There’s an irony. No coppers around when the copper is being nabbed from our train line.
It’s not like it’s a new phenomenon. Every couple of weeks we’ve had delays because vandals have dug up and stolen copper cables from our line because of the high price they can get for the metal when they sell it as scrap.
Most recently (before today) it was Saturday morning. That messed up the service for the whole morning. Then it happened again this morning. Much more serious this time, as it resulted in a lineside fire, and no trains at all passing through.
The advice, understandably enough, was not to travel if at all possible. So, it was another day working at home for both of us. Usually I wouldn’t mind, but this is the last week before the Christmas break so I could really have done with being in.
It always happens in the same place, so I don’t know why they can’t send out patrols to keep an eye on that stretch of track.
Or, even better, get on with the job of replacing those cables with aluminium, which isn’t nearly so appealing to the thieves.
It’s not been a good few weeks. The 07h49 that we catch has regularly been leaving at 07h55, and on Thursday evening last week I had to drive out to Epping to give Rich a lift as the whole line had shut down due to yet another fatality in the Ilford area. It seems a bit of a favourite for those with suicidal intent.
