Steam train driver takes photo of boy on tracks

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

I posted this here rather than on the Preserved Railways board because of the serious nature of the topic (mods, please move it if inappropriate here)......

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)...

Steam train driver takes photo of boy on tracks

Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway
Phil Marsh photographed the boy from the driver's cab of his steam train

A steam train driver had to stop his locomotive to make sure it did not hit a boy playing on the railway line.

Phil Marsh took a photo of the youngster on the tracks in Chinnor, Oxfordshire. A woman can been seen standing nearby talking on a phone.

Mr Marsh, who has worked on the railways for 46 years, said he took the picture to highlight the dangers of trespassing on tracks.

He said it was "happening more and more" in the area.

"It's very dangerous," he said. "A young lad [was] putting a stone on the railway line."

Mr Marsh said the train was moving slowly enough to stop in time, but added a 200-ton steam train travelling at a maximum speed of 25mph would usually take "at least 100 metres to stop".

He said trespassing on the heritage rail line between Chinnor in Oxfordshire and Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire was "very prevalent".

People stand "in between the rails, videoing or photographing the approaching train and simply expect you to be able to stop".


The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway is operated by volunteers

An interchange on the heritage line at Princes Risborough was opened in August 2018, allowing passengers to take a steam train from Chinnor to connect with mainline services to London.

The line had last offered a passenger service in August 1957.

On Saturday, Mr Marsh said a drunk man was found on the tracks by a volunteer moments before a "murder mystery" train was due to pass through.

A survey of 1,000 teenagers across the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) carried out on behalf of Network Rail showed 18% of them did not know walking along railway tracks was illegal.

[Oxonhutch]

I know the public footpath crossing in the photo, being footplate qualified. Behaviour not being corrected by his mum? on her phone to the right. I doubt very much she is calling the police!

[broadgage]

Presuming that the woman in the picture IS the owner of the child and is not an innocent passer-by, then it looks to me as though a prosecution for neglect could succeed.

[eightonedee]

I am afraid this hits my "Victor Meldrew" angry button!

It's not just people using mobiles (phones and other devices) when driving that are inconsiderate or downright dangerous. As someone who spends a lot of my leisure time out in the country I am frequently annoyed by those who take dogs and children out, spend all their time talking "nineteen to the dozen" on their phones oblivious while their charges run riot unsupervised around them, leaving a trial of litter, damage and dog mess behind them. Turn the wretched things off, appreciate the countryside around you and control/safeguard your pets properly!

As for those who amble in an uncoordinated zombie like state through busy stations with their minds fixed on whatever comes through their earpieces getting in the way of those of us who are trying to get that poorly matched connection.....

[broadgage]

I have observed similarly dangerous behaviour on the West Somerset Railway.
The less used section to Norton Fitzwarren seems to be worst.

And outside my home I observed a teenager walk into a lamp post whilst "pursuing virtual electronic creatures" The paramedics have a new codeword for injuries received under  such circumstances "poked"