Stone throw halts train at Dawlish - 20 April 2013

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Herald Express:

A train travelling through South Devon had to be evacuated after a stone was thrown at one of its carriage windows. The missile shattered the window glass as the train was travelling through Dawlish on Saturday.
​

The smashed train window after a stone was thrown at a carriage in Dawlish Warren

The train came to a stop and was evacuated at Exeter causing delays to passengers.  British Transport Police is appealing for information.
 
Sgt Dave Mannion, of BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) Exeter, said: "The stone penetrated both the inner and outer skins of a pane of glass in one of the carriages on the 3.04pm Plymouth to London Paddington service. Thankfully, no-one was injured. It is thought the stone was thrown at the train from the beach. Officers attended the rail line at Dawlish Warren and searched the area for any potential offenders but to no avail. This was an extremely foolish and dangerous act and it was lucky no-one was injured, although the consequences of this act could easily have been much more serious."

[devon_metro]

I don't quite think "evacuated" is the correct term.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I merely quote from the Herald Express, devon_metro - for better or worst! 

[JayMac]

The laminated glass appears to have done its job here and not showered glass fragments all over the passenger saloon.

Elsewhere, in a similar incident, the glass shattered and injured a passenger:

From the Islington Gazette:

Man injured as ^airgun shots fired at trains^ smash carriage window near Finsbury Park station

Rush-hour train services were disrupted today after someone reportedly started firing shots at trains in the Finsbury Park area ^ one of them injuring a passenger after it shattered a train carriage window.

British Transport Police confirmed an ^object^ struck the 3.52pm Moorgate to Stevenage service, injuring a passenger in the ear.

A spokesman for train operator First Capital Connect said four trains in total had been ^affected^, and reports on Twitter suggest at least one has been taken out of service after arriving at Finsbury Park station with a window shattered.

Luke Morris tweeted: ^Unbelievable scenes... Madness at Finsbury Park because of some f^ing idiots shooting at trains. Love to get hold of them #cowards.^

While no official channels confirmed the cause of the incident, train drivers announced to passengers that someone with an air rifle was targeting the trains.

This afternoon @finsbury_pk tweeted: ^m on a train outside FP, stopped at red light ^ driver announced backlog due to someone taking potshots at a train with air rifle earlier!^

Officers from British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) attended the line at 4.14pm. A BTP spokesperson said: ^An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances and officers are appealing for anyone with information to contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 405040, or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.^ Quote incident 426 of 26/04/13 in any calls.

[Oxman]

If both panes of glass are pierced, then the coach has to be "evacuated" - i.e. pax are moved to another coach. The coach with the broken window is then taken out of use.