A Facebook friend of the victim, train surfing. Credit:Facebook ‘‘If something can come out of it, it’s this message to young kids: don’t do it. It’s unnecessary risk taking, especially when you’ve been having a drink, because the risk taking just gets worse,’’ Mr Wilkinson said. ‘‘If it can stop some other kid doing it, some good can come out of this tragedy. ‘‘He was a lovable larrikin, he had to be the leader of the pack leading by example and showing off and he has paid a very heavy price for it.’’ James, who attended De La Salle College and Camberwell High School, had boasted on a Facebook page dedicated to train surfing last year that he was the ‘‘Kelly Slater of train surfing’’.

His older brother had dropped him off at an 18th birthday party last night in Caulfield, where he had enjoyed a few drinks with friends. Mr Wilkinson said James had attempted to catch a taxi home to Camberwell but, when he could not hail one down, James and a group of five friends decided to catch the train. ‘‘We think there were about five people in the carriage that he was with at Caulfield station, and no doubt there was alcohol involved and the risk-taking kicks in and the rest is history,’’ Mr Wilkinson said. ‘‘There were two witnesses to it who were independent of the kids. ‘‘We heard about 10.45pm and drove down to Caulfield station and we were there for nearly two hours I suppose, then they took him away to the coroner’s office.’’

Mr Wilkinson said his son had taken risks in the past and loved to be the life of the party. Asked if James had been involved in train surfing in the past, Mr Wilkinson said: ‘‘Police told us at one stage that he was on the back of a train, but not surfing on the top. That had passed by, that sort of risk-taking. ‘‘In recent times he was doing an apprenticeship and was working extremely hard, 10 to 12 hour days,’’ Mr Wilkinson said. ‘‘Typical of the young kids these days, he played hard on the weekends. We were very happy with him. He didn’t like school but he had turned the corner and was really working hard so that was all good.’’

He said it was unusual for James and his friends to go out on a Tuesday night, but they made an exception because it was a special event. Mr Wilkinson said the family - mother Audrey, brothers Matthew, 25, and Josh 22, and sister Sarah, 15 - were trying to cope with their loss as best they could. ‘‘It’s just a tragic loss that is going to be felt by many. He knew a lot of people and St Dominic’s church [in Camberwell] will be full for the funeral,’’ he said. The Facebook page where James had bragged about his train surfing skills promotes the dangerous sport as providing ‘‘an alternative to staring at other commuter’s gloomy faces’’. ‘‘It is a distraction from all related rush-hour discomforts and the feeling being crammed onto a carriage. The thrill is surfing as many stations as you can. Record your experiences and achievements here for others to admire and challenge. If you dare.... try it... why don’t you surf your train TODAY.’’

The teen’s brother posted a moving tribute on the dead boy’s Facebook wall. ‘‘You better be watching over us from up there now because now I’m living for both of us and we’re going to need all the help we can get,’’ he wrote. ‘‘Anyone who met you for more than a second is truly blessed. I’d do anything for another minute with you. We will never forget you. You will always be in our hearts. RIP little brother. I will always love you.’’ A Facebook friend of the victim has posted numerous images on his own profile, showing him train surfing at different locations across Melbourne. In one photograph at Auburn railway station, the friend of the victim is shown ‘‘surfing’’ close to overhead power lines.

Facebook tributes have poured in for James, who has been remembered as a fun-loving teenager. ‘‘You were such a great kid who didn’t deserve for his life to be cut short like this. You will be forever remembered and missed,’’ one person wrote. Police are speaking to witnesses to determine James’ movements in the lead-up to the accident. Last year, three teenagers who were photographed train surfing in Melbourne’s south-east were labelled "stupid" by authorities, who warned they were dicing with death. The trio was photographed by a commuter as they clung to the back of a Cranbourne-bound train at Hughesdale station.

The passenger said the boys were aged about 13 or 14 and had screamed abuse at him as they realised he was taking a photograph. He said about 20 minutes later two more teens, carrying beers, had jumped on the back of a city-bound train at the station. At the time, police said the teenagers were "coupling riding", which was "known for its self-evident mind-numbing stupidity". Loading "Every time it occurs, basically it’s a death in waiting," police said.

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