Network Rail has released shocking CCTV footage of children dancing on live railway tracks and placing stones on the line in Inverness, Scotland — with one near miss so close that a driver was forced to slam on emergency brakes before the train narrowly missed two teenagers by a matter of feet.
The footage, captured at a pedestrian crossing in Inverness, shows two separate incidents within a week of each other at the same location, where around 30 trains pass daily at speeds of up to 50mph.
In the first incident, recorded at around 1pm on 7 May, two teenagers emerged from bushes beside the track and stood directly in front of an oncoming train. The driver activated the emergency brakes immediately but was only able to bring the train to a stop several moments after passing the crossing, missing the boys by feet. A second camera angle, positioned on the ground at the opposite side of the crossing, captures the full horror of the moment — the long train speeds through the frame before clearing to reveal the teenagers still standing, apparently unharmed. Rather than fleeing, one of the pair stared calmly at the slowing locomotive before appearing to dance on the track a final time. The other opened the crossing gate and walked away.
The incident came just a week after a second alarming episode at the same crossing. At 8.11pm on 30 April, CCTV showed a group of children loitering at the side of the track before one ran onto the line and began grabbing stones to place on the rails. Three others quickly joined him, frantically doing the same while a fifth member of the group walked into the area more slowly. The children could be heard shouting and laughing throughout the episode before sprinting back to safety. According to Network Rail, two members of the group later returned to retrieve the stones from the track.
Remarkably, no one was injured in either incident, but rail officials warned the consequences could have been catastrophic. Rachel Shaw, head of operational safety at Network Rail, said: “Incidents like this are incredibly concerning. The railway is not a place to hang around with your friends. It’s an operational environment with fast moving trains that can’t swerve out the way or stop quickly. Ignoring the signage or warnings of an approaching train not only puts those on tracks at risk, but also passengers and railway staff. I’d urge everyone, especially young people, to treat the railway with respect and never engage in dangerous behaviour like this.”
Network Rail released the footage as a warning to rail users to obey crossing signs and never attempt to cross when a train is approaching.
