Major delays at Cardiff today - line incident, 9 December 2009

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

Still think cow catchers would have been the better idea!

[Chris from Nailsea]

A further update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Four arrested after quad bike deaths on Cardiff railway

Four people have been arrested after two men believed to be fleeing the scene of a burglary were killed when a quad bike was hit by a train.

The men, three in their 20s and one 34, were arrested following a ^40,000 raid at an outdoor pursuits store on Newport Road, Cardiff, on Wednesday.

Two other men believed to be making their getaway were killed when the quad bike was struck on tracks at Rumney. They have been named as Trevor Davies, 20, and David Cooper, 24, of Rumney.

Officers believe the arrested men may be connected to the incident. South Wales Police said they were being detained at Cardiff Bay police station.

Officers have confirmed that one quad bike was stolen. The other quad bike remains unidentified.

[The SprinterMeister]

Apparently ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) 158886

I don't think you will find there is any such 158. Not with ATW anyway...

[devon_metro]

824 in fact.

[dmutony]

Apparently ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) 158886

158886 is currently run by SWT^▸ (South West Trains)



_{Edit note: Post amended to clarify quote marks. CfN.}

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update on this incident, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Two charged after Cardiff railway line quad bike deaths

Two men will appear in court to face charges following a raid on Cardiff outdoor clothing shop, after which two others died on quad bikes.

Trevor Davies, 20, and David Cooper, 24, were killed during an apparent attempt to flee the scene.

The quad bikes were hit by an empty passenger train near Newport Road.

Two men, aged 23 and 21, will appear before Cardiff magistrates next Tuesday, charged with burglary and endangering lives on a railway.

There are accused of stealing ^40,000 worth of jackets from the Go Outdoors site last December.

Following the raid, quad bikes carrying Mr Davies and Mr Cooper were struck by an empty passenger train on nearby rail tracks.

Another two men who had been arrested and bailed as part of the investigation have been told no further action will be taken against them.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Cardiff quad bike deaths 'accidental'

Verdicts of accidental death have been recorded on two men struck by a train while riding a quad bike on the main Cardiff to London railway line.

Trevor Davies, 20, and David Cooper, 24, of Rumney, Cardiff, died in the early hours of 9 December last year.

Their deaths followed a ^40,000 burglary at Cardiff's Go Outdoors store after which two men were charged.

The inquest in Cardiff heard Mr Davies' and Mr Cooper's quad bike was almost ripped in two in the 70mph collision.

Their bodies were later found by paramedics down the line from the clothing warehouse outlet in Newport Road, which was targeted in the raid and which is next to the railway.

CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) showed four men leaving the scene on two quad bikes through a fence and onto the railway line.

Liam Xeureb, 22, and Anthony Thomas, 23, both of Cardiff, were charged with burglary and endangering safety on the railways.

Both deny all charges and are due to stand trial later this month.

The two men were questioned by Cardiff coroner Mary Hassall during the jury inquest but both refused to reply, claiming their right not to answer her questions on the grounds that they might incriminate themselves.

"My concern is not a burglary or potential burglary or any matters relating to criminal prosecution," she told both men individually.

"My concern is how David and Trevor came by their deaths. Can you tell me how you know David and Trevor?" the coroner asked.

However both answered: "I have been advised to say nothing at this moment in time so I will not be answering any questions."

The inquest jury, of eight women and two men, returned their verdicts after hearing lengthy evidence regarding the findings of the investigation into both deaths.

The jury heard that the driver of the train which hit the pair had not seen them, and that as the bikes would have been noisy, it would have been impossible for them to hear the train until it was upon them.

The coroner's court also heard that there was a considerable risk of the collision derailing the train and endangering the crew.

The inquest was told that two other men then tried to raise the alarm with nearby residents saying that their friends had been killed.

One in particular was described as "frantic".

They showed paramedics to the scene but when the paramedics reached them, they could find no signs of life.

Shortly after that, the two other men had left the scene.

Post mortem examinations on the recovered bodies showed that Mr Cooper died of head injuries and Mr Davies died from multiple injuries.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Pair jailed for Cardiff fatal quad bike burglary

Two burglars have been jailed for three years at Cardiff Crown Court for a raid which left two of their gang dead after being hit by a train.

Liam Xuereb, 22, and Anthony Thomas, 23, and two friends stole ^7,500 of ski jackets from a store in Cardiff last December.

They used two quad bikes to escape along a railway line but Trevor Davies, 20, and David Cooper, 24, were killed.

Xuereb and Thomas had admitted burglary.

Prosecutor Julian Greenwood told the court how the four men, on quad bikes, were caught on CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) cutting a hole in the back fence of the Go Outdoors store's compound.

"Once inside they grabbed rails full of jackets and clothing and loaded them onto the bikes," he said. "They were escaping along a railway track when there was a collision with a train."

The court heard the train was an unscheduled locomotive travelling at 68 mph on the London Paddington to Swansea line.

Mr Greenwood said: "The driver Graham Sparshott remembers a flash of white light and a massive jolt as the train lifted itself off rhe tracks. He stopped and radioed for help. The police arrived and found Davies' and Cooper's bodies in undergrowth next to the line."

An inquest jury returned verdicts of accidental death on Davies and Cooper earlier this year.

The court heard the four friends from Llanrumney, Cardiff, planned to make "easy money" by selling the stolen jackets in the run up to Christmas 2009.

The train driver is still on stress-related sick leave nearly a year after the incident on the main Cardiff to London rail track.

Xuereb and Thomas pleaded guilty to burglary and endangering the safety of rail passengers at an earlier hearing.

Judge Patrick Curran QC told them: "The two young men killed were your close friends. The dangerousness of your conduct was demonstrated by the loss of their lives."

[Toiletdriver]

As my computer is a piece of junk and will not let me highlight parts of the above quote
Since when is an 158 a locomotive??
And most important, yes the driver is STILL on the SICK
Thanks Chavs for ruining a colleagues life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could have been me!

PS The thread on this subject on WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) is quite amusing


Edited due to spelling mistake

[Tim]

Poor driver is what I thought too.  Hope he/she can move forward with their life soon even if that means leaving the rail industry