Heritage railway dangers

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the Somerset County Gazette

THE grandmother of a four-year-old boy who was hit in the face after a shopping bag was thrown onto a moving train has thanked West Somerset Railway for their help.

Bailey Hulston and his two grandmother’s, Toni Jones and Paula Jones, were on a steam train on their way back to Minehead after a day trip to Bishops Lydeard on July 22 when their train stopped at Blue Anchor station.

Paula claims a number of passengers boarded the train but as it started to leave the station a man stood on the platform threw a shopping bag through an open window which hit Bailey in the face.

[continues]

The story leaves me with a number of questions. I can't say that the danger of passengers being hit by objects thown into open train windows is something I have come across before - I wouldn't think people throw things in very often - why would they - but now that there's publicity been given perhaps we'll find some copy cats ...

[onthecushions]

This is not a "railway danger" surely?

There must be general railway by-laws to criminalise such behaviour and a civil action by the parents should also be successful. Did the platform staff catch the felon?

We don't want HMRI^▸ (Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) or HSE^▸ (Health and Safety Executive) forbidding the opening of windows.

OTC

[ChrisB]

Wouldn't it be likely that they'd left that bag on the platform & he was 'repatriating' it ti the owner? Hardly criminal?

[grahame]

Wouldn't it be likely that they'd left that bag on the platform & he was 'repatriating' it ti the owner? Hardly criminal?

I suspect so, Chris     ... more a quick act of kindness that went horribly wrong!

[TaplowGreen]

.....and a typically "close knit" Somerset family where both Grandmothers have the same surname! 😉

[grahame]

.....and a typically "close knit" Somerset family where both Grandmothers have the same surname! 😉

I suspect they were holiday makers and do not come from Somerset, so that'a an unfair slur on the Somersetters.   Judging by the surname, I would hazard a guess they come from Wales, where this repeated surname is to be expected rather than anything else - a very few surnames shared between a lot of people and no real indication of close blood ties.

[Phil]

I'm from Somerset and I'm not at all offended. As a matter of fact, it's very nearly true. My grandmother was a Hockey, her paternal grandfather was a Hockey and her maternal grandmother was a Hockey 

[TaplowGreen]

I'm from Somerset and I'm not at all offended. As a matter of fact, it's very nearly true. My grandmother was a Hockey, her paternal grandfather was a Hockey and her maternal grandmother was a Hockey 

All those Hockeys - I bet you took some stick! (I've already got my coat & the taxi's on its way)

🙂

[eXPassenger]

I'm from Somerset and I'm not at all offended. As a matter of fact, it's very nearly true. My grandmother was a Hockey, her paternal grandfather was a Hockey and her maternal grandmother was a Hockey 

and there was I thinking that Emily Hockey was looking pretty spry.

[JayMac]

Grandma Jones could of course have been married to Grandma Jones.

[Phil]

All those Hockeys - I bet you took some stick! (I've already got my coat & the taxi's on its way)

🙂

Off with you, you bully!

[TaplowGreen]

Grandma Jones could of course have been married to Grandma Jones.

Grandma Jones squared.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I was going to pitch in here, but decided to put that on ice for the moment.