Trespass on the railway… and the challenging consequences

EARLIER this summer, I was heading to London when my train rolled to a halt between Grantham and Stoke Tunnel. Network Rail had stopped all trains after reports of a trespasser. After a while, we saw him, crunching his way north along the ballast of the Down Main as we sat on the Up. By this time, there was a queue of trains in both directions.