Elizabeth line train speeding 20mph over limit left passengers shaken

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

From the Independent

Travelling at almost double the speed limit caused the train to ‘jolt sideways’

A speeding Elizabeth line train caused passengers to “lose their footing” after the driver “became confused” about the rerouted train’s location, a report has revealed.

According to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)), the train was travelling at 45mph (72km/h), 20mph faster than the maximum speed for the junction, after being diverted because of a track circuit failure on 24 September 2024.

At least one passenger “fell to the floor” on the Heathrow to Shenfield service as the train “jolted sideways” near Manor Park station, CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage shows.

After being “routed off its booked route”, the driver became “confused about the train’s location” and failed to reduce the train’s speed to 25mph, the report found.

A member of staff onboard reported the overspeed to MTR control as the driver “did not believe” that the jolt was “severe enough to report”.

RAIB’s investigation recommends that route risk assessments “identify the opportunities needed for drivers to effectively refresh their route knowledge, particularly where there are alternative routings available”.

The RAIB added that an “incorrectly placed, inconspicuous and dirty” 25mph speed limit sign was partly to blame for the incident.

Network Rail is responsible for maintaining infrastructure, including permissible speed restriction signs, on the Elizabeth line.

There is no in‑cab indication given to Elizabeth line drivers about permissible speeds on their route.



“At the time of the incident, the sign was positioned under the bridge, and partially obscured by lineside equipment, which made it difficult to see. It was also covered in dirt, further reducing its conspicuity and legibility,” said the rail safety investigator.

Network Rail’s “Track Work Instruction” guide on ‘How to maintain signs’ states that signs should be kept clean and in good repair.

Director of the Elizabeth line Howard Smith said: "We apologise to customers who were on board the train during this rare incident."

[broadgage]

On such a new and expensive railway, I am surprised that there is no in cab display of the maximum permitted speed.
In the absence of such technology, some cleaning of the speed limit signs is required, and possibly re-locating same to improve sighting.
It is reassuring though that a train travelled at nearly twice the permitted speed without any serious consequences. I suspect that doing 100 mph in a car on a narrow country lane would be more dangerous.

[Mark A]

Given the lead distance, by the time the driver's within sight of that '25' sign, not sure what he's meant to do about it. Perhaps there's something else set further back.

Mark

[Ralph Ayres]

Given the lead distance, by the time the driver's within sight of that '25' sign, not sure what he's meant to do about it. Perhaps there's something else set further back.

As I understand things, it mostly relies on the driver's training and paying attention to the preceding signal which would have indicated that a turnout was being taken; that's why there is such an emphasis on route-learning, and one of the demands often quoted when drivers' reasonably generous pay is discussed. The speed limit sign itself even if clean and well-positioned is unlikely to be seen from far enough away to form the main instruction, and is not intended to do so. It really just means "This is the exact point where the speed restriction you are already expecting starts", and if the drop in speed is significant there is an advance warning sign. Reading the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) Safety Digest https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6798ebbf4686aac15860641e/D012025_250127_Manor_Park.pdf I'm not sure the driver would have driven differently if the sign had been more visible.

[grahame]

Given the lead distance, by the time the driver's within sight of that '25' sign, not sure what he's meant to do about it. Perhaps there's something else set further back.

Mark

The fundamental difference between a tram and a train?     For a tram or a bus, it's driven within line of sight, no route knowledge needed, and signage needs to be visible at a distance where action can be taken.  For trains, routes need to be learned and the signage may be considered as an aid to route learning, so need not be visible from further back.  Probably a good idea to help the route learning by having the signs clean enough to read though!

[stuving]

On such a new and expensive railway, I am surprised that there is no in cab display of the maximum permitted speed.

But this isn't a new railway, is it? It's the old Shenfield Electrics line, and has been running a high frequency (i.e metro) service since 1949. As a result, it needed far less done to it to tack it onto the end of Crossrail than the GW^▸ (Great Western) suburban line, which had never been developed in the same way earlier on. The current EL service is nearly doble the five or so trains per hour it had before, but that hardly calls for a big change to the track.

Of course someone ought to have cleaned the sign, whatever the service. Perhaps the PW^▸ (Permanent Way) maintenance staff couldn't see it?