Track incidents at Southend and Whyteleafe

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Crap journalism basically.

Also, he only faced a disciplinary IF the investigation came out against. It didn't presumably, so he never did.

[smokey]

Now that Common sense has ruled,

Let everyone consider this,

You are a member of platform staff who happens to know the next down train has left Station A 3 mins ago, the train journey to your station B is 4 minutes, so train due very soon, a wheelchair with person has just gone over the down platform edge, ARE you really going to run into a room and ring the Signaller whichs equals Person dead, or would you check you have time, jump down and pull wheelchair person clear of running line?

WELL what would you do?

[phile]

I haven't heard of anything from C2C.     Perhaps due to the weight of opinion in favour of the chap, they have egg on their faces but won't admit it.

[ChrisB]

No egg as correct procedure followed

[MrC]

You are a member of platform staff who happens to know the next down train has left Station A 3 mins ago, the train journey to your station B is 4 minutes, so train due very soon, a wheelchair with person has just gone over the down platform edge, ARE you really going to run into a room and ring the Signaller whichs equals Person dead, or would you check you have time, jump down and pull wheelchair person clear of running line?

WELL what would you do?

Ring the signaller no question and/or make an emergency signal (both hands above head, or display a red light or flag, or wave any light) to the driver of the approaching train.

Some other things to think about, depending on location etc.

• You know the next train is due in n minutes. You didn't know there was an unannounced MPV coming in now
• You jump off the platform and twist or break your ankle (it's happened, many times). Now you've definitely screwed the other persons chance of survival as well as your own
• You jump down and other people seeing you do this immediately follow to assist. Now you've inadvertently put others at risk
• You don't tell the signaller and the train arrives and derails on the wheelchair
• You jump down and can't get the person to move as they're too heavy/pissed/suicidal.You didn't know they'd thrown themselves off the platform?
• What exactly are you going to do with this person? You could end up moving them into the path of another train as you'll not be able to get them back onto the platform
• You're probably not PTS^▸ (Personal Track Safety) and/or DC^▸ (Direct Current) lines competent so might not appreciate trip hazards, 3rd rail, not to step on sleepers, whatever

The first thing drummed into any railway person's head is to look after your own safety as you're no use at all if you get injured, and can make things much worse. Platform staff should be aware of how to contact the signaller in an emergency at their location - it's part of their training and assessments.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Rail Accident Investigation Branch website:

Incidents involving a wheelchair rolling off Southend station platform on 28 August 2013 and a pushchair rolling off Whyteleafe station platform on 17 September 2013

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) is investigating two similar incidents which both involved wheeled transport rolling off a station platform and onto the track. The first incident occurred at Southend Central and involved a wheelchair with an elderly occupant. The lady suffered a broken hip as a result of the fall. The second incident occurred at Whyteleafe and involved a pushchair with a young child. The child suffered only minor injuries in the accident. In neither case did a train arrive before the individuals concerned had been returned to the platform.

At 18:13 hrs on 28 August 2013 an elderly lady and her carer were escorted by a member of station staff onto the platform at Southend Central station. The wheelchair was positioned mid-way along the platform, facing the railway, awaiting the arrival of the train. The wheelchair^s parking brake was not applied and neither the carer nor the member of staff noticed it starting to move towards the railway. It then fell off the platform with the occupant still strapped inside. While passengers and a member of station staff went to assist the lady, the driver of the approaching train was called to warn him of the potential obstruction, but he had already observed passengers climbing back onto the platform and clear of the railway. The examination of the platform revealed a gradient towards the track was present in the area where the wheelchair was originally positioned.


Image of platform at Southend Central station

At about 10:40 hrs on 17 September 2013, a lady with a small child and a baby in a pushchair arrived at Whyteleafe station. She stopped at the platform ticket machine, leaving the pushchair parallel with the railway while she purchased a ticket. She did not apply the hand brake on the pushchair and did not notice that it had started to roll forward. The pushchair then turned through 90 degrees and fell onto the track, narrowly missing the live conductor rail. The lady and other passengers jumped onto the track to recover the baby and pushchair. Examination of the platform identified that a gradient was present around the area where the ticket machine had been installed, both parallel with the track and falling towards it.


Image of platform at Whyteleafe station

Historically, guidance on station design has indicated the desirability of gradients on platforms falling away from the track. The RAIB^s investigation will examine the circumstances under which both of these platforms had gradients sloping towards the track, and the extent to which the same situation occurs elsewhere on the railway network. It will also review the extent to which this hazard is recognised by the railway industry and the steps taken to manage the risk.

The RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigation by the Office of Rail Regulation.

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

[JayMac]

Excellent to see another potential hazard being identified and investigated.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Another incident at Whyteleafe - from ThisIsSurreyToday:

Trains cancelled after car flips on to track

Trains between Caterham and Purley are currently cancelled after a car flipped on to track in the early hours of this morning.

Fire crews were called to the scene at Whyteleafe South rail station at about 4.50am after reports that the car was on the line.


Trains remain cancelled as engineers work to remove the obstruction (picture submitted by Ian Stratton)

They attended and made the scene safe but no-one is thought to have been injured.

According to National Rail the disruption is due to last until further notice and passengers are advised to find alternative routes.

They have advised that passengers may use London buses on route 407 between Caterham and West Croydon.

[bobm]

Could be a lengthy job - is that badly distorted conductor rail in the middle of the picture?

[paul7575]

Could be a lengthy job - is that badly distorted conductor rail in the middle of the picture?

Looks like it, so maybe the car caught the ramp end of the con rail at speed.   They are lucky it didn't damage the 'shopping trolley' between the tracks...   

[Chris from Nailsea]

Ah, yes: the infamous 'shopping trolley picture'. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From ThisIsSurreyToday:

UPDATE: Four men injured after car flips on to railway lines

Four men were taken to hospital after a car flipped on to its roof and landed on the tracks at Whyteleafe South rail station earlier this morning.

The men, aged between 17 and 30, were travelling in a black Vauxhall Astra on the southbound carriageway of the A22 Godstone Road before the vehicle lost control and left the road, coming to a stop on the railway line.


Four men were injured after the car flipped on to its roof on the tracks near Whyteleafe South station (picture by Ian Stratton)

They were taken to East Surrey Hospital and St George^s Hospital, Tooting.

One of the men is said to have suffered serious injuries and remains in a serious but stable condition.

The other men suffered minor injuries.

Emergency responders from police, Surrey Fire and Rescue and South East Coast Ambulance Service attended.

Salmons Lane is currently closed for rail repairs at the junction with Godstone Road.

Police are carrying out further enquiries to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the collision and are liaising with colleagues at Network Rail and British Transport Police as part of the on-going investigation.

No other vehicles were involved.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the manner of driving of the vehicle prior to the incident should call Surrey Police^s Collision Investigation Unit on 01483 639922, quoting reference P13341651, or call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

[Chris from Nailsea]

That latest picture, by the way, shows that the 'shopping trolley' was fairly comprehensively demolished ... 

[Chris from Nailsea]

More pictures of the scene, from the Croydon Advertiser:

UPDATE: Four injured as car flips and lands on railway line at Whyteleafe South





The car landed on the railway line between Caterham and Purley (pictures by Ian Stratton)

Four men have been taken to hospital after their car flipped and landed on the railway line at Whyteleafe South.

The men were travelling in a black Vauxhall Astra southbound on the A22 Godstone Road when the vehicle lost control just before 5am.

Aged between 17 and 30, the men were taken to East Surrey Hospital and St George^s Hospital, Tooting.

One is said to have suffered serious injuries and remains in a serious but stable condition.

Southern train services are suspended between Caterham and Purley until the line is cleared.

Services will be cancelled and subject to short notice changes.

TFL^▸ (Transport for London) Bus route 407 is accepting ticket holders between Caterham and Croydon.

[Chris from Nailsea]

News of the publication of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch report has already been posted elsewhere on the Coffee Shop forum, but purely in the interests of continuity and completeness, I'm posting details in this specific topic, too.

Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) has today released its report into accidents involving a wheelchair rolling onto the track at Southend Central, 28 August 2013; and a pushchair rolling onto the track at Whyteleafe, 18 September 2013. 

RAIB has made four recommendations and also identified one learning point.