Alliance goes Jesuit on railway safety

This from Network Rail...

Children in primary schools across the south and south west of England are to take the lead in educating classmates about staying safe on the railway.

The Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance is launching the railway safety reps programme across the route which runs from London Waterloo out to the south coast and south west England.

Primary schools will nominate children to learn about how to stay safe when using level crossings and the dangers of trespassing on the railway and will then share their new knowledge with their friends.

The programme will complement Network Rail’s ongoing safety campaigns and continued efforts to improve safety and reduce the number of incidents involving children and young people.

Eye missed this when it was released last Wednesday but, in light of ASLEF's comments the day before, well worth a mention.

V. Good. Tick.

New NR campaign warns of on-track danger

Dai Greene, the world 400m hurdles champion, fails to beat an 80mph train. 

That is all.

Darwin Award - Puffer-nutters... again!

This from Matt's Trainpics site, with a bowler tip to @stephenrees, via Twitter...



According to Matt "At Vigo bridge there were around 20 people trespassing within sight and I suspect at least double that for this 2 mile climb from Bromsgrove."

Expect NR and the British Transport Police to review kettle operations after yesterday's Duke of Gloucester run.

Happily, if spared by natural selection, the trespassing puffer-nutters will be able to recall precisely where they were when steam was finally banned from the mainline...

In the four foot, the six or the cess.

'Nuff said.

The way of the transgressor...

This from the Daily Record...

Teenager wrote graffiti on bridge moments before deadly fall onto railway track

'Nuff said.

May: "We was robbed!"

It seems even the illustrious James May of Top Gear fame is not immune from the perils of railway trespass and vandalism.

This sorry tale from This is Devon...

A TV celebrity's world record attempt to build the longest model railway was repeatedly thwarted yesterday – by spoilsport thieves who stole parts of the track.

If only Mr May had consulted Driver Potter.

Juicing it with 750dc would have seen the thieving 'Erberts dance!

Trespass on the railway

This from the Messenger...

Czech immigrant, Staneslav Zalesky, 31, got on the line at Trafford Park Station on the evening of August 3, 2008, but had gone just a 100 yards when the Liverpool to Nottingham service ploughed into him at 80mph.

Stockport Coroner's Court heard the force of the impact, which occurred shortly after 10pm, fired Stanislav 100 yards up the track. He was wearing no reflective clothing, and neither of the lights on his bike were on.

And how, precisely, might this have helped?

Missing the point

The proposed re-opening of the Leamside line is apparently exciting much agitation amongst local residents.

According to the Sunderland Echo a Mr James Lewis of Fatfield, Washington, claims that more than 90 per cent of people would prefer the line to be ripped up and the land put to other use.

Apparently the line is also regularly targeted by vandals who set fire to the sleepers and thieves who took the metal for scrap.

Mr Lewis said: "It is used as a dumping ground and people are afraid to walk along it because of drunken youths and underage drinkers."

Well Mr Lewis, as it's a railway line perhaps that's a good thing.