Arrest after 'man gets into train driver's cab'

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

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

Arrest after 'man gets into train driver's cab'

British Transport Police were first called to Totnes railway station   Image copyright Google Image caption

A man has been arrested after police were told someone entered the driver's cab of an overnight train.

British Transport Police said they were called to Totnes station in Devon at 05:45 GMT after reports of an incident on the London-Penzance sleeper.

A man was also alleged to have climbed out of a train window and on to tracks before reboarding the service, which carried on, officers said.

A 51-year-old from Canterbury was arrested later in Plymouth.

Officers said the man got back on the train and staff kept him onboard until it arrived in Plymouth. He was arrested on suspicion of obstructing the railway.

British Transport Police said: "At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest any threats were made towards the driver or other passengers during the incident.

"We would like to stress that, at this time, this appears to be an isolated incident rather than part of any wider threat to the rail network."

[TaplowGreen]

...............and how on Earth did he get access to the driver's cab?

[ChrisB]

Suspect the driver allowed this to happen to clear him off the rails. The driver wouldn't have continued if there was any kind of danger to crew/passengers? If the driver was under threat of harm, surely the report from the police would have ben different?

[chrisr_75]

...............and how on Earth did he get access to the driver's cab?

Through the door perhaps? 

[lordgoata]

Bit of a coincidence - couple of weeks ago on one of the turbos i was sitting up front by the cab. Someone came wandering through the train and started pulling at the cab door. He was dancing around like he needed the loo, and then got off when the train arrived at Reading. I am sure he thought it was the door to the toilet!

[LiskeardRich]

As it was a sleeper, it isn't possible to accidently wonder into the driving cab, so a deliberate attempt to enter the cab. Cant accidently confuse a 57 for a coach.

Someone exiting through the window does make me wonder whether drink or drugs were involved.

[TaplowGreen]

...............and how on Earth did he get access to the driver's cab?

Through the door perhaps? 

In the current climate of raised security and terrorist threats, I'm not sure I'd be treating this as matter for laughter, you will recall how terrorists got control of the planes on 9/11?

Why was the cab not secured? Presumably the driver can lock it?

[chrisr_75]

...............and how on Earth did he get access to the driver's cab?

Through the door perhaps? 

In the current climate of raised security and terrorist threats, I'm not sure I'd be treating this as matter for laughter, you will recall how terrorists got control of the planes on 9/11?

Why was the cab not secured? Presumably the driver can lock it?

Yep, they stabbed a few people and forced entry. Want to get into a locked train cab? Break a window, maybe stab/shoot/etc a member of staff and steal his/her keys.

I'm not sure if they can be locked from inside, but I doubt many drivers would bother - you often see trains with manual cab doors running about with a door open during the warmer months for some extra ventilation.

You may now have your sense of humour re-attached.

[broadgage]

Whilst we do not know what happened, I have a strong suspicion that either the driver was in the cab and had not locked the cab door, or had briefly left the cab and had omitted to lock the door.

IME^▸ (in my experience), drivers are careful to lock the cab door when in bad or potentially dodgy areas, but don't always bother in places, or at times of day that they judge to be low risk.

 This case appears to involve a lone person perhaps with mental health issues, or possibly affected by drink or drugs, and does not appear to have been any serious threat to the crew, passengers or train.
However in todays troubled world, there is always the chance that terrorists might seek to take over a train with most serious results.

I therefore urge that train drivers (and others with legitimated access to the driving cab) should be more vigilant than in the past. A terrorist attempting to take over a train would probably prefer an apparently low risk time and place.

I appreciate that driving a train is more complex than it may seem, and that various safety devices have to operated correctly or isolated. This should not give a false sense of security, remember that the membership of a large terrorist group might include an experienced train driver. They only need one.

[chrisr_75]

...............and how on Earth did he get access to the driver's cab?

Through the door perhaps? 

In the current climate of raised security and terrorist threats

My understanding is that the threat level for the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) has not changed, despite recent events, since 29th August 2014.

[chrisr_75]

Whilst we do not know what happened, I have a strong suspicion that either the driver was in the cab and had not locked the cab door, or had briefly left the cab and had omitted to lock the door.

IME^▸ (in my experience), drivers are careful to lock the cab door when in bad or potentially dodgy areas, but don't always bother in places, or at times of day that they judge to be low risk.

 This case appears to involve a lone person perhaps with mental health issues, or possibly affected by drink or drugs, and does not appear to have been any serious threat to the crew, passengers or train.
However in todays troubled world, there is always the chance that terrorists might seek to take over a train with most serious results.

I therefore urge that train drivers (and others with legitimated access to the driving cab) should be more vigilant than in the past. A terrorist attempting to take over a train would probably prefer an apparently low risk time and place.

I appreciate that driving a train is more complex than it may seem, and that various safety devices have to operated correctly or isolated. This should not give a false sense of security, remember that the membership of a large terrorist group might include an experienced train driver. They only need one.

I think we've seen a clear change in the modus operandi of these groups, beginning with the Mumbai attacks. Previously mass transit appeared to be the preferred target (a particular favourite of the so called Al Qaeda). Now they seem to have moved on to large groups of people targeted by guns, suicide bombs and knives.

I seriously doubt the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ sleeper train is terribly interesting to these people! I think you'll find this incident was a p!ssed person simply being a complete and utter tool!

[TaplowGreen]

...............and how on Earth did he get access to the driver's cab?

Through the door perhaps? 

In the current climate of raised security and terrorist threats

My understanding is that the threat level for the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) has not changed, despite recent events, since 29th August 2014.

Yep, it's severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, so in other words, keep the bloody doors locked!

Broadgage you have got it absolutely right.

[a-driver]

Locking the cab door whilst present in the driving cab of a train is downright dangerous to the driver. It's our only means of escape in the event of an emergency.

[JayMac]

I did wonder what drivers would think of the suggestion. Thanks for clarifying a-driver.

I was a bit surprised how quickly this thread escalated to 'terrorist threat' when there was zero evidence. 

[broadgage]

I did wonder what drivers would think of the suggestion. Thanks for clarifying a-driver.

I was a bit surprised how quickly this thread escalated to 'terrorist threat' when there was zero evidence. 

I for one never suggested that this episode was a terrorist incident or threat, indeed I stated that it appeared to be one person under the influence of drink or drugs, or with mental health issues.

However it is beyond doubt that an unauthorised person DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) get access to the driving cab, and thoughts naturally turned to the potentially very serious consequences if a terrorist got access with the same apparent ease.