Just had this shown to me by Chris Jolly - http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=1537598
TWO youths were last night being hunted after they broke into an industrial yard in Sheffield and went joyriding in a 49-ton locomotive
The pair, who arrived at Tinsley Marshalling Yard on mountain bikes, opened track points on lines in the yard so they could drive the powerful shunter around the site, which stores freight wagons used for transporting heavy goods.
Police say they could have easily derailed the engine, killed or injured themselves, or entered the main railway line from the site, based next to Sheffield Airport.
They are now urgently trying to identify the pair and have released CCTV pictures in the hope someone will recognise them. They also believe they might have boasted about the incident to friends and are appealing for them to come forward.
Inspector Graham Bridges said: "They were driving the locomotive up and down the tracks. They could have easily killed themselves.
"There was also the possibility that they could have got on to the main line.
"If they had we believe the signaller would have spotted it quickly, but nevertheless they placed a great deal of people in danger."
A security guard at a nearby business was the first to spot the pair on CCTV at around 6.15pm on Sunday night and alerted police, but by the time they arrived the pair had left of their own accord.
Officers from British Transport Police were last night studying forensic evidence, including fingerprints from the engine, and 10 minutes of CCTV footage. It is still unclear how long the youths actually spent in the yard.
DS Paul Kazimierczyk, said: "Two youths gained access to a shunting locomotive and they have managed to get this thing going and moved it up and down the yard itself.
"Points were tampered with. Then they just left it.
"They were picked up by a local security officer on a neighbouring business' CCTV camera system. This is being treated as a serious incident."
Anyone who can identify the youths can call British Transport Police on Freephone 0800 40 50 40.