Devon rail passengers delayed after woman killed on tracks, Totnes - 20 Oct 2012

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Western Morning News:

Rail passengers faced massive disruption after a woman was killed by a train in Devon.

Police officers were called to a railway line close to Totnes station around 11am on Saturday morning, where a woman had been hit by the 8.28am service from Penzance to Newcastle.
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A police spokesman said the woman died at the scene and the death was not being treated as suspicious.

[bobm]

There were problems even before the incident. The 07:59 from Penzance to London Paddington struggled all the way through Cornwall before being declared a failure at Plymouth. Passengers would have been planning to continue their journey on the following service but that too was cancelled at Plymouth because of the fatality. Both services were restarted at Exeter St David's but that obviously wasn't any help for those stranded at Plymouth.

[LiskeardRich]

There were problems even before the incident. The 07:59 from Penzance to London Paddington struggled all the way through Cornwall before being declared a failure at Plymouth. Passengers would have been planning to continue their journey on the following service but that too was cancelled at Plymouth because of the fatality. Both services were restarted at Exeter St David's but that obviously wasn't any help for those stranded at Plymouth.

I imagine the 07:59 was an engine down, as it didnt call at Bodmin Parkway, which is the normal when an engine down due to the incline on departure.

(This post is an assumption and carries no actual knowledge of the fault)

[bobm]

I must admit I made the same assumption, it was also losing time all the way up as well as not calling at Bodmin.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Herald Express:

Woman killed on railway line

An inquiry has been launched after a 44-year-old woman died on the railway line near Totnes station.

It is believed the woman jumped from the railway bridge near the bottom of Kinsgsbridge Hill.

The South Devon coroner and British Transport Police are investigating after the woman was struck by a train at just before 11am on Saturday, October 20.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "Our officers were called to Totnes rail station after a report of a woman being struck by a train.

"The incident was reported to us at 10.59am and was also attended by Devon and Cornwall police.

"Medics from South West Ambulance Service also attended but the woman, believed to be age 44 and from Kingsbridge, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The incident is currently being treated as non-suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

"The train involved was the 8.28am Penzance to Newcastle Central service and the line was handed back to Network Rail at 12.36pm."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Kingsbridge & Salcombe Gazette:

Inquest opens into rail death woman

A 44-year-old woman died after she walked into the path of a train just yards from Totnes railway station, an inquest has been told.
 
An inquest into the death of Wendy Jane Laura Blazeby was opened at Torquay before South Devon Coroner Ian Arrow before being adjourned for a full hearing at a later date.

Coroner^s officer Rick Parsons told the coroner that Mrs Blazeby, who lived at Higher Warren Road, Kingsbridge, had been formally identified by consultant facial surgeon Lynne Fryer.
 
He said there were no suspicious circumstances.