Level Crossing incident at Whitland, Carmarthenshire on 19 December 2011

[whole diary]

[Tim]

well done to the driver for managing to loose some speed before impact and to the folks who designed the vehical to widestand this sort of thing.  Very pleased that their combined efforts meant no serious injuries.

[welshman]

Half barrier crossing.  As everyone knows, farmers have right of way.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Whitland train crash: Arrested lorry driver bailed

A lorry driver arrested after a crash with a train at a Carmarthenshire crossing has been released on bail.

The man, aged 48, was held after the vehicle was struck by the passenger service near Whitland on Monday.

Seven people on the 09:10 Milford Haven to Manchester service received minor injuries in the collision.

Network Rail says it plans to have the line open to run full services by Wednesday.

Buses continue to replace trains west of Carmarthen as engineers clear the track with the help of a crane.

Network Rail said: "The lorry and train have both been safely removed from the line and work is now focused on clearing residual debris."

Engineers are continuing to inspect and repair the track and signalling.

The Arriva Trains Wales (ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))) train hit the stationary hay lorry at the Llanboidy level crossing on a minor road near a spot called Crossing Cottage at about 09:50 GMT on Monday.

The lorry driver from Llanboidy was subsequently arrested on suspicion of endangering safety and questioned by British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)).

Network Rail said engineers were working to restore services to normal as soon as possible, although substitute bus services were expected to run throughout Tuesday.

Passengers have been advised to check with National Rail Enquiries or ATW before starting their journey.

There were just under 60 passengers on board the train at the time.

Five needed hospital treatment.

[inspector_blakey]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) tweeted earlier on that normal services have resumed to Milford and Fishguard.

[inspector_blakey]

Oddly enough (and I could be mistaken because it was 0730 and I'd been up at 0600) it looked like the "emergency timetable" that only lasted a couple of days was still posted on platform 1 at Carmarthen yesterday

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Rail Accident Investigation Branch website:

Investigation into a collision between a train and a lorry at Llanboidy level crossing, near Whitland, Carmarthenshire on 19 December 2011

At 09:45 hrs on Monday 19 December 2011, train 1W21, the 09:10 hrs service from Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly, struck a lorry on Llanboidy automatic half barrier (AHB) level crossing, which is located about 14 miles (22 km) west of Carmarthen, near the village of Whitland.  The train did not derail but serious damage was caused to the driving cab.  Several people on the train suffered minor injuries or shock during the accident, and a passenger became ill while the train was being evacuated.  The lorry driver was not injured.

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)^s preliminary examination has found that the lorry, which was carrying straw bales and towing a similarly loaded trailer, had stopped on the level crossing, with the crossing barrier on the exit side lowered in front of it.  The train, a two coach diesel multiple unit, had been approaching the crossing at about 68 mph (109 km/h), but an emergency brake application had reduced the speed to about 41 mph (66 km/h) when the collision occurred.  The train pushed the lorry about 80 metres along the railway.


Collision at Llanboidy level crossing
 
The investigation will identify the exact sequence of events that led to the accident.  It will also include consideration of the layout of the level crossing, the actions of the lorry driver, the factors which caused the lorry to stop on the crossing and the crashworthiness of the Class 175 unit involved in the collision.

The RAIB's investigation is independent of any investigation by the police or safety authority (the Office of Rail Regulation).

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

[JayMac]

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) must have really wanted me to read their preliminary report into this incident. They sent the alert email to me six times! 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Same to me! 

[SandTEngineer]

Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that today (06 January 2012) it is 44 years to the day that the Hixon level crossing accident happened............ which was also caused by a slow moving vehicle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hixon_rail_crash and http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=45105 and http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=74

[eightf48544]

Very interesting S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) that you should mention the Hixon accident. This was one off the case studies in a third year OU course Systems Course I took in the early 80s.

The main thing about Hixon was that the haulage company had had similar incident previously  of one of their low loaders getting  stuck on crossing on  the Newport Shrewsbury line. However, they got it before a train came. However no lessons were learnt.

Non fatal precursors seemed to have precceded many of the accidents studied on the course and subsequently when other accidents have occurred if you dig dep in the reports you will often find that there non fatal precursors, which didn't trigger alarms.

The most obvious being the 6th SPAD^▸ (Signal Passed At Danger) (ye gods Mr Wadmore at Waterloo in the early 60s would have had the S&T Engineer and the Motive Power Superintendant on his carpet demading something was done and ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) would have blacked the signal) of SN109 ( 4/2/1998) when an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) overan by 432 yards Fournately teh signaman wa able to put SN120 on the up Main to Red and teh up Heathrow amde an emergency stop. For inforamation the accident was the 9th SPAD.

Cullen says in his report that this SPAD was marked disregard! Whereas it should have alerted HMRI^▸ (Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) and Railtrack and the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to the incorect position of points 8059B (facing for Down trains) set Line 3 to UP main rather than Down Relief.

Unfortunately Cullen fudges the provision of flank protection in his report.
 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Carmarthen Journal:

Driver is charged after train crash

A Llanboidy man is to appear in court in two weeks' time following a rail crash on the edge of Whitland late last year.

The 9.10am Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly Arriva Trains service, collided with a lorry towing two hay trailers at the Henllan Amgoed railway crossing, near Whitland shortly before 10am on December 19.

Oswald Huw Davies, 49, the driver of the lorry, was arrested after the collision and was later bailed to reappear at Haverfordwest police station. Davies, of Castell Pigyn, is to now appear before Carmarthen magistrates on June 6.

He faces a charge of endangering the safety of persons using the railway. No plea has been entered.

Heather Edwards of local transport firm Taf Valley Coaches said: "We're just lucky that it didn't derail. That would have been devastating. I've never known anything like that here."

[Chris from Nailsea]

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have now published their full report, which is available on their website:

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) has made six recommendations as follows:

- Network Rail in conjunction with the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) to revise the crossing order and reduce the effect of road misalignment at the crossing;

- The ORR to revise its guidance to cover misalignment of the road and the ability for a large vehicle to exit an AHB crossing when the barriers descend;

- Network Rail to revise its risk management process for level crossings to include the effect of road misalignment;

- Network Rail to give guidance to its staff and contractors on where to park when working on or near level crossings;

- Angel Trains to examine how to mitigate the risk to the driver from detachment of cab panels during a collision; and

- Alstom and Angel Trains to review the coupler bump stop mounting and retention arrangements.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Carmarthenshire train crash: Oswald Davies guilty plea


This police image shows the vehicle alongside the train

A hay lorry driver accused of causing a crash with a train has pleaded guilty to endangering the lives of passengers.

The collision happened on 19 December last year when the train hit the lorry at the Henllan Amgoed railway crossing in Carmarthenshire.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Oswald Huw Davies, 49, of Llanboidy, had got out of his cab seconds before the collision.

He is due to appear before the court for sentencing on 26 October.

During a short plea hearing, the court was told that Davies pleaded guilty on the basis of neglect.

Barristers acting for Davies said a railway accident report mentioned that his view was obstructed by Network Rail vehicles parked alongside the crossing, and the lights on the railway crossing were not properly aligned.

The court heard that when the barriers came down Davies thought it was Network Rail staff messing about.

He got out of his cab to remonstrate and seconds later the train hit the lorry, the court was told.

[bobm]

Now he has pleaded guilty I feel it is safe to highlight that the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) report noted he had been stopped by the police in connection with driving an oversize vehicle combination prior to the incident.  The vehicle had also been stopped on more than one occasion with other drivers in charge before.  (Paragraphs 21 and 22)

[TonyK]

If we had plea bargains in England and Wales, they may have looked like this, with him pleading to an offence that covers wilful action, wilful inaction, or negligent action, but on the basis of negligence. I am assuming - it doesn't tell me in any of the reports - that he was charged under section 34, Offences Against the Person Act 1861"Whosoever, by any unlawful act, or by any wilful omission or neglect, shall endanger.." the safety of passengers.

Maximum sentence is 2 years. Discount will be given for the guilty plea, even though the presence of the signs removes any chance of getting away with it. The rest depends on what notice the judge takes of the barrister's comments about the misaligned lights and parked vehicles, compared to the aggravating factor of the driver not following the correct protocol. Judges like a discount, or an excuse for a suspended sentence, but although no-one died, four people were badly hurt, 26 slightly hurt, one shocked, and 56 inconvenienced. We shall see, but if I were him, I would cancel the milk and remember to take a toothbrush on sentencing day, just in case.

The Offences Against the Person Act 1861 predates motor vehicles, so doesn't contain provision for endorsement or disqualification. I doubt he will keep his no claims discount.