Cable theft @ Wakefield

[HST Power]

However I'd rather live in a free UK with occasional railway stoppages, than in a vile sandbucket like Saudi Arabia

Saudi Araba, no way, but Dubai isn't so bad, once you get used to all the ridiculous structures and Arabs cruising along in their Audi A6s....

Up in Lancaster, people have been without internet and phones for 5 days due to cable theft. The situation is now well out of control and only stiff sentences of years in prison will go anywhere near to curing the problem

Well I agree, but with prison populations at an all time high we're going to need a bit of cash to build some special holding units for cable thiefs; perhaps some of the £5 billion investment pledged by the Government could be put towards such a cause! Going to prison isn't enough any more, these guys need a lesson. Money and greed is what drives the crime.

 

[Crossover]

The Green cable on the lineside is a fibre optic cable, it was deemed that was the place it would run just laid on the surface. Another reason for someone to go and see what it is and is it worth nicking.

Ah, so they are the new fangled fibre optics then :P

Exactly my point though - to any opportunist they will see a cable, wonder if there is any value and go for it. Least they could have done is bury it. As it is, they are asking for trouble as far as I can see.

Even if they find it is valueless glass when they cut it, they have already done the damage that will cause potentially huge delays on the network, even if they don't take any of the cable.

 

[table38]

Maybe there is some way the cables could be suspended high up out of the way...

 

[Whistler40145]

Why do Signal Cables have to be out in the open?

 

[HST Power]

Maybe there is some way the cables could be suspended high up out of the way...

Or, we could just install hundreds of lineside watch towers, manned by cable thief soldiers and semi automatics!

 

[michael769]

Why do Signal Cables have to be out in the open?

Cost. In theory there should be nothing to disturb them line side and they do not carry dangerous voltages, so why waste money ducting them.

Of course as cable thefts become an ever increasing problem this view will change....

 

[NSEFAN]

Does ERTMS have less lineside cabling than the system?

 

[lincolnshire]

Cables buried into ground, it depends where you are , a ot of Hull to Bridlington lineside cables was mechanically trenched down the lineside and cables buried, but problem ids when you have problems having to dig up the cables when you can find them.
Other area,s in Hull area on docks branch they ducted and buried the cales to hopefully stop the been stolen..
Electric cables for the plant & electrfication dept we used to concrete them in the troughing if there was no other cables in the troughing, or longer runs was dug in deep and concreted over to steady them down from been stolen, they used to cut the ends off and just nick about 2 foot then causeing us as bigger problem.
It needs the goverment to crack down on Scrap Yards and close down ones caught buying in stolen cable.

 

[142094]

Why do Signal Cables have to be out in the open?

Couple of reasons:

1) Ease of access for maintenance
2) Costs a lot to either dig a trench or install ducting

However it is debateable whether the costs of putting new cables after they are nicked and giving compensation is outweighed by the savings in not having to dig the trench. Probably would have been a few years ago but definitely not now.

 

[Whistler40145]

I think that some kind of concrete or metal trough with a lockable cover would be an idea.

 

[Evvy73]

More cable theft - from Horsham in Sussex this time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-15018656

It certainly does seem to be more frequent these days.

 

[OuterDistant]

There's an article on The Register suggesting that BT is valued at less than the scrap value of all its copper wire

 

[HST Power]

More cable theft - from Horsham in Sussex this time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-15018656

It certainly does seem to be more frequent these days.

I did laugh at the quote in the article.

Det Con Vanessa Cottington said cable theft had become a "major problem on the rail system".

Referring to the thieves, she said: "What they don't realise is just how little they make.

"Is it worth risking your life accessing the rail line or prohibited areas for £50 in your pocket?"

Clearly, politicians have remembered everything, but learnt absolutely nothing.

There's an article on The Register suggesting that BT is valued at less than the scrap value of all its copper wire

If they wanted one advert for economic turmoil, there it is in a nutshell!

 

[michael769]

Clearly, politicians have remembered everything, but learnt absolutely nothing.

Indeed it is a very bizarre statement. Surely the thiefs know exactly how much they make - giveen they are the ones selling the stuff?

In any case £50 is probably enough to buy their next hit, few of them can see further ahead than that.