Great Western Coffee Shop

Cancellations to services between Hungerford and Bedwyn 
Due to an obstruction on the line between Hungerford and Bedwyn all lines are blocked.

HSTs through Melksham ... oh, if only.  ;) :D ;D

HSTs through Melksham ... oh, if only.  ;) :D ;D

The train that hit the debris was reported full and standing according to personal staff accounts on Twitter.  Will be a comfortable experience for those on board awaiting replacement road transport....

The train is now moving under its own power to Westbury (currently over 4 hours late).  Passengers will then be transferred to an empty HST for their journey onto the West Country.

Think it was turned back to Westbury once the failed train got moving again.

Latest is a replacement HST running as 1Z89 2315 Westbury to Penzance.

I pity to people heading to quieter stations in Cornwall. Arriving at 2-3am...

Train services between Newbury and Westbury are currently suspended after a lorry crashed into a railway bridge near Froxfield and a passing train hit debris.

Wiltshire Police who are currently at the scene said that they are dealing with a single vehicle road traffic collision in which a large vehicle has collided with a now partially collapsed railway bridge at Oak Hill near Froxfield.

Police said the collision which happened around 5.30pm tonight (Sunday) had caused ^some damage^ to the bridge which has left debris on the railway line.

The 16.34 train service from London Paddington to Penzance subsequently hit the debris, with no reported injuries.

National Rail said that train services had been suspended at Newbury because of the obstruction on the line between Bedwyn and Hungerford and that ^there is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last.^

Services between Westbury and Reading may divert via Chippenham and Melksham.

West Country Travel said on Twitter that due to the partly collapsed bridge all lines are blocked and that trains to Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn and Pewsey will not be served.

Disruption is now expected to continue into Monday morning rush hour.

West Country Travel said: ^The train in question is reported full and standing ^ no injuries to passengers and now First Great Western are looking to rescue them ^ the means by which this will be achieved still being arranged (empty train about to leave Bristol to stand by at Westbury).^

In which case, my apologies.  :o

How do they apparently have the ability to provide more up to date and detailed information than First Great Western?  ::)

How do they apparently have the ability to provide more up to date and detailed information than First Great Western?  ::)

Time for phones to be fitted to bridges to enable emergency calls to signallers to alert them? Or at least signs with a phone contact number perhaps? (a lot cheaper option - but puts numbers into public domain)

3.1 Network Rail is carrying out a programme to install identification plates at all bridges over the railway. These plates give contact details to enable a bridge strike to be promptly reported to Network Rail Operations Control.

Generally, two identification plates are installed on each bridge, in positions where the public should be able to read the instructions.

The principle that identification plates as shown in Appendix A may be erected by Network Rail on bridges over the railway not owned by Network Rail has been accepted. The agreement of the bridge owner to the location of the plates, the method of fixing, and arrangements for their installation and maintenance is to be obtained.

Identification plates should record the ownership of the bridge.

I understand the driver whose train hit the debris was the same driver who was involved in the fallen signal incident near Newbury. He must hate the Berks & Hants line.

FGW have also said on twitter that passengers will be compensated following this incident. An incident that would normally fall outside of FGW's Passenger Charter compensation commitments.

I guess the insurance company of the lorry involved is going to have to stump up rather a lot of dosh in compensation to Network Rail and FGW  :-[

Passengers stranded for hours after train hits debris


Hundreds of passengers were left stranded for several hours after a train hit debris on a railway line in Wiltshire.

The debris had fallen from a bridge after it was struck by a lorry in Froxfield on Sunday.

The driver of the First Great Western 16:34 service from London Paddington to Penzance needed treatment for shock but no other injuries were reported.

Network Rail said the line had since been reopened after repairs were made.

Andy Mellors, deputy managing director of First Great Western, said: "The train ran into the debris and caused some damaged to the underneath of the train including the braking system and that meant the train had to have some attention on site before we could get it to move forward."

He added the train company would be carrying out a review into what happened so any lessons could be learned from it.

One passenger told BBC Wiltshire: "All of a sudden there was an almighty bang, the lights went out and that was it.

"We all looked at each other and panicked and thought what has just happened, have we derailed, what's gone on?"

She said passengers initially thought the train had struck a tree.

The train was moved on by 23.30 GMT after emergency repairs were made.

let's hope Mr Stobart doesn't send another errant truck that way until the repairs have been made....hate to think what might happen.

1.3 When a bridge parapet is significantly damaged or even totally demolished in a bridge strike, urgent action is required to put interim arrangements in place to enable train services to be restored with minimum delay whilst maintaining the safety of the railway and the highway or road pending reconstruction or repairs.

Interim arrangements which include traffic management and temporary safety barriers and fencing, must be sufficient to prevent an errant vehicle from landing on the railway. There has been an occurrence of a second bridge strike before damage from a previous strike has been reconstructed or repaired resulting in a vehicle on the railway, when the robustness of the interim arrangements was insufficient.

The Highways Agency considers that Network Rail Operations Control should not be provided with telephone numbers of Highways Agency control centres, but that the 999 system should be used. Police will forward the call to the appropriate control centre.

Time for phones to be fitted to bridges to enable emergency calls to signallers to alert them? Or at least signs with a phone contact number perhaps? (a lot cheaper option - but puts numbers into public domain)

^About five or ten minutes later the train came along and hit the bridge and then jumped off the track and landed back on it and then it jumped about a mile up the track.

yeah, right.

RAIB is investigating a collision between a high speed train (HST) and a bridge parapet which had fallen onto the railway at Oak Hill, an unclassified road off the A4 on the edge of the village of Froxfield, between Hungerford and Bedwyn. The accident occurred at about 17:31 hrs on Sunday 22 February 2015, when the heavily loaded 16:34 hrs First Great Western service from London Paddington to Penzance (train reporting number 1C89) hit brick debris while travelling at about 90 mph (145 km/h). The train driver had no opportunity to brake before hitting the debris, and the impact lifted the front of the train. Fortunately, the train did not derail, and the driver applied the emergency brake. The train stopped after travelling a further 730 metres (800 yards). There were no injuries. The leading power car sustained underframe damage and there was damage to the train^s braking system.

The bridge parapet had originally been struck at about 17:20 hrs by a reversing articulated lorry. The lorry driver had turned off the A4 at a junction just north of the railway bridge, and crossed over the railway before encountering a canal bridge 40 metres further on which he considered to be too narrow for his vehicle. A pair of road signs located just south of the A4 junction warn vehicle drivers of a hump back bridge and double bends but there were no weight or width restriction signs. The lorry driver stopped before the canal bridge and attempted to reverse round a bend and back over the railway bridge without assistance, and was unaware when the rear of his trailer first made contact with, and then toppled, the brick parapet on the east side of the railway bridge. The entire parapet, weighing around 13 tonnes, fell onto the railway, obstructing both tracks. This was witnessed by a car driver who was travelling behind the lorry. The car driver left his vehicle to alert the lorry driver and he then contacted the emergency services by dialing 999 on his mobile phone at about 17:21 hrs.
 
Image of debris on track before the collision, looking east. Train 1C89 approached on the right-hand track (image courtesy of a member of the public)

RAIB^s investigation will consider the sequence of events and factors that led to the accident. The investigation will include a review of the adequacy of road signage and the overall response to the emergency call made by the motorist who witnessed the collapse of the bridge parapet. It will identify any safety lessons from the accident and post-accident response.

RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigations by the railway industry or safety authority.

We will publish our findings at the conclusion of the investigation. This report will be available on our website.

Here's hoping that plates with emergency numbers are recommended NOT to be affixed to bridge parapets....

Who knows? Is it likely that trucks will reverse back into bridge parapets?

Dialled 999 - about 17:21
HST at 90mph hit debris - about 17:31

Still something to be said for red knickers on a stick...hope some improvements come out of this as the issue is nationwide.

Only way would be to put the right phone number on each bridge. But then it's open to pranksters.

There already seems to be a more direct number (assuming it is still current) in situ at some locations...

e.g. https://goo.gl/maps/1hlOd

I've seen these signs on a number of bridges where the railway goes over the road, but have not seen any where the road goes over the railway.

3.1 Network Rail is carrying out a programme to install identification plates at all bridges over the railway. These plates give contact details to enable a bridge strike to be promptly reported to Network Rail Operations Control.

Generally, two identification plates are installed on each bridge, in positions where the public should be able to read the instructions.

The principle that identification plates as shown in Appendix A may be erected by Network Rail on bridges over the railway not owned by Network Rail has been accepted. The agreement of the bridge owner to the location of the plates, the method of fixing, and arrangements for their installation and maintenance is to be obtained.

Identification plates should record the ownership of the bridge.

Oh God, it takes the 999 operator several minutes to collect all your details & details of the event you're reporting. I also suspect they don't have direct contact to the correct signalling centre (why would they, they're not rail related & working out where each signalling centre is & what area it covers isn't there job) and only call a central NR centre....where they do have to locate the event & relay the message.

Not a hope in 10 minutes. Only way would be to put the right phone number on each bridge. But then it's open to pranksters.

Perhaps the 24 hour central NR emergency number: 03457 11 41 41 should get more awareness (or given a simplified 3 digit number most can remember).

From a mobile, it couldn't tell where the 'local' number was.

Given the changes in numbering for free and public service calls, especially from mobiles, a new national number would seem quite sensible - even if it is routed to a local centre.

From a mobile, it couldn't tell where the 'local' number was.

Yes it could, the AA can track you to within 50m from where your mobile is when you call them. Last time I broke down I didn't know where I was, and told he AA that. The woman on the phone was able to tell me the location my phone was transmitting from which was in fact about 10 metres away from where I actaully was.

Restrictions on the processing of location data

14.^(1) This regulation shall not apply to the processing of traffic data.

(2) Location data relating to a user or subscriber of a public electronic communications network or a public electronic communications service may only be processed^
(a)where that user or subscriber cannot be identified from such data; or
(b)where necessary for the provision of a value added service, with the consent of that user or subscriber.

(3) Prior to obtaining the consent of the user or subscriber under paragraph (2)(b), the public communications provider in question must provide the following information to the user or subscriber to whom the data relate^
(a)the types of location data that will be processed;
(b)the purposes and duration of the processing of those data; and
(c)whether the data will be transmitted to a third party for the purpose of providing the value added service.

(4) A user or subscriber who has given his consent to the processing of data under paragraph (2)(b) shall^
(a)be able to withdraw such consent at any time, and
(b)in respect of each connection to the public electronic communications network in question or each transmission of a communication, be given the opportunity to withdraw such consent, using a simple means and free of charge.

(5) Processing of location data in accordance with this regulation shall^
(a)only be carried out by^
(i)the public communications provider in question;
(ii)the third party providing the value added service in question; or
(iii)a person acting under the authority of a person falling within (i) or (ii); and
(b)where the processing is carried out for the purposes of the provision of a value added service, be restricted to what is necessary for those purposes.

Emergency calls

16.^(1) For the purposes of this regulation, ^emergency calls^ means calls to either the national emergency call number 999 or the single European emergency call number 112.

(2) In order to facilitate responses to emergency calls^
(a)all such calls shall be excluded from the requirements of regulation 10;
(b)no person shall be entitled to prevent the presentation on the connected line of the identity of the calling line; and
(c)the restriction on the processing of location data under regulation 14(2) shall be disregarded.

^location data^ means any data processed in an electronic communications network or by an electronic communications service indicating the geographical position of the terminal equipment of a user of a public electronic communications service, including data relating to^
(f)the latitude, longitude or altitude of the terminal equipment;
(g)the direction of travel of the user; or
(h)the time the location information was recorded;