Derailment near Oban - Sun 06 Jun 2010

[whole diary]

[LiskeardRich]

from the pictures i'm guessing it to be a class 156? anyone know anything further about the train involved

[Brucey]

from the pictures i'm guessing it to be a class 156? anyone know anything further about the train involved

On railforums.co.uk, there is a post saying that 156499 was the unit involved, so if this is correct it was a Class 156.

[willc]

Definitely a 156, as they are the standard unit for West Highland services.

[inspector_blakey]

Two rather hair-raising pictures posted today on the Railway Eye blog. There's something interesting about that second picture: firstly, I'm assuming that the car that is pointing down the embankment was the leading one at the time of the derailment. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see that one of the "stone signals", in the direction that the train came from, is at danger. However, whether that was the case before the derailment or rather was a consequence of it I have no idea.

Fortunately, at least to a civil engineering layman like me, it doesn't look like there is too much damage to the track or embankment, unless someone who knows more can advise otherwise!

[John R]

According to a report on Wikipedia, Network Rail confirmed 2 days ago that the rockfall started below the trip wires, so the signals did not warn of the obstruction. It also mentions that the guard on board was also on board the last derailment on the stretch, in 1997.

[TerminalJunkie]

Two rather hair-raising pictures posted today on the Railway Eye blog.

There's a good picture here: http://www.obantimes.co.uk/news/view/road_and_rail_closures_continue/ - click on the picture to enlarge it.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

BBC Scotland understands that "big boulders" found on the railway line may have come from just several feet above the track and not have fallen from a great height.
A trip wire system, in place to detect landslides further up the embankment, was not triggered.
The warning screen, which runs for four miles over the affected stretch of track, is designed to alert train drivers to obstructions on the track.
It was last inspected on 4 April and is checked at regular 90 day intervals.
The track was inspected on 26 May and is checked every two weeks.

[TerminalJunkie]

And here:
http://www.obantimes.co.uk/news/view/team_work_and_bravery_after_train_crash/

[TerminalJunkie]

Oh, and there are some pictures here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1284513/Glasgow-Oban-train-derailment-leaves-carriages-hanging-embankment.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

(And before anyone starts casting aspersions, I found it using Google).

Still, it was jolly decent of them to circle the train in red in the first picture, otherwise I might never have spotted it... 

Oh, and they got the location of the station wrong in one of the maps!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Spectacular video news images of a dangling 156, and a report, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Crane removes derailed Glasgow to Oban train

Work has begun to remove a derailed train which was resting over a 15-metre embankment in Argyll.
A crane capable of lifting 1,000 tonnes has lifted one of two carriages on to a low loader truck on the A85.
The Glasgow to Oban train came off the line shortly before 2100 BST on Sunday after striking boulders brought down by a landslip.
The crash happened near the Falls of Cruachan power station by Loch Awe.
All 60 passengers on board were safely rescued with eight taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has begun a probe into the incident.
Network Rail, which operates the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s tracks and signalling system, has been co-ordinating the operation to retrieve the derailed train.
A spokesman said it hoped the A85, which has been closed since the crash, and railway line would be re-opened on Monday.
Repairs will have to be carried out to the track which was badly damaged during the crash as well as further inspections to ensure there are no more landslips.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Scotsman:

Rail union attacks landslide safety record

The leader of Britain's rail union yesterday challenged Network Rail's landslide safety record as a major operation began to remove two stranded carriages from a blocked line.
A rock fall derailed the Glasgow to Oban train near the Falls of Cruachan on Loch Awe on Sunday night. Eight of the 60 passengers were injured when the front carriage of a two-carriage train went over the edge of a 50ft embankment.
A 1,000-tonne crane yesterday successfully lifted the front carriage clear of the embankment.
Bob Crow, the general secretary of the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers), claimed that the accident was the latest in a "catalogue of derailments" in Scotland. And he revealed that there had been a derailment at almost exactly the same location in April 1997.
Mr Crow has written to Network Rail bosses seeking urgent answers from the track operator on the investigations carried out into the series of derailments before Sunday's incident. He said: "RMT is deeply concerned that there is growing evidence that lessons of derailments prior to Sunday's narrowly-avoided tragedy at the Falls of Cruachan may not have been learned and that key recommendations may not have been actioned. Against the background of savage cuts to budgets at Network Rail, and the prospect of more to come from the new government, we are today seeking assurances that all recommendations have been actioned and that corners have not been cut."
In his letter to Paul Taylor, Network Rail's route maintenance director in Scotland, Mr Crow lists a total of five previous derailments caused by landslips, dating back to the previous derailment at the Falls of Cruachan on 5 April, 1997. He said: "I am extremely concerned that although the Railtrack report into the 1997 incident makes reference to the high level of false alarms with the stone signals and there is reference to designing a new system of alarms, no recommendation on this was made by the panel. It was also concluded that the embankment should be stabilised ... I also believe this was not actioned."
In response to Mr Crow's comments, a Network Rail spokesman said the company was working with the Rail Accident Investigation Bureau (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) to investigate the derailment. He said: "At this stage it has not been shown if the maintenance regime has any bearing on this incident. The cause of this accident is for the RAIB to determine, not the RMT."
He added: "The operation to recover the vehicle proceeded as planned and engineers are now in the process of preparing the vehicle for removal from the site by road for its journey back to Glasgow. Engineers will then rerail the second carriage so it can be recovered from the site."
David Simpson, Network Rail route director Scotland, said: "This is a very complex operation, due to the location of the incident site and the unique design of the road, but the recovery of the rail vehicles continues to progress well. Our engineers are doing an excellent job in challenging conditions and every effort is being made to restore road and rail links as quickly as possible."

[JayMac]

 
Oi. Bob. Try 'no comment' until the accident investigation is complete.

[inspector_blakey]

Only if it suits his point of view.

I remember Crow getting absolutely furious a few years back when Nigel Harris suggested in an editorial for RAIL magazine that in all probability the Potter's Bar crash was caused by faulty maintenance on the relevant points, which in turn may have been due to an RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) member failing to discharge their responsibilities correctly.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Confirmation that the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) are investigating this incident - from their website:

Investigation into derailment near Falls of Cruachan, Argyll, 6 June 2010

The RAIB is carrying out an investigation into the derailment at about 20:55 hrs of the 18:20 hrs train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban on Sunday 6 June 2010.  The train comprised a two-car class 156 diesel multiple unit operated by First ScotRail and was carrying approximately 60 passengers and three crew.  On approaching the site of the derailment just west of Falls of Cruachan station, the train struck a boulder that had fallen onto the track causing the leading car to derail to the left down a steep slope.  The leading bogie of the second car was also derailed by the boulder.

Evacuation of the passengers was carried out by the crew. Eight passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries and later released.  The line was closed until Monday 14 June 2010 to allow the train to be recovered and repairs to be carried out to the infrastructure.

The RAIB^s preliminary examination identified that the cause of the derailment was as a result of the train striking the fallen boulder.  The boulder fell down a slope onto the railway from within Network Rail^s boundary.  There is a system installed at the accident location to warn drivers of approaching trains of fallen boulders but this is only operated by falling rocks or boulders from outside Network Rail^s boundary and therefore played no part.  There was no evidence that the condition of the train, signalling system or track contributed to the accident.

The RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigations by the safety authority.

The RAIB will publish a report, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. This report will be available on the RAIB website.

[JayMac]

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) has released its report into the accident at Falls of Cruachan, Argyll, 6 June 2010. The RAIB has made six recommendations.

Full report can be found here:

http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_2011/report112011.cfm