That is no excuse, and statement is an insult to the vast majority of Yorkshire people who are totally literate.
Alan

I think he should have been made to pay at least some of the costs, even if it did mean losing his farm. People like that should be made an example of. Look at the no of rail accidents where people have been killed.

Should be hung up by the doo dah's for that. Blatent disregard for public safety.

He also needs psychiatric evaluation.

I see the Christmas Spirit has evaporated already.Oh well, such a pity.

I think that the BBC's reporting of this incident, in which they say that he "parked" his trailer on the rail line, is responsible for many of these strongly worded comments about the farmer. If you read the BTP press release http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media...HIRE-1743.aspx you will see that the BBC have conveniently ignored the fact that he had only stopped his vehicle in order to open a gate and had not "parked while he fed his horses" as they stated.
There is no doubt that the farmer had acted dangerously by using the crossing incorrectly and without permission but I think that the BBC's reporting of the incident has been deliberately edited in order to make his actions appear more foolhardy than they really were.

Press sensationalism. I would have thought that the BBC was more professional. Live and learn.