Runaway Tortoise Sparks Rush Hour Rail Chaos
Commuters on the Ascot to Bagshot line faced an unusual delay Friday evening—thanks to a speedy tortoise named Solomon. The slow-moving escapee slipped from its home and was spotted roaming the tracks just after 6 PM by a vigilant South Western Railway driver.
Network Rail Engineers Stage Turtle Rescue
Network Rail Wessex sprang into action, carefully scooping up Solomon and placing him on the next train bound for Staines. There, a local vet was on standby. But thankfully, Solomon’s owner arrived in time to reclaim their dashingly adventurous pet without needing any medical care.
Rail Disruption and Public Safety Reminder
The incident caused temporary hold-ups on four lines, hitting evening services in and out of London. A Network Rail spokesperson took to Twitter—now X—to describe the tortoise’s “pace” as he made his way toward Bagshot.
“We apologise to passengers for the disruption caused by Solomon’s unexpected rail stroll,” the spokesperson quipped. “He’s now a bit of a shellebrity!”
The handy reminder came with a warning about the dangers of trespassing and the importance of securing property near rail lines to avoid similar scrapes.
All’s Well That Ends Well for Solomon
Despite the risks, Solomon escaped unharmed, and train delays were kept to a minimum. Rail officials breathed a sigh of relief that the tortoise’s run could have ended much worse.
