Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Friday 29 June 1917

Expensive “Short Cut”

To-day, at Barnsley, twelve colliery workers were summoned for trespassing on the Houghton Main and Grimethorpe branches of the Great Central Railway on June 14th.

Defendants admitted that they were taking a “short cut” as the proper road was a long way round. Some of the men were riding bicycles on the railway track, and the company’s representative (Mr. T. Whitebonse) asked for drastic penalties in order stop this dangerous practice.

Dr. Horne (the presiding magistrate) said that on the last occasion that similar cases were before the Court stated that future offenders would sent prison.

Thev took into consideration, however, the fact that defendants were doing good work for the country. Alfred Sidney Crapper, Cud worth, a discharged soldier, who had been previously fined, would have to 30s. and the rest 20s. each. Dr. Horne added that the cases were really brought defendants’ behalf. They ought to know better.