Salvé
I just cant resist this so I'm cross posting, it anyway :) Taken from another group totally unrelated to railways :)
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I believe I have mentioned my friend Big Shirley before. It appears that her daughters are as accident-prone as she is.
Last summer her eldest daughter, who is a policewoman, was at home and happened to glance out the window just as a train went by. Although her view was partially obscured by the washing hanging on the line and the cat on the roof of the shed, she noted with horror that the train was trailing a cloud of smoke and sparks - even, she thought, flames.
Being a responsible member of society, she carried out her civic duty and dialled 999 to report a train on fire. She then switched on her radio and was gratified to hear her colleagues efficiently swing into action to stop the train at the next station, where it was greeted by several fire engines plus a precautionary ambulance or two.
About half an hour later a police car drew up outside the house, the police inside interested in discovering who the twit was who had made a nuisance phone call reporting a train on fire. As they pointed out, steam trains rather rely upon fire.
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