Month: May 2025

The Final Beat

Robert Smith, a PC with the London and North Eastern Railway Police, aged 64 years, was killed during the early hours of the morning of the 29th April 1942, during the biggest raid by the Luftwaffe carried out on York in World War Two. He was on duty in the police office when it took a direct hit.

He is recognised in the BTPHG Second World War Roll of Honour (RoH).

In 2017, the BTP History Group were responsible for identifying Robert’s grave. There was no headstone and the plot had become overgrown with vegetation. The BTPHG arranged for a memorial tribute to be held and a wooden cross was placed on the gravesite. The ceremony was attended by members of Robert’s family, serving and retired officers, and the Railway Mission.

On Monday 29th April 2024, thanks to funding from LNER, a memorial and dedication service took place at York Cemetery where wreaths were laid at the site of a new headstone, which will act as a lasting reminder of the life of PC Robert Smith.

Now, in 2025, a new documentary film is being made about Robert Smith by Forge Films of York.

A crowdfunding campaign has now been started to raise funds to complete and launch the film. As with most crowdfunding schemes, a variety of perks are availble to donors.

Details of the campaign are available here:
PC Robert Smith – The Final Beat.

 

Also see:
Baedeker Air Raid commemoration
PC Robert Smith – Gravesite Dedication

As I’ve said before on this blog, history doesn’t have to be old. We’re creating new history every day. Of historical significance is the first use of remotely controlled drones to assist with trespassing and other lineside incidents.

From the BTP website:

BTP has launched its ground-breaking new remote ‘drone in a box’ capability, becoming the first police force to operationalise this advanced drone technology to better keep the public safe and reduce disruption.

The new capability will enhance our ability to respond swiftly and effectively to incidents on the railway network, helping to improve safety, reduce disruption, and support frontline operations as they happen.

The drones will be based at key locations across the network where we know there are spikes in trespass and other disruption incidents, and flown remotely from our control room in London – allowing us to respond to incidents quicker, make more informed decisions, and also free up BTP officers to respond to other offences.

The majority of typical drone operations are conducted within the Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) of the pilot, which is around 500 meters for a small drone. However, the police are able to operate beyond this distance (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) using State Aircraft legislation.

BTP are the first force to obtain legal advice and use Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) routinely and regularly in support of policing, rather than just for emergencies.

As well as the relevant legal advice, our dedicated team have carried out significant work behind the scenes to ensure they are operating under a robust framework in which to fly safely.

Last week (24 April) we hosted a launch event at one of the pilot sites in Leeds which involved a live demonstration of the drone capability for our industry partners including Network Rail, Department for Transport, NPCC Drones, West Yorkshire Police, Northern Rail, and the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA).

Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said: “Our new ‘drone in a box’ capability is going to be transformational to our ability to reduce disruption across the rail network.

“This is ground-breaking technology which will allow us to respond to trespass incidents quickly, saving the industry money, improving safety, and keeping the railway moving for passengers.

“It is a fantastic example of the advances we are making at BTP to shape the future of policing, and I’m excited to work with rail industry partners to expand this across the railway as we work together to keep the public safe and reduce disruption.”

 

Also see: Old and New

Source:
BTP become first police force to launch remote ‘drone in a box’ capability.