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

[whole diary]

[swrural]

As a general rule, surely the only really effective safety systems are those that give no opportunity for humans to ignore them.  If GATSOs, for instance, actually worked as fail-safe, nobody would be caught or would need to be 'caught.  That is just an advisory system.  The 'perp' is given a warning when, a few days later, he receives his notification of the impending fine.  Thus the warning is 'see what this will cost you in future?'  I do not see how half-barrier crossings can be made fail-safe.  If there was some system that turned the car engine off and applied the brakes of a vehicle passing the red light, now we would perhaps be in business.  How does one ensure an articulated HGV driver, perhaps of limited English reading ability, will know he is supposed to stop and ring for permission at these crossings, for instance, when we see low bridge strikes almost every week?   

[Phil]

Maybe it's time to bring this gentleman back...

[bobm]

Reports of a Cross Country service colliding with a car on Sandy Lane Level Crossing between Oxford and Banbury.

Car driver reported to have survived.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Just found this http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-11-12/car-hit-by-train-level-crossing-yarnton-oxfordshire/ on the ITV web site but doesn't have much more detail

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Train hits car at Oxfordshire level crossing


The crash happened at the crossing on Sandy Lane in Yarnton

A car has been hit by a train at a level crossing in Oxfordshire, leaving the driver trapped inside.

The crash took place on the crossing at Sandy Lane in Yarnton, Kidlington, just after 16:30 BST.

One woman on the train was treated for minor injuries and another woman was being cut from the car. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The road has been closed and rail services between Oxford and Banbury have been suspended.

The train was a Cross Country service travelling between Bournemouth and Manchester Piccadilly.

In January, 85-year-old Thomas Pizzey, from Banbury, was killed when his car was in a crash with a freight train at the same location.

[stebbo]

Second incident in a year at the same crossing, very sad. I don't suppose if anyone yet knows if it was a boy racer trying to dodge the barriers or elderly couple not realising the danger or someone stalled on the crossing. Doesn't sound like a boy racer from the brief reports

I was just wondering if full width barriers set back further from the actual crossing might help, especially here as there's an S-bend when one approaches from the Yarnton side.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From a British Transport Police spokesman:

"On arrival, emergency services discovered one woman inside the car, a black Volkswagen Golf. She has since been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital for an assessment, although her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening."

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch and Office of Rail Regulation have been informed of the incident, and it would be inappropriate to speculate too much on the possible causes of this incident at this stage.

[IndustryInsider]

Second incident in a year at the same crossing, very sad.

Indeed.  The previous one a southbound freight train, this one a northbound XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Voyager.  One of the busier AHB crossings I know of.  Perhaps time for a full-barrier CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) one at this location?

[stebbo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-24926877
Looks like the driver may have been attempting suicide.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for posting that update, stebbo.

For completeness, I'll quote the full article from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Woman detained after train hits car at Yarnton level crossing


The crash happened at the crossing on Sandy Lane in Yarnton

A woman has been detained under the Mental Health Act after the car she was driving was hit by a train at a level crossing in Oxfordshire.

The crash happened on the crossing at Sandy Lane in Yarnton, Kidlington, just after 16:30 GMT on Tuesday.

The woman, who is in her 40s and from Banbury, had driven the VW Golf on to the tracks. She was cut free by the emergency services and taken to hospital, but was not seriously hurt.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "The train involved, the 2.45pm Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly Cross Country service, remained upright and on the tracks. There were no reported injuries to the 100 passengers on board the train."

The woman remains in hospital for an assessment.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) and Office of Rail Regulation (ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)) have been informed, he added.

Officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and have urged anyone with information to contact British Transport Police.

The road was closed on Tuesday evening and rail services between Oxford and Banbury were suspended.

In January, 85-year-old Thomas Pizzey from Banbury was killed when his car was in a crash with a freight train at the same location.

As this latest information is now in the public domain, I'd like to thank everyone for their restraint in previous posts.  This topic is readable by anyone, and we must always remember that the family and friends of those involved may be seeking further information about their loved one.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the woman involved in this case, and thoughts with the train driver and crew also, for what must have been a traumatic incident for all concerned.

Thanks again, Chris.

[ChrisB]

Thanks again, Chris

[LiskeardRich]

Thanks again, Chris

I suspect its thanks again for not commenting before it was published in the media from Chris.(ChrisfromNailsea)

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

The administrators on this forum were aware very early on that there were some particular features of this incident which gave cause for concern, and we really didn't want any additional distress to be caused to those involved by what might turn out to be inappropriate speculative posting.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From ThisIsOxfordshire:

Witnesses recall moment of collision in train crash

A man has described how he had to leave a woman ^to die^ on a rail crossing as a train approached.

Scaffolder Darren Day said he and a workmate came across a Volkswagen Golf that had stopped on the Sandy Lane crossing on Tuesday afternoon before the barriers came down and the alarm sounded.

The 36-year-old, from Kidlington, said he tried to break the window to get the driver out but he had to get off the line. He said: ^As soon as I heard the train coming I thought she is going to die if I don^t help her.^

But he said: ^The train was about 100ft away and I had to leave for my own safety. It was leaving another human being to die in my eyes.^

Mr Day said he could only watch as the train smashed into the car, forcing it to roll about four times and end up upside down.

Cowley man Mark Tierney, 29, who arrived on the scene shortly after, said he was surprised the woman survived. He said: ^It was awful. None of us were brave enough to go to the wreckage to see if she was okay. That spot is dangerous sometimes anyway but to see the car the way it was, I am surprised she made it.^

The driver, a woman in her 40s from Banbury, was yesterday being held under the Mental Health Act as police investigated the cause of the crash.

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) officers were waiting to speak to her about the incident.

The woman had to be cut from her car after the Bournemouth to Manchester train hit it at about 4.40pm, and she was taken to Oxford^s John Radcliffe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Network Rail yesterday said early signs showed the crossing, which has a history of malfunctions, was working properly at the time of the crash.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) is verifying this is correct.

Network Rail spokeswoman Dayle Sellars said: ^Network Rail is cooperating fully with RAIB in the investigation. Early indications are that the crossing was working correctly at the time of the incident.^

The Oxford Mail reported earlier this year that the crossing malfunctioned 21 times in 2012.

Kidlington resident Shirley Jarvis, 69, said she saw a van almost get trapped on the line earlier this month. She said a train passed and the barriers went up only to come down a few seconds later and another train pass through. She said: ^He was halfway over before the lights started flashing and the barrier came down.^

Mrs Jarvis, of High Street, said she would no longer be driving over the crossing after the latest incident. She said: ^Anybody local will be very wary about using it now.^

Trains between Oxford and Banbury were running as expected yesterday. All services had been suspended until 10pm on Tuesday.

In January, 85-year-old Banbury man Thomas Pizzey died when the car he was in was hit by a freight train on the same crossing.

[stebbo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-25022997

News report on the earlier fatality back last November. Looks like the level crossing worked OK but the car stalled. I guess cameras on the crossing would help but then the barriers have to stay down for a lot longer to allow the signalman to check the crossing then clear the signals. There's a crossing just north of Cheltenham where cameras are used and the traffic queues can be horrendous