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A train station manager was sacked for moving a shopping trolley from the track fearing a derailment, prompting an angry reaction from villagers.

Ian Faletto, who had worked for South West Trains for 27 years, was based at Lymington station, Hampshire, which has a single-track running through it.

South West Trains said Mr Faletto was dismissed for a "serious safety breach" which was upheld at an appeal hearing.

Residents said he always went the "extra mile for passengers".

The single-track branch line runs between Lymington and Brockenhurst in the New Forest.

The Reverend Alex Russell, vicar of St Mark's Church, Pennington, has started a petition calling for Mr Faletto's reinstatement. "I'm really delighted about how much support there clearly is for Ian and he deserves it because he has always gone the extra mile for passengers," she said. "The station has been immaculate, there are things for the children to do, sweets for them to eat, flowers out every day, he is always dressed beautifully. There's just nothing I can find to criticise about Ian and it appears local people agree with me."

In the past Mr Faletto, who wore a button hole, has won a number of awards for customer service which included Sway station - where he previously worked - being named station of the year.

A South West Trains spokesperson said an employee had been dismissed for a "serious breach of safety".

"This action was taken following a full and thorough internal investigation and the decision was also upheld at an appeal hearing," he said. "Our absolute priority is to run a safe railway for our passengers and staff. All of our employees are aware of the importance of complying with the strict rules governing railway safety, which we have a duty to enforce, and the serious consequences of disregarding them."

Also reported in the Echo, with the usual array of comments: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9019438.Stationmaster_fired__for_removing_trolley_from_railway_/

Given that this line has third rail electrification and a shopping trolley conducts electricity, I would suspect the safest solution would be to call control and get the next train stopped/traction current switched off.

Would the station manager in question have been likely to get sacked for removing the trolley if the line was not electrified?

AIUI he wasn't a 'station master' at all - that's media inacuracy for you.

correct me if im wrong Lymington is the end of the line....

"I was also told that the power hadn't actually been turned off either.

MP likens sacked train master to Railway Children scene

An MP has likened the sacking of a station master who said he broke safety laws to move a trolley off a track to a scene from The Railway Children.

Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, backed a campaign from Lymington residents calling for South West Trains to reinstate Ian Faletto.

It said Mr Faletto was dismissed for a "serious breach of safety" and there had been an internal investigation.

In the novel a character climbs onto the track to warn a train of danger.

Famously played by Jenny Agutter in the 1970 film, Roberta uses her red bloomers as a flag after there had been a landslide.

"She was probably breaking health and safety rules but she was thanked for it," Mr Swayne said. "I think there has to be a sense of proportion in this case and you don't sack a man who has an outstanding record for doing something that he did to protect the public. Perhaps that deserves a reminder of the health and safety rules and a slap on the wrist, but to sack a man?"

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for Mr Faletto, who was popular among passengers, to be reinstated.

Mr Faletto is considering taking South West Trains to a tribunal.

The single-track branch line runs between Lymington and Brockenhurst in the New Forest.

Mr Faletto said he arrived for work, noticed a shopping trolley had been thrown onto the line and knew it had to be removed before the first train came. "I went on the track and I removed a shopping trolley. Obviously having a train half an hour later it had to be removed before it hit it or derailed. I went on to the track, I called it an emergency situation. I had asked for the power off and it turns out the power had not been turned off, fortunately I had taken a wooden broom handle."

South West Trains said: "This action was taken following a full and thorough internal investigation and the decision was also upheld at an appeal hearing. Our absolute priority is to run a safe railway for our passengers and staff. All of our employees are aware of the importance of complying with the strict rules governing railway safety, which we have a duty to enforce, and the serious consequences of disregarding them."

Chris - after one of yoyr Global Mods asks us to post no further, why encourage us by posting the above.

Undermines the request, doesn't it?

Actually Graham (who is the admin by the way) pointed out that it's not right to judge the guy based on press reports.

Chris (from Nailsea) has just added a news article from the BBC as it is related.

So, you'd allow any press quote, because the press are always right?

Indeed, someone left on his own for too long, assuming he can be superman.

sorry... and i hate to add this tone, but are you telling me that you believe that if you were sat on a bus reading a paper and pointed out an article to the person next to you that you would be guilty of liable? .....

'Trolley dash' railwayman withdraws unfair dismissal claim

A railway worker who claimed he was sacked for removing a shopping trolley from the track has withdrawn his claim of unfair dismissal.

Ian Faletto alleged he was sacked after 27 years of service by South West Trains for removing the trolley at Lymington railway station in Hampshire, where he was ticket office clerk, in March. Many local people supported his campaign to get his job back and the New Forest MP, Desmond Swayne, handed a 8,400-strong petition to parliament in support of the award-winning worker.

But after he was presented with new evidence, his counsel advised him to drop his claim, prompting a strongly-worded statement from SWT. It described the allegations by Faletto as "fictitious, Walter Mitty-style claims" and the company stressed he was not paid off.

It said it was angry about the trolley claim, that Faletto's action in stepping on to tracks were "foolhardy", and it was "doubly upsetting that many well-meaning people in the community were so misled".

Faletto had alleged he contacted the signalman to turn off the power and then removed the trolley to prevent an accident. Speaking outside the employment tribunal building in Southampton, the 50-year-old, from Totton, Hampshire, maintained that the trolley was on the railway track. "The way they have treated me after 27 years' momentous service is very disappointing. It's very difficult to fight such a large company. They have basically said they have other evidence and I have been strongly advised by my counsel to withdraw."

The director of SWT, Jake Kelly, said: "We are pleased that Mr Faletto has finally withdrawn his case, which proves definitively that there was never any substance to the claims he made. However, we remain angry at the way these fictitious, Walter Mitty-style claims were so quickly reported as fact. It is also doubly upsetting that many well-meaning people in community were so misled.

"This was a matter of principle and integrity and we were fully prepared to outline the truth to the employment tribunal. We are confident that they had heard all of the evidence, they would have found in our favour. For the avoidance of doubt, we have made no payment to settle this case and nor have we ever considered doing so.

"This case involved a serious breach of safety. The fact is that there is no evidence to show that there was a trolley on the track, as Mr Faletto claimed, and the safety of our passengers was not compromised at any point. The only safety risk was caused by Mr Faletto's foolhardy actions in knowingly stepping down on to an area of live track for no justifiable reason.

"No 'trolley' incident was recorded in the station log or reported to management at the time - or even when Mr Faletto was first questioned by management. It is very sad that an individual who was recognised by the railway has acted in this way."

Wow.  SWT's statement is an unusual departure from bland "corporate-speak"