Strange questions from police...
 

So, some plane clothed guy came up to me at a station today and said "Excuse me Sir, I'm a police officer, can I just ask you a few questions?" and showed me his warrent card.

"Okay...."

"What do all these mean, 13a, 13b, 13c, what is that?"

"Uh, well, there different sections of the platform, a train might stop in 13b instead of a...."

"Oh okay, so where would a long train stop then instead of say a shorter one"

"Well, depends on the type of train I guess, there are little signs that say where a type of train is supposed to stop and the car / length...."

"Oh okay, thank you Sir"

So I went on my merry way, properly confused by it. It later occured to me I was wearing a high-vis vest at the time relating to my job which might have seemed suspect but even so, quite bizzare.

Anyone ever had that or know WHY that would occur?

Do you know,was he BTP or Local plod?.

Maybe he was confused and really wanted to know what all the numbers on the station meant.

Les

He was Greater Manchester Police, don't think he was BTP.

He was speaking in a manner which seemed particularly false, almost like a trained psycologist, if you know what I mean.

he sounds a bit like a nut if you ask me

Strangely enough, a lot of local police forces know very little about the railway or its workings.
I can remember incidents where there was a fatality, and the first people on the scene from the Police were the local police of that area and they would arrive lineside or on the station platform and go marching about even approaching the P Way until a BR staff member told them about the adjacent running lines etc and although the body was on for instance the down fast, and that line was closed, there could still be a train moving on the up fast or somewhere which was in section and had to clear before all lines could be blocked at the incident. Or if they attend something going on, actually on a train in the platform, they would deal with it the best way they knew, which was not always the best way for the railway. It is not their fault, they are not trained about railway work, unlike the BTP, any "shout" on or around the railway is just another incident to the local police.
The BTP are not always near a location, unlike the local police the BTP do not have local officers. But the local "plod" do the best they can, they just have to be watched.

Your man on the platform could have had an interest in the railway, who knows.
If you see him again get him to join this forum, I am sure we can give him all the answers he wants LOL.

48111

maybe he was curious. i'm sure if he joined the forum, we could answer all his queries!

Squeaky...hello, how "yer" doing ?

48111

hi 48111, i'm good thanks. and you?

At least the copper just asked you some banal questions, On this visit to China I am a bit wary of visiting Pengshan station due to me suspecting the authorities were taking pictures of me taking pictures of freight trains....I dont fancy having to attempt explaining myself to Comrade Plod! lol