THEFT :: Token keys, Marchwood area

[DaveHarries]

Hi all,

A post has been put onto another forum which I said I would post elsewhere. It is an alert concerning the theft of 6 gunmetal Key Token keys that were removed last weekend, 18 - 19 February 2012, from Network Rail's Marchwood to Fawley section, near Southampton.

The keys have a square end, painted blue with white engraving "Marchwood Fawley". The keys were removed without damage to the instrument concerned.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of these keys should inform BTP or the civil police.

Dave

 

[deltic1989]

Maybe it would be a good idea to monitor ebay and other such sites in case they turn up there. Sounds like a really specialised theft where the tea leafs knew what they were after. I will keep my eyes skinned just in case they show up on line any where.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

A strange thing to steal, even for a rabid rail enthusiast. Given that there is a branch into a major military port there, could it be used to stage some sort of terrorist spectacular? Or am I just being paranoid?

 

[83G/84D]

Most tokens require a release to be given to enable them to be withdrawn in most cases by a signalbox, and then only allow one to be withdrawn, so I am a little curious to know how these were stolen.

 

[Oracle]

Sounds as though someone broke into the Marchwood station site 'box. There is also a small portakabin affair next to the other manual gates in School Road, Hythe but I doubt that there is any token device in there as it is on the Fawley section signalled by the semaphores south of Marchwood station site. What a ridiculous thing to do...hope they get recovered soon.

This is the site for those who don't know:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Mai...=4upsKuPeekLar3SsQHPFqg&cbp=12,112.95,,2,2.08


And School Road crossing:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Sch...YZS0BAFKFu_ZdCVQC8fXXQ&cbp=12,131.61,,0,13.75

 

[tsr]

What a ridiculous thing to do...hope they get recovered soon.

Either the thieves were, as has been said above, stealing to order, which is somewhat sinister (given the only real reasons to steal these would be to endanger railway safety, I should think), or else they were opportunistic and were simply looking for something metallic to sell on, in which case they probably had no idea exactly what they were taking. Remember that a token probably doesn't have much significance to anyone other than railway staff or other people (e.g. enthusiasts) who are reasonably knowledgeable with regards to railway operations - I shouldn't think that any randomly selected member of the public would have much interest in them at all.

I am interested by the fact that no damage was caused when the keys were removed. How was this theft discovered? Was it discovered by a member of staff attempting to perform their normal duties?

In any case, any theft is appalling and I hope that justice is somehow delivered.

 

[Hydro]

I'm not sure how the theft, however seemingly petty, can endanger railway safety. If there are no tokens, then there can be no trains.

I've taken the token a few times from Marchwood box in capacity as a CoSS taking a T2T line blockage.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I tried to buy some tokens in the 70's. The chap said they ground out the destinations and re-engraved them. The only way I could buy one was if the end was cut off, or mutilated! (Unless I ran a private railway) Such was the risk it could possibly be misused on BR.

 

[Greeny]

I assume they just broke into the machines and swiped them as the Signalmen can only release one at a time.

G.

 

[00armstrongi]

There are two ways to release all tokens that can be used by signalling technicians to move them around. One uses a cassette the other requires a key

They both release the whole amount of tokens not just one.