Frampton Mansell level crossing - fatal incidents, May 2014, Feb 2017 and Jan 2018

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Reports that a train has hit a motorcyle on the crossing between Kemble and Stroud.

No word as yet on the rider.

The crossing takes a foot and cycle path over the railway and features in this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yyxrCfA-M

Please note:  This video was filmed previously and should not be seen as speculation about what did or did not happen today.  It is posted merely to allow vistors to see the area under discussion.

[ChrisB]

motorcycle on a cycle path? Should it have even ben there?

[bobm]

Incident now confirmed as a fatality.

Looking at Real Time Trains it seems the train involved (18:18 Swindon to Gloucester) was allowed to move just over 2 hours and 20 minutes late.

[LiskeardRich]

http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/news/11205674.Rail_services_disrupted_after_person_hit_by_train_in_Stroud/?ref=rss

Reporting a person hit without mention for the bike.


Also a contender for irrelevant picture thread.

[JayMac]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) had some difficulty with replacement road transport following this incident. One coach was involved in a road traffic incident and another broke down before it could be deployed.

At the incident site itself there were communication difficulties due to poor mobile phone reception.

Thoughts as always are with those involved.

[Red Squirrel]

This article, in Stroud Life, gives more details:

http://www.stroudlife.co.uk/Motorcyclist-37-killed-rail-crossing-accident/story-21085442-detail/story.html

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Man on motorbike dies at railway crossing near Stroud


Trains travel at 60mph in the area the collision happened

A man has died when the motorbike he was riding was hit by a train at a railway crossing.

British Transport Police said the collision, at Frampton Mansell near Stroud, happened on Sunday evening.

A 37-year-old man, thought to be from Stroud, was treated by paramedics at the scene but later died. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch and Office of Rail Regulation have been informed of the death.

A police spokesman said the man was on a "scrambling motorbike" when he was hit by the train which was travelling from Swindon to Gloucester.

"None of the 40 passengers on board the service was injured," he added.

"Officers are currently working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision and formally identify the man who died."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Rail Accident Investigation Branch:

Fatal accident at Frampton Mansell level crossing, near Stroud, Gloucestershire

RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) is investigating a fatal accident that occurred on a level crossing at Frampton Mansell, between Kemble and Stroud, on Sunday 11 May 2014. At about 18:40 hrs, a motorcyclist was riding his motorbike across the railway when he was struck by a train travelling from Swindon to Gloucester, and died shortly afterwards.

The crossing, which is over two railway tracks, links an unclassified tarmac road on the northern edge of Frampton Mansell with a track running through farmland towards Sapperton. The unstaffed crossing is provided with simple swing gates, and signs which give warnings and instructions to users on how the crossing is to be used safely. On each side of the crossing are located telephones which are linked to the signalling centre.


Image showing Frampton Mansell crossing

RAIB^s investigation will identify the sequence of events which led to the accident and any factors which may have influenced the actions of the user. It will also examine:
 - Network Rail^s management of the crossing;
 - the history of the crossing; and
 - the permitted uses of the track and road on the approaches to the crossing.

RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigation by the safety authority (the Office of Railway Regulation).

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

[JayMac]

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) have now released their report into this incident:

Summary

At around 18:45 hrs on Sunday 11 May 2014, a passenger train approaching the village of Frampton Mansell, in Gloucestershire, struck a motorcycle on Frampton level crossing. The rider of the motorcycle was fatally injured. The train did not derail, and there were no reported injuries to anyone on the train.

The rider was crossing the railway on a trail bike, a type of motorcycle designed for use on public roads and for off-road use. He was the last of a group of three riders who had reached the level crossing along an unsurfaced track leading from a minor road near the village of Sapperton.

Signage on the approach to the crossing instructed vehicle users (eg trail bike riders) to use a telephone located close to the crossing. This allowed the railway signaller to tell users whether it was safe to cross the railway. The riders did not use the telephone because they believed that they could cross safely by looking for trains before crossing, and because the signs did not grab their attention sufficiently for them to read the information on them. The riders did not know that a curve in the railway meant that they could not rely on seeing an approaching train as a means of deciding whether it was safe to cross. The train^s warning horn was sounded as it approached, but the trail bike riders could not hear this because they were wearing full-face crash helmets and their trail bike engines were noisy. Network Rail had received some information that trail bikers were using the crossing, but had not taken effective action to manage the associated risk of unsafe use.

Although permitted to use vehicles on both approaches to the level crossing, the trail bike riders were unaware they were not among the people permitted to use vehicles on the crossing. The signs giving instructions to vehicle users did not explain this, and there was no other indication at the crossing, or on the approaches. There was no requirement for signs or other indications to be provided by Network Rail, or any other organisation, to indicate that the general public were not permitted to take vehicles onto the level crossing.

The investigation identified three observations, unrelated to the accident, relating to level crossing signage, correct sounding of train warning horns and provision of reliable images from CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) cameras fitted to trains.

Recommendations

As a consequence of this investigation, RAIB has made six recommendations. Two addressed to Network Rail, one addressed to the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) and one addressed to the Department for Transport relate to improved content and positioning of information provided to level crossing users. Two recommendations addressed to Network Rail require it to seek a better understanding of actual (not only permitted) use of level crossings, and, in conjunction with highway authorities, to raise public awareness of locations where the general public are not permitted to take vehicles onto level crossings.

Full report: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/430175/150528_R052015_Frampton_LC.pdf

[bobm]

The 13:36 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is reported to have struck a vehicle on Frampton Mansell Level Crossing around 15:00.

No reports of any injuries so far.

The line is closed in both directions.

[bobm]

An update - one person and a dog reported to have died.

Stroud News & Journal

Man, 60, and dog killed in accident between train and Landrover in Frampton Mansell near Chalford



A CAR has collided with a train in Frampton Mansell near Chalford, the 60-year-old driver of the landrover was killed in the crash along with one of his dogs.
 
The incident occurred at 3.03pm, train services in the area have been halted until 5.15pm with replacement buses, with forecast disruption between Swindon and Gloucester for the rest of the day.

The Landrover was carried at least a half a mile down the track by the train.

It is also believed that there were two dogs in the car, one of which did not survive the crash.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said: "The call was received at 3.03pm to Frampton Mansell to reports of a two-vehicle collision. There is one male casualty, who is 60-years-old."
The vehicle was hit by the 1.36pm service from London to Cheltenham at Frampton Mansell.

A statement from British Transport Police said: "At 3.10pm today we were called to a level crossing close to Frampton Mansell, Gloucestershire, following reports that a car had been struck by a train.
“Officers from BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) attended alongside paramedics from the South Western Ambulance Service however a man, believed to be the driver of the car, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are now working to identify the man and inform his family.

"The car was struck by the Great Western Railway's London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa service. There are no other reported injuries.

"At present, officers are currently examining the scene to establish the circumstances which led to the man's car being struck.

"Anyone with any information is asked to contact BTP by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 311 of 07/02. Or you can send a text to BTP on 61016.

"The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have been notified of this incident."

Queues are building up in Stroud as replacement bus services are on their way, trains have come to a standstill.

[JayMac]

RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) confirmed their attendance.

https://mobile.twitter.com/raibgovuk/status/829006487452270594

Whilst every such incident is different, there will, I suspect, be close scrutiny of the report into the previous fatal collision with a vehicle at this user worked crossing. That involved a motorcyclist in May 2014.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13991.0

Thoughts, as always, are with the family of the deceased. And for the train driver involved.

[froome]

It seems miraculous that the second dog survived if the Land Rover was pushed half a mile down the track.

[bobm]

Judging by Journeycheck the line is expected to remain closed today but a rail shuttle will be running between Swindon and Kemble.

[ChrisB]

Dogs are agile creatures - probably thrown clear?