Level crossing incidents at Sandy Lane and Yarnton Lane - merged posts

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Oxford Mail:

A man has been killed at a level crossing near Yarnton.

The man died after being hit by a train at the crossing in Yarnton Lane, at about 2pm today.

Police are currently at the scene and have cordoned off a section of the road.

The line between Oxford and Banbury has been closed.

A spokesman for First Great Western warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations.

[BerkshireBugsy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-20892607

Mods please feel free to delete if already posted but I couldn't see it anywhere

Dave

[BerkshireBugsy]

I was on a north downs service bound towards reading when the TM^‡(resolve) advised that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services were not running because of a "major incident at a level crossing between Oxford and Banbury"

Like I said,not a good start to the new year.

Dave

[IndustryInsider]

For those that don't know, Sandy Lane is an AHB (Automatic Half Barrier) crossing on the main line with line speeds of 100mph.  This freight train would have been travelling at no more than 75mph though.

Another tragic level crossing incident, and the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) has at least stuck with a sensible, non sensationalist and accurate headline rather than ITV's three offerings which have had the following three headlines so far:

'Train crash death - police statement' ITV News 16:41
'One man dead in train crash' ITV News 16:31
'Transport police confirm train crash' ITV News 16:21

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

I regularly use this level crossing (Sandy Lane between Yarnton and Kidlington) and although it is relatively narrow and twisty unclassified road, it is well used with vehicles using the crossing every minute or so, more at peak hours. I have on several occasions seen vehicles dodging between the barriers as they drop down and vehicles often cross the tracks when the lights are flashing so this incident does not surprise me as there have been other such accidents in the past (not really accidents as the vehicle drivers intentionally crash the lights). I believe that this crossing is scheduled to have the mobile automatic number plate detection located there and it is definitely needed there.

[Andy W]

Michael Crick (Channel 4 news) has just put this on twitter

Michael Crick ‏@MichaelLCrick

Rail source tells me "technical problems for years" at Yarnton, Oxon level-crossing where man killed this pm. "I knew this would happen."

Network Rail & RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) will investigate but I really hope it is not true.

[EBrown]

'Train crash death - police statement' ITV News 16:41
'One man dead in train crash' ITV News 16:31
'Transport police confirm train crash' ITV News 16:21

And now:
Train crash death - first pictures ITV News 1642

Why people would want pictures of two police cars, a police officer, a road closed sign and some orange people is odd.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, it's quite a busy crossing and the view from the road either side of the barrier looking north (where the train in question was coming from) isn't great with a combination of a curve in the track and the old crossing keepers house.  Totally different to 'Yarnton Lane' AHB less than a mile away which has one vehicle an hour going over it roughly.

[EBrown]

For reference you can find the tweet here.

[TonyK]

I'm afraid it is accurate, according to the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Man dies after car struck by freight train at Yarnton level crossing
 

A man has died after a car was struck by a freight train at a level crossing in Oxfordshire.

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) said officers were called to Sandy Lane level crossing, Yarnton, at 15:40 GMT.

It is believed two people were in the vehicle at the time. One of them was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second person in the car has been taken to hospital. Their condition is not yet known.

The train involved was travelling from Trafford Park to Southampton. The driver of the train is reported to be shaken but uninjured.

BTP said officers were at the scene working to establish how the car came to be on the track.

Cross Country and First Great Western rail services between Oxford and Banbury have been disrupted and replacement buses are in operation.

From GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s twitter feed:

First Great Western @FGW^▸ (First Great Western)

 RT @btp_uk Officers are at a level crossing in #Yarnton, Oxon (nr #Tackley) after a car was struck by a train.

From GWR's Journey Check:

Line problem: between Banbury and...
 Owing to a problem at a level crossing between Banbury and Oxford all lines are blocked.
 Impact:
 Train services running through these stations may be cancelled at short notice. Disruption is expected until 02:00 03/01.
 Customer Advice:
 Chiltern Railways, Cross Country and London Underground services are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Great Western rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.
 Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Banbury and Oxford via Heyford in both directions until further notice.

17:23 Banbury to Oxford due 17:52
 This train will be cancelled.
 This is due to a problem at a level crossing.

3 other trains are cancelled.

[TonyK]

From Meridian News:

Man killed in train crash
- last updated Wed 2 Jan 2013


A man has died after a car was hit by a freight train at a level crossing in Oxfordshire this afternoon.

The man was one of two people in the car which was hit at the crossing in Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxfordshire.

British Transport Police said the man was prunounced dead at the scene after they were called at 3.40pm.

A spokeswoman said: "It is believed two people were in the vehicle at the time.

"Sadly, one of them, a man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The train involved was a Trafford Park to Southampton freight service, and the driver is reported to be shaken but uninjured.

"Officers are working to establish the full circumstances, including how the car came to be on the tracks at the time."

Train passengers on Cross Country and First Great Western services are being warned that they face delays of up to an hour because of the crash north of Oxford, according to the National Rail Enquiries website.

Buses are replacing trains between Oxford and Banbury.

First Great Western said it was expecting disruption to continue into the early hours of tomorrow morning.

The rural crossing in a quiet country lane was reportedly due to be visited by a new speed camera van designed to catch people who attempt to beat level crossing barriers.

British Transport Police are rolling out the purpose-built van to crossings in the county where drivers are known to gamble on beating the warning signals and barriers to get across before the train arrives.

It would then collect video evidence for prosecutions.

A South Central Ambulance Service spokeswoman said one person involved in the crash had been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with minor injuries, while two others were treated at the scene.

She was unable to say whether they were in the car or on board the train.

[BerkshireBugsy]

II I ave no reason to doubt your understanding of which crossing the accident happened at but is the meridian article (above) consistent with the crossing you describe ?

[Phil]

As a complete aside to this tragic set of circumstances, when did "goods trains" become "freight trains" (ref. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-20892607 )? Did I miss something, or is it simply part of the creeping Americanization of the British media at large?

[TonyK]

I don't know the crossing. The Meridian article seemed to me to say more than is needed at present, and possibly to have drifted from factual reportage into conjecture.

[EBrown]

II I ave no reason to doubt your understanding of which crossing the accident happened at but is the meridian article (above) consistent with the crossing you describe ?

Yes, it is a rural road, that doesn't mean it's not busy. The speed limit is 60 miles per hour, the road has several twists and bends in (one right before the level crossing) (East side). I would categorise it as a Country road.

Not a country lane (which is Yarton Lane Level Crossing).