.
There was also a stop-motion film about a character called ‘Lemon head’ who messed around on the tracks.
A girl from my school (a few years below) was actually killed on the line, on holiday somewhere in the south-east they somehow got onto the track (can’t remember the exact circumstances) which was third rail territory and were electrocuted. There were no electrified tracks in our area and no education warning of this specific hazard.
There was also a stop-motion film about a character called ‘Lemon head’ who messed around on the tracks.
A girl from my school (a few years below) was actually killed on the line, on holiday somewhere in the south-east they somehow got onto the track (can’t remember the exact circumstances) which was third rail territory and were electrocuted. There were no electrified tracks in our area and no education warning of this specific hazard.
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