Two rail workers killed in collision with train, near Port Talbot - Wed 3 July 2019

[whole diary]

[martyjon]

Condolences to all concerned from me.

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) R4 news at 18.00 carried a verbal statement from a BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) spokesperson that the two fatalities were wearing ear defenders at the time of the incident.

[Bob_Blakey]

LBC also reporting  the 'Ear Defenders' statement but without the obvious qualification that in such a scenario lookouts would (?should) have been posted and therefore, I suspect, giving Joe Public a rather distorted impression of this very sad incident.

When I first heard this news I am afraid that I was not as surprised as perhaps I should have been given that recent RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) bulletins have contained a number of 'near miss' reports.

[grahame]

Noting the various thoughts and speculation. The BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) and RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) are deeply into their work; as GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s statement says "they seek to understand the circumstances which led to this tragic accident" and there is significance in those words - confirming it as a tragic accident. 

The headline speculations we've seen are just some elements of what the specialists are looking into, and I look forward to the outcomes being shared in due course so that this tragic accident is never repeated.    In the meantime, thoughts with family and friends of those who were fatally injured, and with the very wide rail community who have been effected. That's  from 'seismic shock' level but spreading out afar too.

[bobm]

Lines have re-opened so looks like the last few services of the day will run through to their destinations.

[JayMac]

Not everyone had heard or read the news by mid afternoon. I overheard someone at Paddington saying, "another selfish suicide" after a PA^▸ (Public Address) announcement saying a Swansea service was terminating at Cardiff "due to a person hit by a train."

I put them right and got a rather insincere, "Oh, thanks."

[bobm]

Most of the messages attributed the problems to “a person hit by a train” - but I did see one public message describing it as “a serious incident”

[onthecushions]

I was saddened to see the pixilated drone picture of the accident site and the premature BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) comments about ear-defenders. At this stage information should be for HMRI^▸ (Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) and the BTP families' liason officers.

Without speculating further, it appears that the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) stopped in 6 car lengths - remarkable presence of mind by the shocked driver.

Ear-defenders may prompt reference to the Methley Junction accident of 1987 IIRR.

Two good men lost.

OTC

[broadgage]

Moving on from the tragic accident itself and considering the aftermath, TPTB^▸ (The Powers That Be) are in my view to be commended and thanked for re-opening the line on the same day.

After some previous incidents, I have felt that line closures were unduly prolonged.

And yes I know that it was tragic, but closing the line for three days does not make it any less tragic than closing for part of one day, full marks for opening tonight.
Investigations will be detailed, as should be after lives have been lost, but such investigations do not require a prolonged line closure.

[Incider]

I was saddened to see the pixilated drone picture of the accident site and the premature BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) comments about ear-defenders. At this stage information should be for HMRI^▸ (Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) and the BTP families' liason officers.

Without speculating further, it appears that the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) stopped in 6 car lengths - remarkable presence of mind by the shocked driver.

Ear-defenders may prompt reference to the Methley Junction accident of 1987 IIRR.

Two good men lost.

OTC

 I have dealt with too many suicide aftermaths to have much sympathy for those that choose to end it that way, but to go to work and not come home, because of an accident, which will undoubtedly have been caused by an error or mistake on someone’s part, is truly tragic and will affect many people for a long time.

Regarding the stopping in 6 car lengths, that would be remarkable given the speed the train was doing when the driver put the brake into emergency.

Terrible day for the railway and it’s family of workers.

[bobm]

Terrible day for the railway and it’s family of workers.

If I may say so. I think that sums up the feeling of many tonight.

[jamestheredengine]

Lines have re-opened so looks like the last few services of the day will run through to their destinations.

There goes my evil plan to work from home tomorrow! I'm expecting that it'll be one of those not enough trains in Swansea mornings with lots of cancellations, but they really have done a brilliant job to get the railway working again so quickly.

[REVUpminster]

Should not be working a job requiring ear defenders. How would they hear any warning from lookouts? When I worked on the underground we were not allowed to wear coats with hoods in case your hearing was impaired if tempted by the weather to use the hood.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm.  As an Administrator on this forum, I'm going to step in here.

The early reference to the wearing of ear defenders by the two sadly deceased rail track workers was unfortunate, and has led to some speculation here, and elsewhere.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch immediately sent three of their inspectors to South Wales to investigate this 'serious incident'.  To me, that means there is probably much more to this very sad event than we yet know.

May I therefore request that there be no further speculation regarding this incident, until we see the conclusions of the official RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) investigation.

Our thoughts and commiserations are with the family and friends of the deceased.

[grahame]

From Gov.uk

Fatal accident at Margam

Investigation into a fatal accident at Margam, near Port Talbot, South Wales, 3 July 2019.

At around 09:52 hrs on Wednesday 3 July 2019, two track workers were struck by a passenger train and fatally injured at Margam. A third track worker, who was very close to being struck, was treated for shock.

We will provide further details of what happened, and of our investigation, in the coming weeks.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry, the British Transport Police or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

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

Updated to me because

You’re getting this email because you subscribed to immediate updates to ‘Rail Accident Investigation Branch’ on GOV.​UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

and I will of course follow up with anything further.

[grahame]

The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) has named the men who died on the railway near Margam yesterday and has published a tribute to them.

Tributes have been paid to the two railway workers who died after being hit by a train on Wednesday.

Gareth Delbridge, 64, from Kenfig Hill and Michael "Spike" Lewis, 58, from North Cornelly, were hit by the Swansea to Paddington train near Margam.