Currently on the 8.07 from Guildford. After leaving Effingham Junction the driver saw three people beside the railway line so stopped the train and informed the signalman. Power to the line now switched off.
Turns out they are asylum seekers likely to have come from a neat by lorry park on the M25. The guard said they don't speak a word of English but know the word asylum.
Now waiting for the police to arrive as the driver didn't want to try and get them onto the train without back up. Fair enough. Would you want to do that in his and the guards shoes?
Of course there is no easy road access to here. There is a farm they could access but would still have to climb up over a fence and up a bank.
Police not near by either but they can't be everywhere.
Unfortunately as it's a 455, I can't stick my head or camera out the side of the window to see what is happening. No advantage of older rolling stock.
We should have been at Cobham and Stoke D'Abernon at 8.27. Now 9.06.
People have been removed from the tracks so power will shortly be restored. Only be just over 30 minutes late. They can't cancel any stops really as this train runs fast from Surbiton as it is and I can't see them cancelling stops before Surbiton, as the next train, the 8.36 was diverted via Epsom as a result of this.
Turns out they are asylum seekers likely to have come from a neat by lorry park on the M25. The guard said they don't speak a word of English but know the word asylum.
Now waiting for the police to arrive as the driver didn't want to try and get them onto the train without back up. Fair enough. Would you want to do that in his and the guards shoes?
Of course there is no easy road access to here. There is a farm they could access but would still have to climb up over a fence and up a bank.
Police not near by either but they can't be everywhere.
Unfortunately as it's a 455, I can't stick my head or camera out the side of the window to see what is happening. No advantage of older rolling stock.
We should have been at Cobham and Stoke D'Abernon at 8.27. Now 9.06.
People have been removed from the tracks so power will shortly be restored. Only be just over 30 minutes late. They can't cancel any stops really as this train runs fast from Surbiton as it is and I can't see them cancelling stops before Surbiton, as the next train, the 8.36 was diverted via Epsom as a result of this.
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