Security alert at Blackpool North

[hexagon789]

A picture has emerged of the "object":

 

[CAF397]

Depending on the exact cordon, there is a crossover that can be used under main signal aspects between Layton and Blackpool North. The crossover is roughly in the location of the former Blackpool No 1 signal box, by Devonshire Road Bridge.

There is then a signal gantry a few dozen yards Blackpool North side of the carriage wash (which trains departing platforms 1 and 2 have to use) to return back to the Up line.

Therefore, a train terminating at Layton would be able to detrain all passengers and quite possibly run under main aspect signals to a point opposite the sidings, change ends and return towards Preston.

 

[43066]

any package believed to be of a explosive nature results in the bomb squad same if of chemical nature we once found a piece of ww2 ordinance in the museum i work for that required the bomb squad

Fair enough. I just assume they would be pretty sure there was a credible threat before they were brought in.

Is it safe to assume that the “controlled explosion” means a viable device was found?

 

[Gloster]

Fair enough. I just assume they would be pretty sure there was a credible threat before they were brought in.

Is it safe to assume that the “controlled explosion” means a viable device was found?

I think a controlled explosion is when the Bomb Disposal Unit sets off a small explosive charge that will either set the object off, render it safe or prove it is not a danger. (Spellcheck wanted Bimbo Disposal Unit.)

 

[scrapy]

I think a controlled explosion is when the Bomb Disposal Unit sets off a small explosive charge that will either set the object off, render it safe or prove it is not a danger. (Spellcheck wanted Bimbo Disposal Unit.)

The idea is to separate the explosive from the detonator rather than set the object off.

 

[6Gman]

'Wrong line working' isn't any sort of official railway term as far as I know.

Surely "bang road" is the correct terminology?

 

[BrummieBobby]

Surely "bang road" is the correct terminology?

Standard slang for a WDM, probably not the best terminology when a controlled explosion has been carried out however

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What was the suspicious mystery object subsequently confirmed as having been?

 

[hexagon789]

What was the suspicious mystery object subsequently confirmed as having been?

This:

As I posted back in #31

 

[43066]

This: View attachment 117584

As I posted back in #31

Sadly I’m not sure that picture makes us any the wiser! Do we know if it was an actual explosive device?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

This: View attachment 117584

As I posted back in #31

Indeed you did. No idea what the item is, though. Looks like a blurry photo of a cabbage in between the tracks!

 

[hexagon789]

Sadly I’m not sure that picture makes us any the wiser! Do we know if it was an actual explosive device?

Indeed you did. No idea what the item is, though. Looks like a blurry photo of a cabbage in between the tracks!

It was a sports bag with a pair of trainers in it.

I'm sorry it's so blurry, it's much clearer on my phone, to the point of being able to read the writing on it and see the laces sticking out that was apparently the cause of panic.

 

[XAM2175]

I'm sorry it's so blurry, it's much clearer on my phone, to the point of being able to read the writing on it and see the laces sticking out that was apparently the cause of panic.

The version attached to the post is only 150 x 144 pixels!

 

[Crossover]

Depending on the exact cordon, there is a crossover that can be used under main signal aspects between Layton and Blackpool North. The crossover is roughly in the location of the former Blackpool No 1 signal box, by Devonshire Road Bridge.

There is then a signal gantry a few dozen yards Blackpool North side of the carriage wash (which trains departing platforms 1 and 2 have to use) to return back to the Up line.

Therefore, a train terminating at Layton would be able to detrain all passengers and quite possibly run under main aspect signals to a point opposite the sidings, change ends and return towards Preston.

Presumably this would depend on how far back the exclusion area went?

 

[Ediswan]

Indeed you did. No idea what the item is, though. Looks like a blurry photo of a cabbage in between the tracks!

I thought 'cabbage' as well.

I'm sorry it's so blurry, it's much clearer on my phone, to the point of being able to read the writing on it and see the laces sticking out that was apparently the cause of panic.

I did once carry a bag containing wires (RJ45 network cables), and a battery, on LU. No ill intent. I was happy to describe/explain the content in detail if asked. I kept the bag firmly closed in transit.

 

[John Luxton]

It was a sports bag with a pair of trainers in it.

I'm sorry it's so blurry, it's much clearer on my phone, to the point of being able to read the writing on it and see the laces sticking out that was apparently the cause of panic.

I wonder how many thousands of pounds that cost to sort out?

I am sorry the mind boggles. So one could throw a sports bag on to a railway track and it brings everything to a stop. Ties up the the emergency services and the bomb disposal people? Incredible.

Lost for further words.

 

[jon0844]

Came from Chester. Apparently the robot is out

Surprised it was allowed access to the line by station staff...!

 

[hexagon789]

The version attached to the post is only 150 x 144 pixels!

I'll try and get it to load at a higher resolution, then the words "FOOT ASYLUM" will be seen.

I did once carry a bag containing wires (RJ45 network cables), and a battery, on LU. No ill intent. I was happy to describe/explain the content in detail if asked. I kept the bag firmly closed in transit.

Presumably it's because this was unattended and on the line.

I wonder how many thousands of pounds that cost to sort out?

I am sorry the mind boggles. So one could throw a sports bag on to a railway track and it brings everything to a stop. Ties up the the emergency services and the bomb disposal people? Incredible.

Lost for further words.

Could easily run to several 10s of thousands of £s, I wouldn't be surprised.

I presume it wasn't evident until the robot was sent what the package was, though, when it was identified it doesn't really explain why it was detonated instead of retrieved.

(The photo was taken from onboard at train rather than the platform.)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jul 2022 ==

Surprised it was allowed access to the line by station staff...!

Perhaps it had one of those rare tickets that works the barrier without intervention...

 

[Jimini]

Surprised it was allowed access to the line by station staff...!

Very good!

 

[D6130]

Surprised it was allowed access to the line by station staff...!

I suspect that the station staff had been evacuated to a safe distance (beyond Sainsbury's?) by the time the bomb squad arrived.

 

[Deafdoggie]

(Spellcheck wanted Bimbo Disposal Unit.)

It is Blackpool after all

 

[childwallblues]

Surprised it was allowed access to the line by station staff...!

Did they check its ticket?

 

[mpthomson]

Apparently a controlled explosion was carried out close to platform 5

Doesn't mean it was a viable device or any kind of device at all, just that the robot and operators couldn't work out exactly what it was (or wasn't) so controlled explosion as the least damaging option.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jul 2022 ==

Fair enough. I just assume they would be pretty sure there was a credible threat before they were brought in.

Is it safe to assume that the “controlled explosion” means a viable device was found?

No. It just means that they couldn't work out exactly what it was or wasn't and so destroyed it to be on the safe side. Most objects destroyed by controlled explosion in the UK by EOD aren't devices of any kind, viable or not.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jul 2022 ==

I wonder how many thousands of pounds that cost to sort out?

I am sorry the mind boggles. So one could throw a sports bag on to a railway track and it brings everything to a stop. Ties up the the emergency services and the bomb disposal people? Incredible.

Lost for further words.

EOD squads have no issue with attending these kind of incidents because a) it's what they're there for and b) it's useful training for them.

 

[High Dyke]

No. It just means that they couldn't work out exactly what it was or wasn't and so destroyed it to be on the safe side. Most objects destroyed by controlled explosion in the UK by EOD aren't devices of any kind, viable or not.

Indeed. I remember a story from many years ago where the bomb squad carried out a controlled explosion of an object in a suspicious container, which turned out to be a victoria sponge cake.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It was a sports bag with a pair of trainers in it.

How did it most likely get there? There's not much room, but could it have been thrown out from (slid out through) a passing train's window.

 

[DarloRich]

I wonder how many thousands of pounds that cost to sort out?

I am sorry the mind boggles. So one could throw a sports bag on to a railway track and it brings everything to a stop. Ties up the the emergency services and the bomb disposal people? Incredible.

Lost for further words.

TBH I would prefer the police and security services err on the side of caution with, you know, potential bombs! It is thier job after all and the price of this incident would pale into insignificance against the cost of an actual bomb going off.

 

[skyhigh]

I wonder how many thousands of pounds that cost to sort out?

I am sorry the mind boggles. So one could throw a sports bag on to a railway track and it brings everything to a stop. Ties up the the emergency services and the bomb disposal people? Incredible.

Lost for further words.

Nice to see the Chairman of the Hindsight Committee is here.

An unidentified object apparently with protruding wires in an unusual location. If I had to drive a train next to it I'd rather they checked it out first!

They are the experts, they know what they are doing.

 

[nottsnurse]

I wonder how many thousands of pounds that cost to sort out?

I am sorry the mind boggles. So one could throw a sports bag on to a railway track and it brings everything to a stop. Ties up the the emergency services and the bomb disposal people? Incredible.

Lost for further words.

When there is doubt there is no doubt, treat as a threat until confirmed otherwise.

How quickly wider society seems to have forgotten the issues we faced during 'The Troubles'.

Having to check my car for IEDs every morning with the torch/mirror that came with our married quarter is something not easily forgotten.

 

[Neo9320]

When there is doubt there is no doubt, treat as a threat until confirmed otherwise.

How quickly wider society seems to have forgotten the issues we faced during 'The Troubles'.

Having to check my car for IEDs every morning with the torch/mirror that came with our married quarter is something not easily forgotten.

Totally agree with this.

Unfortunately we live in an age where threats are far too common. Any cost or delay to help prevent loss of life is worth it. The one time we ignore it may be the one time we shouldn’t have.

 

[John Luxton]

When there is doubt there is no doubt, treat as a threat until confirmed otherwise.

How quickly wider society seems to have forgotten the issues we faced during 'The Troubles'.

Having to check my car for IEDs every morning with the torch/mirror that came with our married quarter is something not easily forgotten.

I can appreciate the need to be cautious - but I am sure it could have been investigated that without the need for shutting everything down as from what was visible from the small images posted here it did look something like what it was a carrier bag!

One only has to travel on the train through urban areas to see similar junk tossed over fences and onto embankments and cutting sides - surely much of that could be considered suspicious?