Great Western Coffee Shop

Investigation into an incident involving a freight train partly loaded with ballast stone, at Romford station, on 4 February 2010

The RAIB is carrying out an investigation into an incident involving freight train 6L57, partly loaded with stone ballast, which ran from Acton yard in west London, to Ipswich, Suffolk, on 4 February 2010.
As the train passed through Romford station at about 60 mph at 07:28 hrs, pieces of stone fell from the train and struck people who were on the station platform, a small number of whom received minor injuries. The train was stopped by signals and then proceeded at reduced speed to Ingatestone, where it was examined by railway staff, and allowed to continue its journey. Later, as it passed through Colchester, staff saw more ballast falling from the train, and it was stopped for further examination.

The preliminary investigation by the RAIB found that the hopper doors of a PGA type wagon near the rear of the train were open allowing a significant quantity of ballast to drop onto the track. The investigation will include a review of the operator's arrangements for ensuring that the train was safe to travel before its departure from Acton yard.

The RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigations by the British Transport Police, or by the safety authority.

The RAIB will publish a report, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. This report will be available on the RAIB website.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released its report into an incident at Romford station on 14 February 2010. The RAIB has made five recommendations.
...
At about 07:25 hrs on Thursday 4 February 2010, a quantity of stone ballast fell from the bottom doors of a wagon in a freight train, running from Acton, west London, to Ipswich, as it passed through Romford station in Essex at about 59 mph (95 km/h). 
Stones bounced onto the station platform, and struck three people, two of whom subsequently required treatment for minor injuries.
Subsequent examination of the train found that the wagon doors had not been properly closed when the train departed from the freight yard at Acton.