Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
No recent travel & transport from BBC stories as at 08:15 03 Apr 2025
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 15/04/25 - End, Rail Future consultation
15/04/25 - Everything Electric
16/04/25 - Walk from Chetnole
10/05/25 - BRTA Westbury

On this day
3rd Apr (1944)
Wick and Lybster Railway closed (link)

Train RunningCancelled
07:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury
08:03 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth
08:16 Bourne End to Marlow
08:38 Marlow to Bourne End
08:41 Westbury to Bristol Temple Meads
09:49 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
21:04 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington
22:36 London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
Short Run
05:40 Penzance to Cardiff Central
07:05 Worcester Foregate Street to Bristol Temple Meads
07:12 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
07:38 London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
Delayed
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 07:48 Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
April 03, 2025, 08:32:18 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[159] Daily Mile - coming to Melksham for April
[69] [OTD] 2nd April 1962 - First Panda Crossing
[67] It's not the train that's the problem...
[61] Extreme Day Trips
[53] Changes to the Highway Code
[50] [OTD] Senior Railcard launched 1st April 1975
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: [OTD] 11th June 1972 - Eltham Well Hall  (Read 2884 times)
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43734



View Profile WWW Email
« on: June 11, 2024, 08:38:21 »

And as for drunken driving ! The last fatal rail accident caused by the driver drinking was IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly) over 50 years ago (Hither green) Happens all the time on the roads.

Hither Green in 1967 was a broken rail. Eltham Well Hall in 1972 was a drunk train driver.


52 years to the day since the Eltham Well Hall "accident" and I have, after thought, added this thread to the "historic" board as something that would not happen today.   But a reminder of the need for systems to be in place to be vigilant, jut in case a safety-critical member of staff (or one who can endanger safety) goes - err - off the rails.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19465



View Profile Email
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2024, 12:45:24 »

Details are available on Wikipedia, at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eltham_Well_Hall_rail_crash
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
broadgage
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5663



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2024, 13:53:47 »

Yes, thanks for the correction, for some reason I had confused Hither Green and Eltham Well hall.
AFAIK (as far as I know), that was the last accident caused by a drunk train driver, most unlikely to happen today, but can not be absolutely ruled out.
Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
Electric train
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4530


The future is 25000 Volts AC 750V DC has its place


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2024, 18:27:24 »

And as for drunken driving ! The last fatal rail accident caused by the driver drinking was IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly) over 50 years ago (Hither green) Happens all the time on the roads.

Hither Green in 1967 was a broken rail. Eltham Well Hall in 1972 was a drunk train driver.


52 years to the day since the Eltham Well Hall "accident" and I have, after thought, added this thread to the "historic" board as something that would not happen today.   But a reminder of the need for systems to be in place to be vigilant, jut in case a safety-critical member of staff (or one who can endanger safety) goes - err - off the rails.

Despite the well published policy on random D&A testing, which takes place across offices, depots, control centres, work sit access etc. post incident testing, the pre employment D&A testing and the regular testing at medicals; there are still people testing positive.

Having said that the number is extremely low, there are not many industries that have the legal requirement to conduct regular random D&A testing
Logged

Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19465



View Profile Email
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2024, 21:11:29 »

Thank you for that information, Electric train.  Wink

What is the level of alcohol tested against: is it 'zero', or any lower level than the legal limit for driving road vehicles, for example?

I'm asking genuinely out of professional interest.
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Oxonhutch
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1371



View Profile
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2024, 22:33:10 »

is it 'zero'

There is no zero for ethanol in the human body. It is a metabolite of non-drinking people.
Logged
Electric train
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4530


The future is 25000 Volts AC 750V DC has its place


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2024, 18:01:26 »

Thank you for that information, Electric train.  Wink

What is the level of alcohol tested against: is it 'zero', or any lower level than the legal limit for driving road vehicles, for example?

I'm asking genuinely out of professional interest.

29 mil g per 100ml of blood, 13 micro g per 100ml of breath, as Oxonchurch says there is no zero
Logged

Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19465



View Profile Email
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2024, 22:07:55 »

Thank you both for your detailed information.  Lips sealed

Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules via admin@railcustomer.info. Full legal statement (here).

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page