BBC News: Teenage boy dies at railway depot

[jon0844]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8192562.stm

A 13-year-old boy has died at a railway maintenance site in Liverpool, after apparently being electrocuted by an overhead power line.

British Transport Police were called to the depot in Allerton at 1700 BST on Sunday after reports that three youths had been seen inside.

Ch Supt Peter Holden said the dead boy had climbed on top of a disused train. The others had both suffered burns.

Officers are now investigating how the youths gained access to the site.

The scene has been cordoned off while the investigation is carried out and the boy's family have been informed.

Sympathy? I'm struggling to find any.

 

[Ilove165's]

Good.

One less chav to think about...

 

[Turbostar]

Likewise, they knew what they were doing, they only got themselves to blame, one decided to go that bit further & show off to his mates, & ultimately paid the price with his life.

 

[Mintona]

Whilst it is obviously a tragic accident, you have to question their motives. Why were they inside the depot?

 

[Dai.]

People should learn that they are not toys and can kill.

I don't think I will halt my actions for a one minute silence.

 

[jon0844]

I think I mustered up a five second smirk.. Is that wrong?

 

[support-uk-rail]

Whilst it is most sad that a youngster has died, these youths are more or less soley to blame. It is a fenced off area obviously, and a large freight depot. There will have been fences around the perimenter with No Trespassing notices in accordance with UK health and safety laws. These are here for a reason, and this is an example of what happens if you don't obide. However, even without that safety lot, how can you predict trains are safe to muck about on? It's SIMPLE COMMON SENSE. I do, however, think that this 13-year-old may not have known the that overhead lines cause electrocution, but nontheless, there are notices on locomotives, wagons and throughout any rail depot. Even without the electricity, it's still bloody dangerous.

It isn't a tragedy, it's an accident, but youngsters like this do nobody, especially themselves any help. Obide by safety notices and use common sense. The one thing that would really **** me off is if one of the parents goes crying to the media about how her son was killed due to a lack of responsibilty by the rail operators etc - because NONE OF THIS is to blame on anyone in the rail circle here - it is a safe operation if you dont cross the literal trespassing line and the metaphorical stupidity line.

I am 15; and whilst I know a bit about trains anyway, I would never dream of risking my life and other lives in this way. All my friends are 13-16 and most of them don't have a clue about railway lines, but they know not to **** around on them - it's just common sense!

Well, there's my rant over

 

[37401]

the warning signs are there for a reason, there really should be adverts and clips ect to show the dangers of railways as tresspass in the holidays is always an issue

 

[Ferret]

I really hope we aren't subjected to the tear-filled press conference where it's all the fault of the railway and how they're gonna sue for kompensayshun (on legal aid of course!)...

Not wishing to sound insensitive but at 13 you know full well that a railway is a dangerous place and you mess about on it at your peril...

 

[robertclark125]

I'll repeat my statement that I've repeated before. When will idiots who treat the railways like a playground ever learn?

 

[The Snap]

Kids go into depots to mess around and 'explore'. You can imagine the kinds of things you would find in a depot of that size! I’d say that was their motive...

Still, they shouldn't have been there and one has paid the ultimate price for his actions.

 

[Mintona]

40-50 years ago, it was the norm for younger enthusiasts to wander into depots and take down numbers of everything they could see, usually without permission and usually ending up being chased away by the foreman.

I bet they would have got a lot more sympathy if something had happened.

And I don't know Allerton depot at all. But is it the norm to have the electricity current switched on above a "disused" train?

 

[generalvegitable]

turning that off would probably isolate the whole depot and mabey some of the running lines near it

 

[The Snap]

40-50 years ago, it was the norm for younger enthusiasts to wander into depots and take down numbers of everything they could see, usually without permission and usually ending up being chased away by the foreman.

I bet they would have got a lot more sympathy if something had happened.?

Indeed they would, perhaps because they were not deemed to be up to no good.

And I don't know Allerton depot at all. But is it the norm to have the electricity current switched on above a "disused" train?

An interesting point. Surely the current would be switched off above disused stock...what is the point in having it on if the stock is not in use, and hasn't been for some time?

turning that off would probably isolate the whole depot and mabey some of the running lines near it

You're telling me that in this day and age of superior technology, it is not possible to isolate parts of the wiring in a depot?

 

[krus_aragon]

And I don't know Allerton depot at all. But is it the norm to have the electricity current switched on above a "disused" train?

Could the disused train be on a siding the near end of which is still used for off-duty stock?

 

[generalvegitable]

You're telling me that in this day and age of superior technology, it is not possible to isolate parts of the wiring in a depot?

I'm not familiar with depots, I'm only 2 years older than the prat that got killed in one

 

[First class]

For anyone unaware of the problems Allerton depot faces, it's main one is vandalism. The state of the wagons there is appalling.

Very likely to be the reason they were there.

Secondly, with regards to isolation, the entire area is conked out if Allerton requests a shut down. The idea is that they could end up on the mainline/another part of the site if they decide to venture further afield.

 

[The Snap]

I'm not familiar with depots, I'm only 2 years older than the prat that got killed in one

I wasn't having a go or anything mate, just asking generally whether it was possible for wiring to be isolated in blocks.

 

[generalvegitable]

I would have to ask a depot worker but I think it might be possible to isolate sidings but prob not sections of sidings

 

[tony_mac]

I think I mustered up a five second smirk.. Is that wrong?

Well, I think that's pretty sick.

Do you laugh when you pass a fatal motorcycle accident? Is it really funny when a smoker dies of lung cancer?

They may have been up to no good and entirely to blame, but we are still talking about a child dying; I don't find that a reasonable topic for amusement.

 

[Metroland]

I would have to ask a depot worker but I think it might be possible to isolate sidings but prob not sections of sidings

It is yes, most sections of track can be manually isolation with permission from the electrical controller. If you have a look at any OHL railway, you will see switches by the side of the track on the OHL stanchions.

 

[Bayum]

I can't believe to be honest how sick some of you guys on here are.

Regardless of what happened - he's still died.

Your all the same. Some suicidal person causes some delays - your all quick to criticise and be nasty about them - just because they did something to the railway, or caused distress to the driver.

Fair enough, the kids were probably going to do something... But still. He's not even finished high school, he's dead - and none of you have any sympathy for him...

It's disgusting.

 

[jon0844]

Did any of us know him? If someone wants to do something so stupid that it ends up with them dead, then how can we suddenly be sad?

Should we be treating him like Jade Goody or Princess Diana and calling for a national day of mourning? The 'grief porn' that people get off on for famous people is what's sick.

I bet many other people died on the same day, many of whom you might actually have a reason to be sad for - but it's not for us to be sad when we don't know them.

 

[Bayum]

So, instead you all throw comments about??

"oh, he was there doing no good, it's his own fault?"


Hardly...

You don't wish that on another human being, regardless of what they were doing...

Might as well bring back capital punishment for petty crimes such as theft...

 

[generalvegitable]

I can't believe to be honest how sick some of you guys on here are.

Regardless of what happened - he's still died.

Your all the same. Some suicidal person causes some delays - your all quick to criticise and be nasty about them - just because they did something to the railway, or caused distress to the driver.

Fair enough, the kids were probably going to do something... But still. He's not even finished high school, he's dead - and none of you have any sympathy for him...

It's disgusting.

well he shouldn't have been in the depot, he would have known the risks its his fault, he should know the dangers. you wouldn't climb on top of a train in a depot would you, especially if there are overhead lines that carry high voltage AC current? well this idiot did, it was his fault no sympathy from us

 

[Bayum]

well he shouldn't have been in the depot, he would have known the risks its his fault, he should know the dangers. you wouldn't climb on top of a train in a depot would you, especially if there are overhead lines that carry high voltage AC current? well this idiot did, it was his fault no sympathy from us

Your just all sick...

If it was a family member or someone close to you, you wouldn't be saying that. And regardless, you shouldn't be saying it about another person - like I said before.

 

[generalvegitable]

you would be suprised

 

[ukrob]

So, instead you all throw comments about??

"oh, he was there doing no good, it's his own fault?"


Hardly...

You don't wish that on another human being, regardless of what they were doing...

Might as well bring back capital punishment for petty crimes such as theft...

Nobody has wished it on him.

But the FACT remains that it was his own fault. He was breaking the law by trespassing and that is ultimately why he died.

 

[Bayum]

Nobody has wished it on him.

But the FACT remains that it was his own fault. He was breaking the law by trespassing and that is ultimately why he died.

I dont mind people saying "he shouldn't have been there - now he's dead" type thing.

it's when they turn around and they're like, "serves him right - he shouldn't have been there in the first place" or "one less chav now then"

Regardless, people shouldn't be making comments like that

 

[tony_mac]

Nobody has wished it on him.

That's not entirely true, though, is it?

Good.
One less chav to think about...

But the FACT remains that it was his own fault. He was breaking the law by trespassing and that is ultimately why he died.

Yes, absolutely, it seems that it was his own fault.

That, to me, still doesn't make it 'good' or funny. Many people contribute in some way to their own deaths, that doesn't mean that it is something to rejoice over or laugh about.