Trespassing on the tracks: what are the rules, and what were the rules?

[concerned1]

yesterday I saw two youthes crouched down low beside the down fast, in some undergrowth, clearly not wanting to be seen as I hurtled passed on a Avanti service. This was between Cheddington and Leighton Buzzard, a high-speed, stretch and in broad daylight. I assume if the driver had seen these two, he would have been compelled to contact control and all services would then have had to go slow between those two stations for the next hour or so, until it could be established the trespasses had been escorted off the line?

This made me think, what are the rules and what were the rules?

I remember travelling into Birmingham New Street in the early 90s and you would regularly see graffiti artists/trespassers in the tunnels and the drivers just used to hoot at them angrily. I don’t recall the lines getting closed

In days gone by when health and safety was less of a concern crossing the tracks even when footbridges were present was tacitly accepted both around stations and outside them by pax and staff. This still goes on on the West Highland line, and on many quieter branches with walkers (I saw a passenger run across the tracks at Hammerton a few years ago - nothing happened to him, indeed he went on to board the train) and I saw a whole family crossover the rails with bikes rather than using the footbridge at Beaulieu Road in 2019.

And whenever kettles are about the authorities seem to turn a blind eye towards photographers, getting onto the embankment etc and the lines are not closed as a result of this.

So is there a certain amount of common sense and judgement applied towards trespassesers on the track, i.e. if it’s obvious they know what they’re doing and are not about to jump in front of a train no matter how nefarious their activities, authorities, turn a blind eye? Or is there a one size fits all approach, and if they are noticed, no matter what they are doing procedures are followed?

 

[Urban Gateline]

In days gone by when health and safety was less of a concern crossing the tracks even when footbridges were present was tacitly accepted both around stations and outside them by pax and staff. This still goes on on the West Highland line, and on many quieter branches with walkers (I saw a passenger run across the tracks at Hammerton a few years ago - nothing happened to him, indeed he went on to board the train) and I saw a whole family crossover the rails with bikes rather than using the footbridge at Beaulieu Road in 2019.

And whenever kettles are about the authorities seem to turn a blind eye towards photographers, getting onto the embankment etc and the lines are not closed as a result of this.

So is there a certain amount of common sense and judgement applied towards trespassesers on the track, i.e. if it’s obvious they know what they’re doing and are not about to jump in front of a train no matter how nefarious their activities, authorities, turn a blind eye? Or is there a one size fits all approach, and if they are noticed, no matter what they are doing procedures are followed?

Certainly no blind eyes turned nowadays, granted a lot of it will go on unseen, but as Railway staff we are duty bound to report any instances we see, certainly can't ignore it as the consequences can be devastating. People may think they know what they are doing, but when you involve unstable ballast, slippery sleepers and often third rail in places it can be quite dangerous (Beaulieu Rd is third rail so to hear a family trespassing across with Bikes is idiotic)

Trains are put at caution and lines have been blocked, yes even for steam charters that is no different, same consistent procedure across the industry, safety first.

 

[Sheffcaster202]

Common issue on some of the routes I work, generally we get held at signal before the affected area for driver to contact signaller, then proceed at caution to next signal (can be several signals along at a known clear area) where driver will report back to signaller with any findings

If driver or guard see someone they will contact the signaller for the area (guard usually confers with driver too) and report their sighting, best location given (proximity to signal, bridges, m/c from station or other landmark, line name etc) Network rail will dispatch a MOM and BTP, unfortunately and fortunately, the trespassers are usually long gone by this point

Not a personal experience but I can recall 2 occasions where a train running at caution has stopped and picked up the trespassers (one being on a single line viaduct)
I did however witness a man shouting to me to wait at a station recently, he then jump off the platform onto up/down main lines and climb up on to the next platform, as he stood up and was dusting his knees off a XC express shot through behind him, 3-4 seconds later and he’d have been done for

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In the 1970s I would regularly walk miles along the track and bunk round depots etc.

 

[SussexSeagull]

When I was at middle school in the 80s, what I assumed was a retired railman used to visit every couple of years and teach us rail safety including not trespassing on tracks. In fact it was split into two and the older kids got a more graphic presentation. Sadly it didn't stop a kid in my class being fatally electrocuted just by the bridge between Durrington and West Worthing stations, coincidentally about half a mile from where the driver was hit by a train some 40 years later.

Does the rail industry still have a school outreach programme?

On a lighter note he used to also show some slides of old stream trains and trains from around the world. Didn't quite appreciate it at the time but he could have been a minor celebrity on Railforums doing the same today!

 

[Surreytraveller]

I assume if the driver had seen these two, he would have been compelled to contact control and all services would then have had to go slow between those two stations

The driver would contract the signaller rather than control.

 

[D6975]

Many years ago on a trip to Ireland, I got off a 121 hauled pushpull set at Drogheda. To my amazement, about a dozen pax who had got off the train walked off the end of the platform and walked across the railway bridge across the Boyne. The staff did nothing at all, indicating that this was probably quite normal at the time..

 

[Deepgreen]

The issue becomes more tightly controlled all the time. No blind eyes are turned - quite the opposite. It doesn't always involve feet on the ground either - I left this young man listening to headphones at Dorking Deepdene in no doubt as to his future behaviour! :

 

[Jimini]

The issue becomes more tightly controlled all the time. No blind eyes are turned - quite the opposite. It doesn't always involve feet on the ground either - I left this young man listening to headphones at Dorking Deepdene in no doubt as to his future behaviour! :

Crivens!

 

[Dr_Paul]

Do railway staff base their responses to the type of trespass? A family crossing the line rather than using the bridge will be off the track within a minute or so, whilst kids lurking in the undergrowth might be up to something dangerous, such as having left an obstruction on the track and seeing what would happen. A case I recall was at New Malden a few years back, when all services were stopped because a bloke walked off the platform end and went up the trackside towards Raynes Park (when I arrived on the platform, I could see him by the A3 overbridge, several hundred yards up the line). Presumably, as his intentions were unclear, everything was brought to a halt because of the possibility of his jumping under a train or something like that.

 

[43066]

Do railway staff base their responses to the type of trespass? A family crossing the line rather than using the bridge will be off the track within a minute or so, whilst kids lurking in the undergrowth might be up to something dangerous, such as having left an obstruction on the track and seeing what would happen. A case I recall was at New Malden a few years back, when all services were stopped because a bloke walked off the platform end and went up the trackside towards Raynes Park (when I arrived on the platform, I could see him by the A3 overbridge, several hundred yards up the line). Presumably, as his intentions were unclear, everything was brought to a halt because of the possibility of his jumping under a train or something like that.

Yes. I once leant out of the cab and asked someone cutting a hedge to move back to the correct side of his garden fence and off the railway embankment.

I had been cautioned and expected to see him, but didn’t expect him to be close enough to speak to!

To be honest I’ve seen people doing that a few times, and I generally pretend I haven’t seen it if they’re nowhere near the tracks. They tend to get reported sooner or later.

 

[Gloster]

Back in the early 1980s it was stop the trains at the most convenient signal or box, caution the drivers and let them go. You didn’t get the PW or management out unless it looked like being a long-term problem (I had someone putting up a tent once) as you didn’t want to wreck the service just for some clown taking a shortcut. Calling the police was not really considered unless the trespassers wouldn’t budge: the BTP would take hours and the local constabulary were as much of a problem as the trespassers.

To be honest there was still a bit of an attitude that if the trespasser got hurt it was their own silly fault for being where they blatty obviously shouldn’t have been. However, we didn’t want the bother of clearing up the (possibly literal) mess.

 

[Western 52]

In many countries, railways are unfenced, and can be easily accessed by anyone who is so inclined. Presumably a different attitude and response to trespass than in the UK?

 

[Annetts key]

Do railway staff base their responses to the type of trespass? A family crossing the line rather than using the bridge will be off the track within a minute or so, whilst kids lurking in the undergrowth might be up to something dangerous, such as having left an obstruction on the track and seeing what would happen. A case I recall was at New Malden a few years back, when all services were stopped because a bloke walked off the platform end and went up the trackside towards Raynes Park (when I arrived on the platform, I could see him by the A3 overbridge, several hundred yards up the line). Presumably, as his intentions were unclear, everything was brought to a halt because of the possibility of his jumping under a train or something like that.

You also have to consider that who sees the trespasser may not be in a position to observe them for any length of time. Hence may not be able to tell what their intentions may be.

Hence if there is any possibility of injury or a risk to trains, most railway employees will report it. Trains will then be stopped, and the signaller may then advise the drivers of the situation. Drivers will likely be asked to look out for any signs of the trespasser(s) and report back.

If the trespasser(s) are still on railway property, it’s very likely that staff (MOM, P.Way, maybe others) will be asked to attend. If only to investigate if they are still present. And to check the fences in the area.

 

[Bensonby]

When I was at middle school in the 80s, what I assumed was a retired railman used to visit every couple of years and teach us rail safety including not trespassing on tracks. In fact it was split into two and the older kids got a more graphic presentation. Sadly it didn't stop a kid in my class being fatally electrocuted just by the bridge between Durrington and West Worthing stations, coincidentally about half a mile from where the driver was hit by a train some 40 years later.

Does the rail industry still have a school outreach programme?

On a lighter note he used to also show some slides of old stream trains and trains from around the world. Didn't quite appreciate it at the time but he could have been a minor celebrity on Railforums doing the same today!

I remember being shown “Robbie” in primary school in the 1990s. I seem to recall it was a third rail version, but the two versions I can find on YouTube are of a diesel and one with OHLE. The BR chap also brought with him thick pieces of electrical cable to show how much bigger they were than household cabling and how much more dangerous they were. Quite impactful that I can vividly remember 30 years on! I seem to recall the video being quite graphic (for a seven year old).

I’d be interested to know if such schemes still operate.

 

[zwk500]

I’d be interested to know if such schemes still operate.

Yep, although tactics have shifted as young people are more and more active online now. NR produce lots of videos around trespass and railway misuse, and (from various railway employee twitter accounts) they appear to be still doing school visits around the place.

 

[The Puddock]

I remember being shown “Robbie” in primary school in the 1990s. I seem to recall it was a third rail version, but the two versions I can find on YouTube are of a diesel and one with OHLE. The BR chap also brought with him thick pieces of electrical cable to show how much bigger they were than household cabling and how much more dangerous they were. Quite impactful that I can vividly remember 30 years on! I seem to recall the video being quite graphic (for a seven year old).

I’d be interested to know if such schemes still operate.

Yes school visits still happen regularly for both primary and secondary children, carried out by British Transport Police and Network Rail. They do lots of proactive school visits when lines are being newly electrified too. They also organise free community activity schemes in high risk areas during the school holidays (like running football academies etc…) to try to give the kids something to do and keep them off the railway.

Here are a few recent trespass films for young people that Network Rail has produced but there are more -

 

[Bensonby]

Thanks for the replies! Good to hear.

 

[notverydeep]

The UK railway network is very unusual compared to those elsewhere in Europe and across the world in that, it is fully separated by fencing with access to track only at specific crossings. The consequent degree of effort taken to keep people out is also unusual across the world. In almost all other countries railways are often not fenced off in rural areas, even where trains can travel at significant speeds. In many countries, railways act as informal footpaths and in some, you would see motorcycles more often than trains. Even the concept of being a trespasser on railway infrastructure wouldn’t be understood in many places…

It is an interesting question, whether the UK has a better safety record in terms of injuries or deaths to non-employees on the track with its ‘keep out’ approach, compared to other nations ‘Green Cross Code for railways’ approach.

 

[zwk500]

The UK railway network is very unusual compared to those elsewhere in Europe and across the world in that, it is fully separated by fencing with access to track only at specific crossings. The consequent degree of effort taken to keep people out is also unusual across the world. In almost all other countries railways are often not fenced off in rural areas, even where trains can travel at significant speeds. In many countries, railways act as informal footpaths and in some, you would see motorcycles more often than trains. Even the concept of being a trespasser on railway infrastructure wouldn’t be understood in many places…

I think this is conflating several very different safety cultures. There is less fencing in Europe but by no means is all of it unfenced. Level crossings are fully protected and trains stop for trespassers just as they do in the UK.
In a global context, where fences exist they may be in poor repair, or there is a culture of using the railway for personal means and the legal process to dissuade people is weak at best. But this is in a safety culture where 'train surfing' is just a regular thing rather than anti-social behaviour and many animals roam pretty freely, with little in the way of fences or hedges to constrain them so the local population just has to deal with it.

I don't know about safety but remember the original purpose of fencing the railway in the UK was not so much preventing things getting onto the railway as it was stopping livestock getting out of their fields.

 

[danm14]

Many years ago on a trip to Ireland, I got off a 121 hauled pushpull set at Drogheda. To my amazement, about a dozen pax who had got off the train walked off the end of the platform and walked across the railway bridge across the Boyne. The staff did nothing at all, indicating that this was probably quite normal at the time..

I have no idea if that still goes on, but to put it in context it's about a mile and a quarter's walk through the town centre by road (and it was about 400 yards further before the construction of the Scotch Hall Shopping Centre and its associated footbridge in the mid-2000s) - compared to around 400 yards along the railway

 

[Falcon1200]

Yes school visits still happen regularly for both primary and secondary children, carried out by British Transport Police and Network Rail.

I have seen Network Rail stands at model railway shows, with the staff handing out freebies while asking children about rail safety.

 

[Stigy]

Staff response varies from incident to incident too it’s worth noting. Although technically every incident of trespass is an emergency, an element of common sense is usually used to determine how it’s reported. For example, if someone crosses the tracks and are leaving the railway, is there any point in stopping train movements? However, if there’s kids playing on the track who are in immediate danger, naturally it’s a higher priority.

 

[Mainline421]

There is less fencing in Europe but by no means is all of it unfenced. Level crossings are fully protected and trains stop for trespassers just as they do in the UK.

You can't refer to Europe as one entity here, but across much (most?) of the continent, all that happens if someone is on the track is the driver sounding the horn, not even that if the train is stationary.

 

[GodAtum]

I think this is conflating several very different safety cultures. There is less fencing in Europe but by no means is all of it unfenced. Level crossings are fully protected and trains stop for trespassers just as they do in the UK.
In a global context, where fences exist they may be in poor repair, or there is a culture of using the railway for personal means and the legal process to dissuade people is weak at best. But this is in a safety culture where 'train surfing' is just a regular thing rather than anti-social behaviour and many animals roam pretty freely, with little in the way of fences or hedges to constrain them so the local population just has to deal with it.

I don't know about safety but remember the original purpose of fencing the railway in the UK was not so much preventing things getting onto the railway as it was stopping livestock getting out of their fields.

I'm pretty sure in the USA, even with the huge suing culture way more then here, most railways aren't fenced off?

 

[eldomtom2]

I'm pretty sure in the USA, even with the huge suing culture way more then here, most railways aren't fenced off?

The culture in the US around rail safety is very different. Even the death of a worker is likely to be met with an under ten page report saying they should have followed the rules.

 

[Krokodil]

I don't know about safety but remember the original purpose of fencing the railway in the UK was not so much preventing things getting onto the railway as it was stopping livestock getting out of their fields.

The UK is fairly unusual for having so much enclosed farmland. Across most of the world farmland is often open with no physical boundary structure, livestock being contained with just electric fences, if anything.

 

[scrapy]

Staff response varies from incident to incident too it’s worth noting. Although technically every incident of trespass is an emergency, an element of common sense is usually used to determine how it’s reported. For example, if someone crosses the tracks and are leaving the railway, is there any point in stopping train movements? However, if there’s kids playing on the track who are in immediate danger, naturally it’s a higher priority.

All instances should be reported to the signaller even if the person has left the railway (the fact that they've left the railway should also be reported). It's up to the signaller how the incident is dealt with with it not the person who sighted it, even if they take no further action at the time, it allows information to be gathered about where trespass incidents are occurring and how to deal with them in the future (eg better fences, CCTV etc)

 

[DaventryRabbit]

I've witnessed a cyclist clamber down, run across and clamber up again at Aslockton. He was stranded on the wrong side for Nottingham with no footbridge and the LC Barriers down.
He avoided the oncoming 158 (which was slowing to stop anyway) by about 5 seconds. The Driver shouted at him from the cab as he passed (having obvs sounded the horn first!) and indeed got off to speak to the guard on the platform. Both of them spoke to this guy at length about it and he ended up traveling. I thought they might call BTP to met him off the train at Nottm but I watched as he just walked off...

 

[railfan99]

The UK is fairly unusual for having so much enclosed farmland. Across most of the world farmland is often open with no physical boundary structure, livestock being contained with just electric fences, if anything.

I don't understand your point. Apologies for being 'thick', but electric (or plain wire) fences are a physical boundary.

On the east coast of my continent, it's normal (apart from areas in the outback such as western Queensland, or extreme western NSW) to have paddocks (our word for 'fields') separated by fences. A livestock farmer, vegetable/fruit grower or a graingrower knows where his or her land ends and the neighbour's begins, and separates paddocks to aid in crop (and fallow) rotation.