Rochford 'filthy rail line has tomatoes growing on it'

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Rochford 'filthy rail line has tomatoes growing on it'


The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union said one of its members took the photo of tomatoes growing on a rail track in Essex

Tomatoes are growing next to a railway line that is strewn with human waste, a transport union claims.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) said a member took the picture of the flourishing plant on the line at Rochford, Essex.

It said it has grown on a stretch of track "notorious" for the amount of human waste dumped from trains.

A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group said it took the issue "seriously" and was addressing the problem.

The photo was taken on a section of line between Southend and London's Liverpool Street station.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Tonnes of human excrement are being dumped straight on the tracks while the private train companies make huge profits and the government does nothing. Not only does this create filthy and dangerous working conditions for rail staff... but it also shows that the government is prepared to tolerate this scandal."

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies, freight operators and Network Rail, said: "The rail industry takes this issue, and feedback from customers and staff very seriously and understands that it can be very unpleasant for track workers. Investment in new rolling stock since the mid-1990s means the majority of trains do not have to discharge waste onto tracks, and we continue to find ways to modify older vehicles. The minority, which do not have toilet tanks fitted, will reduce further as new trains are introduced."

BBC Essex gardening expert Dave Gillam said tomato plants could germinate from seeds found in human excrement. "Quite often it is the case where seeds have a casing where they can pass through the digestive systems of animals and humans," he said. "When grown commercially tomatoes are not in soil - they are quite capable of growing with water alone and the drainage and aggregate of the track would help."

Ah, lovely: organically grown tomatoes. 

[Electric train]

Nothing new in this, used to be very common.  It BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) days it showed they used real tomato's in the sandwiches 

[John R]

Clearly NR^» (Network Rail - home page) needs to ketchup with its weedkilling.

[Red Squirrel]

Mick Cash seems to add the suffix '...while the private train companies make huge profits and the government does nothing' to every utterance he makes.

Scene: The Cash household, evening.

Mrs Cash: "Would you like a cup of tea dear?"

Mick: "Yes please, while the private train companies make huge profits and the government does nothing".

Mrs Cash: "Fresh tomato sandwich?"

[Henry]

 We have two crops at Totnes.  One crop on the Upside, conveniently by the Signal Box Cafe.

 Also a crop of what looks like the 'plum type tomatoe', on the downside by the railway bridge.

 

[LiskeardRich]

And to think I can't make the things grow in my garden doing it all properly.

[TaplowGreen]

..........a few more leaves on the line and you've got a whole salad!

[thetrout]

Wrong topic CfN. Rochford is in the East, East Anglia/Essex to be precise

In all seriousness however. Where their ever any complaints from Unions when the trains were first built like this to flush the excrement onto the track? So why now all the hype? Toilet Waste has been flushed onto the trains for years. It's not something I am in 100% agreement with. But personally think it was a rather genius solution considering the day and age it was first thought of.

Although I am minded of Jimmy Carr: "We live in the 21st Century and we're still crapping on the track!"

[Chris from Nailsea]

Wrong topic CfN. Rochford is in the East, East Anglia/Essex to be precise

Thank you, young trout: I know exactly where Rochford is. 

I was merely trying to place this topic on the most appropriate board on the Coffee Shop forum: it concerns an issue which is actually relevant to the railways 'across the west', but it's not part of 'the wider picture', which covers non-train-related subjects.

Of course, I could have posted it in 'campaigns for new and improved services', in view of some people having difficulty in growing such plants in their own gardens without the benefit of any such 'organic' material ... 

[LiskeardRich]

Of course, I could have posted it in 'campaigns for new and improved services', in view of some people having difficulty in growing such plants in their own gardens without the benefit of any such 'organic' material ... 

I've tried material of horse variety and cow variety to no avail. Greenhouse with a heater, greenhouse without a heater. Different varieties of tomatoes.

I've now given up and swapped greenhouse for a second shed!

Maybe a gardening board would be the place for it....

[stuving]

Maybe a gardening board would be the place for it....

What's that - very absorbent MDF impregnated with fertiliser?