Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
No recent travel & transport from BBC stories as at 19:35 16 Mar 2025
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 19/03/25 - WWRUG AGM
19/03/25 - Forum offline 00:00 - 02:00
21/03/25 - TravelWatch SouthWest
27/03/25 - MetroWest -> Wiltshire event

On this day
16th Mar (1873)
~ Cook's European timetable first published (link)

Train RunningCancelled
19:00 Cardiff Central to Taunton
17/03/25 06:19 Par to Plymouth
Short Run
18:37 Port Talbot Parkway to London Paddington
Delayed
Additional 17:15 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington
PollsThere are no open or recent polls
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
March 16, 2025, 19:48:26 *
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
[109] Extra trains for the six Nations, 15.3.2025
[77] Our contributor base and membership base.
[75] Plan for M4 to south coast corridor to avoid Bath, through Wes...
[49] RMT balloting for Industrial action on GWR
[44] Great British Railways
[41] Drivers carrying passengers who are travelling when they shoul...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Sad death of Shirley Pope, 82, and her dog, hit by train on foot crossing at Pewsey, Feb 2025  (Read 100 times)
hoover50
Full Member
***
Posts: 94


Class 50 at Swindon


View Profile Email
« on: Today at 13:19:56 »

https://www.newvalleynews.co.uk/news/outstanding-member-of-the-community-dies-after-being-hit-by-a-train-inquest-report/

This was such a tragic death which could have been avoided.

Network Fail urgently need to fix the bridge AND improve safety at the rail crossing which has no warning lights or sirens despite having very limited visibility.

I often use this crossing and express trains from Paddington come hurtling round the corner at 100mph. Once you see a train you have only three seconds to cross over. Trains should sound their horn on approach to the crossing, but they don't always do so.
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13215


View Profile Email
« Reply #1 on: Today at 13:28:08 »

Awful - but the ultimate result is that the crossing will be closed.

Is it a footbridge, or a road bridge that has the fault/s? And what is the problem that needs fixing?
« Last Edit: Today at 13:49:56 by ChrisB » Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43598



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #2 on: Today at 13:46:03 »

https://www.newvalleynews.co.uk/news/outstanding-member-of-the-community-dies-after-being-hit-by-a-train-inquest-report/

This was such a tragic death which could have been avoided.

Network Fail urgently need to fix the bridge AND improve safety at the rail crossing which has no warning lights or sirens despite having very limited visibility.

I often use this crossing and express trains from Paddington come hurtling round the corner at 100mph. Once you see a train you have only three seconds to cross over. Trains should sound their horn on approach to the crossing, but they don't always do so.

Thank you for posting that. I'm adding quote from that article, which reported on a coroners's hearing so that we have recorded the context here too. As the court was adjourned to a later date, no conclusion has yet been reached.

Quote
Pewsey is in mourning after an 82-year-old pensioner and her pet dog were killed by an express train while walking across a public level crossing.

Outstanding member of the community’ Shirley Pope had been walking on the crossing because a nearby bridge she normally used 80 yards away in Pewsey, Wiltshire, was closed for urgent safety repairs.

A member of the public spotted her body after the train had sped by.

The bridge was shut last autumn, and the repair work had still not been carried out.

Locals have said the tragedy should never have occurred.

Top Wiltshire Councillor Jerry Kunkler stressed: ”This is a tragic accident. It is very upsetting. We have lost an outstanding member of our community.”

[snip]

British Transport Police said crime had been ruled out.

[snip]

An inquest at Salisbury, Wiltshire was told Shirley Pope 82 from Pewsey was walking across a public level crossing in Pewsey on February 26 [2025] when she was struck by a train.

A member of the public called the police after seeing her body.

She died at the scene from multiple traumatic injuries and was identified by finger prints.

Death was confirmed by paramedics at 1427 hours.

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be fixed.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
hoover50
Full Member
***
Posts: 94


Class 50 at Swindon


View Profile Email
« Reply #3 on: Today at 14:01:45 »

Awful - but the ultimate result is that the crossing will be closed.

Is it a footbridge, or a road bridge that has the fault/s? And what is the problem that needs fixing?

This recent video from Danny Kruger (the Member of Parliament for Pewsey) gives more context about the footbridge and rail crossing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAPxV1qvviI
Logged
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19416



View Profile Email
« Reply #4 on: Today at 15:15:15 »

An image of the crossing itself - from New Valley News:



CfN.  Sad
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) 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.
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19416



View Profile Email
« Reply #5 on: Today at 19:21:31 »

Thank you for posting this very sad topic, hoover50.

I've simply expanded the heading, in the interest of clarity, for ease of future reference.

CfN.  Lips sealed
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) 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