Train hits fallen signal between Reading and Newbury - 17 November 2014

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

Or Network Rail could maintain their assets such that they don't get into such a parlous state. 

...err 'Network Rail' and 'Maintenance' are words that don't go together and are never spoken in the same breath....

[SandTEngineer]

S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph)....if that signal is where I think it is (judging by the background view), I'm guessing that salt water corrosion could be a factor.

Long Rock?

Correct.....err wrong thread again .  See my earlier reply to BNM above (Post No.44).

[JayMac]

You're in the right thread S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph), just a few pages back where we had a diversionary discussion about the similarly corroded signal post near Penzance that you posted a picture of.

[SandTEngineer]

.....yes I know that but I thought it was turning into one of your quizzes BNM

[JayMac]

We'll have one of them in the run up to Christmas I expect.

Meanwhile back to Newbury...

[SandTEngineer]

Anyway, in all seriousness, I look forward to reading the report on the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) website and the recommendations that it makes.  Like others have said, in a different set of circumstances this had the potential to result in a very serious incident.

[chrisr_75]

Anyway, in all seriousness, I look forward to reading the report on the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) website and the recommendations that it makes.  Like others have said, in a different set of circumstances this had the potential to result in a very serious incident.

It's frankly a little alarming that if this is a common point of failure, that no-one has thought to use some form of polymer/fibre that is more resistant to water damage (and metal thieves...). Did no-one even tell them about galvanising or cathodic protection when these were manufactured and installed?!

This does begin to make me wonder what other ferrous items on the railway are in a similarly sh!t condition...bridges, tunnel linings and so on...scary!

[grahame]

Anyway, in all seriousness, I look forward to reading the report on the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) website and the recommendations that it makes.  Like others have said, in a different set of circumstances this had the potential to result in a very serious incident.

Potentially a very important report indeed, which however I would anticipate will be very technical.

And in complete contrast, I'm sharing an email received in the last few minutes

On 20 Nov 2014, at 03:53, Henry <service2@mx9.travecharger.com> wrote:

Dear Manager,

Good day!

This is Henry From Henry Parts Inc, which located in Ningbo, China.

We are specilized in producing many kinds of metal components, such as machining parts, stamping parts, forging parts, and other hardware etc.

We are mainly producing according to customer's drawings or samples.

Are you importing and interested in these kinds of parts, for more detail informations about us, please kindly visit our website.

Henry Parts Inc will be your trustworthy supplier, and henry is always pleasure and looking forward to kindly inquiries from you.

Thanks & Best regards,
Henry

No.B Room 604 Century Winner Building,No 6 Nianjiu Lane Haishu
Tel: 86 547 55224988
Fax: 86 547 87169076
SKYPE: enryparts

Is there someone in the industry I should forward this to  (the original and not the copy above, in which I have made subtle changes to the contact details to avoid giving the oxygen of getting his details out there to what I believe to be a bulk, unsolicited mailer!)

[brompton rail]

It had to happen.  I'm totally unsurprised by this as the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) policy since the beginning in 2002 has been not to paint signals nor renew them unless absolutely necessary (obviously missed this one) 

Here is one I used to have to look after before it finally got renewed out of necessity

Image (c)2014 SandTEngineer

It seems that the footpath crossing in this photo is now to be closed. Mexico Inn, Longrock.

[JayMac]

On 20 Nov 2014, at 03:53, Henry <service2@mx9.travecharger.com> wrote:

Dear Manager,

Good day!

This is Henry From Henry Parts Inc,

I always suspected those smiley faced vacuum cleaners were animate.



Just biding their time until our guard drops, then, BAM! Henry, James, Charles, George, Hetty and their Numatic brethren will realise their world domination ambition. Don't be fooled. That's not a friendly face. They're watching us. We are being scrutinized like someone with a microscope who studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few of us even consider the possibility of life in inanimate objects, and yet across the living room and under the stairs, minds immeasurably superior to ours regard us mortals with envious eyes, and slowly and surely they are drawing their plans against us.

♫Dun duhn Duhhnn♪

[stuving]

Don't laugh - well, not yet anyway - this is a winner of an innovation award:

The IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) Innovation Awards 2014

Asset Management Award Winner 2014

Offering rail better information services - linear asset decision support solution
Network Rail Asset Information ORBIS Programme, Cap Gemini and EY
ORBIS LADS capability transforms Network Rail's track infrastructure maintenance availability. By joining multiple fragmented, complex datasets into actionable asset intelligence we have enabled track engineers to make the ^right interventions, right time, determined by facts^. ORBIS will save ^750m over the next 10 years, enhance safety and increase asset availability.

The judging panel commented:
"Network Rail has successfully met the need for asset intensive industries to acquire data and use it collectively to meet strategic objectives. Combining 14 complex data sources and integrating information from different departments into one common digital view.

"There are now new opportunities for maintenance operations to make better intervention decisions."

That first description, citation, or whatever it is, is both overblown and verging on the meaningless. The judges' words are a bit more sensible. So what is it, exactly?

It's just a bit of software, cobbling together a load of incompatible databases. Done by a bunch of consultants. But should help a chronically understaffed organisation to waste less of its effort.  Eventually.

[onthecushions]

While it's 45 years since men went to the moon, the problem of sticking a post, either of metal or wood, in the ground seems to baffle mankind. It is well known that rot and corrosion occurs around ground level, leading to eventual sudden collapse. For wooden posts, occasional treatment of the danger area or concrete foundation spurs should be used; for hollow mild steel posts in concrete, hot-dip galvanising with internal corrosion  arrested by dosing with old engine oil, or waxoil if you don't like dirtying your gloves, is appropriate. Probably for railway longevity, galvanised foundation bolts as used on electrification masts will now be required.

It'll be a challenge to modern engineers schooled in MSProject and Finite Element Analysis, although it was bequeathed to them by their grandfathers in the 1960's.

OTC

[ChrisB]

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) are indeed investigating.

[SandTEngineer]

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) are indeed investigating.

Indeed they are: http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_investigations_register/141117_newbury.cfm

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for providing that link, SandTEngineer. 

Purely for the benefit of those whose mobile devices may have difficulty in accessing links, I'll quote that RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) page here:

Collision between a train and a collapsed signal post at Newbury, Berkshire, 17 November 2014

RAIB is investigating an accident in which a passenger train struck a signal that had collapsed and fallen across the track between Newbury and Newbury Racecourse stations.

The accident occurred at about 14:35 hrs on 17 November 2014 and involved train 1A83, the 10:41 hrs First Great Western service from Truro to London Paddington, travelling on the up line. The train struck the junction indicator attached to the head of signal T2865. The signal was attached to a metal post which was lying across the down line (the line usually used by trains travelling west) and foul of the up line. Before it collapsed, this signal post had been standing adjacent to the down line.

The train was travelling at approximately 110 mph (177 km/h) at the point of collision. Although the train did not derail, it did sustain exterior damage to the cab of the leading power car and a ruptured air pipe.

Immediately before the accident there had been no indication of a problem to the signaller because the signalling cables were still intact and the signal itself was still showing a light. A freight train had passed through the area on the down line around 15 minutes before the collision without incident.

The post of signal T2865 (formerly numbered R824) had last been examined in June 2014 and no defects were reported for it. However, the base of the post was hidden by ballast and corrosion at and below ground level was not detected by the examination regime. The signal head was replaced on 28 September 2014 and no issues were reported with the signal post at that time.


Collapsed signal T2865 lying across the down line closest to the camera (train 1A83 was running on the furthest of the two lines) (photograph courtesy of Network Rail)

RAIB's investigation will focus on the examination regime for this signal post and other similar structures, and will seek to understand how the post of signal T2865 came to be susceptible to corrosion and why this was not detected before it collapsed.

RAIB will assess the railway industry's current strategy for the examination and maintenance of such structures, and will review the actions taken in response to previous RAIB recommendations relating to structural failures.

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

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.