General Chat

Hello Tracey

However did you find this thread?

I am so sorry your poor brother, Christian, wasn't supported by his bosses. It's a scandal that the more highly paid people in companies do not consider the effect of traumatic incidents on their staff. You must have all been devastated, especially for Chris' children, and I am glad they are doing well despite their terrible loss. Helping them continue a good path keeps you all close and I hope your shared memories will bring Christian into your day to day lives with smiles as well as tears. I am sure he watches over all his loved ones and friends.

Take care, good luck with your genealogy quest.

Lizx

Thankyou for your kind words, I am Christians elder sister, and only just come accross this thread, having decided to research my geneology. Christian as I understand had very little support after the incident, and there were other issues which were recorded on another thread about pressure from above at work. Reading between the lines his work life had become and was made intolerable by management. Draw your own conclusions by reading the other material online. Clearly his colleagues supported him and had their own experiences, but the support given to the drivers was inadequate.
We never forget him, we bear his loss with difficulty, be he left an amazing legacy . Two amazing children who have thrived despite adversity.

So tragic, and if only that fencing had been fixed, Heather would be here today.
R.I.P. little one.

thanks Marion - he is a very caring young man

A sad one recently was the young woman in Manningtree Essex who was killed by a train and her body not found for several days even tho she was being searched for. She had split with her boyfriend just before she went missing.
A short while later her Mum killed herself under a train at the same spot, she couldn't face life without her daughter.
What a double tragedy. I don't think the driver knew he had hit Natasha and not sure about her Mum's death.
It happens too often, sadly.
R.I.P. all those who take this dreadful route to oblivion.

Lizx

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I spoke to someone who used to post on these boards a while back, a driver who had suffered someone going in front of his train. He had been to a relative but had to come home as nowhere to stay, and then felt upset being alone. I was glad to have picked up his Anyone there thread and was able to phone him and chat, think it helped and was glad to do it. We have a young train driver a few doors up and he says it happens often, we have had several in this area in the last few years.
My thoughts for Chris' family, friends and workmates, may he rest in peace.
Lizx

A boy who lived opposite us,when he was 8 or 9,(he's now nearly 40) had a habit of running down the road behind cars.

One day I touched the brakes so he ran into the back of the car.
No injury, but it cured the habit !

oh yes, he emailed the letter and a reporter has already been in touch with him to say they are going to run the story and bring the Samaritans, British Transport Police and other interested parties on board as well - only thing is my son is remaining "anonymous" at the minute as you never know how the bosses will react, sadly. My son says he has been contacted by a numbers of "young drivers" who are very troubled by this event so Philip has asked the bosses if they can get someone on the station at York to see drivers as they come off shift in case any of them require some sort of counselling - personally I feel counselling should be available to all workers after an event such as this. Christian by the way was only 42 years old, and my son is only 40 - not "old" drivers by any means

Poor lads.

I know how things like that can affect someone caught up in it.

I knew a little boy who was not noted for doing as he was told.
He was playing *chicken * on the main road one day. This particular driver stopped and put him back on the pavement so many times..... the last time when he promised not to do it again the driver went on his way.... very slowly..... when he was satisfied that the little boy would NOT jump out in front of him again, he drove off.
The child.... jumped out!!

He was in hospital for weeks and took months to recover.

The driver had to be taken to hospital in a state of shock. I have often wondered if he ever found the strength to drive again.

Not the same as a train, but the same effect on the driver.

I hope your son did send the letter.

Deanna X

One of Philip's train driver collegues, a friend of twenty odd years standing, has had this happen to him twice now. The second one was dreadful - he was approaching a station at which he was not due to stop, doing about 90 miles an hour. Young girl standing on the end of the platform looking at the train and he sensed what she was going to do but could not stop. As he just about got level she looked him straight in the eyes and stepped off! OK she was obviously in a dreadful state, but no way should she have actually made him feel part of her actions. Fortunately he's a tough level headed guy and continues to drive to this day. However, many others never drive again.

I wasa dismayed to see that a contact had a child killed by a train fairly recently.

And in past history a person on my tree was killed by an engine in the docks.

When my wife worked on Casualty reception, the remains of four rail workers were brought in in cardboard boxes.

It must be horrific for a train driver seeing someone on the line and knowing that you are powerless to to prevent their death, as you can't swerve to avoid them and it would take half a mile to do an emergency stop.

N

In the summer, (what we had of it, anyway) i was sitting on my balcony lapping up the warmth. I live next to a station and have always, so it's just white noise to me. On this particular day,I heard a train coming as it was blaring it's horn. I just assumed there was workers on the line at first. Then the train thundered through the station still blaring. I knew then that something wasn't right. I had a very strong instinct that wouldn't go away. Five minutes later, I heard the sound of sirens and my heart sank. I found out later from a mother at the school whose husband drives the trains that a lady had climbed down and stepped in front of the train. God I felt for the driver. He knew he was going to hit her long before he did. I had nightmares that night and everytime I saw a train go past I would stare at it with images of a woman standing there and being hit.
A recent inquest said that this woman had never got over the loss of her husband and chose to take her life. She had actually laid down on the track not stood. Still doesn't make me feel better.
I thought I would share this story, as it seems fitting.

Krystyna xxx

How terribly sad - its an occupational hazzard, that is all to frequent an occurance- they need more support following events like that .

the flip side, a friend of mine has a disabled daughter. Her husband, c's daddy walked out in front of a train some 15 years ago now - C's mum is adamant to this day, that it wasan accident and he didnt intend it to happen - he just happened to be walking on a train track, in the middle of no-where at 2.30 am .... no, i dont think so.

It seems like its an easy option for the deceased- very few survive - its a sure fire way of killing yourself, with no regard for the poor train driver - how haunting that image must be - to see a person and no there is nothing you can do to stop that train in time.

my heart goes out to anyone who has witnessed such a horror - because that is what it is.

Ann... what a tragic story.

How often have I moaned while waiting for a tube or train and then found out that some poor soul was so desperate they had to end their life.

Your son's letter has brought it home to me how devastating it must be for the train/tube driver.

My heart goes out to Christian's family and friends.

Jean x.

Below is a letter my son has just written to a York newspaper - I'm very proud of him for having written such a letter and feel it deserves a wider airing. Chris committed suicide in his car the day before yesterday - he drove it into a wall!



Sir,
it is with a heavy heart that I write this to you but in so doing it is with the wish that people realise the tragedy and loss that is felt at York traincrew depots,not only at Transpennine Express where Chris worked,but our colleagues at Northern also and the station staff.
It is truly devastating that a young family man with everything to look forward to be taken from his wife,children,family and friends.
I think it would be important to hilight the horrific incident that Christian experienced during the summer months that is something we,as train drivers have experienced,or will experience during our careers,and that is seeing somebody end their lives so pointlessly in front of our trains.This happened at the front of Christians train in the Garforth area.
Each day many of us as we prepare for duty think "will it be me today?"The increasing reality is that it is more likely the answer to that rather macabre question is YES
I hasten to add that I am in no way linking the death of chris with the fatality he encountered at work,but I would like to hilight the clear fact that those of us who do experience such an event in our careers are never the same person afterwards.
I've been a train driver now for 20 years.and a Drivers Assistant or Secondman for 4 years leading up to my Drivers job in many loations countrywide and the increased level of fatalities despite the best efforts of Rail Staff and our British Transport Police is of great concern to us all.
I've seen big tough men reduced to nervous wrecks and some not returning to work at all after the horrors of this sort of event.
At Transpennine Express we have been hit particularly hard at both York and our Manchester depots by such accidents and has in itself created a driver shortage through tragic circumstances such as Christian had experienced.
No matter how hard or what efforts are made in preventative activity be it by the Train Operators,BT Bpolice or even by-standers if somebody has the state of mind and determination to carry through such a horrific end to their own life nobody can stop it.
It is with this in mind that I wish to hilight the Samaritans campaign at high risk and known suicide locations by posting their hotline numbers,Northallerton is one of these places.
If you are a customer of ours and your train is delayed or cancelled the grim reality is that a fatlity may have occured,that is the sad fact.
As traain Drivers we are well paid,but no salary or any ammount of compensation is enough for a train driver that has to stand and face a family in mourning at the loss of a precious family member.
This sort of event effects the driver,conductor,the police officers and medical staff involved.
Enough is enough,and people who do resort to such a violent end to their lives are the least likely people.
I would urge people to please take care of those around them offering love and support and an ear to possible problems that modern life throws at us.
On closing I would like to convey our sympathy,love and best wishes to the family of Christian Hobbin and have comfort in knowing that he has found peace.