Templecombe station

[whole diary]

[AMLAG]

It was at one time and certainly still in the 1970/80's, regular practice on at least the BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) WR Reading Division daily passenger operations notice to advise staff, principally for the attention of traincrews, of hunting fixtures near the railway to enable a sharp lookout to be kept for hounds that might have followed the scent of a fox onto railway land etc.

The vast proliferation of scavenging foxes in London and other urban areas, has often been said to be due to the overgrown Railway linesides and land, that since the 1960's/70's has provided ideal cover and corridors from the countryside into the Cities.

[eightonedee]

Just as an aside to this, your comments made me wonder whether one of the reasons why railway embankments have become important havens for some wildlife over the decades is because they offered a place to escape hunting dogs. Obviously the habitat they offer, and its general lack of disturbance from humans especially, is the main reason.

I very much doubt that hunting with dogs has had any material impact, as so little of the countryside is (or was, before the ban) actually hunted. The lack of human disturbance is certainly the most important factor, combined with the lack of periodic destruction by fire since the disappearance of steam in the 1960s.

[RichT54]

At least the hunt supporters can't aggressively ride their quad bikes onto the railway tracks and hold up the trains; unlike what I've seen them do on a busy major road.

[JayMac]

100% sympathy for the dogs.

Zero sympathy for those that train them. Just like the animals they continue to illegally hunt they have zero concern for the welfare of the dogs they use for their barbaric pleasure.

Scum. The lot of them.

And idiots. Trespassing on the railway to recover the dead dogs rather than reporting the incident.

[grahame]

At the risk of provoking a for/against hunting debate, of which I have no intention!

Phil, I posted the original report as no more than a newspaper quote because I feared that any more I might add would colour the story with my personal disgust at those people who have set up and propagate the whole wide situation that led to the dogs being on the railway line.

I see no reason why members should not share their own views - be they in line with the ones I have just alluded to, or to explain to members why the activities that led to this accident (and not for the first time, by a long stretch) should be considered acceptable.

[broadgage]

100% sympathy for the dogs.

Zero sympathy for those that train them. Just like the animals they continue to illegally hunt they have zero concern for the welfare of the dogs they use for their barbaric pleasure.

Scum. The lot of them.

And idiots. Trespassing on the railway to recover the dead dogs rather than reporting the incident.

Agree. I used to be "neutral" on the issue of fox hunting but I am now opposed.
I USED to believe that despite the animal cruelty concerns , that fox hunting was an important part of rural life and the rural economy and was PERHAPS worth keeping.

I NOW believe that the benefits of fox hunting were greatly exaggerated, it has now been banned for some years with very little impact except on those directly involved. When foxes need controlling in order to protect sheep or for other GOOD REASON I favour shooting them by suitably trained persons. In the absence of good reasons to kill foxes then "live and let live"

I still have mixed feelings about drag hunting. On balance I support a ban, but feel less strongly about this than about the hunting of live animals. Incidents like the one reported are a powerful argument in favour of a ban.

The National Trust have banned, or are about to ban drag hunting on their land, a positive step IMHO^▸ ('in my humble opinion'). Hopefully other land owners will adopt similar policies.

[broadgage]

On a lighter, but related note, I recall a primary school exam intended to test general knowledge/common sense.
One question was

Which of the following is the odd one out ?

Fox hunt.
Hare coursing.
Whist drive.
Grouse shoot.
Stag hunt.

[Phil]

There seems to be an assumption here that it was members of the hunt who allowed the dogs to stray on the line. That may well be the case. I don't know. However I am personally aware of an incident near Erlestoke in Wiltshire some five or six years ago when hunt saboteurs deliberately redirected a pack of hunt dogs onto the main Westbury-Pewsey line.

I don't have a great deal of sympathy with those who hunt living creatures for recreational purposes; but ever after that I have nothing but revulsion for the sick individuals who feel it to be necessary to intentionally put the lives of both animals and the travelling public at risk.

[grahame]

On a lighter, but related note, I recall a primary school exam intended to test general knowledge/common sense.
One question was

Which of the following is the odd one out ?

Fox hunt.
Hare coursing.
Whist drive.
Grouse shoot.
Stag hunt.

Was it the Grouse Shoot because in those days it was the only one that switched between "illegal" and "legal" in early August each year?

[TaplowGreen]

There seems to be an assumption here that it was members of the hunt who allowed the dogs to stray on the line. That may well be the case. I don't know. However I am personally aware of an incident near Erlestoke in Wiltshire some five or six years ago when hunt saboteurs deliberately redirected a pack of hunt dogs onto the main Westbury-Pewsey line.

I don't have a great deal of sympathy with those who hunt living creatures for recreational purposes; but ever after that I have nothing but revulsion for the sick individuals who feel it to be necessary to intentionally put the lives of both animals and the travelling public at risk.

Absolutely.

I've seen "animal loving" hunt saboteurs scattering marbles and ball bearings in an attempt to bring down horses.

Saboteurs & huntsmen (those who continue to break the law as opposed to legal drag hunting) are two cheeks of the same arse.

[JayMac]

There seems to be an assumption here that it was members of the hunt who allowed the dogs to stray on the line. That may well be the case. I don't know. However I am personally aware of an incident near Erlestoke in Wiltshire some five or six years ago when hunt saboteurs deliberately redirected a pack of hunt dogs onto the main Westbury-Pewsey line.

I don't have a great deal of sympathy with those who hunt living creatures for recreational purposes; but ever after that I have nothing but revulsion for the sick individuals who feel it to be necessary to intentionally put the lives of both animals and the travelling public at risk.

The Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt would be shouting from the rooftops if there was even the tiniest bit of evidence that Sabs were responsible for the deaths of these dogs.

I too have revulsion for those who endanger the lives of animals and the travelling public. Like the B&SVH failing to control their hounds. Laying deliberately weak trails so that the pack can continue to sniff out foxes. Then blaming the hounds when they do what the hunt have trained them to do. Hunts continue to use captured foxes to train hounds. They continue the barbaric practice of cubbing.

Yes, there are one or two Sabs who go too far in disrupting hunts. But if the hunts weren't acting illegally in the first place there'd be no need for hunt monitoring and disruption to continue.

I find it just a little incredulous that there are these anecdotes of hunt saboteurs acting illegally yet so little evidence and few prosecutions. On the flip side its really easy to find evidence of huntspeople and their supporters acting illegally, and being prosecuted. You'd think that huntspeople would be doing all they can to prove that Sabs are acting illegally.

Oh, and trail hunting and breeding dogs to hunt need banning too.

[broadgage]

For those who insist on hunting, alternatives exist 

Not certain that direct link to the video is appropriate, but here is a news report https://metro.co.uk/2007/08/13/outrage-at-chav-hunting-videos-26824/

In very poor taste, but it made me laugh I am afraid.

[grahame]

I have just seen on local BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) that the new Police and Crime Commissioner elected last August has asked the chief constable to report to him on how the altercations between the hunt and those who want to protest against it which happened just up the road in Lacock a few days ago.

Simple answer - stop the hunt [from going though - or, better, complete ban]

Except it won't be that simple.  The previous PCC^▸ (Police and Crime Commissioner) selection (elected last May, but then stood down because of a previous conviction which disqualified him) was a former master of than hunt, and the new PCC comes from the same political pedigree. I bet they don't come up with my simple answer.

[broadgage]

I suspect that any inquiry will produce two results.
Firstly that further studies are needed, including many consultations and the conducting of surveys.
Secondly, that more money is needed.

[TaplowGreen]

Simple answer - stop the hunt [from going though - or, better, complete ban]

..............not without a full consultation exercise, surely?