Trespassers

[YorkshireBear]

After watching cideos of what can only be described as retards playing on lines this morning (i dont know why). Can we not do more there is videos on youtube showing it happen can we not charge them with this proof? I think if we started handing out £1000 fines or prison or cummunity serrvice on a regular basis people might stop.... ??? is there no more active way of prosecuting as a deterent

 

[MidnightFlyer]

After watching cideos of what can only be described as retards playing on lines this morning (i dont know why). Can we not do more there is videos on youtube showing it happen can we not charge them with this proof? I think if we started handing out £1000 fines or prison or cummunity serrvice on a regular basis people might stop.... ??? is there no more active way of prosecuting as a deterent

Lol, I got some of kids yesterday (about my age (15)) at Workington North yesterday getting gravel from outside the station and lobbing it onto the track, footbridge and other platform. I've got about 2-1min vids of them doing it. Coludl get charged with vandalism, but didn't take note of what they looked like, and the videos not much help either
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
NOTE - the above had nothing to do with trepass, but it still shows people messing about on stations

 

[YorkshireBear]

well i kinda meant that too, just generally been t***s

 

[ainsworth74]

Can we not do more there is videos on youtube showing it happen can we not charge them with this proof?

Charge who? Does the video identify who exactly they are?

 

[trentside]

I grew up living next to a moderately busy railway line. I used to love standing and looking over the garden fence and seeing the freight trains thundering past. Never once, was I tempted to actually go near the railway line. It's common sense. I don't remember ever being told that the railway was a dangerous place to go - it's blatantly obvious.

Maybe these type of idiots are just attracted to the danger. If so, natural selection will no doubt come into play. I just feel sorry for the railway employees who have to deal with the results, either of someone being hit by a train, electrocuted or any other accidents.

 

[yorkie]

It's often teenagers who trespass but not always, for example a 16 year old called Howard caught this dog walker trespassing, the dog walker is clearly old enough to know better. The stereotypes aren't always true.

[youtube]Qp7N7UfVE-w[/youtube]

On the line to Bishop Auckland I often see dog walkers who appear to be on the 'wrong side of the fence'. At first I thought I must be mistake but I've been a few times since and I'm pretty sure they're trespassing. Maybe next time I go I'll take a photo or video but that's not easy on a Pacer.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I remember reading about a Polish lad on Vauxhall station, he took a p155 onto the track, and got 750 volts up his <insert appropriate word here> for the trouble, which killed him? Does that count as trepass?

 

[ainsworth74]

On the line to Bishop Auckland I often see dog walkers who appear to be on the 'wrong side of the fence'.

Yeah I've seen them as well. But I'm not sure if there is even fence protecting the line, I certainly couldn't see one with a 100ft or so! (Not that a fence should be needed, common sense would surely dictate walking next to a railway = bad idea :roll

 

[yorkie]

Here is another trespassing video, some teenagers cross a viaduct on the Great Eastern Main Line:

[youtube]x8EM2jnbAYs[/youtube]

 

[MidnightFlyer]

There was something in the Metro paper late July this year, about people in Russia/Ukraine etc LYING UNDERNEATH TRAINS (ie. between the two tracks as the train passes over them). Words fail me.

 

[Wyvern]

Yes there a few who do that around the world, particularly in China.

Man-Films-Himself-Jumping-Under-Train-On-Shanghai-Subway-In-An-Attempt-To-Find-Fame-Online

 

[nedchester]

I am going to say something which might seem odd but I think we make too much fuss over trespassers. OK if they are chucking things at the trains then yes chase after them.

Abroad you see people wandering all over the tracks and no one bats an eyelid. Why do we get so hung up about it?

I can remember when I was young I wondered across tracks so what's different now apart from perhaps the videos end up on youtube etc.

There is the risk of course that someone could get hit by a train etc but these people could on a road if they crossed it.

 

[yorkie]

Abroad you see people wandering all over the tracks and no one bats an eyelid. Why do we get so hung up about it?.

Because when someone is run over, BTP will close the line for several hours while an investigation takes place. This causes huge delays. The compensation payments that Network Rail have to pay to the TOCs are huge.

In a country like India, they wouldn't delay trains for any longer than it took to get the body off the track.

 

[nedchester]

Because when someone is run over, BTP will close the line for several hours while an investigation takes place. This causes huge delays. The compensation payments that Network Rail have to pay to the TOCs are huge.

In a country like India, they wouldn't delay trains for any longer than it took to get the body off the track.

I am talking about countries closer to home like France and Germany.

What happens there when someone is sadly run over? The compensation, delay minutes thing is a farce.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

What happens there when someone is sadly run over? The compensation, delay minutes thing is a farce.

Body moved, trains run and in some cases, the railways sue the family rather than the other way round!!

Indeed, I agree with NC anyway, far too much hype about it.

I've shown these over on WNXX but shall do so here:
Tresspass http://scott2007.fotopic.net/p66577127.html
And again http://scott2007.fotopic.net/p66577223.html
One more for good measure http://scott2007.fotopic.net/p66577237.html

Although over there, it certainly isn't tresspassing!!

It's a shame we could never implement such things like this again in the UK due to "No win no fee" fcukers cocking it up and due to people having no common sense!!

 

[4SRKT]

I'm with Nedchester on this one. When I was a youth most people used to use the railway line in Carrickfergus as a footpath. It was more direct than the road into town from the Downshire direction. When a train came, people simply stood aside. AFAIK nobody ever got killed. I was shown this route by my own father, who was a senior manager in the BRB at the time, although a native of NI. He is absolutely one of the most risk averse people I know, but is pragmatic about it. This wasn't vandalism or any form of damage, nor were the people doing this 'idiots'. It was simply an accepted thing to do: people were aware of the risks and behaved with respect towards the trains themselves. After all, there's nothing actually dangerous about track.

Of course there is no BTP in Northern Ireland, and in the 1980s the Police over there had something slightly more serious to worry about than whether people were walking along the ballast or not! Sadly Northern Ireland since the ceasefires seems to have become if anything even more H&S and rule-obsessed than any other part of the UK, which is quite a transformation I can tell you!

 

[anthony263]

Hasn't there been stories & articles on other forums about people walking along the track on some of the branch lines down in cornwall?

There was one recently where someone walking spotted walking along the line through henbury.

You also get people at some station prefering to walk across the line rather than use the footbridge which happens regulary at my local railway at Pyle

 

[142094]

Yeah I've seen them as well. But I'm not sure if there is even fence protecting the line, I certainly couldn't see one with a 100ft or so! (Not that a fence should be needed, common sense would surely dictate walking next to a railway = bad idea :roll

Some areas along the line don't have fencing, and even where there is it is either broken or low. The main problem is there is no clear boundary between the railway and adjoining land - especially where the old sidings were for Shildon - large amount of land a good distance away from the railway which might still be railway property but no fence.

 

[4SRKT]

There seems to be an age divide going on on this thread. Some of the older posters who can remember a time when railways weren't fenced off, and when responsible 'trespass' was commonplace seem much more at ease with it than many younger posters, who've grown up in a world of mollycoddling, seeing imaginary danger around every corner, and being treated like idiots by officialdom.

The whole business of fencing railways off makes them seem 'other' and not part of the community they are a part of, further encouraging the state of mind that everything is actually incredibly dangerous and we can only be protected from it by being kept away from it. The ridiculous (and expensive) platform barriers on the Jubilee Line extension are the manifestation of the next stage in the cycle of paranoia.

Frankly, I'm glad I grew up in a world where management of risk was the responsibility of the individual.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

There seems to be an age divide going on on this thread. Some of the older posters who can remember a time when railways weren't fenced off, and when responsible 'trespass' was commonplace seem much more at ease with it than many younger posters, who've grown up in a world of mollycoddling, seeing imaginary danger around every corner, and being treated like idiots by officialdom.

The whole business of fencing railways off makes them seem 'other' and not part of the community they are a part of, further encouraging the state of mind that everything is actually incredibly dangerous and we can only be protected from it by being kept away from it. The ridiculous (and expensive) platform barriers on the Jubilee Line extension are the manifestation of the next stage in the cycle of paranoia.

Frankly, I'm glad I grew up in a world where management of risk was the responsibility of the individual.

Not at all. I'm 16 and am in agreement with NedChester. No doubt Chester025 (Who is also young) will have the same views as I do too.

 

[4SRKT]

Not at all. I'm 16 and am in agreement with NedChester. No doubt Chester025 (Who is also young) will have the same views as I do too.

Good. Maybe there's some hope that one day common sense will reassert itself. Apologies, but I'd imagined you as much older for some reason! I'm not sure where I got this idea from TBF, since you're such a skip basher, and skip bashing is definitely a young man's game

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Good. Maybe there's some hope that one day common sense will reassert itself. Apologies, but I'd imagined you as much older for some reason! I'm not sure where I got this idea from TBF, since you're such a skip basher, and skip bashing is definitely a young man's game

I'll take that as a complement. Now why don't bar staff think I'm a lot older?!
But in seriousness, if young abroad people use the line like footpaths in places. There is no compensation culture, no rancid H+S and people have common sense and treatvyhe railways with respect. I feel Britain has gone too far the wrong way ever to convert back to "real" days where people do have sense!!

 

[anthony263]

I , have some greement, where i thin health & safety has gone mad, too much red tape etc and businesses are too afraid of soemone getting injured/killed and being suid.

As for anyone tresspassing on the railway and getting killed maybe network rail should try to sue that perons estate to recover some of the costs as they do in some countries.

 

[GB]

It was simply an accepted thing to do

Drinking an driving also used to be accepted by most...

I am suprised and fairly dissapointed there are members on here that seem to think tresspass is no big deal when it causes all sorts of grief and chaos!

The ridiculous (and expensive) platform barriers on the Jubilee Line extension are the manifestation of the next stage in the cycle of paranoia

Are they not there to help preveny suicide attempts rather than plain old tresspass?

 

[4SRKT]

Drinking an driving also used to be accepted by most...

I am suprised and fairly dissapointed there are members on here that seem to think tresspass is no big deal when it causes all sorts of grief and chaos!

Drinking and driving however is genuinely dangerous, to others as well as the drinker, so it's in no way a valid comparison. Trespass unaccompanied by vandalism or antisocial behaviour only causes grief and chaos in a lot of cases because the law is so structured to make mountains out of molehills. It's the criminal damage that's the problem, not the trespass, but in good ol' British fashion we simply criminalise harmless activity in order to tackle crime.

Are they not there to help preveny suicide attempts rather than plain old tresspass?

Maybe, but it's part of the same desire to control people's movements and activities.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Drinking an driving also used to be accepted by most...

I am suprised and fairly dissapointed there are members on here that seem to think tresspass is no big deal when it causes all sorts of grief and chaos!



Are they not there to help preveny suicide attempts rather than plain old tresspass?

They're there for ventilation purposes IIRC. Of course, they do stop people jumping as well.

I'm also disappointed that some members on here think it's no big deal, but I'm not surprised - there are some enthusiasts who think it's their god-given right to go where they please. Luckily, they are in the minority.

After all, there's nothing actually dangerous about track.

Nope, there's nothing dangerous about track is there? It's not like there can be a massive rail at shin height with 750 volts in it is there? Or associated OHLE equipment trackside with 25 000Kv? It's not like wooden sleepers get lethally slippy either - and I've seen what happens when someone slips and lands with their head on the rail - a lot of blood.
And those point machines - they aren't dangerous either. Not like you could take a hand or a foot off in them is it?

 

[4SRKT]

They're there for ventilation purposes IIRC. Of course, they do stop people jumping as well.

I'm also disappointed that some members on here think it's no big deal, but I'm not surprised - there are some enthusiasts who think it's their god-given right to go where they please. Luckily, they are in the minority.


Nope, there's nothing dangerous about track is there? It's not like there can be a massive rail at shin height with 750 volts in it is there? Or associated OHLE equipment trackside with 25 000Kv? It's not like wooden sleepers get lethally slippy either - and I've seen what happens when someone slips and lands with their head on the rail - a lot of blood.
And those point machines - they aren't dangerous either. Not like you could take a hand or a foot off in them is it?

Dear oh dear. There is no third rail by most lines. Clearly where there is the risk is different. I'm not 12' tall, so don't feel threatened by OHLE. If I don't put my hands or feet into the points, I won't lose them. As for 'slippery wooden sleepers', you're really clutching at straws here. Would you ban walking on any slippery surface? A nice walk in the woods maybe, after it's been raining? Ooh , no. Better not. Might slip and then there would be a lot of blood.

All of the above problems can be avoided simply by not being a tw*t. Something some people seem unable to grasp. The people I've been talking about using the line as a footpath were not enthusiasts BTW, just local people who understood the railway for what it was. Possibly because oit was fenced off so people couldn't know anything about it.

 

[Geezertronic]

I think it's idiotic to suggest that trespassing on the railway is ok. It's also idiotic to suggest that it's ok to do so because people have done it since the beginning of time. And while I am on one, it's also idiotic to compare a railway to a road since cars can swerve out of the way of a person and trains obviously cannot

The fact is that the railways are an unsafe place for people to trespass on if not for the speed that trains pass by and the fact that the speed of an oncoming train is difficult to measure, especially for youngsters.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Dear oh dear. There is no third rail by most lines. Clearly where there is the risk is different. I'm not 12' tall, so don't feel threatened by OHLE.

That's why I wrote associated OHLE equipment trackside - which there is. Do me the favour of reading my posts.

If I don't put my hands or feet into the points, I won't lose them.

So why then do a few trackside staff loose bits of their bodies through that? They've been on a PTS course, remember. People sometimes do inherently stupid things without thinking, and if the staff can do it, what hope is there fir the general public?

As for 'slippery wooden sleepers', you're really clutching at straws here.

Have you ever stepped on a wet wooden sleeper? They are lethally slippy, and do not always look it.

Would you ban walking on any slippery surface? A nice walk in the woods maybe, after it's been raining?

Don't be ridiculous - at least let's have a proper debate :roll:

Ooh , no. Better not. Might slip and then there would be a lot of blood.

The person nearly suffered a very serious head injury. They were lucky to get away with so large cuts to the head. It's not really a laughing matter.

All of the above problems can be avoided simply by not being a tw*t.

And you expect the general public (remember, it's not just going to be enthusiasts going on the line) to do that? Some enthusiasts put themselves into very dangerous positions - just look at the video of the man at the level crossing. Just talk to any driver about their experiences with nearly hitting (or sometimes, sadly, hitting) people, and then come back to this thread.

Maybe, but it's part of the same desire to control people's movements and activities.

Uttery ridiculous. How are platform doors intended to 'control people's movements and activities'. Goodness me, it's like 1984! I mean, it's very Orwellian not being allowed to get on a train before it's stopped, and it's doors have opened. :roll:

 

[4SRKT]

If anybody cares to read what I write, I do not condone dangerous or criminal activity on the railway. However, I don't think that responsible people behaving responsibly are a danger. I wouldn't advocate walking on the ECML, but on minor lines, where trains are slow and audible (and crucially where the line is not electrified... doh!), it seems harmless enough to me. Indeed, as has been pointed out it is commonplace in other countries, and was in this country within living memory of people of only middle age. The only thing that is different now is the approach to risk, and that it is not the responsibility of the individual, which is a great shame. As for the platform doors comment, I meant that it's an expensive white elephant that could only have been thought up by the sort of mind that thinks that people are basically stupid and need protecting from everything. That is a control freak.