Fatality at Exeter St. Thomas

[whole diary]

[Super Guard]

A member of the public was killed shortly before 1400 at Exeter St. Thomas by the 1055 PNZ-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains).  The line was closed in both directions for approximately 75-90minutes.

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) terminated their Newcastle-Paignton service at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) and sent it back up as the 1423 Manchester Pic service.

The PNZ-PAD involved in the incident when allowed through was terminated at EXD while investigations of the train were concluded - (it was not a pretty sight  )  This was then taken back as empty stock to Laira at approx 1900.

Services were running back to normalish at approx 1600.  The return XC Paignton-Newcastle was cancelled due to the stock being used as the earlier Manchester service.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for that rather sombre news, SDA.  Is the driver alright (as far as they can be, in the circumstances)?   

[Super Guard]

As far as I know he is ok, although I didn't actually speak/see him on his arrival.  Hopefully he receives the support needed to get back driving soon.

[John R]

I note that the 2058 Worcester to Padd is shown as being a turbo tonight due to an earlier fatality. It goes to show how one incident, outside the control of the railway, can have knock on effects for the rest of the day.   

[Super Guard]

Also the Power Car in question will be out of service short-term i'm sure.  Add that to the 3 failed power-car incidents from last week and i'm sure that leads to a major headache!

[willc]

I note that the 2058 Worcester to Padd is shown as being a turbo tonight due to an earlier fatality. It goes to show how one incident, outside the control of the railway, can have knock on effects for the rest of the day.   

166219 to be precise. And all round a pretty muddled early evening at Oxford. As I was walking up to the station an HST^▸ (High Speed Train), apparently the 18.31 to Paddington, pulled out, swiftly followed into the platform by another HST, which I think was the badly delayed 15.19 from Hereford (though some of the screens said this one was the 18.31). If it was the 15.19, it left Oxford at 18.38, an hour down - lineside fire was the reason offered. Next an empty HST appeared from the Didcot direction, using the bi-directional signalling to run through platform 1 straight to the carriage sidings, presumably to operate the 19.30 to London - anyone know where it had come from, can't be too many spare HSTs at that time of the day? And then we got the Turbo on the 17.51 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) - not a capacity problem tonight as the London commuting classes have all taken off on their holidays.

[Super Guard]

Small report in the Echo today:

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Horror-tracks/article-245244-detail/article.html

Apparently this is not the first fatality for this driver either 

[Chris from Nailsea]

No, in these situations, the whole thing is horrible for all of those involved: the family and friends of the deceased, the train driver who sees it happening but can't prevent it, and the emergency service personnel who have to deal with it afterwards.

Chris 

[The SprinterMeister]

Will no doubt find out more about this later, but it appears the driver was having an routine assessment / check ride with an inspector assessor at the time of the accident. Horn is confirmed to have been sounded prior to impact. Line speed is 100mph but braking would be in progress for the 75mph limit that applies from City Basin Jn towards Exeter.

[G.Uard]

Having recently attended the Training Academy and now working out on the system for the first time, the thing I dread the most is a fatality. Although  my heart goes out to the relatives of the person who died at Exeter, I now have a clearer understanding of what the driver and train crew are going through and my first thoughts have to be with them.

Although I, (thankfully), have no experience of this horror, I am confident that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) does have good procedures in place to help staff, (above all drivers), in these tragic cases.  That said, no one should be put through what the driver has endured since Wednesday and it is a mark of the dedication and professionalism of train crews that they are able to return to work at all after such incidents.

With regard to the affected set, it is my understanding that, following BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) procedures, it will be cleaned at a specialist facility and that any remains will be recovered and dispatched to an undertaker (with full respect and dignity) for committal.

[Super Guard]

Will no doubt find out more about this later, but it appears the driver was having an routine assessment / check ride with an inspector assessor at the time of the accident. Horn is confirmed to have been sounded prior to impact. Line speed is 100mph but braking would be in progress for the 75mph limit that applies from City Basin Jn towards Exeter.

I heard this too.  The fact that there were two of them in the cab also sped up the line being reopened as their version of events were obviously identical at the scene, leaving no doubt about the speed/breaking etc.  I spoke to the TM^‡(resolve) who was on the train who confirmed they had already started breaking for the 75limit. 

Unfortunately, I have also been told what the deceased was doing as the train approached, but a public forum is not really the place, as it really did sicken me. 

The fact this driver has suffered and driven again since his previous fatality shows that the support from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and colleagues obviously does get drivers back again, but as others have said, my first thoughts are with the driver and the assessor who witnessed it all.

[The SprinterMeister]

Unfortunately, I have also been told what the deceased was doing as the train approached, but a public forum is not really the place, as it really did sicken me. 

The fact this driver has suffered and driven again since his previous fatality shows that the support from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and colleagues obviously does get drivers back again, but as others have said, my first thoughts are with the driver and the assessor who witnessed it all.

I have also been made aware of the activities of the deceased but this is not the place bearing in mind there will be a coroners court in due course. No doubt the available witness evidence and the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) OTMR^▸ (On Train Monitoring Recorder) printout will be used at the coroners court. Unfortunately there is no forward facing CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) camera on an HST.