Disruption between Carlisle and Lockerbie - Attempted robbery of Mail train (01/08/2023)

[glasgowniteowl]

The WCML is currently closed between Carlisle and Lockerbie due to a robbery attempt on the Royal mail train

Signalling system has been sabotaged and several trains at a stand at the locus

Update
All cleared up now

 

[800001]

The WCML is currently closed between Carlisle and Lockerbie due to a robbery attempt on the Royal mail train

Signalling system has been sabotaged and several trains at a stand at the locus

Update
All cleared up now

2 suspects arrested by police, found on the train!

 

[Brush 4]

The Not Very Great Train Robbery......

 

[duncanp]

Some delays between Glasgow and London according to Avanti

I suppose 55 minutes late is better than cancelling the service completely.

04:28 Glasgow Central to London Euston due 09:14 will no longer call at Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District.
It has been delayed at Glasgow Central and is now 55 minutes late.
This is due to vandalism of railway equipment earlier today.
Catering is reduced no first class service available on this train. .

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The Not Very Great Train Robbery......

Almost 60 years now since the (slightly better known) one that took place in Buckinghamshire.

 

[duncanp]

Almost 60 years now since the (slightly better known) one that took place in Buckinghamshire.

With the memorable spoof film The Great St Trinians Train Robbery three years later.

 

[Guard86]

It happened.

 

[Cowley]

Spoof Fake.
Look at glasgowniteowl thread details. Its been previously edited anyway. For starters it states in title ' 1/8/2033' [so thats 10 years into future] , second time stamp is 04h39 so someone is clearly on 3rd bottle of red wine at just gone 4-30 in morning !!
And its a week early from 60th aniversary [actually 7 Aug 1963]

This thread has been taken down once already !!

We had to verify things before it was published but it looks like it did actually happen.

 

[55002]

deleted as didn’t comply with moderation policy

 

[JaJaWa]

There is a report being shared by various accounts on Twitter

 

[brad465]

The Not Very Great Train Robbery......

Technically that one wasn't very great either, as they were still caught and did silly things like play Monopoly with the stolen money and leave fingerprints all over it.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Technically that one wasn't very great either, as they were still caught and did silly things like play Monopoly with the stolen money and leave fingerprints all over it.

The robbery itself was great - from their point of view anyway. It was as you say the aftermath that was the problem

 

[Stampy]

a Twitter report says the actual bulb of the signal was removed and at some point there was smoke coming from rear of train

Aren't they all LED signals up that way...???

 

[distinctratio]

What exactly were they hoping to achieve? At least the Great Train Robbery had a plan to steal money, but I am struggling to understand the motives here. Correct me if I am wrong, but hasn't money ceased to be carried by Royal Mail trains? and even if it were, it would be highly likely they would use dye packs to protect the money.

 

[zwk500]

Aren't they all LED signals up that way...???

Not all, obviously

What exactly were they hoping to achieve? At least the Great Train Robbery had a plan to steal money, but I am struggling to understand the motives here. Correct me if I am wrong, but hasn't money ceased to be carried by Royal Mail trains? and even if it were, it would be highly likely they would use dye packs to protect the money.

Either the thieves didn't do their prep, or they were hoping to get at the parcels.

 

[distinctratio]

Either the thieves didn't do their prep, or they were hoping to get at the parcels.

Seems to be the case.

And even then unless they were searching for a specific parcel they knew would be on that train which I can't see happening. Did they really think the 2 of them were going to empty the train of it's parcels and call it a day?

 

[samrammstein]

In this situation would it not have been better for the driver to just continue at caution past the signal (which he identified had clearly been tampered with) and drive in line of sight at 15mph to the next signal to ensure his own safety? Rather than staying put and potentially being attacked. I know railway safety is based on following strict rules and procedures for the safety of all, but surely he could have explained his actions later.

 

[185]

What exactly were they hoping to achieve?

Very speculative but if I'd carried out a robbery only to find I'd stolen several million Dominos Pizza junk mail flyers, I'd probably have set light to it too

Not a massive amount of value in the ordinary letter post nowadays, most goes by courier firms. This smacks of Rodney & Del Boy, not Buster.

 

[Dave W]

Perhaps inspired by the parcel thefts happening in Los Angeles? Bit different than breaking in to a train yard though...

 

[exbrel]

Almost 60 years now since the (slightly better known) one that took place in Buckinghamshire.

and 168yrs since the first great train robbery, on 15/5/1855...

 

[357]

In this situation would it not have been better for the driver to just continue at caution past the signal (which he identified had clearly been tampered with) and drive in line of sight at 15mph to the next signal to ensure his own safety? Rather than staying put and potentially being attacked. I know railway safety is based on following strict rules and procedures for the safety of all, but surely he could have explained his actions later.

Very easy to say what should have been done after the incident. The same happened on here after Salisbury.

From the information available it looks like the driver thought it was idiots playing with the signals until things took a turn. Once he saw the train was being robbed he asked to continue but the train also was giving off smoke by that point.

 

[brad465]

Source: Being shared by various accounts on Twitter

I've also seen some saying that log shouldn't have been shared in the first place.

 

[Darandio]

I've also seen some saying that log shouldn't have been shared in the first place.

Well yes. But if they didn't share it then someone else will. Just how it is these days.

 

[realemil]

I've also seen some saying that log shouldn't have been shared in the first place.

It shouldn't have been shared, no, but as @Darandio said above, if it wasn't one person, it would be another, it would be spread either way, and now it's been spread so much that deleting it would make 0 difference.

 

[JaJaWa]

Police statement released after attempted Royal Mail train robbery
Last updated: 01/08/2023 at 11:22 AM

The British Transport Police have released a statement after an attempted robbery of the Royal Mail train this morning.

Police were called to the railway in Lockerbie around 01:42am this morning (1st August) after reports came in that two young men had gained access to the Royal Mail train.

In the process of gaining access, the men had damaged signalling equipment.

When officers arrived on scene, a 17 year old and an 18 year old were found in a carriage and were arrested.

At the time of writing, police believe nothing was stolen, but a number of parcels had been interfered with.

Both men have since been charged with malicious mischief, theft, and threatening and abusive behaviour.

Enquiries are ongoing, but if you do have any information, you can contact the BTP on 61016 quoting reference 38 of 01/08/2023.

A BTP spokesperson said “Officers were called to the line in Lockerbie at 1.42am this morning (1 August) following reports that two young men had gained access to a Royal Mail train, damaging signalling equipment in the process. Officers attended and a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old were located in a carriage and arrested. At this stage it's not believed anything was stolen but a number of parcels in the carriage had been interfered with. Both young men have been charged with malicious mischief, theft and threatening and abusive behaviour. Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 38 of 01/08/23.”

Police statement released after attempted Royal Mail train robbery

The British Transport Police have released a statement after an attempted robbery of the Royal Mail train this morning.

www.railadvent.co.uk

 

[infobleep]

I've also seen some saying that log shouldn't have been shared in the first place.

I am certain the log shouldn't have been shared and I wouldn't have shared it but as someone who loves how the railways work and run, I found it fascinating reading.

 

[DMckduck]

In this situation would it not have been better for the driver to just continue at caution past the signal (which he identified had clearly been tampered with) and drive in line of sight at 15mph to the next signal to ensure his own safety? Rather than staying put and potentially being attacked. I know railway safety is based on following strict rules and procedures for the safety of all, but surely he could have explained his actions later.

Try explaining that to the investigating DM, once he asked for authority and was given it then the driver was well within rights, but anything before that would be treated accordingly and blank signals are to be treated as red

 

[Gloster]

These master criminals might be surprised to find that, if I understand correctly, they can be charged under Section 35 of The Malicious Damage Act 1861: penalty: life imprisonment. Interfering with signalling equipment is, rightly, seen as a serious matter. They are no Roger Cordrey.

 

[The Puddock]

I've also seen some saying that log shouldn't have been shared in the first place.

I am certain the log shouldn't have been shared and I wouldn't have shares it but as someone who loves how the railways work and run, I found it fascinating reading.

Sharing control log screenshots has become a big problem over the last few years and I have also heard rumours of staff with log-ins sharing their password with outside parties. Access to sensitive incidents and individual events within incidents can be restricted to users with elevated privileges only and I'm very surprised this wasn't done in this case. The software keeps a log of who views incidents, so they will be able to see exactly which users looked at it and when. I suspect there will be a significant review and tightening of control log access after this just as there was when the station building collapsed at Northwich

 

[hexagon789]

These master criminals might be surprised to find that, if I understand correctly, they can be charged under Section 35 of The Malicious Damage Act 1861: penalty: life imprisonment. Interfering with signalling equipment is, rightly, seen as a serious matter. They are no Roger Cordrey.

The Malicious Damage Act 1861 doesn't apply in Scotland.

There may be a Scottish equivalent though.