Incident near Salisbury (3-2-10)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Further details of the incident, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) in an updated version of their report:

Three people managed to scramble from a car before it was hit by a train on the outskirts of Salisbury, in Wiltshire.
The driver of the car had apparently lost control before it went through a fence, rolled down an embankment and came to rest on the track.
Network Rail said the 1730 GMT Cardiff to Portsmouth train struck the car and pushed it off the track on Wednesday.
"The train was damaged but not derailed or disabled. No passengers on the train were injured," the spokeswoman added.
British Transport Police said its officers were called to Skew Bridge, Wilton Road, at 1940 GMT.
"On arrival at it was found the vehicle had been struck by the train and was severely damaged," a spokesman said.
The line was closed for two hours and some services were disrupted.
The spokesman said it was talking to the car driver to establish what happened.
Steve Blackmore, from Great Western Ambulance Service, said the car was left in several pieces while the front of the train had only minor damage.
He said he believed the occupants of the car got out with time to spare before it was hit by the train, which was approaching Salisbury Station at low speed and stopped within 150 yds
"I think the most important aspect was the train actually remained upright and on both rails," he said.
It stopped within 150 yards of impact, he added.

(My emphasis in bold. C.)

[smithy]

very minor damage considering,i remember seeing a couple of class 156 that had struck vehicles,in fact it was the same set a couple of weeks apart 156419.
first hit a car suffered frontal and side damage out of service for a week for repairs,a month later hit a merc sprinter that fell off a bridge causing major damage the 52 car was out of service at works in glasgow for over a year,57 vehicle was used to form a highbrid with class 153 for the duration of repairs.

[dmutony]

just shows how robust these 158's are

[readytostart]

At risk of asking a crashingly stupid question, why are AXC^» (Arriva Cross Country - about) leaning the route through Salisbury?

I'll put my tin helmet on now and await the avalanche of replies pointing out how out of touch I am... 

We sign Southampton to Basingstoke via the Laverstock curve as a diversion, as nothing goes over the curve in day to day service we get a jolly out to Salisbury which is just up the road!

[paul7575]

Just out of interest, is that basically because you can keep refreshed on the route from a cab ride with another TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company), eg SWT^▸ (South West Trains) or FGW^▸ (First Great Western), without actually going round the curve, because all (or most of) the necessary signalling is observable from the main lines at either end? What I'm thinking is that you can 'learn' a junction without having to have the points set, IYSWIM.

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) there was a regular SWT turning move round the Laverstock curve, maybe still is?

Paul

[paul7575]

Can anyone explain precisely where the incident happened, with repect to the local roads?

I'm thinking that the Wilton Rd 'skew bridge' is just the general location?  It isn't fenced as such, it has massive concrete parapets, and to be honest isn't that much of a skew bridge anyway since it was rebuilt, despite it still having the normal highway double bend signs etc etc...

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

The Salisbury Journal describes the incident as happening "at" Skew Bridge:

The incident happened shortly after 7.30pm when a black Ford Ranger left the road at Skew Bridge, rolling down the embankment and onto the tracks.

...

A spokesman for Network Rail said: ^Our engineers spent the night inspecting the infrastructure and making essential repairs, and the car is now safely removed from the track with the fences repaired."

(My emphasis in bold. C.)

[paul7575]

I wonder if we'll see another straightforward RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) bulletin in due course - that will almost definitely have a map!

The report into the accident  last year involving SWT^▸ (South West Trains), at the bridge on the other side of Salisbury, basically explained that Wilts CC weren't interested in improving that bridge any further, despite NR^» (Network Rail - home page) offering to pay for much of the work, as it is part of the W10 freight gauge clearance work.

Paul

[JayMac]

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) there was a regular SWT^▸ (South West Trains) turning move round the Laverstock curve, maybe still is?

Paul

Until 13th Dec 2009 there was a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) service that used the Laverstock curve. From Passenger Train Services over Unusual Lines :

Laverstock North Junction - Laverstock South Junction (158) WG
1345 SuO^▸ ((in timetables) Sunday only) Glasgow Central/ 1718 SuO Newcastle - Southampton Central

(The (158) refers to the National Rail Timetable table number, not the stock used!)

No scheduled passenger services use the Laverstock curve in 2010 though. Fortunately I managed to 'bash' it in 2008, so it's coloured in in my atlas!!

[paul7575]

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) also had a few ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) moves to and from Eastleigh via Chandlers Ford that way in earlier timetable periods.  If they aren't happening that will be another reason for cab rides with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or SWT^▸ (South West Trains)...

Paul

[readytostart]

We had diversions over Laverstock whe the tunnel was shut in Southampton.
We still have stock moves via Chandler's Ford with a reversal at Romsey, if you look carefully in the cess after leaving Romsey you'll see a small XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) marker board that lets us turn a ten car, a single set can be turned inside the platform starting signals.
Odd seeing an XC marker board as most of out stop markers are VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises) ones left from the big beardys days.

Off round the biggie diversion next week Fareham / Havant / Guildford / Wokingham.