Martin Phelan

Said the following about Gareth Croll:

“Gareth received a call from the signaller whilst stationary in Lockerbie Station stating that there was a trespasser in the Castle Milk Area. Gareth departed Lockerbie at caution and approached the area and saw a male stood next to some electric cabinets. Gareth stopped his train next to the male and informed the signaller that he was going to attempt to speak to the male.

Upon getting to his window, Gareth saw the male was in distress. His left forearm had lacerations and bleeding and he was also crying. The male was holding a mobile phone to his ear but didn’t appear to be talking.

Gareth made contact with the signaller and declared that the male was a potential suicide risk and asked for a block on all traffic. Gareth then informed the signaller that he would approach the male to see if he could help him and asked for BTP to make their way to the location. The signaller confirmed the block and he then informed the conductor as to what he was about to do.

Gareth crossed the tracks to where the male had been standing and could see that he had climbed back over the boundary fence and got into his car. Gareth felt that it would be wrong not to speak to the male even though he was out of immediate danger. Gareth then scaled the boundary fence, and expecting the male to drive off and wrote down his registration number.

Thankfully, the male didn’t drive off, so Gareth approached and could see that the driver’s window was open. Gareth carefully approached and began to talk to the male. The male was very distressed but wasn’t aggressive and seemed willing to talk.

Gareth noticed that the male’s mobile was connected to the cars hand free, he asked the male whom he was talking too, to which the male replied it was the police.

Gareth made himself aware of who he was to the police on the call. They were struggling to find the male and they didn’t know where the railway location was (the male had contacted Police Scotland). Gareth then turned on his own phone and used OS maps to see that they were just North of Cleuchside, where the road runs next to the railway. Gareth then passed this on to the police control.

Gareth attempted to keep conversation with male who was still upset but was calming down. Gareth was conscious that the signaller would be wondering what was going on, but he couldn’t leave the male to make contact. Gareth phoned the DCM off his mobile and discussed the situation with them, asking them to relay the information onto the signaller.

Shortly after, the police arrived and took over custody of the male. Gareth made his way back to his train and updated the signaller and conductor, removed the block and continued his journey.

Clearly, Gareth's intervention prevented the male from causing himself further harm and concluded in a positive outcome.“