Grafitti artists killed

[Bramleyman]

It has been reported that two young men were killed at Barking, Essex when hit by a train after being caught spraying grafitti on tube trains in the sidings last night. Their mates escaped unhurt, but one has been arrested. As far as original reports were concerned, the two killed, were 15-year-olds. While I have no sympathy for them, I do for their families.

I feel even more sympathy for the driver of the train that hit them, in so much he couldn't swerve out of the way to avoid them. Let's just hope he doesn't suffer from it.

[zoro]

I feel very sorry for there families, lets just hope it acts as a deterrent to others who tresspass on the railways

[Penfold 37250]

It wont, kids that age think they are indestructable

[West Highlander]

It wont, kids that age think they are indestructable

I completely agree with this that kids will never think it will happen to them.

With regards to the first post on this subject, I agree that sympathies must go to the driver who has had an extremely bad experience through what has happened.

The point I disagree with however is the automatic sympathy for the family. I just wonder about the background of these kids for them to have been doing that. At 15 I was not behaving like that and I don't know anyone who was.
Part of the problem with kids today is the lack of parental guidance by the parents - for example, a few years ago a kid got fried on the Merseyrail whilst messing about. The mother of this child then complained that Merseyrail clearly did not have enough staff to protect little spawn like hers from hurting themselves.
If the family of the deceased in this case tried to teach their kid right from wrong etc. and in this case thought he was over at his mates having a nice game of Mario on his mates PS2 then yes it is a shame for them.

However, if they were the type who said "f**k off out of it, celebrity Big Brother is on so I don't want to be disturbed" (interchange words in that for maybe more suitable one syillable words) then my sympathies lie only with the driver and the staff who had to clean up.

[Bramleyman]

It has since my first posting, been confirmed these were NOT kids, but 19 & 21, with their two mates arrested. The media claimed they were 15 when it came on the radio this morning. By all accounts, it is now thought that one of them was hit by a second train as well. Having been personally involved with an incident 16 years ago, I know how traumatic it is for the driver and I was a Guard at the time.

When I was a kid many years ago, I started to place small stones on the tracks at a local level crossing, in order to see what would happen to it when the steam train ran over it. I only ever did it twice before getting caught by a classmate of my sister, who promised to tell my parents if I didn't remove the stone. Making sure it was still clear, I took the stone off and he told me how dangerous it was to play on, or near railway lines, let alone place things on the track. I NEVER did it again. Had this lad gone and told my parents, my father most certainly would have made my rear end VERY sore, with his belt and looking back, I could not have blamed him.

Years later, I was the Guard on a train in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, when all of a sudden, the DMU as it was then, started to shake most violently, but stayed on the tracks. The Driver soon came through and told us that a load of ballast had been piled up ON THE RAILS coming off a curve and the train hit them before he could stop. Now I am always looking out for tresspassers on lines, even the Bramley Line, despite the fact we have no trains running on it just yet, but we will, we WILL.

[Andy]

All thought i feel sorry for the families it would of been better if the train had hit all three.

[Bramleyman]

May I just say there were four on there. I saw the item on the ITN News and the usual excuses came out that there's nothing to do there, so they went spraying. That is a load of rubbish and I should know as I visit the area regular, plus I have family there. There is PLENTY to do there, so that is just a pathetic excuse.

[73109]

My sympathies go out to the driver and the families and the people who had to clear up this mess.

But really they shouldnt be where they were so they only have themselves to blaim

[swt458]

yeah, sympathy to drivers and staff involved.... its a shame because most of these people have great potential however many aren't brought up, they're dragged up.... people who do that thing dont have a life... and in this case thats certainly true literally now.

I particularly like the advert of the kids going to spray some stuff in a depot somewhere and then a class 321 (Silverlink) is seen rounding the corner, and theyre trying to get off the track but they get stuck and it keeps flashing between the train and the boys, and then the screen goes black and the text deterring rail graffiti and vandalism is displayed... i found that very informative and quite effective.

[Bramleyman]

I have to admit, I have yet to see this one.