Police are searching for a man who calls himself “the Silver Shadow” after he was filmed travelling on top of a train moving at up to 70mph.
British transport police said the man, who appears to be in his 20s, put his own life and the lives of others on the train at risk when he climbed on to its roof on 11 December.
The man was seen boarding the exterior of the train in between two carriages at Rock Ferry station in Birkenhead, Merseyside, at about 1.30pm and waiting for the doors to close.
Seven minutes later CCTV captured him on top of of the train at Bromborough Rake station, waving at startled people on the platform, before he climbed down at 1.39pm.
He concealed his face as he briefly spoke to booking office staff at the station, telling them he had travelled from Birmingham and was called the Silver Shadow.
Andrew Richardson, the investigating police officer, said that even attempting to get on to the roof of a train was “a nonsensical and idiotic thing to do”.
He said: “The man concealed himself between two carriages above electrified rails and so one slip could have easily killed him and endangered the lives of those on the train.
“This isn’t cool, it isn’t funny. It’s dangerous and we will not stand for it. If you recognise the man in these pictures, please get in touch.”
Police are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to contact them. The man could face charges of trespassing on railways and endangering his own safety.
• This article was amended on 22 December 2016. An earlier version, relying on information provided by British transport police, referred to a train moving at “up to 100mph”. The maximum speed on the line in question is 70mph.
