Great Western Coffee Shop

There is an interesting choice of photo to illustrate this particular British Transport Police press release (http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media-Releases/POLICE-APPEAL-AFTER-TRAIN-STRIKES-ABANDONED-SHOPPING-TROLLEY-AXMINSTER-1011.aspx):

http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Photo-Library/Remains-of-trolley-on-track-165a.aspx

(http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8674/4523938.jpg)

I don't think that's the remains of a shopping trolley at all: it's a piece of kit that occurs all over the network - I assume as some sort of protection for the cables passing under the track at that point?



Edit note: Additional link to stock picture added, in the interests of continuity of the following discussion. CfN

Affectionately know as "toast racks" they are TWPS (Train Protection Warning System) transponders, basically they are aerials that send a signal to a train

It's a bit more important, it's a TPWS loop. But definitely part of the normal infrastructure as you say.

PS, looking at the picture full size, it looks as if it's been damaged, as the cross member of the frame is missing. Perhaps something was lost in translation, and it should be 'damaged BY a shopping trolley' perhaps?

Paul

Good to see the BTP are reinforcing their credentials as a knowledgable specialist railway policing force with that ridiculous photo. Someone really ought to point out the stupidity of that picture to them before they end up looking like a complete bunch of clowns. Oh dear, ooops, too late.

Alright if I draw Brian Page's attention to this topic, then?

I just emailed their two "national pressdesk" contacts. Will see what (if anything) comes back.

Ah: that's what I was going to do, too!  ;D

Actually, looking at the 'properties' of that particular photo in download, it's described as "Cloakham Lawn TPWS damage 14.7.10 002".

In any case, it ain't a shopping trolley!

Chris.  ::)

Update #1: first press contact at the BTP is a dead, "mail undeliverable" response.

Further evidence of the world-class policing operation that is the BTP.

Edited to add...
The Railway Eye (http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2010/07/train-police-shopping-trolley-warning.html) has just picked up on it. Wonder if the Fact Compiler is reading the Coffeeshop...!?

on the new passing loop aswell

Someone from BTP (who wasn't either of the people I actually contacted!) just emailed to thank me for pointing out the error and saying they've put it right. I suspect I wasn't the only one...