Twickenham Rail Line Closed for Hand Grenade

The railway line between Richmond and Twickenham in London was closed for over an hour yesterday after a WWII hand grenade was discovered in the garden of a house adjacent to the tracks. Two houses were evacuated whilst an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team arrived and rendered the item safe.

The No. 36 hand grenade (Mills Bomb) was a staple munition in the British forces and Home Guard throughout WWII and, despite its size, packs a considerable punch. Still commonly found in a variety of places across the country it should, as is the case with any unexploded ordnance (UXO), be treated with caution.

The closing of the rail lines in London yesterday shows that such an approach was sensibly adopted.

See: http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/13644260.display/