In message , Roland Perry
writes

What you can't tell from the story is how much of a danger the trolley
was to trains, and what other, safer, action could have been taken,
which would not have infringed the rules.

It's difficult to know what safer action could have been taken, given
that he first telephoned to report the incident and ask for the 3rd-rail
power to be turned off before he removed the trolley.

I suppose SWT expected all services to be delayed for hours (not an
unusual occurrence for their customers) until their official
trolley-remover made his way to the site to complete the necessary
paperwork.

Knowing Lymington quite well, and the enormous respect with which this
guy is held locally, I fully expect SWT to be smacked long and hard when
the case comes before the forthcoming employment tribunal hearing.
--
Paul Terry